The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) and Coworker.org have released a report titled "What Do Workers Want?" The report examines workplace surveillance and datafication through a Deliberative Polling approach. This method, developed by Professor James Fishkin of Stanford University’s Deliberative Democracy Lab, allows workers to express their needs and preferences regarding workplace data collection practices.
The project aimed to identify the rules and standards that employees support concerning workplace datafication when they are informed about the topic in a neutral setting. It also sought to assess how deliberation influences workers' views on datafication and whether increased information access enhances worker engagement in advocating for their rights.
Initially, a national public opinion poll surveyed 1,800 workers to identify concerns about workplace surveillance. These concerns were used as topics for the Deliberative Poll. Policy proposals and briefing materials were developed, containing background information and arguments for and against each proposal. A pilot session with 10 workers helped refine these materials.
The main Deliberative Poll involved 186 workers who participated in deliberations, with 170 completing the final post-deliberation survey. Discussions focused on monitoring work-from-home employees, location tracking, productivity monitoring, and data rights. Participants engaged in small group discussions and posed questions to a balanced panel of experts.
The post-deliberation survey showed strong support for proposals granting workers greater transparency regarding employers’ surveillance practices, prohibiting off-clock surveillance, limiting location tracking, and barring harmful productivity monitoring. Participants became less likely to support absolute stances on surveillance forms after deliberations and more inclined towards nuanced proposals.
Participants also expressed increased interest and confidence in influencing their employers' actions after the deliberations. This suggests that discussing workplace policy issues positions them better for engagement and organization.
The report recommends further exploration of deliberation-centered methodologies to understand workers' views on key policy issues better. Policymakers are urged to address the urgent need for regulatory frameworks on worker datafication by centering employee voices in these discussions.
Read the full report for more detailed insights into this study.
