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Are Your Remote Employees Really Working—or Just Propping a Soda Can on Their Keyboard?
A new workplace trick is making the rounds among remote employees: fooling productivity monitoring software by placing a heavy object—like a soda can or stapler—on a keyboard. The tactic keeps a key pressed down so the system registers continuous keyboard activity, making it appear that the employee is actively working. The practice has been dubbed “keyboard jamming.”
The issue recently surfaced in the United Kingdom, where more than 50 police officers and staff members resigned over the past three years after being caught using the tactic, according to a report from HR Grapevine. In one case, an officer admitted to holding down the “Z” key for 103 hours over four months.
Although this incident occurred overseas, the concern is relevant elsewhere. In the United States, about 22.7% of employees work from home at least one day per week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics—meaning similar tactics could potentially be used to game productivity monitoring systems.
Saeidul Haque, a senior employment associate at the global law firm LegalVision, told HR Grapevine that companies generally have the legal right to discipline—or even terminate—employees who manipulate monitoring systems to inflate their recorded work time. However, he suggested that organizations should first consider why an employee felt compelled to cheat the system.
“Of course, a better outcome would be to prevent this from happening in the first place by clearly outlining expectations and providing support to an employee if they are struggling,” Haque said.
When addressing suspected keyboard jamming, Haque advised employers to avoid rushing to judgment. HR teams should review monitoring data carefully and give employees a chance to explain before taking disciplinary action.
In some cases, the investigation might reveal deeper issues within the organization itself. Brad Batesole, founding partner at Madecraft—a professional skills learning company based in Santa Barbara, California—and a former LinkedIn instructor, argues that these situations rarely occur in workplaces where employees feel engaged and valued.
“The keyboard jamming story is shocking, but the real story is why it’s happening,” Batesole said. Employees don’t start their careers planning to fake work. They disengage gradually when they feel invisible, undervalued, and stuck.”
Batesole believes that relying heavily on surveillance software may actually worsen the problem. Instead, he says companies should focus on creating meaningful work environments where employees feel motivated and proud of their contributions. Investing in professional development and upskilling opportunities can be a key driver of engagement.
“Invest in your people properly with learning that builds real skills and real career momentum instead of tick-box compliance training, and you won’t have a loyalty problem,” Batesole said. “People who feel like they’re growing don’t need to be watched.”