00:00Workplaces across the nation use surveillance to monitor the efficiency of their workers,
00:07like this industrial laundry.
00:10Prior to having any sort of counting system in place,
00:13the staff didn't know whether or not they were performing well or not.
00:16So at least the staff get a visual aspect to say,
00:18right, I'm in the range of where I need to be, I'm working at the right pace.
00:22Productivity is up 5%, but safety is one of the biggest benefits.
00:28The screens make sure workers take more breaks during hot weather
00:32and rotate through different roles.
00:35Unions are less convinced.
00:37There is no moment that they have at work where they are not subject to surveillance of some sort.
00:43Powerful new software can measure and analyse how staff work,
00:48but they don't count human interactions like thinking and talking.
00:52They reduce us down to just a series of numbers
00:55and the outputs that we can create that are measurable
00:58and it really doesn't put enough importance on the other types of outputs that we create as working people.
01:04As remote working has taken off, business groups say surveillance works.
01:09We're all on the clock here, but we need to make sure that we get the balance right.
01:14It can deter inappropriate behaviour and ensure compliance with laws,
01:19such as paying employees their correct hours.
01:22And in the end it's employers who are on the hook for any wrongdoing
01:27or mistakes that are made, accidents that occur, what's said and written within the workplace.
01:34An inquiry in New South Wales and an ongoing investigation in Victoria
01:39have found a range of apps and technologies
01:42are extending surveillance of workers into their cars and homes.
01:46Workers have always been watched.
01:49What's changed is the creep of workplace devices into the home
01:52and the unchecked analytical power of AI tools that are extending the reach of employers.
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