Monitoring in the workplace: a good idea?

The subject of monitoring is treated differently in Europe compared to the USA, where the legal framework is less strictly defined. Europe is very committed to privacy and therefore provides a broader legal framework. In Belgium, companies are obligated to notify their employees if they are being monitored. In addition, the monitoring of employees must serve a specific purpose (e.g. protecting the company’s interests or checking whether employees adhere to certain company rules).

‘CAO 81’ gives an overview of all legitimate purposes for monitoring employees. Proportionality and transparency are paramount when it comes to monitoring. That means that both the employees’ interests and the company’s interests must be taken into consideration. It is therefore recommended to define the interests of both parties in the form of a collective agreement or work rules. Collective monitoring is the norm, so individual monitoring must be considered an exception!

It is important to note that monitoring employees may create a negative atmosphere in the workplace and affect employees’ motivation. Maintaining a balance between monitoring and trust is key.

The most common forms of monitoring are: GPS tracking (often used for employees who work off-site), web and e-mail filtering (certain websites are blocked to protect company information), and CCTV. CCTV requires clear grounds, which means that the company’s interests must outweigh individual interests.