Business

5 Benefits of Employee Monitoring

By Ryan Bradman | March 18, 2023

Table of Contents

Employee monitoring is a controversial subject, referring to the use of tracking software to view employees’ online activities during work hours. However, many companies and employees experience benefits from this technology in a remote and hybrid working environment.

This monitoring provides companies with valuable insights into employee performance, time management, and task completion. However, It’s important to strike a balance, respecting privacy while optimizing productivity. Thus, for instance, in the UK, while larger enterprises may benefit from the monitoring complexity, tailored HR software in the UK for SME’s, can offer essential features without overwhelming smaller teams. These platforms not only monitor work progress but also facilitate communication and collaboration, fostering a transparent and efficient work environment. Striking the right balance between employee autonomy and performance tracking is key to utilizing monitoring technology effectively in today’s dynamic work landscape.

Here are five benefits of employee monitoring to determine if this technology is right for your business.

5 Benefits of Employee Monitoring

Increased Productivity

The main benefit of employee monitoring software is increased productivity. This result occurs on two levels.

First, knowing their activity is being tracked gives employees a sense of accountability. An unengaged employee is less likely to conduct personal business on their work computer if they’re being monitored.

Secondly, monitoring creates a sense of awareness. Using these metrics, employees can see how much time they spend on email, researching products, or even scrolling through social media on their lunch breaks. These metrics help employees set clear goals for productivity improvements.

Improved Time Management

Employee monitoring can improve time management by providing employees with real-time feedback on their work performance. This feature can help them identify areas to improve and make necessary adjustments.

By monitoring their work activities, employees can also identify time-consuming tasks and find ways to streamline their workflow.

In project-based work models, employees can use this feature to complete their tasks more efficiently and effectively, allowing them to have more time for other activities outside of work.

Better Compliance and Risk Management

Monitoring employee activities helps companies identify any behavior that may violate industry regulations or company policies and take appropriate action to correct it.

This feature can help companies avoid fines or legal action. Additionally, monitoring can help identify and prevent any unethical or illegal behavior within the company, such as harassment or fraud.

By taking proactive measures to ensure compliance and prevent risks, companies can build trust with their customers and stakeholders, establishing themselves as responsible and trustworthy organizations.

Reduced Employee Misconduct

While scrolling on social media is unethical, many companies use monitoring to address deeper concerns — fraudulent activity and misconduct.

Employees who know they’re being monitored are less likely to engage in illicit activity. Conversely, companies that suspect fraudulent activity often use this technology to find the source and build a case.

For example, employee monitoring was used to uncover the root of the Libor interest rate scandal by monitoring emails and instant messaging.

Enhanced Cybersecurity

Monitoring can help companies detect and prevent cyberattacks by providing real-time alerts when unusual or unauthorized activity is detected on the network. By monitoring network traffic, companies can identify potential threats, such as malware or phishing attacks, and take immediate action to prevent them from causing damage.

This feature can protect sensitive information, such as customer data or financial records, and prevent financial pitfalls due to theft or ransomware attacks. Additionally, monitoring can help companies identify vulnerabilities in their network and implement necessary security measures to prevent future attacks.

These five benefits are compelling reasons for implementing employee monitoring. However, the controversy remains. The best way to implement this technology is to be transparent in your reasoning and inform employees of exactly what to expect. Open a dialogue and be prepared to answer some tough questions.