This is evident from research by VPNdiensten.nl among 1,106 Dutch employees, conducted by PanelWizard. Despite this fear, forty percent have no issues if the employer's monitoring is necessary.
Especially young people fear digital monitoring by their employer. As many as twenty percent of them believe their employer tracks what employees do on their laptop or phone when working from home. Only five percent of those over sixty are afraid of this. "By working from home, managers have partly lost control over their staff," says Abel Baas from VPNdiensten. "Some try to regain that control through spying software or require their employees to always keep their camera on. Not only does this undermine their privacy, but as a manager, you also signal that you do not trust your employees. I can imagine that employees feel extremely uncomfortable and monitored by this."
Tricks
Not only are employees afraid that their employer monitors what they do, but also how many hours per day they are online. As many as one in three also feels guilty if they finish their workday earlier than usual. Interestingly, women (35 percent) feel guiltier about this than men (thirty percent). Despite men having less trouble with it, as many as twenty percent of them keep their laptop on longer so that others think they are still working. Among women, this percentage is only fourteen percent. Baas: "Of course, you can come up with different tricks to make it seem like you are just working. Many people probably feel very bound to the number of hours they have to work each day. Ultimately, it’s about what you accomplish in those hours. You can keep your laptop on all day, but if the results aren’t there, your employer will see right through it."
Quick bite
The research further shows that as many as one in seven working Dutch people takes shorter breaks at home than in the office. Even now, women (sixteen percent) return to their home workspace faster after lunch or a snack than men (twelve percent). However, a stress-free break seems to be worth little, as no less than 97 percent of respondents do not want to give up salary for the guarantee that their employer does not see how long they sit behind their laptop. Baas: "I can imagine that remote workers during a break do not want to risk people wondering where they are. But at the office, a nice lunch can also run over, that’s just part of it. Employees do not always need to justify where they are. So I completely understand that they do not want to give up pay for this."
About VPNdiensten.nl
At VPNdiensten.nl, consumers can find information about digital privacy and internet security. The portal also offers tips and tricks for safe internet use, focusing on VPN services. Within this theme, VPNdiensten.nl provides in-depth information, independent tests, and reviews of various VPN providers. Visit the website for more information.
