A method of detecting a user's presence at a workstation is provided. The workstation includes a computer (12) having an operating system (100) that has an interface for communicating with a screen saver (110). The interface provides for screen saver communications intended to selectively result in screen saver activation and screen saver deactivation. The method includes: detecting the screen saver communications; determining that the user is not present at the workstation when the detected communications are intended to result in screen saver activation; and, determining that the user is present at the workstation when the detected communications are intended to result in screen saver deactivation.