Is Your Boss Watching You? How to Check for Workplace Monitoring

According to experts, your boss may be watching you at your job in Texas. There are ways to find out.

My recommendation immediately? Don't do things on your company-owned devices that you shouldn't be doing at work. Most employers understand that many employees check social media from time to time; sometimes, it's even a part of their job.

At the same time, it's best to be honorable while 'on the clock' and do what you've been paid to do. Most of us spend too much time scrolling endlessly anyway in our free time.

Here's the thing:

Nowadays, it is not uncommon for employers to track what their employees are doing at work. Many employers do this by utilizing different tools to check your emails and/or computer activity. In fact, it's not a bad idea to assume you're being watched, whether true or not.

So, how do employers potentially monitor what you're doing during the workday?

According to GuideTech, there are different potential ways businesses may track employees.

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Computer Monitoring

There are types of software that record keystrokes, track websites, and may even take screenshots of what you're doing and/or looking at while at work.

Chat and Email Tracking

Whether you're chatting on Google Chat, Slack messages, or email, just know that those conversations may be monitored to determine whether what is going on is in line with company policy. According to the Wall Street Journal, your IT department likely can access those messages.

Location Tracking

A Guardian story revealed that some employers may even use GPS tracking to determine whether workers are where they should be at any given time. Granted, that publication is based in the UK, but it may still apply here in Texas, depending on the company.

How do you know if you're being watched at your job in Texas?

To reiterate, I would suggest just not putting yourself in this situation to begin with. Save personal interests for when you're off and using your own devices.

Personally, I wouldn't want to be in that situation at all, much less try to find out if I was being watched. Seeking to find out may also be a red flag, and I wouldn't advise it.

Just don't go there.

However, according to GuideTech, for those who are determined to find out if they're being watched, there are possible steps to take.

Possible steps to take (I'd recommend against it. Plus, if you're not tech-savvy, you can cause harm that would DEFINITELY be a red flag.) 

If you want to check and see if your computer is being monitored, GuideTech suggests a few things.

Check your running programs

You can open your task manager on Windows or activity monitor on Mac to see if there are any apps you don't recognize.

Check out any startup programs

Certain tracking tools boot up as your computer starts. You can look for anything that raises questions.

Check any network activity. (My opinion is not to do this.) 

Apparently, there are ways to see if data is being sent to another service.

Run an Antivirus scan

So this one may not even be possible, depending on how your IT department has set everything up. Often, there is a company-wide solution already in place, and messing with that could have security compromises that could affect your whole company.

Why am I so against this? 

Here's the thing: If you are utilizing a computer owned by your company which was given to use to use for work, they are likely within their purview to monitor employee activities.

The best thing to do is to stay professional. Wait until you get home or are on breaks to use your own device for personal tasks.