Cognizant, a major player in the IT sector, has initiated stricter monitoring of employee activities through new tools that track keyboard and mouse interactions to detect idle periods. As reported by a well-known publication, the company has begun implementing workforce-management software like ProHance for select teams over the past month, indicating a shift towards detailed productivity tracking that has drawn attention across the industry. Under this new protocol, employees who exhibit no keyboard or mouse activity for over 300 seconds—five minutes—are automatically classified as ‘idle.’ If the inactivity persists for 15 minutes, the system categorizes them as engaged in ‘activities away from the system.’ The rollout will be gradual and may vary by business unit.
ProHance, already utilized by various IT firms including Wipro, monitors different parameters related to system usage, time spent on applications, and engagement in specific tasks. This level of tracking illustrates a growing trend in the sector, as organizations seek more detailed insights into work behaviors, particularly in hybrid and remote environments. Although there are concerns that such monitoring might affect performance evaluations, Cognizant has reassured that the collected data will not be used for employee assessments. Addressing these concerns, a company spokesperson stated: ‘We occasionally employ various productivity measurement tools, which is a common industry practice, in specific business process management or intuitive operations and automation projects upon customer request.
The goal is to better understand the client process steps and related time metrics to identify process design inefficiencies.’ The company highlighted that these insights aim to analyze workflow and enhance processes rather than monitor individual performance. Cognizant asserts that the tools are designed to pinpoint inefficiencies in client-driven projects and are utilized only in certain operational contexts. Nevertheless, employees have expressed concerns about the voluntary nature of this monitoring. Cognizant insists that tracking will occur only after consent is obtained, but some employees claim that training on ProHance—involving a mandatory user agreement—was a required aspect of their training modules. One employee remarked, ‘We had to complete a mandatory course that included a user acceptance.
We needed to click ‘I agree’ to finish the course.’ The drive for enhanced tracking seems to stem from client expectations and the company’s objective to ensure consistent working hours despite breaks taken throughout the day. As organizations globally strive to balance productivity with flexibility, such micro-monitoring practices are becoming increasingly prevalent, yet they continue to fuel discussions regarding transparency, trust, consent, and employee autonomy. Cognizant is reportedly adopting a cautious approach, with a phased rollout and guarantees that the data will not influence performance evaluations. Still, this initiative underscores the rising tension between operational efficiency and employee comfort in an age of tech-driven oversight.
