X Myths Surrounding Employee Tracking, Debunked
With what seems like a never-ending series of lockdowns and quarantines, there has been a meteoric rise in workforces being migrated to remote formats. This has necessitated extremely fast changes in not just regulatory and legal operational requirements, but also in employee monitoring and productivity technologies.
It’s these monitoring processes that have spawned some rather large myths and misconceptions about employee tracking and data confidentiality, some more serious and damaging than others. We’re going to take a look at the top myths about employee tracking.
1. Monitoring Violates The Employees Privacy
Objectively, this is a valid concern, but when this technology is implemented properly and with sufficient transparency, the monitoring shouldn’t be used to invade or infringe on an employee’s privacy. Since the failure to protect employee privacy can be a serious issue, employers should be heavily prioritizing that when evaluating potential monitoring platforms.
Many problems can be directly avoided by being honest with the employees about what data will be collected under the monitoring policy, and how it will subsequently be used. This helps to build trust in the relationship between management and staff.
2. Post-COVID Accountability Is Difficult
It’s no secret that the global pandemic has sapped much of the workforce of their motivation, drive, and passion. This has led to an unprecedented amount of unproductive time or outright theft of time occurring, especially in the remote work landscape. It is not uncommon to find that an employee is tending to an influencer side-hustle while also on the clock.
To combat this trend there are many organizations, particularly those who aren’t large enough to employ sophisticated IT departments, that have begun using one of the 13 Best Employee Time Tracking Software & Apps for Small Businesses. These apps make it simple to track productive time, eliminating wasted payroll.
3. Monitoring Should Only Happen Where Suspicions Are Present
Right off the bat, this one should be discounted as potentially prejudicial and discriminatory. Basing your employee monitoring policy on who you “think” might be guilty is a legal can of worms that will only end badly. Additionally, it is far more likely that there are compliance violations occurring with those that are not likely to be monitored.
Focusing on “suspicious” individuals can rob you of enterprise-wide compliance insight. But remember to be upfront about your monitoring intentions and policies, so that the employees understand more fully the goals of the process.
4. Only Remote Employees Should Be Monitored
It’s true that the larger degrees of improvement can be seen in the monitoring of the remote workforce, this is another method that is only giving you a partial picture of the compliance of your organization. It also neglects that many office-based employees routinely use corporate-issued equipment like laptops outside their office
5. Regular Employees Don’t Benefit From Monitoring
The fact is, all employees benefit from monitoring, even if it isn’t entirely tangible. Many companies find that robust monitoring gives them the confidence to allow remote work in the first place. Other benefits include diminished office impact, mitigated transportation difficulties, reduced cost of commute and vehicle depreciation and maintenance, and even increased family time.
6. Monitoring Will Negatively Impact Morale
This is always one of the rally cries heard when monitoring is discussed. The truth is when monitoring is rolled out in a fair and transparent manner, it can actually boost morale while making coaching more effective.
The insight into user activity can help management and employees to drill down and find out what is working and what is not, in the context of processes and bottlenecks. It can also help identify overloaded and underleveraged employees.
