6 Employee Monitoring Myths: Exposed
With the rise in remote working, expanding global business demands, and quickly changing regulatory and legal requirements, employee monitoring technology has become a demanding component to business survival and success. Being able to see how employees and teams get work done in-office or remote is vital to improving productivity, boosting operational capability, and reducing data compliance risks. Even though the various business-critical benefits, some professionals have boubts about implementing employee monitoring programs based on these 6 common myths:
Myth 1: Monitoring employees breaches their privacy
Reality: Employee monitoring shouldn’t be used to spy on employees or infringe on their privacy. When implemented in a transparent and fair way, these tools and the data insights they present help both employers and employees work more accurately and productively. Companies should prioritize and assure employee privacy while using employee monitoring solutions. That’s why we highly suggest being open with employees about your monitoring program, including explaining what data you collect and how you aim to use it. With transparency comes trust, and that is key to ridding any privacy concerns.
Myth 2: Only employers benefit from employee monitoring
Reality: Employees so in fact benefit from employee monitoring software in many ways. For example, the tools make the expansion of remote and flexible work opportunities possible. “According to an April 2020 study by Gartner, 74% of companies plan to stick with remote work permanently, even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided.” – Read more here Employee monitoring software gives employers the assurance to allow their employees to work from anywhere. The data collected from employee monitoring software can also help with fair promotions and raises as work productivity is tied to individualized and team data. Employee monitoring software gives employers the assurance to allow their employees to work from anywhere. The data collected from employee monitoring software can also help with fair promotions and raises as work productivity is tied to individualized and team data.
Myth 3: Only suspicious employees should be watched
Reality: Not only can this lead to legal problems around fair treatment but monitoring only some employees robs you of the opportunity to analyze the productivity and operational compliance risks across the board. Again, transparency is important, while some organizations are discreet about using an employee monitoring program to “catch the bad workers,” we highly suggest being upfront about it. Not only does this help build trust between employers and employees, but usually when employees know of the software, they are less likely to take part in risky behaviors in the first place.
Myth 4: Employee monitoring should only be used for remote employees
Reality: While remote workplaces benefit from employee monitoring technology, like the myth above, monitoring the activity of only remote employees stops you from seeing the full picture of how your company works. Employees who work in-office can also use company-owned devices, such as laptops, outside of the office. Whether or not you can physically see an employee, it is impossible to understand true productivity levels and analyse for operational compliance risk using eyesight alone.
Myth 5: Employee monitoring is against the law
Reality: In the many instances, employee monitoring is legal. In most U.S. states, permission isn’t needed by the employee if they are using company devices. None the less to get the full value out of employee monitoring software, employers should be completely open about its utilization. As laws are different all around the world, we highly suggest consulting with legal counsel for your specific situation and use cases.
While the term employee monitoring may cause some uncertainty, it’s always important to quickly correct assumptions. “In order to promote trust and transparency, while respecting employee privacy, employee monitoring programs must prioritize insights versus oversight. When implemented in a fair and transparent manner, employee monitoring technology can facilitate healthier, more productive workplaces. That’s a win-win for employers and employees alike!” – Read more here
Myth 6: Employee monitoring will damage morale
Reality: When employee monitoring software is implemented in a transparent way, it can actually boost employee and team morale. With the certainty and context of user activity, it’s a lot easier for managers and employees to pinpoint what’s working and what’s not. With productivity dashboards and reports, workflow barriers can quickly be picked up and resolved to improve ineffective and frustrating processes. Managers can also look at workload capacity, including overworked and underutilized employees. This helps them to take the correct actions and distribute work evenly between team members. This can prevent harmful effects such as burnout and internal conflicts, creating healthier workplaces and improving talent retention.
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