Types of Employee Monitoring Software

There are several types of employee monitoring systems that businesses and organizations can utilize to keep track of their in-house and remote employees, as well as to streamline workflows and optimize day-to-day operations.

Network monitoring

Network monitoring refers to employee monitoring software, which focuses on the IT side of things. In order to ensure uninterrupted workflow and sustained personnel productivity, this monitoring solution employs activity tracking technology on the entire company network and all of its components, including servers, routers, firewalls, etc. The software works to make sure the network is functioning properly, with the main goal of minimizing network downtime.

Software monitoring

A term often used interchangeably with employee monitoring software, software monitoring refers to the process of tracking all sorts of activities on an employee computer, terminal or mobile device. This type of employee monitoring tool involves a software program that you need to install on a computer terminal, a tablet or a smartphone in order to effectively run the activity tracking process.

Depending on the software’s features and capabilities, software monitoring apps are capable of tracking the websites visited by the employee, the programs they use as well as every keystroke they make on their device via the keystroke logging function.

Most employee monitoring platforms in this category take random screenshots of user screens via a screen capture tool. This should give you a real-time view of what your employees are currently working on, which web pages are currently open and which apps they’re using at that moment. Other more sophisticated employee monitoring software uses the device camera to take pictures of the person using the computer or mobile device to verify the employee is indeed at their desk or terminal.

Email monitoring

Email monitoring is another form of employee monitoring tool with a focus on keeping track of employee emails, specifically the emails they send out and receive using the company’s email service or authorized email accounts. This type of activity tracking tool typically comes as an added feature in many employee monitoring software platforms, although there are standalone products in the market that serve this very specific purpose. Email monitoring is also referred to as email server monitoring.

Device monitoring

Device monitoring solutions are widely used by system administrators, IT personnel, managers and supervisors to keep track of employee emails, phone/VoIP calls as well as internet and application usage. This is an employee productivity tracking software with features such as URL blocking which effectively keeps personnel from accessing websites not relevant to their work setting.

For example, if a particular employee does not need to access Facebook or any social media site to effectively do their job, the system admin can simply block their access to these websites using the software. Device monitoring works well in conjunction with Network monitoring to keep the company’s entire network infrastructure and all connected devices constantly monitored and secured.

Customer interaction monitoring

For companies and organizations that provide some type of service and have employees that regularly interact with customers, those customer interactions can easily be monitored through this specific type of employee monitoring software. Monitoring customer interactions is important as it helps to ensure the assigned company personnel is communicating with customers in an efficient but respectful and appropriate manner, aligned with the organization’s standards and values.

Managers, supervisors and stakeholders can take advantage of the insights provided by the generated reports to properly assess the demeanor, expertise and communication skills of a particular employee when interacting with customers. This employee monitoring tool can help decision-makers to identify where an employee’s weaknesses and strengths are when communicating with customers via social media, email, live chat or phone call.

How to choose Employee Monitoring Software

Choosing the right employee monitoring software can be somewhat challenging, as there are a number of products out there that cater to different kinds of business users. To make sure you’re not simply wasting your money on a software product, there are a few factors you have to consider. These factors should have a significant impact on your final decision.

Consider the size and scale of your business

The size of your business, the number of employees and/or devices you want to constantly monitor is an important factor to consider when choosing the right employee monitoring tool to implement. Not all employee monitoring solutions are created equal. Some have more features and capabilities than others, so make sure you completely understand the size and scale of what you’re trying to keep track of using the software product.

Consider the different features included in the product

When buying any kind of software product, you have to consider the features it offers. With employee monitoring software, the features are very important as it can have a significant impact on your effectiveness, as an employer, in tracking computer activity, workflow efficiency and all your employees’ productivity.

This consideration ultimately comes down to the main reason why you want an employee monitoring tool in the first place. If you just want to track the amount of time your remote employees have spent on work, there are plenty of basic employee time tracking solutions to choose from. But if you want something more comprehensive for productivity tracking and/or activity tracking, there are software solutions that are much more equipped for that specific purpose as well.

Consider ease-of-use

Ease-of-use is a pretty important factor in choosing software products, especially when it comes to employee monitoring platforms. Ideally, you want an employee monitoring tool that has a clean and simple to navigate user interface with functions that are accessible and user-friendly, especially to non-technical users. This makes it easier to implement the software and for your employees to adopt them successfully.

Consider utilizing the free trial

While there are free activity tracking solutions available, if you’re thinking of investing in premium employee monitoring software, you have to have a good way to try them out before making that purchase. The best way to get to know any software product is to take advantage of the free trial, which most vendors and service providers do offer. If you’re thinking of making a significant investment in a software solution, you better make sure it’s the right one for your business. A free trial version of the software should help you make a more informed decision.

Benefits of Employee Monitoring Software

There are many benefits to using robust and feature-rich employee monitoring software, which includes the following:

Improved workforce productivity and efficiency

When you can effectively keep track of your entire workforce, monitor their computer activity, how much time they’re spending on assigned tasks, their internet and application usage, and how they utilize company resources, it should be easier for you to find more effective ways to improve employee productivity and streamline workflow efficiency.

When you have a better view of your entire operation, it’s easier to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your employees and that much easier to come up with ways for improvement. Good employee monitoring software can help you do just that.

Get more complete performance insights

If you want a more in-depth look into the overall performance of your workforce, especially those employees working from home or in other locations outside the office, the right productivity tracking or activity tracking solution can give you all the performance insights you need. Using a comprehensive employee monitoring tool, managers and supervisors can get a much better look into the performance of their employees. This information can then be used in year-end performance assessments.

Manage remote teams more efficiently

Keeping track of your in-house employees’ work is difficult enough, how much more if they’re working remotely in their home office or in other locations. Employee monitoring software can help you track your employee’s time and work even when they’re working from home. You can keep track of how much time they spend on tasks, view their screens via screen capture and monitor their computer activity in real-time from miles or even oceans away.

Common Features of Employee Monitoring Software