Employees Don’t Worry About Monitoring, According to A Survey.
Employee monitoring has received a lot of attention in recent years. With the shift to working from home during the pandemic, companies and managers are looking for ways to monitor worker productivity and engagement remotely. This has led to a massive proliferation of employee monitoring software.
In general, people feel that they do not like being monitored at work. It could mean an invasion of privacy or give the impression that management doesn’t trust them to do their jobs. At least that was the assumption. But assumptions are often made…
A recent survey by data analytics firm Profusion found that 61% of employees accept the use of surveillance technology and data to monitor their work, activities, and participation.
The Management Is the Issue, Not The Technology.
81% of respondents said that data should be made available to employees and that employees can challenge the interpretation of the data. In other words, most employees are comfortable with monitoring if the technology is used in a transparent and collaborative manner.
In reality, however, monitoring rarely happens in this way. The study also found that one in four employees doesn’t know if data is used in performance reviews. Only 26% were given a copy of the data prior to the review and, worse, only 25% reported having the opportunity to challenge the interpretation, which is particularly appalling given that nine out of ten employers terminate employees based on data from monitoring programs.
The conclusion is that employees are not complaining about the surveillance tools or the technology itself, but about the managers who use them (poorly).
Companies often have a misconception about surveillance. It’s common to think of these apps as one-way surveillance mechanisms, and when used that way, employees are more likely to complain about the surveillance. This can lead people to resist and even quit.
But this is not necessarily the case. Time tracking can be very helpful to employees for many reasons. The sooner an organization recognizes this, the sooner it can develop a shared understanding of monitoring with its employees.
Benefits of Tracking to Employees
The extent to which employees benefit from monitoring tools depends on the tool they use. For example, EMS (Employee Monitor System) allows you to monitor your employees’ attendance, productivity, and work efficiency. As a result, workers can gain from
Work-Life Balance
Remote work can quickly blur the boundaries between work and personal life. Checking email after hours or completing quick tasks in the middle of the night are common practices that can negatively impact an employee’s well-being and increase the likelihood of burnout. Time-tracking apps allow employees to track their daily work hours and avoid burnout.
Personal Development
Employee monitoring software records time use and the effectiveness of its use. With this data, employees can assess their own productivity and habits. They can then optimize their workday by focusing on more in-depth tasks during their most productive hours or identify poor work habits and take proactive steps to improve them.
Data-Driven Productivity Reviews
Employee access to their own performance data allows them to participate more objectively in performance reviews and discussions with HR. They can directly demonstrate their own performance, show how they spend their time, and protect themselves from unfair accusations.
How to Properly Supervise Staff as A Manager
Keeping supervision, a secret is not the way to go. It will only increase fear, resentment, and mistrust. Instead, insist on complete transparency. Your team will be more likely to adopt a monitoring tool if you consider the following three elements.
1. Discuss The Various Features and Functions So Everyone Is Aware of Them
To prevent the monitoring software from feeling like a “big brother,” it’s a good idea to explain what the chosen monitoring software is and what it can do. Make sure your staff understands the features so they don’t have to worry about unauthorized spying.
2. Explain How and for What Purpose the Tracking Tool Will Be Used
Be transparent about why you are using the tool. Don’t be too lenient, as employee monitoring is a very good reason in itself. Explain exactly how the data will be used, e.g., for daily monitoring, performance evaluation, etc.
3. Train Staff to Make the Best Use of the Software
Most importantly, make sure your staff knows how they can benefit from the software. This can improve productivity, work-life balance, and negotiation skills. Train staff on how to use the tracking tools so they can use them.
How to Proceed
Monitoring software will become an integral part of the modern work environment. It offers many benefits to both management and employees and can no longer be avoided.
However, its introduction must be transparent and collaborative to avoid a one-sided relationship in which employees feel they are being monitored. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing valuable employees who do not participate in monitoring. However, research shows that employees reject non-transparent control, but not the control itself.
