Employee Monitoring is here to stay. A procedure that was once entangled in controversy is now an indispensable tool for organizational growth and a blessing cloaked in technology. Monitoring has come in handy at a time when remote working has become the norm. Besides, we also know that remote working isn't going anywhere. The statistics of a 2020 survey revealed that by the year 2028, at least 73% of business teams would include remote workers. Only a scanty 15% of people intend to go back to working from the office.
Hence, it is apparent that remote working is the main factor driving the need for employee monitoring. Monitoring is what organizations need today to ensure productivity and efficiency across the whole business architecture. And to cater to the surging demand, technology has paved the way for various efficient features in remote employee monitoring software.
Employee monitoring can take many forms. By implementing reliable employee monitoring software, managers or owners can easily track employee activity. Some of the most popularly used features of the software are:
Logging in and out of work is easier, accurate, and reliable, thanks to the efficient time tracking feature. This feature also allows the user to regulate their working hours and take breaks when necessary. When they log out of work, the tracker displays the exact time they've spent on office work.
The screen capture feature in the tracking software will take hundreds of random screenshots of the employee's screen. Managers can randomly check the screenshots to keep an eye on the employee's online activities during work hours. The individual screenshots ensure everyone is focusing on the right priorities.
Using this feature, managers can monitor the employees' activities and usage of social media platforms during work hours. Managers can gather this information by analyzing the list of websites an employee visits during their work hours. They can even check the employee's screenshots to confirm.
Keylogging monitors and records every keystroke in a readable file. The primary objective of using this feature is to keep the staff focused on office-related tasks.
Employee monitoring software also enables managers to track the location of mobile employees. By incorporating GPS into company vehicles and personal devices, managers can determine where their employees are at any given time.
Businesses use a dozen apps and tools to automate their processes. The monitoring software keeps track of applications, tools, and their infrastructure to assess their reliability.
Employee monitoring software has many other features beyond those listed here. There is no one-size-fits-all with employee monitoring. If you seek potential surveillance methods, you should find one that fits your niche industry.
There are many pros and cons to employee monitoring, even though it may be an important part of managing employees' productivity. Let's first navigate through the advantages.
Employee monitoring wouldn't have gained as much attention if it didn't offer various benefits to the organizations and their employees. This list of pros will help you understand why the technology is so popular.
Whenever there is an audience watching, humans are naturally motivated to perform better. Scientific research has proven this to be true. The theory also applies to the employees who are monitored with hi-tech monitoring solutions. Having their official activities tracked helps keep them focused and encourages them to make the most of their time.
Consistent monitoring allows business owners or team leads to identify potential mistakes in the nick of time. Monitoring allows you to gather accurate proof of work, which helps you gauge an employee's potential and commitment to the job. Additionally, monitoring enables you to understand how long it takes for employees to achieve certain milestones and targets. Using this information, you can decide whether to recruit more employees or train the existing workforce.
Employee monitoring brings your company's entire online activities under a protective blanket. It secures your organization's sensitive data and employee information from malicious cyber attacks. Monitoring tools raise an alert when someone tries to access protected data and suspicious behavior from external and internal sources.
Assigning the right job to the right person is a crucial task for employers. Using monitoring tools, business heads can pinpoint the weaknesses and strengths of their employees. This advantage allows them to delegate the tasks successfully. Successful delegation fosters employee trust, collaboration, and skill development. Employees feel valued and happy when they are trusted. This increases employee satisfaction and retention.
Employee monitoring is a wise investment that allows business owners to rein in unnecessary expenses. Monitoring solutions give you better insight into how your employees cost the company. It helps you identify how much time and other company resources are wasted. Catching these discrepancies early prevents further loss and provides much-needed time to implement control measures.
While employee monitoring technology is hailed for its many benefits, it is not without disadvantages. Certain drawbacks make some businesses wary about implementing the technology. We give you a list of those drawbacks and explain how to mitigate the risks.
When you implement employee monitoring, trust issues are likely to arise. Some of your employees will not be pleased with it. It is normal for them to feel as if they are not trusted, and their commitment to the company is being questioned.
The solution:
The only way to resolve this trust issue is to be completely transparent about the process. It is a responsibility that employers owe to their workforce. To begin with, employers should stipulate that this technology won't be used for spying. Business owners should illustrate the benefits of technology and how it increases their productivity. The more employees understand how to increase their accountability, efficiency, and time management, the more collaborative they will be.
Many employees feel that monitoring breaches their right to privacy and diminishes their morale and motivation to work. This negative thought and doubt trigger unwanted stress, affecting their comfort in the workplace. As a result, it badly affects their productivity and dents their job satisfaction.
The solution:
Your choice of monitoring software needs careful consideration. It is important to choose one that's not overly intrusive. It should align with your company's work culture and objectives. Above all, when monitoring is conducted ethically, it will be more likely accepted by your workforce. Make sure to disclose every aspect of the process, including its methods, data collected, and how it will be used.
Employee monitoring does not come without legal risks. There are laws in different countries that permit employers to track employees on their private devices, but with some legal regulations. Thus, employers must be vigilant about using this technology. Intrusive and deceitful monitoring is a violation of the right to privacy. It can open a Pandora's Box of unwanted lawsuits that can damage your company's reputation beyond repair.
The solution:
Ensure absolute compliance with all federal, state, and local monitoring laws before implementing any monitoring technology. Compliance keeps you on the safer side of the law, instilling a sense of trust amongst your staff.
The success of remote employee monitoring software depends on how it is used. Organizations must be completely transparent, honest, and compliant in their monitoring approach.
If you would like to know how you stand to gain employee monitoring, you can reach out to our team at HRAPP. We shall help you understand the benefits and guide you with the right measures to mitigate the risks. Get in touch with us today.
