Why “mouse tremors” are a symptom of a more serious problem at work

Wells Fargo recently fired more than a dozen employees after an investigation found that employees used “mousepads” to fake work.

In May, the financial services company said it had discovered that employees had engaged in allegedly unethical workplace practices to create the “appearance of active work,” but it was unclear how employees had stations where their productivity could be measured by mouse movements.

Mouse jigglers are devices or software that simulate the movement of a mouse cursor, giving the impression that you are working even if you have left your desk. Although they have been around for years, their popularity increased during the pandemic when working from home became the norm.

At first glance, faking your job may seem like a crime that could get you fired. But the ubiquity of these tools highlights a broader problem of a pervasive surveillance culture in the workplace – and an obsession with arbitrary productivity.

Read more: Working mothers are silenced at work by non-disclosure agreements

Many studies show that remote workers are actually more productive than their office counterparts, yet a disturbing number of employers still spy on their employees working from home. According to a survey by ExpressVPN, 78% of employers engage in remote work supervision, even though 83% admit there are ethical concerns about employee monitoring.

Three-quarters of “productivity” tools take screenshots of an employee’s screen, based on the terms set by the employer, according to research from StandOut CV. Meanwhile, 22% of software can monitor people via their camera or screen recordings, and almost 10% can record audio from the device it’s installed on.

Of course, there may be legitimate reasons to monitor employees. For example, a company may want to protect itself from potential lawsuits. But many employers use surveillance to check that people are actually working, even though it is nearly impossible to measure productivity by counting time spent at a desk.

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In some jobs, productivity is relatively easy to estimate, for example by counting how many items are produced on an assembly line in a day. But in many jobs—including knowledge-based or creative roles, or marketing or finance—productivity is much more difficult to determine.

Understanding the impact of a given job and an employee’s contribution to it is much more difficult than simply counting mouse movements over the course of an eight- or nine-hour day. What happens if someone is “in the zone” and manages to complete the work within six hours? Should he spend his remaining working hours doing housework to appear productive – or should he take time to wind down so he can be refreshed and prepared for the next day?

Numerous studies have proven the benefits of taking regular breaks during the workday, including reducing stress, improving concentration and productivity. However, for many people, the anxiety of being caught “lazy” means they will spend their remaining hours doing housework.

The problem is that we arbitrarily prioritize “activity” over “results” because we equate being busy with being productive. In today’s fast-paced world, having too many jobs is a status symbol, a sign that you and your skills are in demand.

Being busy creates the impression of being engaged – and being seen as someone who puts in the effort often gives the employee a higher moral value. Being overworked and putting in extra hours is admirable. But in reality, very few people benefit from this approach to work.

Read more: What is productivity anxiety and why does it affect more and more employees?

Overworking is a surefire way to increase stress and exhaustion, which can lead to burnout and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. And burned-out employees are significantly less productive and engaged in their jobs. Employers with a bad habit of pushing employees to their limits can end up with more people taking sick leave or quitting altogether, leading to higher turnover, which can be costly.

Despite this, many organizations still use surveillance in the workplace to encourage people to work harder. However, research shows that it has the opposite effect. When organizations overwork employees, base their incentives primarily on the amount of time they work, and overmonitor their activities, productivity and efficiency actually decline. A 2022 meta-analysis on the effects of electronic monitoring found that it does not provide any benefits and instead damages workplace culture and leads to undesirable behaviors.

As surveillance increases, evidence is mounting that electronic surveillance can do more harm than good. When people know they are being watched, their stress levels skyrocket and trust is undermined, leading to disengagement from work and employers.

While this may be unsettling for some managers, it may be more effective to trust employees that they are doing their job without having to watch their every move with a mouse.

See: Wells Fargo fires dozens of employees for ‘faking work’

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