a report Australian non-profit Cracked Labs has criticized Microsoft Dynamics 365 for its alleged role in enabling companies to monitor employees.
The company noted that Microsoft Dynamics 365 can negatively impact employee autonomy through the use of software to monitor mobile service workers via smartphone apps, leading to increased stress due to micromanagement.
The notes are part of the broader project “Surveillance and Digital Control in the Workplace” and indirectly link Microsoft to the idea of employee surveillance.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Employee Monitoring
The report compares how mobile maintenance workers previously enjoyed autonomy with the modern reality of increased surveillance through the use of smartphones, which allow employers to track activities, locations and other data points.
According to Cracked Labs, increased micromanagement leads to a decreased sense of purpose and lower job satisfaction.
The paper, written by researcher Wolfie Christl, highlights concerns about “algorithmic management,” which pressures employees to speed through tasks, increasing stress and potentially reducing performance.
Microsoft isn’t alone in enabling this kind of tracking, though. While the report focuses on Microsoft Dynamics 365, it also notes that similar field service management applications exist from Oracle, SAP, and Salesforce.
Lili Cheng, Corporate VP of Business Applications and Platforms at Microsoft, explained The register: “That is one of our main goals: to uphold the dignity and experience of employees.”
Additionally, Microsoft says its software is designed to help field workers perform their jobs more effectively and responsibly. While this may be a legitimate reason to enable certain tracking technologies, the undesirable side effect is that it puts workers under increased surveillance.