According to Pew Research, approximately 71% of Americans are currently working from home. But are they, really? And if so, what does their workday actually involve? The pre-COVID business-scape could easily answer that question and more with simple company surveillance techniques. Of course, it’s much more difficult when most of your company’s workforce is quarantined or otherwise working from home during the pandemic. But why are company’s now using private investigators to monitor employee productivity during COVID and what does that mean for your professional future?
At-Home Activities and Distractions
It’s far more difficult to maintain motivation and avoid distractions while working from home. Kids, spouses or roommates, pets, extra Zoom calls with non-work friends or your office crush, and even the rumbling of the dryer or ping of the microwave can significantly alter or challenge the intentions of productivity. Working from home in the COVID era isn’t going to be the same as sitting at your desk in an office. But employers may still need to know you’re prioritizing the most essential tasks on a daily basis.
Your Public Behavior May Impact Your Employer’s Reputation
Employers are paying close attention to how their workers also act in public now. Are they wearing masks and adhering to social distancing rules? Are they assembling peacefully as opposed to causing chaos or participating in violent acts? Are they heading to bars, restaurants, and beaches as opposed to limiting those actions as recommended by the CDC and other leading health sources? Your actions as an employee can significantly affect the reputation of your employer. So they may involve private investigators to ensure that reputation remains positive.
Working From Home Isn’t a Vacation
With 71% of adults working remotely and approximately 93% of school-aged children learning remotely from home, anyone can get rather stir-crazy and daydream about sandy beaches or other remote points of interest. But working from home doesn’t mean you can spend your working hours Googling potential travel destinations or plan special events and getaways with friends and loved ones. Companies pay their employers to perform a required set of tasks, and if you’re not upholding your end of the bargain, you’re really not being an asset to the business. Keep the personal travel and vacation research outside of work hours or a private investigator may report your flightiness to your boss. And if you’ve already used your work time to book travel, arrange house sitters, and even take a non-business-related flight, your boss may have the evidence needed to give you a full leave of absence.
Work-At-Home Fraud Is Still Company Fraud
With so many businesses relying on capable home-based remote workers that have continual access to computer databases, company fraud is still a major concern. Whether a few wrong key taps wipe out financial records or you lie about being sick or injured to get extra sick days, someone has to answer for those mistakes to their bosses. Employers are quickly catching on that it costs far less overall to hire private investigators than it does to replace your position with someone else who’s more than willing to do your job correctly. Nearly 70% of Americans admit they’d like to continue working remotely once the world begins to regain some sense of normalcy again. But will you be among those still working from home?
