Morrisons is set to roll out a controversial staff-tracking app designed to monitor how quickly shop floor employees restock shelves and complete daily tasks. The initiative, positioned as part of the company’s turnaround strategy, aims to increase efficiency and improve customer experience as the supermarket battles to win back shoppers from rivals such as Lidl and Aldi.
The new system, will give store managers access to live performance data — from restocking speeds to completion times for assigned tasks. The goal, Morrisons says, is to “identify where additional support or coaching might be needed.” Yet for many staff, the announcement has raised difficult questions about fairness, pressure and the creeping expansion of workplace surveillance.
Background: a company under pressure
Morrisons has faced a turbulent few years. Since being acquired by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2021, the supermarket has seen profits squeezed by inflation, supply chain costs and fierce competition from discount retailers.
Recent market data suggests Lidl is closing the gap on Morrisons’ market share, prompting a renewed focus on efficiency and productivity at store level. The company believes the new app will help standardise operations, reduce wasted time and improve consistency across stores.
Yet critics argue that this latest measure reflects a broader corporate shift toward digital oversight — often at the expense of worker trust and morale.
Worker concerns and wider implications
Among Morrisons staff, early reaction has been mixed. While some see the app as a neutral tool that could highlight under-resourcing or training gaps, others fear it may fuel anxiety and foster a culture of “constant observation.”
A contributor on a UK workers’ forum described the development as “stopwatching,” adding that such systems “rarely improve performance — they just make people nervous.”
Legal experts note that while monitoring employees is permitted under UK law, employers must show that it is necessary, proportionate and transparent. The question now is whether Morrisons’ approach meets that threshold.
Surveillance in workplaces has been rising steadily. Research cited by The Guardian found that more than one-third of UK firms now use so-called “bossware” — digital systems that log keystrokes, movement and productivity. Campaigners warn that without clear safeguards, these technologies risk undermining privacy and dignity at work.
The balance between data and dignity
Morrisons maintains that the technology will be used to “support, not punish” staff. However, unions and workplace advocates will be watching closely to ensure this principle is upheld in practice.
The concern is not only how the data is gathered, but also how it is interpreted. Individual performance can vary for legitimate reasons: age, health, disability, or differing workloads. Rigid benchmarks risk creating unfair comparisons or disciplinary outcomes for workers doing their best in challenging conditions.
For those on the shop floor, the pressure to meet algorithmic targets may intensify already difficult working environments. At a time when UK retail continues to experience recruitment shortages and morale challenges, the consequences of alienating staff could outweigh the gains from monitoring tools.
A question of workplace culture
Ultimately, Morrisons’ decision reflects a tension facing many UK employers — how to modernise and boost productivity without eroding the human side of work. Data-driven oversight can help identify inefficiencies, but when handled poorly it can also signal distrust and drive disengagement.
For Morrisons, the coming months will test not only the effectiveness of the system but also its impact on culture and staff retention. The Workers Union will continue to observe the rollout, encouraging transparency, fairness and dialogue between management and employees.
As Britain’s workplaces adapt to technological change, one principle must remain constant: every worker deserves respect, clarity and trust — not surveillance disguised as support.
The new staff-tracking initiative at Morrisons may be part of a broader corporate recovery plan, but it also shines a light on the growing use of performance monitoring across UK workplaces. The supermarket insists the goal is better training and consistency. Yet to maintain morale and fairness, it must ensure that technology serves people — not the other way around.
For UK workers, this development is a reminder of the importance of vigilance, accountability and balance in the evolving world of work.
