A couple of years ago when we were exposed to an invisible monster namely coronavirus, the concept of ‘work from home’ started gaining momentum. With the passage of time and power of vaccines, the monster was forced to bid adieu but ‘hybrid work culture’ became popular. In such an evolving scenario, employee monitoring software has become more important for a number of reasons.

The name drops hints. However, if you are still wondering what it is and how it can fit and benefit modern-day work culture, let’s highlight some interesting points to drive the nail home.

Employee Monitoring and Management Software
In layman's terms, it’s an employee monitoring tool that tracks, analyses and evaluates employees’ activities and performance during work hours. The assessment helps the management team to identify the workers who are more hardworking, creative and productive than others. In other words, it also serves as a performance tracking and assessment tool. However, it does more than that. Let’s plunge into the advantages of employing an employee monitoring and management tool. 

Project Tracking: “An eye is on you all!”  This is what the app does – keeping a constant watch on your employees as well as the projects they are working on. This way, you always stay updated about the project’s progress without having to take the trouble of monitoring in person. Knowing that they are always on the radar encourages employees to maintain decorum, stay focussed and bring out their best. As per a report, employing an employee monitoring software can boost nearly 40% of an organization’s productivity.

This boosting results into a snowballing effect of success, helping teams achieve more and better outcomes.

Remote Work Management: An employee monitoring app is the need of the hour, more so, because of the increasing popularity of and preference for ‘work from home’ or hybrid work culture. This tool promotes a sense of consistency and cohesion across team members, irrespective of whether they are working in your office or from home.

The app helps facilitate communication, track performance and make necessary real-time adjustments to achieve goals. The strong focus on work optimization keeps your employees engaged, creative and productive while creating a seamless work ambiance. 

Time Optimization: A tracking tool also helps optimize both time and resources. By identifying unproductive and unethical work activities, it helps streamline workflow aligned with the company policies, mission and vision.

The project timeline is your rock-solid promise to your clients; any delay will put your reputation at stake.
Timely delivery will not only make your brand name more trustworthy in the market but also keep your resources ready for upcoming projects.

Choosing the Right Software
Too many options often create confusion. If this happens to you, we promise to come to your rescue. Here are some tips to guide you to get the best in the market.

Convenience of Use: Some employee management tools are difficult to use whereas some are only about plug-and-play. Some need customization and hence, a little bit of coaching is necessary to help you make the most of it.

Access Management: As you will use the tool in your organization for performance tracking, goal setting and output optimization, involving employees in the entire grand scheme of things makes sense. In that case, allowing them easy access to update their performance sheets will take much work off your plate.

Reporting Options: Not all software tools offer the same reporting options. Your choice should be according to what you actually need. For example, if an employee monitoring tool requires you to download data into MS Excel or customize reports, you should look for software equipped with solid reporting features.

Easy Maintenance:  Does the app promise easy maintenance of reports? In other words, does the chart allow you to make quick updates of your organizational sheet if a new employee joins, someone retires or in the event of cross-company mitigation? Consider all these points before a purchase. Some employee management tools have a drag-and-drop option to allow you to do all these.

Customer Service Record: If you are not tech-savvy, it is most likely that you will need help more often. Does the company have a reputation of reaching out to their clients whenever they are in a pinch? Knowing that your problems will be quickly addressed will give you peace of mind.

You should definitely ask some company-specific questions to ensure that the software will work for your organization. However, make sure to remember all these points.

Implementing Employee Monitoring Software
When it comes to implementing an employee monitoring tool, the importance of adopting transparency cannot be stressed enough. 

Most employers prefer to keep their employees in the dark while implementing employee monitoring software. However, it’s not a good approach because if employees ever come to know about the tracking tool, they are unlikely to accept it with nonchalance. This will build an air of distrust in no time and no amount of effort can dispel it. Therefore, make them a part of surveillance so that they never get a feel of being ‘let down’.

Other must-do steps are:
  Notify your employees in advance about the surveillance system.
  Lend your ear to what your employees have to say about monitoring.
  Keep the collected data about your employees safe and secured.
Must-don’t steps are:
  Don’t invade your employees’ privacy.
  Don’t monitor them after office work hours.
  Avoid excessive monitoring.

Employee Monitoring Software: Current Trend & Evolving Technologies
AI has accelerated the evolution in the employee monitoring software landscape, facilitating automated analysis, ensuring enhanced data privacy and professional ethics, emphasizing real-time reporting and promoting customization. These trends have ushered rapid revolution in companies’ approach towards employee monitoring while maintaining a delicate balance between boosting productivity, fostering discipline and respecting employees’ privacy and dignity. 

With relentless technological progress, employee monitoring software will play a crucial role in supporting and maintaining dynamic and diverse human resources. By embracing these trends and implementing a transparent and effective monitoring tool, your company will continue to thrive amidst the growing challenges in today’s workplace.