Employer’s Guide To Employee Monitoring Software

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Are you ready to buy employee monitoring software? This technology is not without controversy, but it can be a very useful tool that helps you boost productivity and security, and it can even help you save money. Read on to learn how to buy the right employee monitoring software for your company.

Key Takeaways:

• Employee monitoring software is not just to spy on employees; it can be a tool to boost productivity, manage employees, protect data, manage bandwidth, and eliminate unnecessary and expensive applications.

• There are a couple of downfalls with employee monitoring software, and losing employee trust is the biggest.

• There are many different methods of employee monitoring, so it’s key to determine what you need before you buy.

• Selecting employee monitoring software should be a well-researched decision that focuses on the key elements of your business needs and cost parameters.

What Is Employee Monitoring Software?

Employee monitoring software, nicknamed bossware, gives business owners and managers the ability to track employee computer use. This software can track keystrokes, external drive access, websites employees visit, productivity, and the amount of time and when employees are on their computers.

Some software goes beyond monitoring and can track web browsing and app use and block certain content and apps. They’re even able to capture screenshots of what the employee is doing.

Why Use Employee Monitoring Software?

Using employee monitoring software certainly isn’t required, but it’s becoming a more popular option, especially as companies are more willing to embrace a remote work environment. Some reasons companies cite for using employee monitoring software include:

• Workforce management. Not only as a method of keeping track of individual employees but also as a method of managing the entire company and different divisions to boost productivity and implement efficiencies.

• Evaluating remote work viability. By tracking remote productivity, a company can determine if remote employees are a viable option.

• Productivity measurement. Looking at productive and unproductive web activity.

• Bandwidth management. Tracking where bandwidth is being used can identify abuses of this resource.

• Data protection. Data can be monitored and protected from potential threats or mishandling.

• Legal liability. Employers can be held responsible for employee actions when they’re working, and monitoring behavior can act as a warning of unacceptable behavior.

• Software asset management. Paying for unused or underused software can be a big expense that doesn’t need to happen.

• Enforce company policies. Software can help ensure company policies are being upheld.

Downfalls of Employee Monitoring Software

There are a lot of benefits to monitoring the computer use of employees, but there are some downsides; the obvious and largest is the negative impact being monitored has on employee morale and company engagement. Other cons include:

• Feelings of distrust among employees

• Privacy concerns

Methods of Monitoring Employees

Software for monitoring employees can serve one function, or it can have many different functions. Most employee monitoring software tracks one or more of the following.

• Keylogging or keystrokes. This is an extremely controversial method and is being used less and less, but its purpose is to track individual keystrokes and can be useful if insider threats are suspected.

• Software monitoring. A very common method of corporate tracking collects statistics on who, when, and how often software is being used.

• Website and app tracking. Another common tracking approach used by companies is reviewing the websites and apps employees use to determine if employee time is being well spent.

• Time tracking software. Time at work, or on the computer at least, is often automatically collected through tracking software.

• Phone monitoring. Some software programs are designed to track phone calls and information being shared on phone lines. Usually, this is done in a help desk situation to improve overall responses to customers and to evaluate question topics from customers.

• Email monitoring. Email monitoring has been around for a long time and is a common tool for businesses. Typically automated tools scan for keywords and flag emails with these words. This software can find inappropriate file sharing, offensive language or conversations, non-work use of company emails, violations of cyber security, and scam email activity.

• GPS tracking software. Businesses with company vehicles, especially those equipped with computers, find GPS tracking a very useful tool. This software can locate company vehicles, evaluate productivity, monitor mileage, and improve safety in dangerous conditions.

• Video surveillance. Most companies use some form of video surveillance, but it’s not to watch employees working at their computers. Video surveillance software is used for security and protection in most situations.

How to Select Employee Monitoring Software

Before picking employee monitoring software, use the following tips to help you narrow down the search and select a software package that suits your needs.

• Determine what your needs are. It’s best to analyze what type of monitoring will serve your company best. There is no reason to add extra layers of monitoring that are unnecessary and potentially costly. On the flip side, you don’t want to miss an area that might serve you well.

• Budget. There are a lot of different price points for monitoring software. Determining what you need will help you find a budget point. Most programs have a price structure that’s based on how many licenses you need.

• Cloud-based or on-premises. Typically, you have the option of having cloud-based solutions, which cost less but have a third-party management system, or on-premises programs, which are expensive and require an IT department but always remain under your control. Typically, remote work requires a cloud-based program, so that might be your determining factor.

• Potential legal ramifications. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with workplace privacy laws to ensure that you’re not setting yourself up for lawsuits. There is concern about the legality of some bossware, and the National Labor Relations Board is looking into adopting a framework designed to protect employees.

• Data privacy obligations. If the data your company deals with is sensitive or has data privacy laws surrounding it, then you’ll need to do a deeper dive into the monitoring software you choose and what it has access to.

  For example, you don’t want screenshots of employees working on private medical records sent to an unsecured or unauthorized area of your company.

• Future needs and scalability. If you expect your company to grow significantly, this software can come with you. It’s not worth an investment and the additional time spent learning how to use the software if it’s not going to fit your company’s future needs.

• How will information be used. This step is similar to the first one, you’ve determined what data you believe needs to be collected, but in doing your due diligence, it’s a good idea to consider why you think you need that information. If it turns out that you don’t have a way to analyze or implement changes, then it might not be a wise investment.

Employee Monitoring Software FAQ

1. Is it legal to monitor what my employees are doing on a work computer?

   Yes, it is usually legal for an employer to monitor an employee’s activities on their work computer. There may be some stipulations regarding what content you can monitor and how you can monitor it, but generally speaking, this is legal.

2. Does my employee know they’re being monitored?

   Most companies that use employee monitoring software let their employees know that they will be monitored and what aspects of their computer use will be reviewed. But that doesn’t mean you have to let them know, and usually, they cannot determine if and when they’re being monitored.

   As a side note, in the United States, states handle informed monitoring differently, and checking with your state’s legal requirements is highly recommended, or you may face some legal issues.

3. Can my employees trick employee monitoring software?

   The answer is probably, eventually. Tricking employee monitoring software is a highly searched term, so there are people who are constantly looking for ways around every security system. Of course, most software providers are also looking for ways to thwart new hacks. It’s an ongoing battle that might never be solved.

4. Why is employee monitoring software important?

   This depends on the company, but it can ensure or enhance security, improve productivity, cut costs on unused applications, and detect malicious behavior. There are other reasons that companies find that monitoring employee computer use is important or even critical to their business.

Final Thoughts

Monitoring employee use of computers and other equipment supplied by the employer is becoming more prevalent and will continue to become more common as a business tool. Currently, it’s rather new ground, and there are concerns about privacy that are being debated and evaluated. This means that there will be changes in this industry, but that’s no reason to skip using employee monitoring software.

While some software and monitoring techniques are controversial, not all of them are, and some are even welcomed by employees. The key is determining which monitoring efforts your company could use to its advantage and how you will use this data.

When you’ve selected a software program that fits your needs and budget, you’ll still have to figure out how to manage the system and how to make use of the data. These are critical elements of having a successful monitoring program and protocol for your company.

References

1. SHRM – Managing Workplace Monitoring and Surveillance

2. Stanford – Stanford Research Provides Snapshot of New Working From Home Economy

3. NCBI – Electronic Performance Monitoring in the Workplace

Author

Kristin Kizer

Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.