Staff who enjoy the freedom of working from home may soon find that Big Brother is watching.
A growing number of companies are trialling a new method of ensuring staff stay glued to their desks - by keeping them on constant video calls all day.
The system, known as 'body doubling', involves two or more employees working side-by-side over Zoom or Microsoft Teams, often without saying a word.
The idea is that the virtual presence of a colleague makes workers less likely to slack off, gives bosses more oversight and may help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Originally developed to help children with ADHD focus in school, the system has been repackaged by HR departments as a tool to boost productivity and reduce feelings of isolation in the age of remote working.
