Workplace Monitoring: Dos and Don'ts

Employee monitoring is becoming increasingly common throughout a variety of companies and industries. In fact, 67.6% of employers in the United States rely on employee monitoring software of some kind, and that number is only continuing to grow with the expansion of remote work.  

Whether your team is fully remote or still commutes to the office every day, implementing systems for monitoring data, tracking trends, and keeping a lookout for potential insider threats is quickly becoming the gold standard for businesses across the board. If you’ve decided that your organization could benefit from implementing employee monitoring systems, it’s important to be aware of the best practices that are involved with that implementation. In this guide, we’ll cover several of the most important things your business should be aware of during the implementation process, along with the pitfalls you’d do best to avoid! 

What is Employee Monitoring?

Employee monitoring is broadly considered as any type of system that exists to monitor the members of your team – whether they work remotely or in the office. This can range from software that tracks employee performance and equipment usage to surveillance cameras and more.  

Typically, organizations that invest in employee monitoring systems are doing so with the aim of improving security, increasing productivity, and catching suspicious activity that may point to the existence of insider threats. Employers can also uncover valuable insights about their team’s effectiveness and become aware of issues that might otherwise have been left to fester just below the surface.   

In-Office Monitoring vs. Remote Monitoring

Employee monitoring systems can have different focuses depending on whether your team members work in the office or stay at home for work. With remote workers, for example, you might have additional monitoring software that tracks keystroke and mouse activity to verify that work is being done throughout a typical eight-hour shift. On the other hand, in-office employees might be monitored through a combination of software and physical security surveillance devices, like overhead cameras. While the monitoring strategy may have to be adapted to the type of employment your organization offers, there is all but guaranteed to be a solution that works for you and your company. 

Tracking Employee Time, Performance, and More

Whether your employees commute to the office or not, employee monitoring software can help you keep a more effective and thorough awareness of key metrics that can have a major impact on your business! Tracking software can improve your awareness of employee productivity and employee attendance, as well as provide a more effective solution for tracking time, which can significantly streamline your payroll process. Ultimately, this type of data will help your organization make more effective decisions up and down the chain.  

Best Practices for Monitoring Employees

Once you’ve decided to implement some form of employee monitoring – whether that’s monitoring software or a dedicated onsite surveillance system – it’s important to be aware of the best practices that govern the use of your chosen solution. While remote employee monitoring or improved physical security can improve your team’s productivity and help your business stay on top of critical metrics, misuse or poorly thought-out implementation can have the opposite effect; studies show that failing to follow some of these best practice guidelines can lead to a decline in employee morale, increased turnover rate, and other negative results! 

'Do' the Following to Properly Monitor Employees

When you first implement any form of workplace monitoring, there are a few key steps you should include as a part of your rollout plan in order to keep employee morale high and ensure you get the most out of the investment you’re making in your new monitoring systems. Following through on these “do’s” is just as important as avoiding the “don’ts” that we’ll cover later in this guide; remember that the idea of being monitored can cause employees increased stress and anxiety, so it’s important to be deliberate and transparent with how these systems are implemented.  

Implement Software and Other Automation

Whether you opt for a video surveillance system or software-based monitoring programs, ensure you have a plan for the rollout and implementation of your new systems. For software that enables time tracking, office attendance, or other quality control checks for your employees, ensure your new systems are properly integrated with your payroll and HR methodologies, and work with your software provider to verify that your new systems are ready to go live before you officially launch them. Nothing will make your team lose faith in your new monitoring software like it failing to work properly on day one!  

Be Transparent as a Business

As we touched on earlier, any mention of an organization monitoring employees can lead to strong feelings, like increased stress, fears of “big brother watching them,” and worries of invasive monitoring processes. The key to preserving employee morale during the implementation of these systems is being clear, open, and direct about the changes you’re making, why they’re important, and what exactly they will entail for your team. For example, if you’re implementing video surveillance systems for your business, be direct and open about your monitoring policy; share the circumstances under which the tapes will be reviewed, where and for how long the data will be stored, etc.   

Use Tracking Info for Employee Performance Reviews

A key benefit of using employee monitoring software to track employee behavior is it enables you to provide more effective and accurate performance reviews for your team. Instead of relying on anecdotal evidence to justify a raise or putting an employee on a performance improvement plan, you can point to actual data you’ve gathered that indicates an employee’s productivity. Tracking also makes disciplinary actions simpler and more likely to stick; if an employee spends work hours browsing social media, your tracker will provide indisputable proof while you determine your next course of action.  

'Don't' Do the Following When Tracking Employees

Knowing what pitfalls to avoid when you implement a new employee monitoring strategy is just as important as knowing what actions you should take. Any of the following steps can make the transition to an employee monitoring system much more difficult for you and your staff and, in some states, can even result in legal issues and fines – not to mention broken trust and relationships between your organization and your team! 

Micromanaging or Spying on Staff

One of the main concerns that most employees have when they learn that their employer is implementing an employee management system is invasive monitoring at their workplace. Any type of monitoring, from software-based tracking to surveillance cameras, can lead to increased stress and fears of covert monitoring among your staff. As we outlined earlier, it’s your organization’s responsibility to use these tools professionally and responsibly, with full respect for your employee’s privacy rights and awareness of how to manage personal data. Additionally, don’t get too caught up in micromanaging the details of your staff’s day-to-day; unless productivity is significantly impacted, a few 5-minute coffee breaks aren’t worth escalating over.  

Install Tracking Software on Non-Company Devices

Another major misstep to avoid is installing any kind of tracking software or monitoring tools on non-company devices. In particular, this applies to your employees’ personal devices, including their smartphones, tablets, and laptops – even if they’re used for work purposes. While your monitoring strategy can and should involve tracking the use of company resources, insisting on monitoring personal devices is, at best, a legal gray area and can often be far more trouble than it’s worth.  

Monitor Employees Outside of Work Hours

This “don’t” is self-explanatory; your monitoring software and devices should only be used to track employee activity during work hours. This includes monitoring internet activity, social media use, and any other type of tracking. Not only is this seen by most as a violation of trust, but it can also get your organization in legal trouble! In most states, monitoring employees outside of work hours is illegal, and some state constitutions have even enshrined an employee’s right to privacy from their employer outside of work.   

Making Assumptions About Tracking Data

While being able to track and gather data about employee activity is vital to better understanding how your business is truly operating, it’s important to be careful not to make wild or inaccurate assumptions about the data you gather right away. It might be tempting, for example, to assume that remote employees with less logged activity time on their laptops aren’t working as much as they should be. However, consider other causes first – are they frequently on the phone for business calls? Do their tasks involve off-line work of any kind? Before jumping to conclusions, take the time to read into what the data truly says and do your due diligence regarding any seemingly “off” information you’ve gathered.  

Employee Monitoring Can Be a Great Tool if Used Properly

As we’ve covered in this guide, there are a lot of benefits that come with investing in employee monitoring solutions. Despite the stigma that surrounds the topic, monitoring and tracking your employees can be an effective tool that improves the working productivity of all involved – if it’s used correctly! Be deliberate with your strategy, clear about your intentions, and ethical in your decisions, and you’ll be able to reap the benefits of your monitoring solutions.   

Make Sure to Be Ethical and Fair When Tracking Employees

The do’s and don’ts we covered in this guide are intended to help keep employee monitoring ethical and fair for all parties. As stated above, when implemented properly, these strategies can enhance your productivity and help protect your business from insider threats, all while respecting your employees’ privacy and sense of autonomy in the workplace.  

Horizon is a Trusted Partner for Businesses Across the Country

Horizon is proud to be a trusted provider of a wide variety of project management, HR, and payroll services. Our comprehensive solutions include automated payroll, HR compliance services, and other tools to help your business focus on what’s truly important.  

Top-Rated Payroll and HR Compliance Solutions

At Horizon, we offer top-rated solutions designed to make your organization more effective and productive at every level. Our payroll and HR compliance solutions are designed to automate the busy work and free up your staff to focus on more important tasks while eliminating the chance for costly mistakes. Our scalable services are customizable for businesses of all sizes, from family-owned shops to larger corporations across every industry.  

Contact Us Today for More Information

To learn more about our top-rated services and how they can help your business function at its best, contact us today for more information!