Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has deployed a digital user experience monitoring tool on company-issued laptops, raising questions about employee privacy, data security and the extent to which workplace activity can be monitored.
The development was reported by Moneycontrol, which cited sources familiar with the deployment. According to the report, the technology can provide visibility into applications accessed on employee devices and the time spent on them. The move has prompted discussions within the company around whether the technology is primarily intended for cybersecurity and network management or could provide broader visibility into employee activity.
Tata Consultancy Services has since rejected claims that it is using the technology to conduct individual employee surveillance. The company said its monitoring systems are focused on macro-level network performance, security, availability and the overall digital experience.
Several details about the deployment remain unclear. These include the identity of the software provider, the complete range of capabilities, whether employee-level information is collected and which teams have access to any data generated by the system.
The issue is particularly significant for TCS given the scale of its workforce, which is approaching 6 lakh employees. Monitoring digital activity across such a large workforce could also become complicated where employees work through client-managed virtual desktop environments. Access to or monitoring of activity within such systems could raise additional questions around client confidentiality and data protection.
Digital experience- monitoring tools are increasingly being used by technology companies to identify application failures, network issues and other workplace technology problems. However, the same tools can create employee surveillance concerns when their scope and data practices are not clearly communicated.
The development comes amid TCS’ wider investments in digital workplace technology. The company recently introduced its Workspace Experience Studio using Zscaler’s Digital Experience technology, combining workplace observability, zero-trust security and AI-based analytics. However, it has not been independently established whether that platform is connected to the monitoring tool deployed on employee laptops.
The latest development highlights the growing challenge for IT employers of balancing cybersecurity and digital performance requirements with transparency and employee trust.
