Introduction
In this day and age, privacy is first and foremost on most people’s minds. After Snowden’s revelations, everyone is getting paranoid about government surveillance and the like. Their fears are not unwarranted as governments all around the world actually do spy on their citizens. But what about companies? Can they legally monitor their employees as well?
Overall employee productivity is decreasing as people keep getting addicted to the latest technology. For example, just a simple review of the latest Joker movie can lead you down a rabbit hole of various issues ranging from controversial song choice to the pseudobulbar affect.
Recent surveys by staffing firms have found out that employees at work spend at least 56 minutes per day on their phones for personal reasons. That’s almost one hour of productivity lost.
Companies are aware of this worrying trend and want some control over the situation. Most businesses are now looking to buy employee time tracking apps. Why employee monitoring you may ask? Well, it’s known to increase daily productivity.
In this article, we’re going to discuss some things that you should consider before choosing an employee time tracking software.
Set Written Policies
Companies need to tell their employees about both minor and major changes in policies. Before installing employee monitoring software, business owners should write down their new policies. Be sure to explain these policies in a clear and concise manner so that no misunderstandings can occur. Include them in a guide or handbook and give them to every employee. If an employee doesn’t follow your new guidelines, first give them a fair warning. If they still break rules in the future then take immediate action.
Also, make sure employees don’t perceive any favoritism going on in the office or you’ll have some discrimination lawsuits on your hands.
Legal and Ethical Issues
Employers are legally allowed to use time monitoring apps to track their employees’ URL, emails, and other work activities. But even if it is legal, is it something ethical?
Different employees have different values and codes. Many might not agree with constant employee supervision. Also, strict monitoring can easily demotivate and negatively affect the performance of certain employees. They’ll feel like Big Brother is watching over their every move. It’s very plausible that some employees will find the new situation uncomfortable and try to opt for a new job. Then there are other privacy issues that can potentially lead to severely damaging lawsuits.
Conclusion
There are different types of employee time tracking apps on the market. Each has its own special functions and features.
When trying to look for an employee time monitoring software for your own workers, first allocate a budget for it. After that, make a list of must-have features that you would like in an app. Then extensively search the market and pick an app that ticks all or most of your boxes. But make sure that you don’t go over-budget. It’s not worth it.
We recommend using the Staff timer app. Its main features include:
- Automatic time capture. StaffTimer will take a screenshot after every minute so that a record of employee progression can be kept.
- Offline time tracking: If for some reason the internet is not available, StaffTimer will still keep on tracking the time.
- Real-time monitoring: StaffTimer provides constant information so that you can make up-to-date informed decisions and see trends as they develop.
- Daily work videos: Every day, a video clip is generated. This clip demonstrates the whole day’s activity within a minute.
- Record and assign: StaffTimer app lets the admin assign tasks with voice clips.
- Intelligent reporting: Daily work reports can help employers identify weaknesses in work performance, examine their employees’ output, and suggest improvements.
- Keystroke counter: Calculate the total idle vs. productive time spent throughout the day. See the proof of employees’ productivity, backed by data obtained through physical activities.
