Don’t Spy on Employees to Ensure They’re Working, Microsoft Says

More than two years after remote work and hybrid jobs became widespread, there’s still a stark divide over how it’s going: About 85% of managers worry they can’t tell if employees are getting enough done, while 87% of workers say their productivity is just fine.

That was the finding of a survey on corporate attitudes by Microsoft Corp., the workplace software giant and owner of LinkedIn. Managers’ fears about idle workers are creating what Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella calls “productivity paranoia,” with undesirable results—like spying on employees.

“Leaders think their employees are not productive, whereas employees think they are being productive and ...