Monitoring is a key part of management. Employee monitoring can take many forms, from the humble punch clock to sophisticated software. At its best, monitoring keeps workers focused and productive. At its worst, it’s a flying robot watching you from above…

Bad robots

Here are some techniques that raised our eyebrows … Drones At least one building contractor is using them to track construction at worksites. They’re not hovering around offices … yet. But you better start worrying now about whether you’ll survive when one crashes into you. And even if it doesn’t malfunction and kill you, what will happen to footage that the drone takes? Will it be kept private or turned into robot porn? Bathroom cameras This is an obvious “no” that goes without saying. Or does it? Privacy laws have settled the matter in the U.S. (hint: they’re NOT allowed), but in Singapore, at least, there’s no specific legislation against them. Female employees who don’t want cameras looking at them in the toilet must prove “that in installing the cameras, the employer intended to outrage the modesty of women entering the bathroom,” according to the Singapore Law review. Yes, just women. There’s no such protection in place for men. Microchips They help you retrieve lost pets … and they’re checking to make sure you’re happy. Companies haven’t yet figured out how to get employees to agree to having a tracking chip shoved under their skin. But corporations like Google and Hitachi are experimenting with ID tags that track metrics like your location, the conversations you’re having, and your delight level. Hitachi’s happiness score is calculated by “using a mysterious algorithm based on your physical activity, from how quickly you walk to how often you nod,” The Guardian reports. Not delighted at work all the time? Better fake it. Or else.

The preferred option

Monitoring software offers a saner, gentler way of keeping track of your employees… without the risk of crashing drones. What employee monitoring solutions is your company, or the company that you work for using? Let us know in the comments section below!