Software that Monitors Employees: Invasion of Privacy or Useful Resource?

For any organisation to thrive, its employees are its backbone. Among the top priorities for senior management, ensuring high productivity in the workplace is essential for the success of a company.

According to a recent study by Atlassian, employees are found to be productive for only 60% of their working hours, while the rest of the time is often wasted in performing unnecessary tasks.

To enhance productivity, the implementation of software that monitors employee performance can be highly effective. Considering the rise of remote work arrangements, keeping track of employee efficiency has become a challenging task. Adopting productivity tracking software that offers detailed insights to management can help overcome this difficulty.

What is the Extent to which Software can Monitor Employees?

Employee monitoring software enables companies to monitor employee activities and computer usage from a centralized location. These solutions are typically built into the organization’s network infrastructure and generate a consolidated report that can be accessed from any computer linked to the network. In addition, remote desktop software provides employers with the liberty to observe employees’ screens from a distance.

Different Software Tools to Monitor Employees

There are three main categories of software used for monitoring employees:

1. Efficiency Enhancement Toolkits:

   These software bundles offer sophisticated analytics for companies to evaluate their employees’ productivity and recognize areas that require additional support. It enables organizations to identify and acknowledge the employees who are making the most efficient use of their time and provide guidance to those who are lagging behind.

2. Surveillance Mechanisms:

   This software can be useful for businesses experiencing asset theft, security risks, or performance troubles. It can be customized to limit access to sensitive documents, oversee emails, monitor file movements, and regulate hardware usage.

3. Project Management Techniques:

   With this software, work can be distributed and monitored globally, and team members’ time can be tracked. It facilitates project managers in evaluating recently introduced methods and procedures. Product Managers can benefit from this software.

Advantages of Monitoring Employees in the Workplace

• Enhanced Organisational Efficiency –

  Management can track employees’ activities in real-time using employee monitoring software and can reassign resources to address the most urgent concerns.

• Global Tracking –

  Managers who need to oversee teams across different time zones can benefit from this software. It enables product managers to efficiently monitor delivery progress, while also allowing businesses to leverage time differences for maximum employee productivity.

• Superior Organisational Administration –

  A well-executed employee management strategy can free up stakeholders to tackle the company’s most critical issues.

• Secure Sensitive Information –

  Unauthorized acquisition of Intellectual Property can be disastrous for companies, resulting in legal challenges. Using software that monitors and logs employee activities can aid in preventing such security breaches.

The Drawbacks of Using Employee Monitoring Software

• Apprehension and Doubt –

  When companies consider using software to track employee behaviour, ethical concerns must be considered. Such a decision could result in a loss of employee trust and a decrease in morale, with workers feeling that their privacy has been violated.

• Resource-Intensive –

  Establishing an efficient system to monitor employees is both expensive and time-consuming. Companies must devote a significant amount of effort to selecting and implementing the most appropriate software for their specific requirements. Diverting resources away from more critical concerns by focusing on less important tasks is a possibility.

• Potential Legal Ramifications –

  There may be legal repercussions to consider when implementing monitoring strategies. While monitoring employees through work equipment may be acceptable in many jurisdictions, regulations may differ from region to region if the workforce is composed of employees from various countries.

Software to Monitor Employee Productivity

Commonly used software to track employees include:

1. FlexiServer
2. Time Traveler software
3. RescueTime
4. Hubstaff
5. Pivotal Movement Monitor software
6. Swimming Groups software
7. Skillful Management software
8. Kickidler

Main Features of Software for Monitoring Employees

• Scheduling –

  One of the most prevalent features of such software is automated tracking of employee login and logout times, as well as comprehensive attendance monitoring capabilities.

• Time Tracking

  – Software implementation by employers enables real-time monitoring and activity tracking of staff regardless of location. This method allows managers to identify employees who have missed deadlines and those who can take on extra work.

• Alerts –

  An organization can establish automatic alerts in the event of missed deadlines, absences without prior notice etc.

• Location Monitoring in Real-time –

  Software developed to track employee activity can aid in the recovery of stolen business assets.

• Insightful Analysis –

  Employee monitoring software can be employed to customize employee evaluation criteria. Management can establish metrics for productivity and provide incentives for achieving specific goals.

Final Thoughts

Software can serve as an effective tool for managing personnel. Assigning tasks to automate such as timekeeping and deadline notifications may remove bottlenecks and improve efficiency. Nonetheless, in the contemporary agile development sphere, accomplishing an 8-hour workday takes a backseat to achieving the desired results.

For preserving data integrity and accessibility, those responsible for stakeholders should examine use of such software. In certain scenarios, performing tasks should hold greater importance than tracking them. Business proprietors and managers should evaluate the potential productivity benefits against any potential staff discontentment before deciding to implement the software.

What software monitors employees?