Employee Monitoring: Is It Worth the Trouble?

Though we are a few years into a post-pandemic workforce, adapting as an organization hasn’t slowed down. Whether your organization has returned to working in the office full-time or adopted a hybrid or remote policy, new policies and procedures come with all options.

If you have employees who are physically out of sight while working, your organization may be looking for ways to still “watch” your employees and monitor their productivity. In fact, research firm Gartner predicts that employee monitoring software will see an adoption rate of 70% by organizations in 2023. Is this software the only option for monitoring employee productivity?

Read on for more insight on employee monitoring and what to consider before implementing it.

What Is Employee Monitoring?

Employee monitoring is any process by which an organization monitors employees’ productivity by watching what they are accomplishing during work hours. Though monitoring can be done with email activity tracking or requiring employees to self-report daily on tasks, implementing employee monitoring software is becoming the most popular. 

Employee monitoring software is usually downloaded on an employee’s work computer and can track various metrics tied to productivity. Things monitored can be keystrokes made, emails and messages sent, or time spent on particular websites or tasks, and some even take screenshots of the whole computer screen. The app’s admins can review all productivity metrics, ensuring that employees remain productive, even from home.

While employee monitoring seems straightforward, it may beg the question—is it legal for organizations to monitor an employee’s activities? 

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 allows organizations to monitor all employee communication, as long as the organization can provide a legitimate business reason. Work property, such as laptops, desktops, and cell phones, is considered free to monitor. Like anything, there are exceptions of the ECPA, and it’s crucial to follow the guidelines closely.

Things to Consider Before Implementing Employee Monitoring

A lot should be considered before implementing an employee monitoring system. For starters, when outlining your organization's monitoring policy, it’s crucial to establish goals upfront. 

As a leadership team, once you decide what metrics your organization will monitor, outline how you intend to use them. Will all managers access employees’ productivity or just a designated HR admin? What are the repercussions if an employee’s productivity is declining? These questions can help ensure monitoring is aligned with your organization's goals. 

It’s also essential to communicate effectively with employees. When rolling out any new procedure or policy, you need to have a clearly outlined policy. When the policy is finalized, be sure it’s in an easily accessible place for employees to refer to at any time. Using BerniePortal's Compliance feature, HR admins can require employee signatures to indicate they have read and understand the policy in place.

Some Other Options to Monitor Employee Productivity

Before implementing employee monitoring software, it may be wise to consider other options for tracking employee productivity. 

One option to consider is a performance management tool. BerniePortal’s Performance Management feature allows your organization to check in with employees regularly to ensure they are reaching goals, completing tasks, and meeting expectations. This option allows your organization to hold employees accountable for results without watching their screens.

Another option for measuring your employees’ productivity is tying individual, team, and organizational goals to quantifiable metrics. Many organizations do this by establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) quarterly or yearly. 

For example, BerniePortal’s marketing team closely monitors website traffic goals as a measure of how our work is performing. Using KPIs allows organizations to focus on outcomes instead of output to ensure employees remain at a level of productivity to hit their goals. 

Measuring employee productivity can be a slippery slope for organizations, especially if employees work from various locations. It’s essential to research and weigh all monitoring options before choosing one that best suits your organization and your goals. 

Additional Resources

You can stay informed, educated, and up-to-date with important HR topics using BerniePortal’s comprehensive resources:

• BerniePortal Blog—a one-stop-shop for HR industry news
• HR Glossary—featuring the most common HR terms, acronyms, and compliance
• HR Guides—essential pillars, covering an extensive list of comprehensive HR topics
• BernieU—free online HR courses, approved for SHRM and HRCI recertification credit
• HR Party of One—our popular YouTube series and podcast, covering emerging HR trends and enduring HR topics