The UK is leading Europe in workplace monitoring, with 81% of British businesses saying employee tracking effectively discourages ‘quiet vacationing’ – employees secretly taking time off without requesting leave.
That’s the findings of our third annual Trusted Connections report. The research shows that while adoption of worker tracking isn’t limited to the UK and reflects a growing workplace strategy across Europe, the UK’s adoption rate is significantly higher than the European average of 61%. This suggests that UK businesses are taking a more proactive approach over their European counterparts. But while tracking is improving efficiency, its impact on workplace morale and trust remains unclear.
Kinly’s data reveals that British businesses are increasingly investing in tracking and analytics to address disengagement. Trusted Connections 2025, which surveyed 425 enterprise AV professionals across the UK, Germany, Nordics and the Netherlands, found that two-thirds of UK businesses believe tracking also helps prevent quiet quitting, where employees disengage and only meet the bare minimum requirements.
The rise of workplace tracking
As tracking technology becomes more widespread, its impact on productivity is one thing that is becoming increasingly clear. Since implementing employee monitoring technology, many businesses have reported notable productivity gains. 69% stated that remote worker productivity has improved, while two-thirds have seen similar benefits for in-office employees.
With tracking delivering measurable efficiency improvements, investment in workplace analytics continues to rise. This year, more than a third of organisations are investing in remote-working data platforms and analytics. A further 35% are focusing on in-office data platforms to better understand workplace efficiency.
Beyond productivity tracking, many enterprises are now expanding their approach, with more than three-quarters either collecting, or planning to collect, employee IP and location data to track where people are working from. Nearly two fifths have already adopted this practice, highlighting a broader shift toward data-driven workforce management.
Tracking alone may not be enough
Despite the clear productivity gains, the research highlights ongoing concerns about the unintended consequences of workplace monitoring. While 65% of organisations say that tracking has enhanced employee wellbeing, a significant proportion remain uncertain about its long-term effects.
This uncertainty extends to employee morale. While 61% of businesses say morale has improved since implementing tracking, concerns persist over whether monitoring alone is the right approach to creating a positive workplace culture.
Adding to this complexity, some businesses are reconsidering their approach to remote work. With nearly a fifth of businesses prioritising a return to the office in 2025, many are debating whether tracking alone is enough to tackle disengagement, or if a wider cultural shift is needed to create a more engaged and motivated workforce.
Katy Thorpe, Global People Director, Kinly, said:
“Tracking can provide valuable insights, but it’s not a substitute for strong leadership or a healthy workplace culture. Businesses need to ask themselves whether they are using data to support their employees, or just to monitor them. The companies that succeed will be those that integrate analytics into a broader strategy, one that prioritises trust, engagement and wellbeing as opposed to relying on tracking alone to boost performance.
“As organisations continue to invest in workplace analytics, with many adopting remote work data platforms and in-office analytics, the challenge will be ensuring that tracking drives engagement rather than erodes trust. Our latest findings suggest that while data and analytics play an important role in improving efficiency, only the organisations that take a balanced approach by combining technology with a strong workplace culture will see lasting improvements in productivity and employee satisfaction.”
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