The excesses of toxic management and abusive surveillance

The excesses of toxic management and abusive surveillance

24 September 2025

In the era of remote working and digitalisation, some companies are taking employee monitoring to extremes. Under the guise of productivity, management can quickly become toxic.

Omnipresent surveillance :

• Monitoring software : it records every keystroke, email, or period of inactivity.
• Cameras and badges : some companies track movements and attendance in real time.
• Micro-control of breaks : even coffee breaks or toilet breaks can be timed.

This constant pressure creates stress, anxiety and a decline in motivation.

Is the control going too far ?

In Switzerland, some companies require employees to record their toilet breaks. These breaks can be deducted from paid working hours. This is legal, but indicative of absolute control over working hours.

In Australia, Suzie Cheikho, who had been employed for 18 years at Insurance Australia Group, was dismissed for being too inactive while working from home. Records showed 54 keystrokes per hour, whereas the expected threshold was 500. Although the dismissal was deemed lawful, this case highlights the risks of extreme quantitative monitoring.

These examples illustrate a much broader problem: excessive surveillance affects all sectors, from retail to technology.

The excesses of toxic management

Surveillance is just one aspect of toxic management, which includes :

• Micromanagement : stifling control over every task. Studies have shown that micromanagement reduces employee productivity and engagement.
• Disproportionate sanctions : unfair dismissals or disciplinary measures. Research indicates that these practices increase stress and the risk of burnout.
• Isolation and devaluation : pointless tasks, unachievable targets, refusal of training or promotion. It has been proven that these behaviours create a climate of fear within teams, reducing motivation and cohesion.
• The result : increased stress, high staff turnover, and a major risk of burnout, effects observed in numerous studies on toxic work environments.

An ethical and legal issue

Beyond mental health, ubiquitous surveillance raises questions about data protection and privacy. In Europe, the GDPR strictly regulates the collection of information, which must remain proportionate and transparent. Tracking every keystroke or timing breaks goes far beyond this principle of proportionality. Legal is not always synonymous with legitimate: certain practices create a sense of injustice and intrusion that undermines the employer-employee relationship.

The long-term consequences for the company

While excessive control may seem profitable in the short term, it ultimately backfires on the organisation. Constant monitoring breeds mistrust, encourages talent to leave, damages the employer brand and stifles innovation: employees under pressure no longer dare to take initiative. Conversely, companies that focus on trust, autonomy and accountability achieve better results in terms of loyalty, creativity and sustainable performance.

How to transition to healthy management ?

• Set clear and realistic goals
• Encourage autonomy and flexibility
• Focusing on qualitative performance rather than simple quantitative monitoring
• Respecting employees' privacy and basic needs

These practices build trust and improve team motivation and well-being.