Many companies, especially traditional banks, are considering the efficiency of their employees working remotely versus in person. Wells Fargo, a major American bank, recently investigated some employees suspected of not working while remote. The bank discovered that some employees were trying to deceive their managers by simulating activity on their computer keyboard. As a result, a dozen employees were fired, primarily from the Investment and Wealth Management divisions.
The offending employees were mostly new hires, with only one having worked at the bank for seven years. A spokesperson for Wells Fargo stated that the bank upholds high ethical standards and cannot tolerate unethical behavior. Some employees use devices or software called “mouse jigglers” to simulate computer mouse movement and prevent computers from going into sleep mode, which can be easily purchased for a few euros.
Wells Fargo promotes flexible working options for its employees, allowing them to work from home on some days and in the office on others. In the United States, teleworking is becoming less popular, especially in the banking sector. Banks were among the first to require their employees to return to the office after the Covid-19 pandemic. Finra, a regulatory authority for the banking industry, recently called for better regulation of working conditions for bank employees.