My Boss Wants Me To Spy On Other Coworkers, What Should I Do?

By Kibet Tobias
“My boss discovered that a colleague has been overusing the company mobile phone to make personal communications without permission. He said that the  lady was spending too much time on the cell phone during official hours. He therefore, asked me to keep an eye on her and report every mistake to him after every  week. I think my boss wants to fire her,” says Jane via email.
The work place is supposed to be like your second home. After all, you spend a majority of your time there.
You are supposed to feel safe because you trust the people you work with. Your boss on the other hand is supposed to make your job as conducive as possible.
But what happens when someone who is supposed to be looking out for you crosses the line? What happens when they ask you to betray the trust of those you work with simply because they are looking to catch then in the wrong?
This is Jane’s Story
I have been working as an accountant for an IT firm in Nairobi for about 5 years now. The relationships I have built with my bosses and colleagues are amazing. I love my job and I it has never occurred to me to find another job. 
However, things have suddenly changed and I am so worried. When I arrived at work yesterday morning, my boss called me into his office. He asked me to keep an eye on my fellow colleagues and report to him who was working and who was slacking on their duties.
He mentioned that he heard reports that Margret, the admin assistant was notorious for misusing company resources and spending most of her time on the phone. He added that other employees time management skills and accountability for their decisions.
I know some of my co-workers are not perfect but it doesn’t mean that they are bad employees who deserve to be spied on. I understand there is a need to ensure the team is on track with the organizational goals and to make sure priorities are clearly understood and followed by the members but why do things behind their backs that would jeopardize their jobs?

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What the boss wants me to do has posed a great challenge for me. How will I start following what other people do in the office?
He mentioned that if I do that there would be something for me at the end of the month which for me is very unethical.  The same colleagues he wants me to spy on have been supportive of me in the past and continues to do so until today.  I don’t want to be the reason why either of them loses their jobs
I am in a dilemma. What should I do? I have known my boss for five years now and I know that he does not take no for an answer.
What do I tell him because I am not ready to tell on anyone no matter how bad they are? Kindly advise me.
What advice do you have for Jane? Leave your comments below.