THE SURPRISING TRUTH

Given the rising popularity of GPS tracking, it’s no surprise that more than one third of 1,000 US employees in an independent survey* had been tracked by GPS in the workplace. But how those employees — whether they have experienced GPS tracking firsthand or not — feel about it might surprise you.

Both employees who had experience with GPS and employees who didn’t expressed concerns about being tracked after hours (46% and 66% respectively).

But what’s more alarming is that of employees who had been tracked using GPS, one in 10 responded that they were being tracked 24 hours a day — a big legal no-no in all 50 states. Another 30% said they weren’t sure exactly when tracking stopped for the day.

45% of employees who had been tracked with GPS either believed that they were being tracked 24/7 or simply weren’t sure. One in five employees said that the tracking was switched on without warning.

While it’s unclear whether this is perception or reality, the legal ramifications are clear.

When it comes to concerns about GPS tracking in the workplace, many employers assume their employees resist because they have something to hide.

However, the data tells a different story. The #1 concern of employees who don’t have previous experience with workplace GPS tracking is data drain. And the #1 concern for employees who do have experience with GPS tracking is battery drain.

When asked how they make a decision about whether to enable location services for a given app, the top response was simply “When I trust the app I’m using.” The second highest response was one of utility — “If the app requires it.”

It’s a stat employers introducing GPS for the first time would do well to remember. Along with extolling the virtues of GPS tracking in the workplace, business owners and managers may instill more confidence simply by educating employees about the app itself, its security — its trustworthiness.

How employees responded when GPS tracking was introduced in the workplace is telling. Nearly half of employees spoke with their manager or union rep about the change. Another 45% either did nothing or complained to coworkers. The remaining 6% either threatened to quit or actually did.

In other words, most employees wanted to talk about GPS — either to a manager or someone else. Taking a proactive approach by setting up a Q&A session or just talking to employees before introducing GPS can make all the difference in a smooth transition.