With the shift to remote and hybrid work came what Microsoft calls “productivity paranoia”
While many employers seek out the best ways to keep employees productive and on track, there can certainly be drawbacks to the most aggressive strategies.
Take, for example, employee monitoring technology – an approach that uses various software platforms to track the activities of workers throughout the day.
And while a 2023 report contends that employee surveillance is on the rise, it’s not always leading to a happier and more focused team: according to the American Psychological Association “56% of digitally surveilled workers feel tense or stressed at work.”
A recent story shines a light on a different negative byproduct of employee surveillance, this time related to a gap in data security.
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Last week, Cybernews reported that over 21 million screenshots were leaked from the database of workforce surveillance firm WorkComposer. The company’s software is designed to take a still capture of its clients’ employee’s computer every 3 to 5 minutes; in this case, the millions of files were then stored in an unsecured Amazon cloud storage bucket.
Reports speculate that the screenshots could contain various types of critical information – including sensitive personal data, log-in details – even proprietary or sensitive communications.
According to Gizmodo, it was Cybernews who also informed WorkComposer of the files being leaked online, at which point the company reportedly then secured the folder.
The report adds that it’s “unknown exactly how many companies or employees were impacted by this leak.”
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X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:0
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With the shift to remote and hybrid work came
what Microsoft calls productivity paranoia.
00:05.440 --> 00:09.829
While many employers seek out the best ways to
keep employees productive and on track,
00:10.119 --> 00:13.670
there can certainly be drawbacks to the most
aggressive strategies.
00:13.920 --> 00:18.159
Take for example, employee monitoring
technology, an approach that uses various
00:18.159 --> 00:21.549
software platforms to track the activities of
workers throughout the day.
00:21.680 --> 00:26.190
And while a 2023 report contends that.
Employees surveillance is on the rise.
00:26.520 --> 00:29.510
It's not always leading to a happier and more
focused team.
00:29.610 --> 00:35.119
According to the American Psychological
Association, 56% of digitally surveyed workers
00:35.119 --> 00:39.389
feel tense or stressed at work.
A recent story shines a light on a different
00:39.389 --> 00:42.099
negative byproduct of employee surveillance.
00:42.400 --> 00:45.189
This time related to a gap in data security.
00:45.400 --> 00:50.720
Last week, Cyber news reported that over 20.
1 million screenshots were leaked from the
00:50.720 --> 00:54.240
database of workforce surveillance firm Work
Composer.
00:54.400 --> 00:58.400
The company's software is designed to take a
still capture of its client's employee's
00:58.400 --> 01:00.380
computer every 3 to 5 minutes.
01:00.610 --> 01:05.699
In this case, the millions of files were then
allegedly stored in an unsecured Amazon Cloud
01:05.699 --> 01:09.000
storage bucket.
Reports speculate that the screenshots could
01:09.000 --> 01:14.110
contain various types of critical information.
Including sensitive personal data,
01:14.389 --> 01:17.629
login details, even proprietary communications.
01:17.879 --> 01:23.239
According to Gizmodo, it was Cyber News who
also informed Work Composer of the files being
01:23.239 --> 01:27.190
leaked online, at which point the company
reportedly then secured the folder.
01:27.319 --> 01:32.599
The report adds that it's unknown exactly how
many companies or employees were impacted by
01:32.599 --> 01:34.160
this leak.
I'm Anna Wells.
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This is manufacturing now.
