Employee monitoring is considered to be among the most efficient tactics performed by businesses. The prior goal is to track the employees’ activities and to prevent potential frauds, data and financial losses. 

We are going to treat the subject related to the types of employee monitoring that are aimed to increase the productivity rate. At the same time, this is a matter of privacy that needs to be taken into account and respected by employers.

If you are interested in the domain of employee monitoring, we suggest reading our blog posts 7 Most Powerful GPS and Time Tracking Apps for Your Employees and Top 9 Employee Monitoring Software for 2019.

The types of employee monitoring can be divided into 3 wide sets. Our purpose is to provide you with valuable clues for each category.

1. Productivity Rate

There is a group of employee monitoring types that are directed towards achieving a great productivity rate. Through them, companies can observe the gap in the employees’ activities that reduce the outcome of the organization. We can mention software tools that monitor the employees’ engagement into various tasks and assignments by providing certain reports.

2. Surveillance Systems

The surveillance system is quite useful in preventing the data, resources loss, and various kinds of breaches. For instance, employers can go through emails monitoring, tracking the files, video surveillance, etc. 

3. Assignment Management

The management of certain tasks or projects (e.g. the time spent on them, the distribution of work, etc.) is important for business owners. This fact becomes specifically important if remote workers are involved in the work. Consequently, employers become interested in GPS or video tracking of their employees.

Is It Legal?

This question seems to be dilemmatic. The legality of employee monitoring depends on the country and its law system. Generally speaking, if the company owns the equipment such as phones, computers, various devices, it is entitled to track the activity of its staff. It seems that monitoring and surveillance is something common for the US.

If we speak about GPS tracking, monitoring employee’s call list, data usage (e.g. photos, personal files) may lead to litigations. It is assumed that in European countries,  the right to privacy at work is at a great extent respected. Thus, employers agree with employees upon their company rules related to surveillance during the work.

Let’s move on to analyze the specific types of employee monitoring.

1. Direct Monitoring

Direct monitoring helps to collect data from the employee’s computer. The collected data consist of the reports made on the time spent on specific projects, the time when no activity was made by the employee, etc. 

2. Gadgets Monitoring

The employer can track the traces left by USBs or CDs that were used on the computer. Gadgets can be a danger for the company, and their tracking can prevent data loss, interference of malicious software that would access the computers, etc. 

3. GPS Tracking

This type of employee monitoring is specifically useful for companies that deal with delivery, postal services, etc. It helps to state the correct way of the driver or to check the driver’s productivity. Nowadays, GPS tracking is used in cab services. It becomes easy to see the customer and driver’s location. Moreover, the customer will not waste time on waiting for the distant cab arrival but will get the closest one.

4. Phone Monitoring and Audio Surveillance

Generally speaking, employee’s phone activities tracking can lead to litigation. On the other hand, GPS tracking of the phone is appropriate for delivery and cab services. Let us bring another example. It’s a common fact that when you call some service businesses, you receive a kind of notification that your call will be recorded. This is a type of audio tracking, as well. It aims to check the employees’ productivity.

5. Video Surveillance

Video surveillance is used to monitor employees’ activities, to prevent theft, conflicts. The use of this type of employee monitoring varies in different countries because some regions allow it while others do not.

6. Keylogger

The name speaks for itself. The keyboard is recorded at any press of the button. In such a way, the admin can analyze employees’ performance. Some countries do not allow this type of employee monitoring as the privacy right is violated in such a way (e.g. the passwords can be uncovered).

7. Keycards

Keycards are used in some organization. Having a chip inserted, they memorize the employee’s location at any time. They can limit access to various places of the companies, at the same time.

In case you own a small business, or you are an entrepreneur, it is more likely that you are in search of some interactive and effective ways to increase employee productivity. So, which actions would you take to improve workplace productivity?

Find Here 9 Tips for Increasing Employee Productivity!

1. Exchange Ideas

Communication, exchange of ideas, and proposals are essential. It is key when it comes to answering the question of how to increase the productivity of employees.

2. Share the Tasks

Probably, you’ve already discovered your employees’ skills and hobbies. Thus, depending on these, you can share some of your duties with your colleagues. For instance, an introverted employee could be an expert in dealing with detailed and precise assignments.

3. Prioritize the Aims

In order to improve employees’ productivity, be transparent in terms of assigning specific goals. People who know exactly the arrangement of the requirements of their hard work are more likely to be productive at work.

4. Motivate Your Employees

In order to enhance productivity in the workplace, you should find the best ways to increase employee’s productivity through various incentives when they prove to do their best, such as a meal out with your staff, paid lunches, constructive feedback, free days depending on the assigned tasks, etc.

5. Don’t Disturb

Your priority should be the employees’ focus on big tasks. Thus, strive not to disturb them with less significant duties. The time to come back to the working process can be really lasting.

6. “Work out” the Employees’ Skills

There are many options that would avoid wasting your time when answering employees’ periodic questions related to their work. For instance, you can set a day to be dedicated to training your staff in order to increase productivity by solving various issues and questions, such as “How to improve the efficiency of your employee?” or “How to be productive at work?”.

As a leader, you can provide constructive feedback to your employees. It will help you boost their performance, motivation and avoid misunderstandings.

7. Allow Freelancing

There are studies that demonstrate that employees who work from home are 13% more engaging than those who work in the office.

8. Encourage Leadership

It is stated that when your employees get the feeling of leadership over their own tasks and time, they become more productive and efficiency-focused. As a piece of advice, reduce the manager’s negative influence over the workers.

9. Bring in Receptive People

Keep in your mind that the best managers are receptive, caring, and tolerant when it comes to solving some troubles or deciding upon the issues that need to be paid attention to (e.g. the best banner for a newly arrived product, in case there is an issue related to the marketing).