The Art and Ethics of Employee Online Monitoring
Employee online monitoring is a practice that involves overseeing employees’ use of digital technologies in the workplace to assess productivity, ensure security, and enforce company policies. This typically includes tracking the websites employees visit, the emails they send and receive, and the software they use.
According to Gartner VP Brian Knopp, more than 50% of companies with over $750 million in annual revenue have explored unconventional methods for monitoring employees. These organizations track computer activity, including Internet, email, and phone usage, and some even analyze sleep patterns and heart rates to understand their impact on performance.
In 2017, a survey by Crowd Research Partners involving 472 cybersecurity professionals revealed various forms of remote computer monitoring. The most common methods include monitoring desktops, ensuring policy compliance, and tracking applications used, break durations, and attendance.
While online monitoring of employees is legally justified, it comes with ethical concerns. Misuse of monitoring software can lead to worker abuse. However, tools like Traqq offer a way to track remote workers’ activities without dehumanizing them, ensuring productivity and protecting against insider threats.
Traqq, a time tracking and employee monitoring software, allows managers to customize tracking according to user groups. For instance, social media managers may need to spend time on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, which are integral to their job functions. If these sites do not add value to other remote employees’ roles, their usage can be flagged during tracking.
Organizations also use online employee monitoring software to safeguard sensitive data, network infrastructure, and intellectual property. Insiders, such as vendors, employees, and partners, can become threats leading to data leaks. The 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon indicated that 25% of breaches analyzed were caused by insiders, with varying degrees of malicious intent or negligence.
Intermedia Cloud Communications’ 2017 Data Vulnerability Report highlights that employees often find risky workarounds to improve efficiency, which traditional security systems may not detect. Companies now ask, “How can we monitor the entire system effectively?”
Online monitoring software provides insights into activities like file transfers, instant messages, and emails. It identifies red flags indicating potential data compromises or insider threats. In some cases, these tools can also block potentially dangerous activities, offering a comprehensive monitoring solution.
In conclusion, while employee online monitoring offers benefits in productivity and security, it must be implemented ethically and transparently. Tools like Traqq can help achieve this balance by providing customizable and humane monitoring solutions.
