Write an essay in which you argue or against the examples of businesses exercising their right to observe their employees or customers in `snoopers at work`

Prof . Hunt

25 April 2006

Argumentative Essay

Businesses today have found a new way to control their employees . The development of information technology has placed virtually all work on the computer screen from which the company management can scan the work of a subordinate . This option provides a convenient way to observe what people are doing - and spot who is not doing the right thing , shunning work or engaging in personal correspondence . However convenient this way of observation can be , it seems feasible that companies abstain from such a way

of supervising their staff that seems both unethical and ineffective

First , the company needs to recognize that such observation will reveal to `observers ' the information involved in employee activities that may be confidential to outsiders , even people within the same department . Is it really necessary to expose the precious information to make sure that employees do their work instead of glancing through personal messages The ethics of poking into employees ' personal affairs is also doubtful Few employers expect their staff to wait till they get to their home computer when they need to drop a few lines to friend or make a personal phone call . If these communications are caught by strange ears , the effect can be awkward at best

More importantly , the installation of snoopers if found out by employees can have a disastrous effect on morale . The company management whom the workforce should ideally regard as their allies and friends will be presented to them in a very negative light . Trust , if any existed before , will be shattered , and the executives can take long to regain it , if this proves at all possible

Therefore , businesses should find other ways to monitor employees performance that will not be associated with these pitfalls . Exposure of sensitive information , nosing into employees ' private life de-motivation , suppression of trust - these are only few of the effects of snoopers . Such actions are likely to bring more harm than good to an effective business and should be applied only in extreme cases

Bibliography

E-mail snoopers 'risk legal action . BBC 24 August 2001 . 24 Apr . 06

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