Excessive Control of Teleworkers’ Activity as a Factor of Labor Relations Pollution

Abstract

With the spread of COVID-19, many organizations are forced to switch employees to telework. One of the most important issues in the organization of telework is the control over the activities, results ant outputs. This study evaluates the methods of monitoring teleworker activities, including electronic monitoring and surveillance (EMS). Control methods are divided into «hard» and «soft» groups. Based on the analysis of the practice of the European court of human rights, it is concluded that secret surveillance, control of correspondence refers to excessive control and is a factor of social pollution of labor relations. The paper gives recommendations for the organization of telework control based on a balance of private and public interests. The degree of control must correspond to the protection of the legal rights and interests of the employer. The author suggests that methods of «hard control» with the development of organizational culture should be gradually replaced with «soft» ones, focusing on the KPI, peer and self-control system.