Remote employee monitoring and in-house monitoring have become an intrinsic part of the corporate culture. In the past two years, more companies have embraced the trend of employee surveillance for the benefit of the company and their workforce.
Employee surveillance is one of those procedures that are tied down by-laws so that companies do not misuse them to suppress their workforce. It can be done through various means, but what is trending in the current scenario is what we will explore in this article.
The five best and most practically feasible solutions for employee monitoring include:
Video surveillance
Still widely used and highly reliable, video surveillance allows employers to keep an eye on the activities of the workplace through CCTV cameras. Installed in almost every workplace, CCTV cameras have several benefits:
Also Read : Remote employee monitoring: Why it is necessary
As much as it is useful, video surveillance has its regulations that employers ought to strictly follow. It is illegal to install cameras in restrooms and changing rooms. Video surveillance should not violate the privacy of the employees in any way.
Employee monitoring software
One of the recent trends that have gained immense popularity is the installation of employee monitoring software in company-owned devices. The software can be downloaded and installed on any device that is used for official purposes. Employee monitoring software come with many attractive features, but the most important of them are:
It is an automated time tracking tool that keeps track of the employee’s tasks. It helps to shed light on the productiveness of the employees based on how much time they spend to complete each task. Another important highlight is that it keeps track of the time employees spend on apps and websites during work hours.
The Inactivity feature alerts team heads when members of their team are not working on their keyboards. This feature keeps track of keyboard activity and automatically stops the timer when there is no keyboard activity for more than two minutes.
When a user opens an unwanted website, the distraction management system displays a pop-up that is designed to help the employees get back on track.
One of the most remarkable features of monitoring software is real-time reporting that covers employee attendance, time taken for completion of tasks, activity monitoring, etc.
GPS Tracking
Deployed in companies that deal with a large fleet of vehicles, and in businesses where employees have to go out on fieldwork, GPS tracking is the best way to keep track of where employees are heading. GPS tracking may have its limitations, but it will give the employer a correct record of the vehicle’s location in real-time.
Monitoring via emails and computer network
Network monitoring is very useful for an office setup that has hundreds of terminals with employees working round the clock. By installing a network monitoring system, employers can monitor every little aspect of how employees are using or misusing the internet usage. It will also alert them if employees are sharing or downloading company data on external devices.
Most IT companies monitor their employees' email ids. Hence, employees are advised to use a separate id for personal correspondence.
Biometric terminals and keycards
Biometric terminals are very effective to track employee attendance. They are devices that scan the employees’ fingerprints or iris. They are very effective against data breach and theft.
Digital keycards are only useful where restricted access has to be implemented. Each keycard is linked to its owner, which means that each one will have a unique security setting.
Keycards and biometric terminals will not keep track of the employee's whereabouts or his/her work activities.
Employee monitoring has many benefits, provided it is done lawfully and with the consent of the employees.
In India, remote working is fast becoming the norm and a trend that is here to stay. To support the trend and to help companies keep track of their workflow, HRAPP offers the best remote employee monitoring software which is not only user-friendly but also beneficial for both the employers and their workforce. We also offer customized HRAPP for your business based on your needs.