VMware has shared results of a global study that revealed that the rise in employee performance and trust established as a result of new hybrid working models could be under threat from an increase in the implementation of remote surveillance measures.
A new era of work
The study, “The Virtual Floorplan: New Rules for a New Era of Work,” conducted by Vanson Bourne, found that 90% of companies surveyed in the UAE have either already implemented or are planning to implement employee surveillance measures to monitor employee productivity since the shift to hybrid working. Surveillance measures being taken include the monitoring of emails (56%), web browsing and collaboration tools (44%), as well as video surveillance 36%, attention tracking via webcams (34%) and keylogger software (28%). However, 46% of UAE companies that have already implemented surveillance measures in the form of device monitoring, and 64% of companies in the process of doing so, are seeing “drastically increased” or “increased” employee turnover.
Balance is required
The findings suggest there is a balance to be struck as businesses look for new ways to assess employee performance beyond attendance beyond the surveillance measures they are currently undertaking . From the employee perspective, 80% of UAE employees agree that moving to a new working model has meant that their performance, rather than traditional metrics such as time spent in the office, is now more highly valued by their employers. 85% of employees agree that remote work technologies have enabled them to work more efficiently than before.
85% of organisations have had to develop new ways to measure employee productivity. The new approach to monitoring productivity has been achieved through the use of performance-focused solutions including regular catch-ups with managers to discuss workloads (54%) assessing output and agreed deliverables (54%), and using new project management software (56%) rather than relying on surveillance measures in place of traditional attendance monitoring.
As staff are not necessarily sitting a few cubicles away, employers are evolving new ways to monitor and quantify employee productivity. While 83% employees recognise their organisation has had to develop new ways to monitor productivity as part of the move to hybrid working, transparency remains critical.
New means of assessment
Amin Hanafieh, country director, UAE, VMware, said, “The results of the survey show the importance for company leaders to take a step back when deciding how to assess employee productivity. While technology was key to enabling the distributed workforce, traditional techniques such as regular catch ups, setting expectations, agreeing KPIs, and keeping open lines of communication can be used effectively to monitor and measure productivity.
“The focus should be on providing the employees with the tools they need to perform their roles, while agreeing expectations on performance, with the employee’s full buy in.
“Globally we are seeing organisations shift permanently to hybrid work models that don’t require knowledge workers to be office-based all the time. With this shift, employers should proceed with caution when replacing presentism with monitoring tools. Monitoring and performance are two very different things,” says Shankar Iyer, senior vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware. “Digital workspace tools enable people to work from anywhere and our research shows employees are feeling more valued and trusted. A lack of transparency and measurement by ‘stealth and numbers’, can quickly erode employee faith and lead to talent heading for the door, in a highly competitive and challenging skills market.”
Other findings
Employee surveillance is one aspect of the report, other key findings include:
- The stabilisation of hybrid work has resulted in a a “virtual floorplan,” which is based more on affinity, shared goals, and shared values than physical proximity. The virtual floorplan comes with new rules, as well as new success factors for employees, leaders, and teams.
- With less central control and in-person interaction, transparency and trust are emerging as vital qualities that leaders must embrace to advance and unify their organisations in a hybrid-by-default world rather than rely upon remote
- The stabilisation of hybrid work has resulted in a a “virtual floorplan,” which is based more on affinity, shared goals, and shared values than physical proximity. The virtual floorplan comes with new rules, as well as new success factors for employees, leaders, and teams.
- With less central control and in-person interaction, transparency and trust are emerging as vital qualities that leaders must embrace to advance and unify their organisations in a hybrid-by-default world rather than rely upon remote surveillance.
- The virtual floorplan introduces countless freedoms for employees and security risks for IT departments. With less direct control over apps, devices, and networks, IT departments are navigating a new paradigm where security is a collective effort.
- The virtual floorplan introduces countless freedoms for employees and security risks for IT departments. With less direct control over apps, devices, and networks, IT departments are navigating a new paradigm where security is a collective effort.
An executive summary of the study can be downloaded here.
The report comes at a time when half of UAE firms are fully prepared to support hybrid environments.
