The Justice Canada department has increased the installation of heat and motion sensors under employees' desks as part of an ongoing project aimed at analyzing office space utilization. This initiative, which began in 2023, has raised alarm among employees and union representatives who fear that the data collected could eventually be used to monitor attendance, despite the department's assurances that the sensors are intended for anonymous data collection only.

In a recent communication to staff, Justice Canada emphasized that the sensors are designed to gather insights about how often workspaces are used without identifying individuals. However, the move has led to a backlash, with many employees describing the monitoring approach as 'creepy' and invasive. Concerns about workplace surveillance and privacy have been heightened as the initiative gains traction across various office locations.

The push for utilizing such technology reflects broader trends in workplace monitoring, which can improve efficiency but also poses significant ethical dilemmas. Critics argue that while the intent may be to optimize space usage, the implications for employee trust and morale cannot be overlooked, and there is a growing call for clearer policies governing such technological implementations.