Your Boss May Be Watching You at Work in Texas—Here’s How

(KNUE-FM) Your boss may be watching you at your job in Texas. My recommendation is to avoid doing anything on company-owned devices that you shouldn't do at work. Most employers understand that many employees check social media from time to time; sometimes, it's even a part of their job. At the same time, it's best to be honorable while 'on the clock' and do what you've been paid to do. Most of us spend too much time scrolling endlessly in our free time anyway.

Employers Can—and Often Do—Monitor Workers in Texas

Here's the thing: Nowadays, it is not uncommon for employers to track what their employees are doing at work. Many employers do this by using various tools to monitor your emails and/or computer activity. It's not a bad idea to assume you're being watched, whether or not it's true.

Read More: Think Twice Before Skipping That Tip on DoorDash, Texas

How Employers Track Employees at Work

So, how do employers potentially monitor what you're doing during the workday? According to GuideTech, there are several ways businesses can track employees.

Computer Monitoring. There are types of software that record keystrokes, track websites, and may even take screenshots of what you're doing and/or looking at while at work.

Chat and Email Tracking. Whether you're chatting on Google Chat, Slack, or email, know that your conversations may be monitored to ensure they align with company policy. According to the Wall Street Journal, your IT department likely can access those messages.

Location Tracking. A Guardian story revealed that some employers may even use GPS tracking to determine whether workers are where they should be at any given time. Granted, that publication is based in the UK, but it may still apply here in Texas, depending on the company.

How to Tell If You’re Being Watched (And Why You Probably Shouldn’t Check)

How do you know if you're being watched at your job in Texas? To reiterate, I would suggest just not putting yourself in this situation to begin with. Save personal interests for when you're off and using your own devices. Personally, I wouldn't want to be in that situation at all, much less try to find out if I was being watched. Seeking to find out may also be a red flag, and I wouldn't advise it. Just don't go there.

However, according to GuideTech, for those determined to find out whether they're being watched, there are steps they can take. Though in most cases, I'd recommend against it. Plus, if you're not tech-savvy, you can cause harm that would DEFINITELY be a red flag. If you want to check whether your computer is being monitored, GuideTech suggests a few steps.

Check your running programs. You can open your task manager on Windows or the Activity Monitor on Mac to see if there are any apps you don't recognize.

Check out any startup programs. Specific tracking tools launch when your computer starts. You can look for anything that raises questions.

Check any network activity. (My opinion is not to do this.) Apparently, there are ways to see if data is being sent to another service.

Run an Antivirus scan. So this one may not even be possible, depending on how your IT department has set everything up. Often, there is a company-wide solution already in place, and messing with it could lead to security compromises that affect your whole company.

The Bottom Line: Keep It Professional

Why am I so against this? Here's the thing: If you are using a company-owned computer given for work, they are likely within their purview to monitor employee activities. The best thing to do is to stay professional. Wait until you get home or are on breaks to use your device for personal tasks.

 It’s not paranoia—it’s just workplace reality in 2025.