Employee monitoring can prevent and resolve workplace harassment [July 2023]

Do you need employee monitoring? Harassment in the workplace has become a frequently investigated and globally acknowledged issue. In recent years, it has made its way to public forums and discussions involving human rights as well as professional human resource management. It was taken very seriously, with strict laws surrounding it. In the United States,however, the perceived sensitivity of the matter makes it difficult to stop and tackle.

Workplace or professional harassment can take a physical form such as violence and assault, or less obvious verbal abuse, as well as the elusive cyber-bullying. It has different motives and manifestations:

Some important points of employee monitoring

• Discriminatory harassment usually stems from prejudice against a person’s gender, race, sexual identity or orientation and even their religious beliefs. Despite leaps and bounds in overcoming derisive mindsets; homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, misogyny and racism are still sadly quite commonplace in professional life.  Making rude or derogatory comments about a person’s looks, financial status,   or fashion choices also fall into the category of discriminatory harassment.

According to a report published by The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), in America, in 2020 there were nearly 67,000 cases of professional discriminatory harassment in the U.S. It is unfortunate that discrimination is so usual in such modern times.

How to safe from harresement

• Competitive harassment, rivalry or bullying based on jealousy is becoming more rampant in the workplace. As employment positions decrease and contender numbers increase, humans are seen resorting to rumor mongering, energy consuming gossip as well as open bullying in the workplace, in attempts to gain unfair advantage over their co-workers.  Healthy competition facilitates growth but the other kind can be extremely detrimental to productivity and the psychological wellbeing of employees.

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Quid pro quo is an extremely problematic form of sexual harassment that involves undue favors in exchange for a promotion, pay raise, better job conditions, or even to prevent job loss.

According to a recent BBC survey, 63% of female and 78% of male victims failed to report incidents of sexual abuse in the workplace for fear of job loss or ridicule.

• 3^rd party harassment occurs when an employee is harassed by someone who is not a colleague or part of their workplace. Instances of 3^rd party harassment include a salesperson or any service renderer being harassed by a customer.

All these forms of harassment destroy the work environment by negatively impacting productivity and disrupting teamwork and spirit. No one enjoys working in a cut-throat environment rife with dirty politics and abuse. Technology has given us solutions to a lot of difficulties and can help employers bring down harassment statistics instead of becoming part of them.

Android monitoring software is a proactive and multipurpose approach to preventing and curbing workplace harassment.

How tracking software can help:

Monitoring Software For Android keeps a record of interpersonal employee communication including messages, calls and social media activity. By surveillance, it enables employers to identify any negativity or rifts between employees on these platforms. Monitoring software can also provide timely alerts and warnings to employers about possible bullying in their workplace.

Employers can also encourage their workers to record any instances of harassment as evidence.

This would reduce the burden on Human resources and allow them as a department to focus on progression and development, reducing time, energy and financial wastage.

Android monitoring can be particularly valuable in the following ways:

Address third party harassment:

 In retail and restaurant services, sales representatives, waiters and customer PROs often find themselves at the receiving end of harsh judgment and blame. The customer is, after all, only human and cannot possibly always be right. While everyone criticizing a service isn’t a “Karen”,   people often go to strange extents to act out their own personal biases and even mood swings. Who hasn’t lashed out at a waiter or cashier, just because they had a rough day? Android monitoring and tracking software can help distinguish and end such disputes by recording closely. Both video and audio from a personal angle, which CCTV lacks.

Distinguish between false allegations and reduce sexual harassment:

False allegations are an unfortunate obstacle in the battle against sexual harassment. Real victims of harassment are often afraid to speak out or are shot down. Because of the existence of false accusations. Co-workers often engage in rumor spreading and fabricate stories to exact revenge or to beat a colleague on the corporate ladder. This is often done vicariously or individually. Keeping an eye on employee communications digitally can be integral to curbing false allegations.

Monitor social media to mitigate cyber-bullying:

Social media is actively used within and outside the workplace, for both personal and professional communication. Social networks are also a breeding and battleground for cyber-bullying which can include co-worker clashes. By keeping an eye on employee social media activity, employers can ensure online harassment doesn’t happen.

Observation of employee phones can do a lot to maintain work ethic and solidarity. Respect is a constant, two-way street, is mutual, and cannot be commanded or earned.  It is imperative to a healthy and progressive work environment. Tracking software can ensure inclusivity and diversity while maintaining harmony and unity.