For decades, workplace dishonesty was relatively easy to identify. Employees falsified time sheets, claimed overtime they never worked, disappeared for hours during the workday, or had co-workers “buddy punch” timecards for them. This behavior constituted fraud, and the consequences were straightforward: serious dishonesty has long been grounds for dismissal for cause.
However, the remote-work era has fundamentally changed the balance between flexibility, trust, and oversight. It has created an entirely new question for modern employers: what does “working” actually look like nowadays?
The Shift in Workplace Dynamics
Before COVID-19, most employers measured work in a fairly traditional way. Employees arrived at the office, managers saw them at their desks, and attendance itself became part of how productivity, accountability, and engagement were assessed. Supervisors could directly observe their teams. Then millions of employees abruptly began working from home.
For some, remote work proved effective. Employees avoided commutes, gained flexibility, and often reported improved work-life balance. Employers discovered they could reduce costs while maintaining productivity. But many employers have found they are not getting the same productivity as before, and employees are not putting in the same number of hours, let alone collaborating to the extent they did when working directly with colleagues.
The Role of Technology in Monitoring
Managers could no longer physically observe employees throughout the day, and the loss of visibility changed how employers think about trust and productivity. Technology quickly stepped in to fill the gap. Modern workplaces now generate enormous amounts of information about employee activity, including:
- Microsoft Teams’ statuses
- VPN and Wi-Fi activity
- Login records
- Keyboard tracking
- Productivity software
- Programs that detect “mouse jigglers” intended to simulate computer activity
Employees likely do not realize the extent to which their work can now be monitored, measured, and analyzed. At the same time, many employers remain deeply skeptical about whether remote employees are working as much as they appear to be.
New Forms of Workplace Dishonesty
That skepticism is creating a new generation of workplace conflict. Years ago, pretending to work usually involved physically leaving the office. Today, it can involve appearing to be online while running errands, scheduling emails to send automatically, using software to keep an “active” status on messaging platforms, or creating the appearance of productivity while doing little actual work.
For instance, the authors recount an experience with a lawyer who left their firm, leaving behind hundreds of unsent emails. Upon examination, they discovered these emails had been generated by AI. Had they known that at the time, the lawyer would have been dismissed much earlier.
The Future of Remote Work
As remote work continues to evolve, the battlelines are being drawn around monitoring technologies, employee trust, and the definition of productivity. Employers must balance oversight with respect for privacy, while employees must navigate new expectations of transparency. The next wave of workplace disputes will likely center on these very issues.
