Tips and Tricks for Managing Teams with Computer Monitoring Software

Getting yourself and your employees used to new technologies has never been easy. But you can follow these practices to effectively manage teams while using computer monitoring software.

Talk to Your Employees

Every business must prioritize transparency, but it becomes absolutely essential when the organization chooses to use technology that impacts each and every employee during the entire workday. Installing a surveillance system for employees without first obtaining their input is both negligent and unethical. This could have disastrous results, so make sure to get everyone on the same page and set up a meeting where HR can go over the details of the system you’re planning to implement.

Give your staff a thorough rundown of the platform and any other information they may need regarding employee monitoring.

Let them know how the platform keeps track of employees, what kinds of data it gathers, what it can do with that data, whether or not it’s legal, and what kinds of situations call for specific uses for that data.

Inform your staff that they have the option to approach HR supervisors if they feel they are being treated unfairly or in violation of any laws.

Employees are more likely to accept a monitoring system in short order if the company is upfront and honest about its purpose and how it will be used.

Draft a Monitoring Policy

Without clear, documented standards outlining how the system will track employees and what data it will collect your staff might feel reluctant to feel comfortable around an employee monitoring system.

It’s a good idea to establish guidelines for the appropriate use of online resources, client emails, and desktop and web applications.

Despite the lack of a federal mandate, state laws concerning workplace privacy and employee monitoring differ. As a result, it is important to inform employees if they are being tracked on company-owned equipment. This is why a well-thought-out policy should always be put into writing.

A policy can be drafted independently or co-created with your staff members. Obtaining all team members’ signatures on the agreement is an excellent method for implementing a policy that has been developed and approved by the entire group.

Avoid Privacy Invasions

Remembering this one basic rule can help you avoid a whole host of problems associated with monitoring employees. The reality is that employees whose home-based jobs are permanent cannot leave their company-issued devices at their offices.

They keep their company devices in their homes, so it’s likely that every once in a while they’ll use them for personal things like Twitter, YouTube, or purchasing things online.

Considering this, monitoring said devices outside of designated hours is likely to result in privacy violations. It’s important to do your best to avoid any violations by sticking to only obtaining information that you need to improve company processes.

Monitor Employees During Work Hours

Generally speaking, it’s best to only keep track of user activities while employees are at work. It is important to ensure that the system does not trigger any alerts if your policy permits them to use Facebook during lunchtime or YouTube after hours.

Most modern software allows companies to customize the monitoring hours to specific hours only based on their preference.

Only Monitor What You Need

There is a wide variety of employee monitoring software in the market, catering to all needs. For instance, there are programs that can monitor a worker’s every move while they’re on the clock, and there are also programs that can operate in stealth mode undetected.

Make sure to choose a customizable software that only monitors the metrics that you actually require. This can not only be more convenient, but it also helps protect employee privacy.

If tools like keystroke logging are important to you, make sure your team knows how these features will be used. One benefit of being transparent is that it helps foster trust and prevents you from inadvertently viewing sensitive employee information, such as medical data or bank account numbers.

Avoid Monitoring Employee-Owned Devices

Employee monitoring software should only be installed on devices owned by the business.

If you wish to monitor an employee who does not have a company phone or laptop, provide them with a company-issued device and make it obvious that the computer or phone has monitoring software installed.

Avoid Micromanaging

The freedom to set one’s own schedule and priorities is a major selling point of remote work along with the increased autonomy that comes with it.

As a manager, all you have to do is avoid doing anything that could sabotage the system’s benefits. Such as, say, micromanaging.

For example, you won’t have to bother asking your team members how they’re doing multiple times during the day because your computer monitoring software will offer you all the information you need to know what they’re working on at any given moment.

Allow them to concentrate and control their time, and they will be truly appreciative.

Ensure You Use Reliable Monitoring Software

Safe and effective monitoring software will include several features like integrations, cloud backups, immediate warnings, and live tracking. As an added bonus, your monitoring program should notify you of worker efficiency, negative usage habits, and any harmful staff behaviors.

If your business relies on remote workers, investing in monitoring software like Wolfeye can strengthen networks that are otherwise vulnerable and increase productivity.

Make Accountability a Priority

Whichever reason you give for using a tracking tool, employees need to know that monitoring is necessary for your business and their jobs. Ultimately, you have little interest in following their social media activities. Instead, your goal should be to increase your return on investment (ROI) annually.

By fostering a culture of accountability, you can reassure the employees that this is not an attack on their character or work ethic. On the contrary, the ultimate goal of any productivity measurement should be the welfare of the business.

An accountable culture is one in which employees support one another and work together for the benefit of the business.

Some examples of this are holding monthly or annual productivity gatherings, offering incentives to staff who consistently go above and above, and publishing productivity hours in an open forum. It also means teaching and training your staff so they are ready for a more productive way of working.

Fair Compensation

One of the main things an employee who works from home might worry about is whether they’re getting paid enough for the work they do every day. For instance, how can they guarantee that any overtime they do will be duly recorded and compensated?

It’s important for them to have a way to always have correct information about what they’re doing so you can see how much work they contribute to the company. That is exactly where computer monitoring software can help you.

You could give them tasks and projects to work on, or you could keep note of their time spent on work-related websites and applications and consider that as their participation.

This situation benefits all parties: your remote workers will have a reliable way of keeping track of their hours worked, and you will have evidence that you are making payments for the work that was actually performed.