When employee monitoring through software was first introduced, people were skeptical. They did not readily embrace the technology as they felt that their privacy was being invaded. However, its popularity has grown so much that employee monitoring software such as a time and attendance software doesn’t surprise anyone anymore. In fact, employees have learned to expect it.

There are various ways software has changed employee monitoring such as:

  • Employee monitoring software – involves the use of software that keeps track of the activities of the employees during work hours.
  • Telephone tapping – involves the surveillance of phone calls and messages.
  • Video surveillance – entails the use of cameras to monitor the activities of employees during work hours.
  • Email monitoring – employers are able to monitor employee emails.
  • Keylogging – used to log the keys struck on the keyboards by the employees.

The most popular type of software used today is employee monitoring software.

Employee Monitoring Software Benefits

While there is still a bit of reluctance in using employee monitoring software, there are plenty of benefits that can be achieved through its proper use and application.

Some of these include:

1. Boosting Productivity

By providing access to employee monitoring software, employees can track their work and find out just how much time they spend on activities that are not work-related.

For instance, during a survey, up to 64% of employees said that they visited websites that were not work-related. Of these, 39% spend an hour or less on the websites. Furthermore, up to 29% of them spent over 2 hours and 21 % spent over 5 hours.

By seeing just how much time is wasted, employees can eliminate such activities and focus on work which results in greater productivity.

2. Real-Time Monitoring

For people who run organizations with employees in different and remote locations, it is crucial to have an employee monitoring software. This tells the employees that their activities are monitored every day, which in turn imposes discipline.

The last thing an employer wants is for the employee to spend time watching movies and visiting other websites. They want the employees on their payroll to work.

As a result, the best employee management software helps boost productivity.

3. Providing Reports

Employee monitoring software provides timely and accurate reporting. This allows employers to see how work is progressing. They can, therefore, use the information to take corrective measures and to ensure that employees complete the work on time.

Without such reports, employers would not be able to find out about the progress of work, as well as the main cause of work not getting done on time.

4. Automation

One of the benefits of this type of software is that it can run on the computer automatically in the background. Firstly, employees do not feel pressured by the software whenever they are working.

Secondly, the software runs automatically without the control or intervention of the employer. This helps to make the task of employers a lot easier as there is no need for a supervisor.

And lastly, the software automatically records all activities of the employees on timesheets, thus saving them from having to do that themselves.

5. Maintaining Good Client Relations

Business clients expect work to be completed within a certain period. If the employee handling the task spends more time on Facebook or Instagram than working on the client’s assignment, then this will mean that the client won’t get their results in time.

Consequently, the client may lose trust in the business and discontinue working with you. Not only that, they may discourage other clients from working with your business which negatively impacts the bottom line.

Employee monitoring software is a great way to prevent such situations from happening by ensuring that employees pay more attention to their work.

6. Improving Employee Skills

Embracing employee monitoring software can be beneficial not just to the company but to the employees as well. Through reports, employees can see how much time they spend on each project.

The employer can also use this information to find problem areas. They can then guide employees on how to improve their work. This shows the employees that their employer is supportive and willing to help them grow into their careers.

Final Thoughts

There is no denying the importance of employee management software. It offers one of the best ways of boosting employee performance. That said, employers must use the software to help the employees become better at their jobs, and not as grounds for scolding or reprimanding the employees.