Employee Surveillance in the Modern Workplace

Date of Award

Spring 5-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Advisor(s)

Miguel Alzola

Abstract

The expansion of employee surveillance technologies has increasingly widened the divide between employers and employees; the necessity for more complete oversight in the modern world competes directly with individual privacy. As digital monitoring tools become more sophisticated and widespread, employers are increasingly able to track worker productivity, communications, location, and behavior in both office and remote or at-home settings. This thesis examines whether employers should be permitted to conduct such intense surveillance practices on employees in light of existing ethical concerns and legal frameworks, and, if so, what regulatory safeguards are necessary to protect employee privacy rights. Drawing on employer policies, legal authorities, academic literature, industry reports, and prior survey research, this study considers surveillance practices across work settings and regulatory contexts, and evaluates the justifications commonly offered in support of workplace monitoring. It finds that: while limited forms of surveillance can be justified for legitimate purposes such as security, compliance, and operational efficiency, many existing practices exceed what is ethically responsible and legally regulated. In particular, broad and opaque monitoring systems risk undermining employee autonomy, dignity, trust, and freedom from unnecessary intrusion. This thesis argues that employee surveillance should be permitted only within a framework of strict safeguards, particularly those enforcing transparency, purpose limitation, and meaningful accountability mechanisms. Stronger regulation is necessary to ensure that workplace surveillance remains defined and consistent with the protection of employee privacy.

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