Staff Monitoring In Chinese Companies Reaches New Level With Smart Seats, Cameras

Some critics say that such monitoring infringes on workers' rights and creates a culture of mistrust.

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• Employee monitoring in some Chinese firms includes smart cushions, Wi-Fi, and cameras
• Smart seat cushions track heart rate, breathing, posture, and sitting duration of workers
• Some companies restrict toilet breaks with fingerprint scans and fines for overtime

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Employee monitoring in some Chinese companies has reached a new level, with firms using smart seat cushions, Wi-Fi tracking, and surveillance cameras to monitor workers, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The goal is to boost productivity, but it has raised serious privacy concerns.

Some companies reportedly use smart seat cushions that track heart rate, breathing, posture, and how long employees sit. Others monitor office Wi-Fi to track browsing activity and phone usage, while cameras can record employees' screens and even messages on private group chats.

In one case, workers were restricted to toilet breaks and had to clock in and out using fingerprint scans. Fines were imposed for exceeding the allotted time.

A woman told Workers' Daily that a manager in January warned her not to use private group chats during office hours. From text to images, the camera had recorded everything on her phone and computer.

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A different case, which was reported by Southern Metropolis Daily, where the manager of a technology company in Hangzhou gave smart seats that could record data, including heart rate, breathing and sitting posture.

In one case, workers were restricted to toilet breaks and had to clock in and out using fingerprint scans. Fines were imposed for exceeding the allotted time.

This trend is part of China's broader push into the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and big data to optimise workplace efficiency. However, it has sparked backlash from employees and labour rights advocates, who argue that such surveillance invades privacy, increases stress, and creates a culture of mistrust. Some workers have even started using anti-monitoring gadgets to avoid tracking.

Some critics say that such monitoring infringes on workers' rights and creates a culture of mistrust. Others see it as a necessary measure to ensure productivity and security. As technology advances, the debate around employee monitoring is likely to intensify.

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Social Media Reaction

"If companies do not want me dealing with non-work matters during office hours, they should also make sure work is not discussed outside office hours," one online user said as quoted by SCMP.

"This sounds less like going to work and more like being in prison. If people are reduced to tools, it will eventually backfire on companies," another said.

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