Questions You Should Ask Before Using Screenshot Monitoring?

Screenshot monitoring is a leading time monitoring tool used in an organisation to keep track of the time spent by an employee on a particular task. This technique is commonly used, by the companies practising remote workforce. Well, this sort of monitoring is also well known in companies incorporating in-office employees. The executives in an organisation can keep track of which site the employee is working in, what are the websites and applications the employee is using while working and every detail of their work right after the commencement of their working hours. Screenshot monitoring adds an extraordinary benefit for the higher authorities as it empowers them to take a screenshot of the employee's work screen without the employee acknowledging it.

Why is screenshot monitoring necessary?

While addressing the benefits of this type of monitoring the first thought arises is if we have access to observe the activities of the employee by observing their productivity during the working hours then why do we need to take a screenshot?

Well, capturing a screenshot of the work furnished by an employee can be quite effective at times while preserving the records. It can serve as a proof of the work accomplished by an employee and we will be able to estimate their productivity as well. This would be the most effortless way to maintain a record of data of the projects perfected by an employee.

Is it even legal to screenshot monitor?

The answer is a big yes!! 

Yes, nowadays, monitoring employees is legal process as the company can unquestionably look out for what the employee does throughout the working hours.

An employee is being paid for whatever he/she does in the working hours by the organisation. Therefore, the organisation has the power to manage and monitor the exercises of an employee throughout the working hours. After all, the employee uses the company's assets to work either for the client or for the organisation itself. Hence they are required to spend their time working for the group and meeting the deadlines preferably than entertainment or other distractions. The employee should be aware that using any other sites that are not associated with their job might be dangerous because there is a chance of the company's information being leaked which is highly confidential. They might also tend to drop out data related to the projects they are working on.

Accordingly, during their rest hours, the employees can simply check their mobile phones for pleasure. Well, even if they use the company's devices to check their social media or any other sites it is completely unethical on the executives part to access any of their personal information.

Therefore the company must invest in tools that give a clear picture of the employee's productivity hours. If you are searching for a similar tool then EmpMonitor is the best productivity tracking software. This software enables you to keep track of all the actions of an employee immediately after logging into the system. EmpMonitor also assists you with the speciality of taking a screenshot of the employees working screen. This helps you preserve a record of what the employee does throughout the working hours. The most important characteristic of this software is that it is undetectable by the user while tracing their screen.

Conclusion

We can reasonably state that a screenshot monitor is permitted but, the employers should not mistreat this power. They should only be bothered about if the tasks are completed within the deadline by the employees. The employees should be given some personal space despite using the organisation's equipment. The higher authorities must not take profits by ill-treating the personal information of the employees.

I believe this article was helpful. Is there something more that you would like to add? If yes, then please drop your thoughts in the comments below. I would love to hear it from you!

2021's Guide To Clear Your Doubts On Is Employee Monitoring Legal?

 

Are you confused about whether employee monitoring is legal or not?

Well, as more and more people are adopting remote work due to COVID-19 impact, companies are getting forced to take the help of different monitoring software to keep an eye on their employee's productivity. 

But, let me tell you, employee tracking is not new at all. It has been here for ages and involves things like tracking clock-ins, executing GPS tracking, and using security cameras.

But the question arises, is this all allowed?

Are companies doing the right thing by tracking their employee's activity? And wait, the most vital question - is employee monitoring legal? 

Oh gosh, so many questions! No need to worry, as here in this article, we are going to help you lessen up all your worries. Here, we will try to uncover everything you need to know about employee monitoring. So, without making it more lengthy, let's get started.

What Is Employee Tracking?

Let's first cover what employee tracking is and why organizations do it, before we get into the tips and methods.

Employee tracking is an employer's use of multiple types of surveillance and data collection. Well, this can include software for employee tracking, keycards, biometrics, and various other techniques.

Why Do Organizations Do This?

Well, most organizations track their employee's activities for two main reasons:

• To make sure their workers are productive and concentrating on their jobs.
• For data protection purposes! Just to keep an eye on the details, their employees share.

The Common Forms Of Employee Tracking

Here is a quick sneak-peek at the most popular employee tracking methods:

• Workstation and Computer tracking
• Social media and internet tracking
• Tracking keystrokes and screen content 
• Keeping a check on the company phone conversations and voicemail

Is Employee Monitoring Legal?

Well, it entirely depends on how you are using or implementing it! It's been 08-09 months since companies and employees adopted the work from home culture, and now when employees are working remotely, it becomes mandatory for a company to implement productivity tracking software in the system. 

So, it's not illegal to track your employee's activity. Of course, you have to maintain a good level of transparency between your employees so that they will even become comfortable with it. And yes, try to choose the right tracking software so that there will be no worries in the future. 

03 Tips On Implementing Employee Tracking Successfully

Now that you know what employee monitoring is all about and whether it is okay to go with it, let us focus on the tips to implement it successfully. 

1. Always look at the laws, rules, and regulations.

Because employee and remote workplace tracking can differ between nations, states, and even counties, before monitoring the workers, be sure to consult all possible laws. And yes, know the limitations too, like on what extent you can go. 

2. Be transparent about every single thing.

As we discussed earlier, get your employees informed about everything. Although reminding the staff of such monitoring measures is not necessary, it's still a good idea to be open about them. Basically, it will be a crucial step towards maintaining the trust level between you and your employees. 

For example, inform your employees about:

• What are you going to monitor?
• What is the reason for doing this?
• When you will be implementing it?

3. Go for employee-friendly tools.

Another best way of implementing employee tracking is by taking the help of transparent tracking software. There are a lot of tools available in the market, but when we talk about the best one, then EmpMonitor is the only name that instantly pops up in everyone's mind. So, research a bit and then go for the best one.

Also watch: How To Implement Remote Worker Monitoring At Your Business?

Summing it up!

While at first, the numerous employee tracking laws can look overwhelming, they all uphold a basic principle- "Always hold a good reason to track your employees and yes, respect individual privacy. Anyways, the above-given information can help you clear all your doubts on the most confusing topic - is employee monitoring legal?! So, remember the rules, be transparent, and you are all set to maintain a higher productivity level among your remote employees by tracking their activities. 

Productive Team Workload Management Techniques 2020

 

Workload management accurately describes the administration of the workload uniformly within the individual members of the team. It is the responsibility of the administrators to hold particular measures to distribute the workload equitably so that the workers can accomplish their job on time without being overburdened. This ensures the productivity of the employees because they do not have to meet the deadlines in a rush. They can work suitably and achieve their task on time without any chaos.

It is the sole responsibility of the company to conduct a steady workflow by leading the team correctly. This assures a sound functioning environment for the employees. It is essential for the company so that the executives avoid overloading the employees   with numerous tasks at a time as it can divert the concentration of the employee.

Workload management has grown really significant in the run. The managers might have to work under a lot of stress, yet they have to make sure that the employees are not equipped with a bunch of tasks collectively to perform at a particular course.

Here are a few remarkable approaches to efficiently handle team workload management.

Evade multitasking.

In this day and age, multitasking has become a trend within companies because workers have to perform a lot of tasks at the corresponding time. It happens due to poor management by their executives. This results in distraction in the workflow because the employee will not be capable of entirely concentrating on any responsibility in the intention of achieving all of them within a specified time.

Proffering preference to primary tasks.

This is the most fundamental approach to maintain the workload of the employees. You have to ensure which are the tasks you need to prioritize while multitasking. They cannot just perceive all the work at a time. This can be confusing and would divert them away from accomplishing their aim. Therefore, you have to prioritize the necessary work and can postpone the insignificant work for the following.

Effective and transparent Interaction.

Intercommunication within the team is extremely valuable either you are working remotely or present on site. Maximum of the misinterpretations tend to happen due to the reduction of communication. While working for high-valued customers on short deadlines, you have to make sure that you communicate properly, with your employees so that they also acknowledge the significance of succeeding their work within the deadline. You have to hold video conferences or meetings, chats simply to ensure they recognise the need of the hour and work accordingly.

Assist employees to make use of self-monitoring tools.

Self-monitoring tools can be a protector while handling the workload. The employees using these tools can recognise if they are working in the right direction in meeting their deadlines on time. Well, this is also applicable for the executives as they can monitor the workflow of all the employees in a team from their desk itself. They will be able to observe if the employees are working accurately. This would also lessen the time spent in receiving the work updates as you can yourself check  for the same using these tools.

Also Read:

8 Simple Strategies to Increase Employees Productivity in the Workplace

05 Unbelievable Ways You Can Manage Remote Employees Effectively

EmpMonitor is one such employee management tool that can be your saviour in 2020 where the world is spinning to meet the deadlines. This gives you access to manage the workload between all the employees wholly so that they do not get overburdened as well as meet the deadlines of their projects at an ease without any chaos. 

The above-mentioned tactics will assist your organisation to maintain the workflow of the employees in an uncomplicated method and will result in the rise of productivity of the employees following a steady execution of their tasks.

03 Trustworthy Internet Monitoring Software For Parents

 

Today kids and teenagers are very active over the internet. Days are gone where their curious minds have to ask questions from their parents. Now they know they can get the right answer to any question just by searching on Google. 

Well, it is not wrong saying that the internet has become one of the greatest hubs to gain knowledge for them, but have you ever thought about its dark side?

There are plenty of websites, games, and social media platforms that can influence your child in the wrong direction. Hence as a parent, it’s your duty to take care of what they do over the internet. 

Now the question arises, how? How can one keep an eagle eye over their children without letting them feel suffocated?

Well, the answer to this is - internet monitoring software for parents. Software designed to monitor each and every action did by your child on his/her computer.

Wait! Want to learn more about this software?

Let's dive into this article then.

What is an internet tracking tool for the parent?

Internet tracking tools for parents is designed to help them find how their kids are utilizing the resources over the internet.  Through this software, busy parents can get a complete track record of their kid's actions without checking their computer manually. Besides, parental management software also allows them to understand how much their child spends time on the internet and in which sites they are involved.

Best computer tracking software for parents

EmpMonitor

Parents can't stop their children from accessing the internet completely. Hence to help such parents and children, Empmonitor has come with parental control software. This software will help parents to watch what their kids are watching in their system without wasting time checking the computer manually.

Some of the features include - 

Generate screenshots at every predefined interval of time.

Parents can access their EmpMonitor account from anywhere with any device having an internet connection.

It entirely runs in stealth monitoring mode, that is, your child can't find it anywhere in the program list.

It helps to see the list of websites and apps visited by the user in real-time. 

Allows parents to see the complete browsing history of their children.

Also provides a detailed report of their kid's internet activity in a single place. 

Qustodio

Qustodio is one of the best modern ways to save children from being a part of the internet's dark side. By allowing parents to access their computer through the dashboard or through mobile apps, this internet monitoring software for parents help them by-

Blocking apps which are not suitable for the kids.

Showing detailed activity performed on the computer

Restricting contents an internet user can access, and a lot more

Norton Family Premier

Norton Family premier is another parental control software that has loads of features to control activity on the internet. 

Some of the features include - 

Helps in the tracking of websites and apps accessed by kids. 

Protecting personal information to get shared inadvertently.

Building of complete report about the user activity on the internet.

Wrapping Words

Unfortunately, the rate of cybercrimes is growing day by day, and according to a survey, kids and teenagers are getting trapped in such circumstances very easily. As, they are more prone to internet risks such as cyberbullying, hateful content, and many more. Hence, looking at the kid's online activity is a necessary step that must be taken care of by every parent. 

So why to stake your kid's life? Find a suitable internet monitoring software for parents and let you know whether your children are in safe hands or not.

Employee Monitoring Ethics: Considerations And Consequences

The growth of technology has actually made companies more attentive towards the privacy of their employees, as digital communication media will make it easier for individuals to steal company data. It can also be a way for workers to spread negative rumours that could threaten the bottom line of the business. But what does the legislation say about surveillance and privacy for employees?

According to a recent study, it is found that in order to protect their company and increase efficiency, workplace surveillance has become an essential practice for employers. Nearly half of the business leaders in the survey said they track the emails sent and received by employees, as well as their keystroke logs.

The Main Problem Arises From Employee Monitoring!

Although diving and recording the activity and behaviour of employees is not illegal, the monitoring procedure remains controversial and becomes subject to a grey area. Well, this offers a new notice to work performance and morality.

Employees want independence and less surveillance. And even most of the companies condemn workplace monitoring practices. As employee surveillance can be seen as violating the privacy of the employees if carried out unrelentingly. It can, therefore, cause work-related tension, decrease job satisfaction, quality of work-life, and lower levels of customer service & morale.

So, instead of tracking employees work, it's better to understand the law and employee monitoring ethics first.

What Are Employee Monitoring Ethics?

Before we dive into the ethics and laws of employee monitoring, it is vital to elaborate quickly on what actually ethics are! Ethics can be defined as "a collection of principles & values that direct us to decide what behaviour benefits or harms sentient beings"!

Basically, there are two common modes of ethical consideration, teleology, and deontology, when persons, organizations, or society decide how to behave in a given situation. Both of which are crucial to consider when it comes to a subject such as the supervision of employees or to do proper workforce management.

Employee Monitoring And Ethical Consideration

Do the ends prove the means? This line is popular when security problems occur in organizations but some organizations may find themselves in trouble by not challenging the means of execution, tracking policy, effects, or even legal violations. So, it is vital to understand why you try to do so before rushing to track your employees. Is this to counter risks from insiders? Safeguard vital assets? Or to know how well your employees are working? Well, it is really very crucial to understand why monitoring is needed, and also you need to explain the same to your employees as well, to maintain trust and transparency. 

Employee Monitoring: Outcomes And Motives

Should any business not monitor what happens on its network & trust that employees are always doing what they have been assigned with? Is it legal to monitor employees' computers? Not sure, but see businesses have a responsibility to build a safe work environment for the employees. If, for instance, an employee frequently watches graphic or politically charged material at his workstation, it creates a hostile work atmosphere that violates U.S. labour discrimination laws. A business will await a visit from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC) by not controlling that activity.

Another scenario is a data breach. If a company does not adequately track all data and communications coming through its network, then hackers & malicious employees alike become an attractive target. In addition, a data breach that has not been sufficiently secured against could cause a confidence crisis for any future company clients or customers.

Is Employee Monitoring Ethical? How?

Security must be practical by its nature, implying that the "results justify the means," which in this case is to protect not only the corporation but the reputation of any employee and stakeholder involved in the organization. At the cost of privacy when on the company network, it is easy to rally around safety and protection. Without support and engagement from stakeholders, security fails. And this is where the continuity requirement of the ethical approach to ethics fits well with the practical approach.

Also watch: Manage Remote Work Easily With Powerful Monitoring Software: EmpMonitor(EmpMonitor AV Ad)

Conclusion

Now, I know that the ethics of employee monitoring can sound very reasonable and easy to follow on paper, but it's only a matter of time before you learn how to execute it. At some points, you can get stuck. Here's why you really should worry. Anyways, the above-stated points can help you a lot to not only maintain a good workflow in the company but along with keeping in mind the importance of employee monitoring ethics as well.