Wells Fargo employees fired for 'simulation of keyboard activity'

More than a dozen employees of Wells Fargo have been fired for faking work using a "simulation of keyboard activity," according to reports.

Bloomberg reported last week that Wells Fargo filed a disclosure with the Financial Industry Regulation Authority related to the termination of the employees in May.

The firm said in the filing that the employees were "discharged after review of allegations involving simulation of keyboard activity creating impression of active work."

"Wells Fargo holds employees to the highest standards and does not tolerate unethical behaviour," a company spokesperson told Bloomberg.

The total number of employees fired weren't disclosed, but they were all in the company's wealth- and investment-management unit, according to the report.

The employees' work arrangements also weren't stated, as cases of keyboard simulation became more popular during the pandemic when employees were working remotely.

Monitoring employees

Such attempts have prompted employers to beef up their surveillance tools in a bid to monitor their remote employees, including tracking their mouse and keyboard behaviour, and ensure productivity.

A report from 2023 revealed that 96% of remote companies in the United States are utilising some form of employee monitoring software, including 37% who require employees to be on video.

The practice, however, faced backlash amid privacy concerns from staff.

In fact, a survey from digital employee experience company 1E revealed that organisations using monitoring tools see more employees quitting and find it harder to find new staff.