Employee monitoring software is a type of software that tracks an employee’s digital movements. It can include everything from general clock-in and clock-out tracking to taking screenshots of an employee’s computer several times per hour.
The most invasive of these tools can even track the sounds and video of the employee. Tracking can be visible so the employee knows about it or hidden from the employee, depending on the tool used and the ethical considerations of the employer.
The software can track the following activities: time clock, keyboard activity, keystrokes, mouse activity, websites visited, screenshots of the desktop, apps used and how long they are used for.
The Pros & Cons of Tracking Your Employees’ Every Digital Movement
The pros of using activity monitoring tools can help managers understand how employees spend their day, reduces non-work activities during working hours, and can be an easy way to track time for remote workers.
The cons of using activity monitoring tools can unfortunately hurt employees’ morale and productivity. “Activity monitoring” doesn’t necessarily mean productivity, and it can cost organisations good employees.
Employees may feel they are in a cage, and morale can plummet, leading to a reduction in productivity.
Activity reports may not be an accurate representation of an employee’s productivity since some activities are not trackable, and the software can alienate good employees and make them feel untrusted.
When finding the right balance between tracking too much or too little, employers should consider what they really need to track.
Should they should treat all employees the same? What do their employees think about monitoring? Are they trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist? What features are unnecessary that can be turned off? Does the tool is give them accurate data related to productivity?
Getting expert advice on the best tools for your business can also be beneficial. Do you need more advice? Drop us a message.