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Microsoft’s patented system can monitor employees’ body and facial language and identify if they are attending a meeting
A Microsoft invests more and more in new technologies to optimize the job market. According to the news site GeekWire, the company has filed a patent for a new system that can measure meeting performance. Through body and face monitoring, the system could measure employee satisfaction levels during meetings. With this information, it would be possible to assign scores to measure the quality of events.
According to the details of the Microsoft patent application, the sensors of the “meeting insight computing system”, in addition to monitoring and analyzing the body and facial expressions of the guests, will be able to record whether employees are attending the meeting, how much time to each participant and analyzes “language patterns such as tiredness and fatigue”.
The sensors in the tool will still be able to monitor devices used by employees to find out if they are alone in the meeting or doing other activities such as surfing the Internet or replying to messages. At the end of the meeting, all the information collected by the sensors will assign a score on the effectiveness and quality of the event. This way it would be possible to know which points need to be improved and why the meetings are not achieving the goal.
Initially, the system would be used in virtual meetings, but the technology can be applied in face-to-face events. It is worth mentioning that the patent application does not guarantee that Microsoft will develop the tool.
The Microsoft patent can pose a danger to employees
OR Trade union congress (TUC) published a report on the impact of technology, artificial intelligence (IA), in the labor market. Per Mary Towers, Policy Officer at TUC, the adoption of this type of technology can put workers in danger, as it can create “unfair and discriminatory results”, Mary points out. This can lead to results such as layoffs and pay cuts.
According to the director of Big Brother Clock, Silkie Carlo, systems like Microsoft’s patent for employee monitoring can jeopardize their individual right to privacy and instead of bringing innovation it can be a setback for the workplace.
“This type of employee surveillance software hampers diversity in the workplace by operating on the false premise that there is a uniform and regulatory way for people to work optimally.”
Silkie Carlo, Director of Big Brother Clock.
Remember that Microsoft has recently received a lot of criticism about employee privacy rights due to the “Productivity Score” feature in Microsoft 365. Through the tool it is possible to monitor the habits of each employee and compare the performance between each one.
A Microsoft believes that the resource can help in managing team productivity. However, privacy experts see that features like the Microsoft 365 “Productivity Score” sell a false promise of productivity enhancement, but are really only for keeping an eye on employees.
Tell us what do you think of the idea? Would you adopt the solution in your company? Tell us in the comments!
Source: BBC; Engadget
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