Barclays have U-turned on a controversial ‘Big Brother’ pilot scheme that was monitoring its staff’s computers.

The bank had faced heavy criticism from workers and privacy rights groups for installing a ‘creepy’ application on employee’s computers which tracked what work they were doing.

It collected data on what programmes, websites and files workers were accessing even told staff to avoid going on breaks, an anonymous whistle-blower claimed.

They told Metro.co.uk that the banking giant’s use of the software showed ‘an utter disregard for employee wellbeing’ and tracked workers ‘for every second of their working day’.

The move to install the Sapience technology was also branded ‘creepy’ and slammed by workers and privacy rights groups.

Users of the application were told to remain ‘in the zone’ by avoiding breaks and ranked on productivity, the whistle-blower said.

But now the company have removed the part of the Sapience software that it began piloting last week.

Metro.co.uk understands that managers will now no longer be able to see data on individuals in their teams.

The move follows revelations in City AM and Metro.co.uk which saw the company criticised by the leader of the Trade Union Congress and the privacy and civil liberty group Big Brother Watch.

The bank disputes sections of the City AM story.

A Barclays spokesperson said: ‘We always intended to listen to colleague feedback as part of this limited pilot which was intended to tackle issues such as individual over-working as well as raise general productivity.

‘In response to that colleague feedback we have taken steps to ensure that no individual data is visible to managers.’

The company did not answer how many of its staff were being monitored or which offices the technology was being used in.

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