Employers watching their workers more, study reveals

More employers are conducting regular employee surveillance, be it through monitoring e-mail, Internet or telephone usage, a survey by City law firm Allen & Overy has shown.Of around 100 organisations surveyed - half of which have more than 500 employees - 84% said they carry out such practices.Despite newly implemented privacy rights for employees, only 12% provide facilities for sending or receiving unmonitored e-mails at the workplace.

However, the survey found that 70% of organisations have data protection policies.Employment partner Karen Seward said: 'Employers are recognising that, to implement these [privacy] rights effectively, a balance between preserving the fundamental rights of employees and protecting the valuable business interests of the employer must be struck.'Ms Seward added 'the times are changing' in favour of the employee.

'We are now at the high point of what the law will allow,' she said.

'The draft code of practice under the Data Protection Act is in consultation and this will curtail the amount of freedom to monitor that employers currently enjoy.'Andrew Towler