Employers
are increasingly likely to carry out surveillance on the activities of their
staff, a survey has revealed.
More than
80 per cent of firms taking part in the survey by law firm Allen & Overy carry
out some form of monitoring of employees and/ or employee communications.
Only a
fifth of companies let their employees who could be affected aware of any
monitoring or surveillance.
Just 12
per cent of firms provide staff with facilities for sending or receiving
unmonitored e-mails from or at work.
More than
a third of organisations surveyed confirm they have drug and alcohol abuse
policies. One-in-five respondents conduct drug and alcohol tests prior to
recruitment, with less than 10 per cent testing after employment has started.
The survey
reveals that 70 per cent of organisations have data protection policies in
place, with all sectors committed to managing data protection issues.
Commenting
on the survey’s findings, Karen Seward, employment law partner at Allen &
Overy, said, “The survey has produced clear evidence that organisations are
embracing the new laws dealing with privacy-related rights. Employers are
recognising that to implement these rights effectively a balance between
preserving the fundamental rights of employees and protecting the valuable
business interests of the employer must be achieved.”
By Ben Willmott. Click here to respond.
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