The Future of Employee Monitoring: How Trends Will Shape the Way Employers Monitor Their Workers

Employee monitoring is not a new concept, but it has evolved significantly in recent years, thanks to the advances in technology and the changes in the work environment.

A sophisticated employee monitoring app such as TrackOlap, has v arious benefits for both employers and employees, such as improving efficiency, compliance, security, well-being, and engagement. However, if done in the wrong way - it can also raise some challenges and concerns, such as privacy, ethics, trust, and morale.

In this blog, we will explore some of the key trends and factors that will shape the future of employee monitoring, and how employers can leverage them to create a positive and productive work culture.

Rise in Remote and Hybrid Working

One of the most obvious and significant trends that have impacted employee monitoring is the rise in remote and hybrid working, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a survey by Gartner, 82% of company leaders plan to allow employees to work remotely some of the time, and 47% plan to allow employees to work remotely full-time.

This means that employers need to find new ways to monitor and manage their remote and hybrid teams, and ensure that they are aligned, accountable, and engaged.

An employee monitoring system can be a useful tool for remote and hybrid work, as it can help employers track and measure the work output, time, and activity of their employees, regardless of their location.

This monitoring software can also help employers communicate and collaborate with their remote and hybrid teams, and provide them with feedback, recognition, and support.

However, micromanaging can also pose some risks and challenges for remote and hybrid work, such as invading the privacy and autonomy of employees, eroding the trust and rapport between employers and employees, and creating a culture of surveillance and micromanagement.

Therefore, employers need to be careful and transparent about how they use employee monitoring software and ensure that they respect the boundaries and preferences of their remote and hybrid workers.

Employee Monitoring Automation

Another trend that will shape the future of employee monitoring is the automation of various aspects of the monitoring process, such as data collection, analysis, and reporting. Automation can help employers save time and resources, and improve the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring data.

Automation can also help employers identify patterns and trends, and generate insights and recommendations, that can help them optimize their work processes and policies.

Employee monitoring automation can benefit employees, as it can reduce the human bias and error that can affect the monitoring outcomes, and provide them with more objective and consistent feedback and evaluation.

Furthermore, it can also help employees improve their own productivity and performance, by providing them with self-monitoring and self-management tools, such as time tracking, goal setting, and progress tracking.

However, employee monitoring automation can also have some drawbacks and limitations, such as reducing the human touch and interaction that can enhance the monitoring experience and create a sense of detachment and alienation among employees.

Employee monitoring automation can also raise some ethical and legal issues, such as the ownership and security of the monitoring data, and the consent and rights of the employees. Therefore, employers need to be mindful and responsible about how they use employee monitoring automation and ensure that they balance it with human involvement and oversight.

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New Regulations for Employee Privacy

A third trend that will influence the future of employee monitoring is the emergence and enforcement of new regulations and laws that aim to protect the privacy and rights of employees, especially in the digital age.

According to a report by Gartner, 48% of employees are concerned about their privacy when using employee monitoring software, and 56% of employees want to have more control over their monitoring data.

This means that employers need to be aware and compliant with the existing and upcoming regulations and standards that govern employee monitoring, and ensure that they respect the privacy and dignity of their employees.

Some of the regulations and laws that employers need to consider when implementing employee monitoring include the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada.

These regulations and laws require employers to inform and obtain consent from their employees before monitoring them, to limit the scope and purpose of the monitoring, to secure and protect the monitoring data, and to respect the rights and requests of the employees regarding their monitoring data.

Therefore, employers need to be aware and compliant with the relevant regulations and laws that apply to their employee monitoring practices, and ensure that they follow the best practices and standards for employee privacy and data protection.

Focus on Employee Wellbeing

A fourth trend that will affect the future of employee monitoring is the focus on employee wellbeing, which refers to the physical, mental, and emotional health and happiness of employees.

Employee well-being has become a priority for many employers and employees, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the stress and uncertainty in the work environment.

According to a survey by Gartner, 68% of employees reported higher levels of stress due to the pandemic, and 29% of employees reported that their mental health has declined since the pandemic began.

This means that employers need to find ways to monitor and support the well-being of their employees and ensure that they are healthy, resilient, and satisfied.

The best employee monitoring app can play a role in enhancing employee well-being, by helping employers identify and address the factors and issues that can affect the well-being of their employees, such as workload, work-life balance, engagement, motivation, and feedback.

However, root-level employee monitoring can also have a negative impact on employee well-being, by creating a sense of pressure, anxiety, and distrust among employees, and reducing their autonomy, privacy, and creativity.

Therefore, employers need to be careful and respectful about how they monitor the well-being of their employees and ensure that they balance it with empathy and compassion.

More Diverse Workforce

A fifth trend that will shape the future of employee monitoring is the increase in the diversity and inclusion of the workforce, which refers to the representation and participation of different groups and identities in the work environment, such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, religion, and sexual orientation.

Diversity and inclusion have become important goals and values for many employers and employees, as they can enhance the creativity, innovation, and performance of the work teams, and foster a culture of respect, belonging, and equity.

According to a report by McKinsey, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile, and companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on executive teams were 36% more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile.

This means that employers need to find ways to monitor and support the diversity and inclusion of their workforce and ensure that they are fair, equitable, and respectful.

Employee monitoring tools can contribute to the diversity and inclusion of the workforce, by helping employers measure and evaluate the diversity and inclusion of their work teams, and identify and address the gaps and barriers that can prevent or hinder the diversity and inclusion of their employees.

Employee monitoring can also help employers provide and promote opportunities and initiatives that can enhance the diversity and inclusion of their employees, such as training, mentoring, networking, and career development.

Conclusion

Employee monitoring is a complex and evolving practice that can have both positive and negative impacts on the work environment, work performance, and the work experience of employers and employees.

The key to successful employee monitoring in the future is to balance the needs and interests of both employers and employees and to ensure that employee monitoring is done ethically, legally, and respectfully.

A robust employee monitoring software like TrackOlap can help employers identify and address issues related to employee productivity, such as distractions, procrastination, inefficiency, and low performance - by offering real-time data with an analytical dashboard. It also helps employees stay focused, motivated, and engaged in their work, and provides them with feedback and guidance on how to improve their productivity.