The Dark Side of Workplace Sensor Systems

Workplace sensor systems - ranging from wearable devices to AI-powered emotion recognition tools - are increasingly used to monitor employee behavior and productivity. At the same time, advances in emotion-aware technologies enable these systems to detect and interpret workers’ affective states through physiological and behavioral data. This convergence raises a key question: What are the ethical boundaries of workplace systems that can sense and act upon employees’ emotions? These technologies operate not only on observable actions, but also on internal and often unconscious processes, potentially influencing behavior in ways that are not fully transparent to employees. Sensor-based systems also raise concerns about the continuous collection of physiological and behavioral data, including signals such as heart rate and movement, extending monitoring into more private dimensions of employee experience. This talk aims to stimulate discussion on how workplace sensor systems can be governed in ways that protect employee autonomy while enabling innovation.