Employee Surveillance / “bossware” and Workplace Privacy

A few days ago, I posted about a project I built at a previous company—using Raspberry Pis to track Bluetooth-enabled devices worn by care providers. The goal? Make sure they were actually doing their job and not just billing insurance companies for time they didn't work.

We tested it at our own company HQ first. And even though the data was anonymous, people freaked out. "You're tracking us?" "Is this legal?" "Do you not trust us?"

The post I wrote about it? Also controversial.

That experience stuck with me—because it's not really about technology or the physical trackers. It's about the line between oversight and surveillance.

Over the last decade, employee monitoring has exploded. Screen captures, keystroke logs, GPS tracking, AI productivity scores, wearables. Employers say it's for security, compliance, and productivity. And sometimes, those are legitimate needs.

But there's a growing question: When does management become micromanagement? When does data replace trust?

I've seen this firsthand. A tool built for safety can instantly feel invasive when people realize they're being watched—not supported. It's not just the technology. It's the power dynamic it creates.

The real debate isn't just privacy. It's about:

- Trust: Does monitoring build it, or kill it?
- Legality: Consent, data retention, biometric laws.
- Morale: "We measure everything" can become "we don't trust anyone."
- Data governance: Who controls it? What stops misuse?

My take:

Monitoring should enhance safety and accountability—not replace leadership. Technology gives you signals, but it can't replace human judgment, context, or trust.

If we're going to use data to evaluate people, we need transparency, consent, and guardrails.

Because people aren't just metrics. And culture isn't built by algorithms.

So here's my question for you:

Are we building a culture of trust—or a culture of surveillance?

Drop a comment, repost if this resonates, or reach out if you want to talk about navigating this in your organization.

#LucusLabs #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeMonitoring #DataPrivacy #Leadership #Trust #HRTech #BusinessEthics #TechLeadership #FutureOfWork