How to Implement Online Employee Monitoring During the Coronavirus Crises

While your staff is self-isolating or in quarantine at home, do you know exactly what your employees are doing online? We are lucky to be in a time where many businesses can operate with staff working remotely. They can use cloud apps, email, video conferencing and more. While online tools provide huge levels of convenience and are a lifesaver for businesses during this COVID-19 outbreak, they also bring about a need for online employee monitoring.

Even in a normal situation, if you think about those that complete work at home or travel a lot for company business, many of those people have company data stored in personal accounts and flash drives.

With the Coronavirus regulations and healthcare suggestions meaning people need to be able to work fully from home, it also means a lot of company information is being stored and used in multiple locations. Employers are likely to continue using remote workers and so remote employee monitoring will be needed to assist with managing and measuring the productivity of those employees. 

Employee monitoring not only has a positive effect on security but also impacts productivity and helps to empower employers to protect their staff from the Coronavirus spread.

Does Employee Monitoring Increase Productivity?

A lot of the reasons for implementing employee monitoring are initially centered around security, often after some incident has arisen. Yet, there are a lot of additional benefits to online employee monitoring.

Productivity is normally impacted in a positive way. The way in which productivity is improved can often be a surprise to new users of employee monitoring software.  Employee monitoring can actually help to increase autonomous work. Staff working independently is something that is vital with the current need for social distancing and self-quarantine, as more employees will need to work from home effectively.

It can also help to motivate employees when results are tied to rewards. By combining employee monitoring, reviews, and regular rewards, the entire process can actually become a positive experience for employees.

This means that staff can work from home, but remain focused and target driven. While employers get the reports they want and still remain in control of company data and application usage.

There is no need to have meetings in person either, as plenty of online platforms provide group video conferencing services, often completely free of charge.

How does Employee Monitoring Improve Productivity?

Here are a few of the ways:

• Autonomous working allows staff to take responsibility and work without needing close monitoring of managers – it can help increase freedom and trust.
• Knowing that staff are monitored will naturally deter time-wasting activities, such as games and surfing the web.
• The workplace can become safer and friendlier, as all actions are recorded they become more polite and helpful – increasing cooperation.
• Linking the statistics to performance reviews can help to make sure staff get the promotions and rewards that they deserve.
• Linking monitoring results to bonus incentives can turn it into a game, making work more rewarding while simultaneously boosting productivity.
• Staff become more accurate as employee monitoring means that mistakes can be easily traced back to the person who made them.

The key to making employee monitoring software a positive and accepted part of work life is to involve team members from the beginning of implementation.  Get them involved so they understand that the program will benefit the company as a whole, thus helping to guarantee job safety for everyone. Once staff protection and other positive aspects of monitoring are made clear to all, it is often readily accepted.

How do you Monitor Employee Computer Activity?

Knowing what your employees are doing at any given time is not only vital to data and privacy, but also to avoid operational problems.

This statement is true regardless of whether your staff is in the office, in the field, or at home with Coronavirus safety measures.

For any company that is serious about protecting its business, it is ideal to use an all-inclusive employee monitoring software.

A quality product should protect your company by providing the following services/features:

• Email/Webmail – Get suspicious emails flagged for attention and see what information is being sent by your staff.

• Social Media – Not only can this waste a lot of time but sometimes confidential information can be shared publicly. You need to know if this happens and who is wasting time on social media.

• Instant Messages – Just as with email, instant messaging can be used to transmit secrets or send files.

• File Tracking – Knowing how files are moved and to where allows the monitoring of risky devices such as USBs or uploading to unapproved cloud accounts.

• Program Use – See not only what is used, but what is causing problems. Just because a program is used a lot doesn’t make it good. A single problem program can cause bottlenecks. Moreover, there may be some programs staff shouldn’t be using or accessing.

• Website Searches – These can often hint at employees that are unhappy, considering espionage, or looking for another job. Not only can employee monitoring help to prevent espionage, but it also means the company has solid evidence should an event occur.

• Website History – See what websites have been used, when, and by whom.

• Screenshots – Screenshots can be taken when actions trigger, or when a monitoring staff member chooses.

• Idle & Active Time – See who spends the most time idle and even set activity targets for staff to meet.

• Productivity -This is a fantastic feature for staff reviews. With it, you can make sure your best staff get the rewards and promotions that they deserve.

• Print Tracking – Although USBs, HDDs, and other tech are often checked and restricted from leaving the office, many people overlook the simplicity of paper for espionage. It is a low tech way that high-tech information can be removed from the office and shared with others.

• Geolocation – Know where your devices are at any given time. The perfect way to control company devices and to monitor workers who need to use company devices outside of the office.

With all of the above aspects covered, your company has comprehensive protection and monitoring. It allows you to get through the difficult period of Coronavirus remote working and quarantine.

Surprisingly, employee monitoring can actually help keep staff happier. Employees know they are being watched, so they stay focused and on-task. 

How do I Monitor Users’ Internet Activity?

By using the Interguard software solutions, everything from productivity to web activities can be monitored and recorded fully.

Websites visited, search histories, and even downloads can all be tracked effectively, regardless of where your employees need to work. So long as there is an internet connection, everything is monitored. Reports and alerts help managers to focus on staff and work-processes that need their attention. 

This means less time is wasted ‘checking-in’ unnecessarily with staff who are doing a good job, other than for purely motivational feedback purposes or to see how they and their families are coping.

When Should You Use Online Employee Monitoring?

Today! Don’t wait until you have experienced heavy losses, or your company’s reputation has been destroyed. InterGuard is a clear favorite among organizations that have implemented online employee monitoring. 

Even if you are in an area with relatively low Coronavirus issues, acting today means you are ready should staff need to work remotely.
Learn from the mistakes of others and make the smart move to set up employee monitoring now with a free 7-day trial now.