Latest news with #IPPR
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Southampton University report warns of privacy threats at work
Researchers have warned that workplace surveillance is threatening people's right to privacy.A report by the University of Southampton and the Institute of Public Policy Research showed new technology allowed for intense and extensive surveillance of author Dr Joe Atkinson said currently workers were not told how they were being added: "Employers have always wanted to oversee their workforce, but technology is fundamentally changing the nature of these practices." The report, "Negotiating the Future of Work: Legislating to Protect Works from Surveillance", found since the shift to remote work caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, workers have reported an increase in the use of surveillance claimed that biometric sensors, facial recognition cameras, and the monitoring of communications and computer activity allow employers to collect and process data that would not have been accessible to human managers in the Atkinson, a lecturer in employment law at the University of Southampton, said: "This vast and detailed surveillance threatens workers' right to privacy and can also have a chilling effect on the right to freedom of association, expression and belief. "It can increase stress and anxiety, lead to lower levels of autonomy and satisfaction at work and deepen existing power imbalances."For companies, excessive surveillance decreases staff wellbeing and satisfaction, leading to higher staff turnover, and potentially hampering productivity." 'Collaborative relationships' He said in many cases workers were not being forced to be monitored, but highlighted that it was not always that simple."If you're an employee and you're asked by your manager or you're given an instruction, really that is tantamount to being forced," he government's plan to Make Work Pay committed to "ensuring proposals to introduce surveillance technologies would be subject to consultation and negotiation" with Atkinson said the university's report detailed how the government's plans can be best the suggestions was the introduction of new information rights so workers can challenge unjustifiable monitoring said it is about raising awareness of the use of this tech with employees and developing "collaborative relationships". You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Report reveals shocking extent of workplace surveillance
A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals that young workers and black employees are most likely to be subjected to surveillance in the workplace. Common methods of workplace surveillance include call recording, email analysis, and even webcam monitoring, with shop floor staff, call centre workers, and delivery drivers at high risk of surveillance. The IPPR is advocating for legal reforms to grant workers a voice in how they are monitored and managed, both in the workplace and remotely, citing potential breaches of privacy rights. The research indicates that individuals in low-skilled, low-autonomy, and non-unionised roles are at higher risk of workplace monitoring, with workers aged 16-29 and black employees particularly vulnerable. The IPPR said that current legislation has not kept pace with technological advancements and new legislation and more transparency requirements are needed.
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
‘Young people and black workers at highest risk of workplace surveillance'
Shop floor staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, and those working in call centres and from home are all at high risk of having calls recorded, emails analysed and possibly even being monitored by cameras or laptop webcams, a think tank said. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said there is an urgent need for legal reform so workers can have a say over how they are monitored and managed both at work and while working from home, amid a warning rights to privacy could be being breached. Its research suggested those in low-skilled roles – where worker retention may be seen as less critical – and low-autonomy jobs – where there might be lower levels of employee trust – as well as those not in a union are most likely to be subject to monitoring at work. Young workers aged 16 to 29 came out as being at high risk. Black employees were also seen as likely to face surveillance, with high rates of low autonomy and lower-skilled work, although greater levels of union representation. Among workers in the private sector, men were found to be at higher risk of surveillance across all three risk factor measures. The IPPR is calling on the Government to introduce new legislation that gives people 'a genuine voice over how they are monitored at work' through new legal rights to consultation – similar to those with redundancy law – and more transparency requirements, compelling employers to disclose what data is collected, why, and how it will be used. Joseph Evans, IPPR researcher and co-author of the report, said while technology has 'evolved really rapidly', legislation has not kept up with the pace of change 'so at the moment many of these practices are not illegal but what we don't have is a mechanism to control them where surveillance does tip over into potential breaches of privacy or freedom of expression and association in the workplace'. He said surveillance can have 'quite negative impacts on people in terms of their health and stress and anxiety'. Artificial intelligence (AI) is has transformed surveillance, he added, giving employers an even greater insight into their employees. He said: 'Surveillance and algorithmic management are very linked. Often surveillance packages are single software packages which both collect data and then use it to make recommendations to employers, and algorithmic management itself is being innovated and rapidly transformed by AI which can create much more sophisticated insights.' Increasing levels of surveillance of certain workers could 'deepen the inequalities already baked into the labour market', said Mr Evans, noting that black workers are more likely to be in jobs with a higher risk of 'intrusive surveillance'. He added that productivity could also be affected. 'If surveillance has a chilling effect on people's willingness to express themselves in the workplace, that may also decrease their satisfaction at work,' he said. 'As part of their wider changes to employment rights, through the Employment Rights Bill, there should be substantive new rights to negotiate and consult over surveillance. And specifically adapting pieces of legislation like the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act to provide the new mechanism for workers to be able to negotiate over surveillance. 'Implicit in the right to negotiate is that it would give workers the right to challenge if they felt it (surveillance) was excessive or unfair.' The IPPR analysed data from the 2023 Institute for Social and Economic Research's UK Household Longitudinal Survey to produce its findings. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: 'Our plan to Make Work Pay aims to ensure workers' rights keep pace with technological change so that workers' voices are at the heart of Britain's digital transition. 'This includes safeguarding against invasion of privacy and discrimination by algorithms.'
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
‘Young people and black workers at highest risk of workplace surveillance'
Shop floor staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, and those working in call centres and from home are all at high risk of having calls recorded, emails analysed and possibly even being monitored by cameras or laptop webcams, a think tank said. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said there is an urgent need for legal reform so workers can have a say over how they are monitored and managed both at work and while working from home, amid a warning rights to privacy could be being breached. Its research suggested those in low-skilled roles – where worker retention may be seen as less critical – and low-autonomy jobs – where there might be lower levels of employee trust – as well as those not in a union are most likely to be subject to monitoring at work. Young workers aged 16 to 29 came out as being at high risk. Black employees were also seen as likely to face surveillance, with high rates of low autonomy and lower-skilled work, although greater levels of union representation. Among workers in the private sector, men were found to be at higher risk of surveillance across all three risk factor measures. The IPPR is calling on the Government to introduce new legislation that gives people 'a genuine voice over how they are monitored at work' through new legal rights to consultation – similar to those with redundancy law – and more transparency requirements, compelling employers to disclose what data is collected, why, and how it will be used. Joseph Evans, IPPR researcher and co-author of the report, said while technology has 'evolved really rapidly', legislation has not kept up with the pace of change 'so at the moment many of these practices are not illegal but what we don't have is a mechanism to control them where surveillance does tip over into potential breaches of privacy or freedom of expression and association in the workplace'. He said surveillance can have 'quite negative impacts on people in terms of their health and stress and anxiety'. Artificial intelligence (AI) is has transformed surveillance, he added, giving employers an even greater insight into their employees. He said: 'Surveillance and algorithmic management are very linked. Often surveillance packages are single software packages which both collect data and then use it to make recommendations to employers, and algorithmic management itself is being innovated and rapidly transformed by AI which can create much more sophisticated insights.' Increasing levels of surveillance of certain workers could 'deepen the inequalities already baked into the labour market', said Mr Evans, noting that black workers are more likely to be in jobs with a higher risk of 'intrusive surveillance'. He added that productivity could also be affected. 'If surveillance has a chilling effect on people's willingness to express themselves in the workplace, that may also decrease their satisfaction at work,' he said. 'As part of their wider changes to employment rights, through the Employment Rights Bill, there should be substantive new rights to negotiate and consult over surveillance. And specifically adapting pieces of legislation like the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act to provide the new mechanism for workers to be able to negotiate over surveillance. 'Implicit in the right to negotiate is that it would give workers the right to challenge if they felt it (surveillance) was excessive or unfair.' The IPPR analysed data from the 2023 Institute for Social and Economic Research's UK Household Longitudinal Survey to produce its findings. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: 'Our plan to Make Work Pay aims to ensure workers' rights keep pace with technological change so that workers' voices are at the heart of Britain's digital transition. 'This includes safeguarding against invasion of privacy and discrimination by algorithms.'
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
‘Young people and black workers at highest risk of workplace surveillance'
Shop floor staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, and those working in call centres and from home are all at high risk of having calls recorded, emails analysed and possibly even being monitored by cameras or laptop webcams, a think tank said. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said there is an urgent need for legal reform so workers can have a say over how they are monitored and managed both at work and while working from home, amid a warning rights to privacy could be being breached. Its research suggested those in low-skilled roles – where worker retention may be seen as less critical – and low-autonomy jobs – where there might be lower levels of employee trust – as well as those not in a union are most likely to be subject to monitoring at work. Young workers aged 16 to 29 came out as being at high risk. Black employees were also seen as likely to face surveillance, with high rates of low autonomy and lower-skilled work, although greater levels of union representation. Among workers in the private sector, men were found to be at higher risk of surveillance across all three risk factor measures. The IPPR is calling on the Government to introduce new legislation that gives people 'a genuine voice over how they are monitored at work' through new legal rights to consultation – similar to those with redundancy law – and more transparency requirements, compelling employers to disclose what data is collected, why, and how it will be used. Joseph Evans, IPPR researcher and co-author of the report, said while technology has 'evolved really rapidly', legislation has not kept up with the pace of change 'so at the moment many of these practices are not illegal but what we don't have is a mechanism to control them where surveillance does tip over into potential breaches of privacy or freedom of expression and association in the workplace'. He said surveillance can have 'quite negative impacts on people in terms of their health and stress and anxiety'. Artificial intelligence (AI) is has transformed surveillance, he added, giving employers an even greater insight into their employees. He said: 'Surveillance and algorithmic management are very linked. Often surveillance packages are single software packages which both collect data and then use it to make recommendations to employers, and algorithmic management itself is being innovated and rapidly transformed by AI which can create much more sophisticated insights.' Increasing levels of surveillance of certain workers could 'deepen the inequalities already baked into the labour market', said Mr Evans, noting that black workers are more likely to be in jobs with a higher risk of 'intrusive surveillance'. He added that productivity could also be affected. 'If surveillance has a chilling effect on people's willingness to express themselves in the workplace, that may also decrease their satisfaction at work,' he said. 'As part of their wider changes to employment rights, through the Employment Rights Bill, there should be substantive new rights to negotiate and consult over surveillance. And specifically adapting pieces of legislation like the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act to provide the new mechanism for workers to be able to negotiate over surveillance. 'Implicit in the right to negotiate is that it would give workers the right to challenge if they felt it (surveillance) was excessive or unfair.' The IPPR analysed data from the 2023 Institute for Social and Economic Research's UK Household Longitudinal Survey to produce its findings. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: 'Our plan to Make Work Pay aims to ensure workers' rights keep pace with technological change so that workers' voices are at the heart of Britain's digital transition. 'This includes safeguarding against invasion of privacy and discrimination by algorithms.'
