Hybrid work is nothing new. For most UK businesses, a mix of office and remote working has been the norm for years now. What has changed is what sits alongside it – artificial intelligence has moved from a buzzword to a daily reality, with the majority of employees now using AI tools as part of their jobs.
But there is a growing tension beneath the surface.
Many employees feel watched. They are unsure how their data is being collected, what it is being used for, and whether their employer trusts them to do their job without constant oversight.
This is not about new legislation or compliance checklists. It is about trust, transparency and how work feels day to day.
In this blog, we look at what recent UK research tells us about employee monitoring, AI use, stress and engagement – and what good practice looks like for employers who want to get this right.
The numbers behind the tension
A 2026 UK workplace survey paints a clear picture of where we are:
- 86% of employees now use AI at work – whether that is generative tools, automation or AI-assisted software.
- 59% say their employer uses some form of monitoring software – tracking things like login times, meetings attended, keyboard activity or application usage.
- 82% want it to be a legal requirement for employers to disclose when they are using monitoring or AI tools.That is a significant trust gap.
At the same time, engagement is struggling:
- 37% of employees describe themselves as disengaged.
- The top drivers? Burnout (31%), lack of growth opportunities (25%) and not feeling valued (23%).
- 41% report meeting fatigue, driven by too many meetings that run too long.
These numbers are connected. When people feel monitored but not trusted, measured but not supported, it affects how they show up at work.
Why this matters for HR (even if you are not changing the rules)
You do not need a new law to tell you that trust matters. But the data makes it clear that monitoring and AI are now central to the employee experience – not just IT or compliance conversations.
Hybrid work has changed the wellbeing landscape. The risks are no longer just about physical safety or workload in a traditional sense. They include:
- Blurred boundaries between work and home
- Digital fatigue from back-to-back video calls and constant connectivity
- Isolation for remote workers who feel out of the loop
- Longer effective working hours as the commute disappears but the laptop stays open
Employees increasingly expect their employer to protect their energy and attention – not just measure their output.
If monitoring feels like surveillance rather than support, it chips away at psychological safety. And if AI is introduced without explanation or training, people feel unsettled rather than enabled.
This is not about whether you use these tools. It is about how.
What good practice looks like in 2026
Getting this right does not require perfection. It requires honesty, purpose and a willingness to involve your people in the conversation.
Transparency first
Be clear – in plain English – about what you monitor, why you monitor it, and how the data is used.
If you track login times, say so. If AI tools analyse productivity patterns, explain what that means in practice. If you do not use any monitoring, say that too.
Where possible, involve employee representatives or use feedback mechanisms to shape how these tools are used. People are far more accepting of monitoring when they understand the purpose and have had a voice in how it works.
Purpose over surveillance
Ask yourself: are we using data to improve how work feels and flows, or mainly to check up on people?
Monitoring can be genuinely useful. It can highlight unsustainable workloads, flag burnout risks, or show that meetings are eating into productive time. But if it is only used to police attendance or activity, it sends a clear message – and not a positive one.
Use the data to support, not to catch people out.
Human-centered AI
AI works best when it removes friction and frees people up to do meaningful work. That might mean automating repetitive admin, summarising long documents, or helping with scheduling.
But people need training and guardrails. They need to understand what the tools do, where the limits are, and that AI is there to help – not to replace them or monitor their every move.
If AI feels like another layer of tracking rather than a genuine help, you have lost the room.
Wellbeing by design
The shift in thinking here is important. Wellbeing is no longer just about perks – free fruit, yoga sessions, mental health apps. Those things are fine, but they do not fix a fundamentally draining job.
Real wellbeing comes from:
- Realistic workloads
- Sensible meeting culture (including meeting-free time)
- Right-to-disconnect norms that are actually respected
- Job design that gives people autonomy, variety and a sense of purpose
If you want engaged, healthy employees, you need to look at how the work itself is structured – not just what you offer around the edges.
Questions leaders can ask themselves
Before you review your policies or introduce new tools, it is worth pausing to reflect:
- If we told every employee exactly how we monitor and use AI, would they feel more or less trusted?
- Are we using data mainly to control, or mainly to improve how work feels and flows?
- Where could AI remove friction and admin, rather than add another layer of tracking?
- Do our people know why we collect the data we collect – and do they believe the reason?
- When did we last ask employees how they feel about monitoring and AI at work?
Honest answers to these questions will tell you more than any dashboard.
The bigger picture
The HR challenge in 2026 is not just about keeping up with new rules. It is about rebuilding trust in a world where hybrid work, AI and monitoring are part of everyday life.
Employees are not against technology. They are not even against being measured. But they want transparency, fairness and a sense that their employer is on their side.
Get this right and you build a culture where people feel trusted, supported and able to do their best work. Get it wrong and you risk disengagement, burnout and a workforce that feels like it is being watched rather than valued.
The tools are not the problem. It is how we use them that counts.
If you are reviewing your approach to monitoring, AI or hybrid working and want a sounding board, we are always happy to talk. Sometimes an outside perspective helps you see what your people are really experiencing – and where the quick wins might be.
