Wells Fargo, a major US bank, has fired several employees for pretending to work by faking keyboard activity. It is unclear how the issue was discovered or if it was related to remote work. The bank stated that staff were terminated or resigned after allegations of simulating keyboard activity to create the impression of active work were reviewed. New regulations require home-based brokers to be inspected every three years. A Wells Fargo spokesperson emphasized the company’s commitment to high ethical standards and zero tolerance for unethical behavior.

In 2022, Wells Fargo implemented a hybrid flexible working model, allowing employees to work from home part-time. Many companies have been using advanced monitoring tools to track employee productivity since the increase in remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic. These tools can monitor keystrokes, eye movements, take screenshots, and log website visits. However, technology has also developed ways to bypass surveillance, such as “mouse jigglers,” which make computers appear to be in use. These devices are readily available and have seen significant sales on platforms like Amazon.

According to Bloomberg, more than a dozen individuals were affected by Wells Fargo’s actions, as reported in a filing to the US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The BBC has confirmed six cases of employee termination and one case of voluntary resignation after being confronted with the allegations. Many of these employees had worked for Wells Fargo for less than five years. While remote work has remained popular since the pandemic, the number of work-from-home days has decreased. In the US, research conducted by professors at ITAM Business School, Stanford, and the University of Chicago shows that just under 27% of paid days last month were work-from-home days, compared to over 60% during the peak of the pandemic in 2020.

It is worth noting that approximately 13% of full-time employees in the US were fully remote, and an additional 26% had a hybrid work arrangement as of this spring, according to the researchers. Many firms, particularly in the financial industry, are urging employees to return to the office. The use of monitoring software, including screenshot-taking, has become a common practice for some employers to ensure productivity and accountability among remote workers.

Original news source: Mouse jigglers’ pretending to work fired by bank (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and give each group a few minutes to read the article. Then, ask each group to summarize the main points of the article in a news summary format. They should focus on the key details and important information. Afterward, have each group present their news summary to the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Ask each group to come up with a question related to the article and create an opinion poll. They should think of different options or statements that participants can choose from. Afterward, have each group conduct their opinion poll by asking the question to other groups or pairs. Encourage discussion and debate based on the different responses.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Select a few key vocabulary words from the article and write them on separate pieces of paper. Divide the class into two teams. Take turns choosing a word and having one member from each team come to the front of the class. They must draw a visual representation of the word (without using letters or numbers) while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly earns a point. Continue until all the words have been guessed or time runs out.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Ask each group to discuss and come up with a list of pros and cons related to remote work and monitoring tools, as mentioned in the article. Afterward, have each group share their lists with the class and facilitate a class discussion on the topic. Encourage students to express their opinions and provide reasoning for their points of view.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask the class to imagine and discuss what they think the future of remote work and monitoring tools will be like. Will there be more advancements in technology? Will there be stricter regulations? Will remote work become the norm? Divide the class into pairs or small groups and have them discuss their predictions. Afterward, have each pair or group share their predictions with the class. Encourage students to support their predictions with logical reasoning.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. How did Wells Fargo discover the issue of employees faking keyboard activity?
2. What are some of the monitoring tools that companies have been using to track employee productivity?
3. How do “mouse jigglers” bypass surveillance?
4. How many cases of employee termination and voluntary resignation were reported by Wells Fargo?
5. How long had many of the terminated employees worked for Wells Fargo?
6. What percentage of paid days last month were work-from-home days in the US?
7. How many full-time employees in the US were fully remote this spring?
8. Why are many firms, particularly in the financial industry, urging employees to return to the office?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Wells Fargo, a major US bank, has fired several employees for pretending to work by faking keyboard activity. It is unclear how the issue was discovered or if it was related to remote work. The bank stated that staff were terminated or resigned after (1)______ of (2)______ keyboard activity to create the impression of active work were reviewed. New regulations require home-based brokers to be inspected every three years. A Wells Fargo (3)______ emphasized the company’s commitment to high (4)______ standards and zero tolerance for unethical behavior.

In 2022, Wells Fargo implemented a (5)______ flexible working model, allowing (6)______ to work from home part-time. Many companies have been using advanced monitoring tools to track employee productivity since the increase in remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic. These tools can monitor keystrokes, eye movements, take screenshots, and log website visits. However, technology has also developed ways to bypass surveillance, such as “mouse jigglers,” which make computers appear to be in use. These devices are readily available and have seen (7)______ sales on platforms like Amazon.

(8)______ to Bloomberg, more than a dozen (9)______ were affected by (10)______ Fargo’s actions, as reported in a filing to the US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The BBC has confirmed six cases of employee termination and one case of voluntary resignation after being confronted with the allegations. Many of these employees had worked for Wells Fargo for less than five years. While remote work has remained popular since the pandemic, the number of work-from-home days has decreased. In the US, research (11)______ by professors at ITAM Business School, Stanford, and the (12)______ of Chicago shows that just under 27% of paid days last month were work-from-home days, compared to over 60% during the peak of the pandemic in 2020.

It is worth noting that approximately 13% of full-time employees in the US were fully (13)______, and an additional 26% had a hybrid work arrangement as of this spring, according to the researchers. Many firms, particularly in the financial industry, are (14)______ employees to return to the office. The use of monitoring software, including screenshot-taking, has (15)______ a common practice for some employers to (16)______ productivity and accountability among remote workers.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on the use of monitoring tools to track employee productivity?
2. How would you feel if you were constantly monitored while working from home?
3. Do you think it is fair for companies to fire employees for faking keyboard activity? Why or why not?
4. What are some potential ethical concerns with the use of monitoring software?
5. How do you think the increase in remote work during the pandemic has affected employee productivity?
6. Do you believe that employees should have the right to privacy while working from home? Why or why not?
7. What are some alternative methods that companies could use to ensure employee productivity without resorting to monitoring software?
8. How do you think the decrease in work-from-home days will impact the overall work-life balance of employees?
9. Do you think the use of monitoring software is more prevalent in certain industries? Why or why not?
10. How do you think the use of monitoring software affects employee morale and job satisfaction?
11. What are some potential consequences for employees who are caught faking keyboard activity?
12. Do you think the decrease in remote work is a result of companies’ concerns about employee productivity or other factors? Why or why not?
13. How would you feel if your employer required you to return to the office after working remotely for an extended period of time?
14. What are some potential drawbacks of a hybrid flexible working model?
15. Do you believe that employees should have the right to disconnect from work and have designated non-working hours? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. allegations
2. simulating
3. ethical
4. surveillance
5. jigglers
6. regulatory
7. voluntary
8. hybrid
9. productivity
10. pandemic
11. accountability
12. brokers
13. terminated
14. confronted
15. arrangement

Meanings:
(A) The effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry
(B) Devices that create small movements to trick sensors into thinking a computer is in use
(C) Close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal
(D) Relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these
(E) Individuals who buy and sell goods or assets for others
(F) Imitating or pretending to be something
(G) Done, given, or acting of one’s own free will
(H) Concerning rules or directives made and maintained by an authority
(I) A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease
(J) The fact or condition of being responsible; answerability
(K) A plan or preparation for a future event or situation
(L) Claims or assertions that someone has done something illegal or wrong
(M) A combination of two different things, typically styles or systems
(N) Faced or dealt with a difficult situation
(O) Brought to an end or discontinued
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What action did Wells Fargo take against employees who faked keyboard activity?
(a) Promoted them
(b) Gave them a warning
(c) Fired them
(d) Increased their salary

2. How did Wells Fargo discover the issue of faked keyboard activity?
(a) Through advanced monitoring tools
(b) Through employee reports
(c) It is unclear
(d) Through random inspections

3. What do the new regulations require for home-based brokers?
(a) Inspections every month
(b) No inspections required
(c) Inspections every six months
(d) Inspections every three years

4. What did Wells Fargo emphasize in regards to ethical behavior?
(a) Low ethical standards and tolerance
(b) High ethical standards and zero tolerance
(c) Moderate ethical standards and tolerance
(d) No emphasis on ethical behavior

5. What monitoring tools have many companies been using to track employee productivity?
(a) Advanced monitoring tools
(b) Basic monitoring tools
(c) No monitoring tools
(d) Monitoring tools that only track keystrokes

6. What are “mouse jigglers” used for?
(a) Tracking employee productivity
(b) Making computers appear to be in use
(c) Bypassing surveillance
(d) Taking screenshots

7. How many cases of employee termination were confirmed by the BBC?
(a) One
(b) Thirteen
(c) None
(d) Six

8. What percentage of paid days last month were work-from-home days in the US?
(a) Just under 27%
(b) Over 60%
(c) 13%
(d) 26%

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Many companies have been using advanced monitoring tools to track employee productivity during remote work.
2. Wells Fargo promoted several employees for faking keyboard activity.
3. The faked keyboard activity may or may not be related to remote work.
4. Wells Fargo emphasized its commitment to low ethical standards and high tolerance for unethical behavior.
5. The use of monitoring software, including screenshot-taking, has become common practice for some employers.
6. New regulations require home-based brokers to be inspected every three years.
7. Wells Fargo implemented a traditional working model in 2022.
8. It is clear how the issue of faked keyboard activity was discovered.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. How did Wells Fargo discover that employees were faking keyboard activity?
2. What are some of the monitoring tools that companies have been using to track employee productivity during remote work?
3. How many employees were affected by Wells Fargo’s actions, according to Bloomberg?
4. How has the number of work-from-home days changed in the US since the peak of the pandemic in 2020?
5. Why are many firms, especially in the financial industry, urging employees to return to the office?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How did Wells Fargo discover the issue of employees faking keyboard activity?
– It is unclear how the issue was discovered.

2. What are some of the monitoring tools that companies have been using to track employee productivity?
– Some monitoring tools include those that can monitor keystrokes, eye movements, take screenshots, and log website visits.

3. How do “mouse jigglers” bypass surveillance?
– “Mouse jigglers” make computers appear to be in use, bypassing surveillance.

4. How many cases of employee termination and voluntary resignation were reported by Wells Fargo?
– Wells Fargo reported six cases of employee termination and one case of voluntary resignation.

5. How long had many of the terminated employees worked for Wells Fargo?
– Many of the terminated employees had worked for Wells Fargo for less than five years.

6. What percentage of paid days last month were work-from-home days in the US?
– Just under 27% of paid days last month were work-from-home days in the US.

7. How many full-time employees in the US were fully remote this spring?
– Approximately 13% of full-time employees in the US were fully remote this spring.

8. Why are many firms, particularly in the financial industry, urging employees to return to the office?
– Many firms are urging employees to return to the office to ensure productivity and accountability among remote workers.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) allegations
(2) simulating
(3) spokesperson
(4) ethical
(5) hybrid
(6) employees
(7) significant
(8) According
(9) individuals
(10) Wells
(11) conducted
(12) University
(13) remote
(14) urging
(15) become
(16) ensure
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. allegations
Answer: (L) Claims or assertions that someone has done something illegal or wrong

2. simulating
Answer: (F) Imitating or pretending to be something

3. ethical
Answer: (D) Relating to moral principles or the branch of knowledge dealing with these

4. surveillance
Answer: (C) Close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal

5. jigglers
Answer: (B) Devices that create small movements to trick sensors into thinking a computer is in use

6. regulatory
Answer: (H) Concerning rules or directives made and maintained by an authority

7. voluntary
Answer: (G) Done, given, or acting of one’s own free will

8. hybrid
Answer: (M) A combination of two different things, typically styles or systems

9. productivity
Answer: (A) The effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry

10. pandemic
Answer: (I) A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease

11. accountability
Answer: (J) The fact or condition of being responsible; answerability

12. brokers
Answer: (E) Individuals who buy and sell goods or assets for others

13. terminated
Answer: (O) Brought to an end or discontinued

14. confronted
Answer: (N) Faced or dealt with a difficult situation

15. arrangement
Answer: (K) A plan or preparation for a future event or situation
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What action did Wells Fargo take against employees who faked keyboard activity?
Answer: (c) Fired them

2. How did Wells Fargo discover the issue of faked keyboard activity?
Answer: (c) It is unclear

3. What do the new regulations require for home-based brokers?
Answer: (d) Inspections every three years

4. What did Wells Fargo emphasize in regards to ethical behavior?
Answer: (b) High ethical standards and zero tolerance

5. What monitoring tools have many companies been using to track employee productivity?
Answer: (a) Advanced monitoring tools

6. What are “mouse jigglers” used for?
Answer: (b) Making computers appear to be in use

7. How many cases of employee termination were confirmed by the BBC?
Answer: (d) Six

8. What percentage of paid days last month were work-from-home days in the US?
Answer: (a) Just under 27%
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Many companies have been using advanced monitoring tools to track employee productivity during remote work. (Answer: True)
2. Wells Fargo promoted several employees for faking keyboard activity. (Answer: False)
3. The faked keyboard activity may or may not be related to remote work. (Answer: True)
4. Wells Fargo emphasized its commitment to low ethical standards and high tolerance for unethical behavior. (Answer: False)
5. The use of monitoring software, including screenshot-taking, has become common practice for some employers. (Answer: True)
6. New regulations require home-based brokers to be inspected every three years. (Answer: True)
7. Wells Fargo implemented a traditional working model in 2022. (Answer: False)
8. It is clear how the issue of faked keyboard activity was discovered. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧