Oh Microsoft...

Main article

Microsoft is attempting to patents a new application that will allow a company to watch employees and make sure productivity is maintained. This program will make sure employees meet their deadlines and do their jobs.

This app will monitor the user and offer help if he or she needs it, even in the form of links to useful resources. Also, managers can check in to make sure the employees are working. The product uses something called "activity-centric monitoring," which can give an employee a nudge when needed, but also measures the performance levels of the employees, singling out the weaker ones so they can get some more training, be assigned a different task, or simply be sent packing. It is the equivalent of the paperclip that would pop-up to give you help when using Microsoft Office products, but with the added bonus of costing someone their job.

This does get rid of the lower performers making it a much more efficient company, but what about the employee just taking a 5 minute break to sit back and relax. Is this taken into account? Are you, as an employee, required to work non-stop from the time you get there until it is time to leave? The fine line between being unproductive and taking a break will have to be redrawn. This process, according to the article, can show who the above-average performers are, eventually leading down the management path. It can also tell who can help another employee with their task, such as replacing toner cartridges. But then, how will I be accounted for if I have to leave my task to go help someone else replace the toner because they don't know how?

I am not sure if I am convinced. I like the fact that my hard work will be rewarded since managers know exactly how I am performing, but at the same time...it seems that I am being watched at all times. It is borderline living in a police-state. More details definitely need to be worked out...as of right now it seems like Microsoft is trying to put a positive spin on something that seems to be mostly negative by showing this transparent list...this is like the NFL team that looks great on paper, but then ends up 2-14.