https://doi.org/10.31261/zpppips.2026.24.05
The article explores the historical development of workplace monitoring, from ancient systems of labour control to modern measures of digital surveillance. It examines how monitoring mechanisms have evolved alongside changes in technology, work organisation, and management theories – from early surveillance and record-keeping on the workforce, through moral oversight to algorithm-driven tracking of employees’ behaviour and their psychological and emotional states. By analysing current trends within the historical context, the article draws attention to the cyclical nature of patterns evident in contemporary workplace monitoring models and argues that theories considered by many as outdated and incompatible with contemporary workplace conditions, continue to play a significant role in shaping labour relations. The article challenges the myth of technological objectivity and calls for a more ethical and, above all, conscious approach to the issue of workplace monitoring.
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2026
Published: 2020-11-27
10.31261/zpppips
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
English
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