Computer monitoring is a term quite familiar to the corporate sector. Many small to large enterprises deploy computer surveillance software also known as the computer monitoring system to keep tabs on their employees’ activities. But why is there a need for computer monitoring that makes businesses invest in such a system and how can these systems be used? Let’s find out.

What’s Computer Monitoring- in a nutshell:

You may have seen many CCTV cameras installed here and there for security reasons; however, computer monitoring is no different. In terms of keeping an eye on the employees’ work habits i.e. tracking their activities and how they engage with websites, all can be recorded, thanks to the computer monitoring software. Such a system allows employers to ensure all employees comply with the work and confidentiality policies of the company. In a nutshell, when an employee uses her work computer in the office or remotely, her employer can track what she does on the computer using the software. 

A list of activities companies usually track:

• The login information the employees use to sign into their PC or laptops.

• Online transferring activities like emails, files and other internet use.

• Any communications whether internal or external made through the company network like instant messages.

• Following keystrokes to figure out search and other activities.

• Time tracking to know how much time is spent on different tasks.

• Track of software, apps and sites opened during the work hours.

• The IP address and location to track remote employees.

• Internal and external storage like HDDs, USB drives and peripheral devices like the printers.

Enterprises store all employee data processed via computer monitoring system on servers that are secure as per their compliance policy. Running analytics on the saved data helps the HR personnel to evaluate performance of employees. Also, by studying employee behavior, they can motivate less-driven employees, boosting their productivity.

Working of a computer monitoring system:

A computer monitoring system is a software that may be offered as an independent software or as a part of a workforce management or information security software suite. Once an on-site or remote employee gets connected to the company network, he’ll come under the radar of computer monitoring. Some of the features that these systems offer are as under:

• Time tracking, email and attachment tracking, hard copy i.e. printed materials tracking to ensure confidentiality and prevent time theft.

• Screen recording and screenshots for remote employees to ensure they are working.

• A robust authentication process to prevent data theft.

• GPS tracking for remote employees.

• The analytics tool that analyses employee behavior based on their PC activities and engagement with the internet, determining overall employee performance.

Some ventures use computer monitoring programs that offer one or two features like time tracking and analytics while some may use all features for advanced monitoring of their employees.

Why there’s a need for computer monitoring in workspaces that makes it a part of companies’ IT infrastructures:

Let’s see why monitoring the computers of employees has become significantly an increasing practice among companies. 

1- Enhances employee’s efficiency:

It’s easy to get distracted while working on many tasks that may make employees lose focus and turn to non-work related activities that affect their work efficiency. However, when an employee knows that he’s been watched over by his manager, then he may abstain from engaging in useless and time-wasting things that may hamper his productivity during the working hours.

So, monitoring computers creates discipline and a sense of awareness within the employees that helps businesses improve workflow and decorum of the company as the  employees do their job right. It also helps the HR personnel to evaluate the performances of employees at the end of the month.

Moreover, employees who are underperforming may receive motivation and key tips from their supervisors to combat their weaknesses and work better.

2- Regulate companies’ confidentiality policies:

There is always a certain risk when it comes to revealing client’s information to the work teams. The employer may never know when some employee intentionally or by-mistake shares the secret information with his competitors.

Breachment of data and sharing of personal information of other employees is another issue. Use of illegal websites that can compromise company data or pose a threat to network security is also a problem that employees can instigate. So, to counter all these issues and regulate the corporation’s confidentiality policies, a computer monitoring system plays a crucial role.

The effective screening of employees’ computers paired with advanced machine learning can help employers calculate the potential risk factors via the insights that are gained by studying the patterns in the employee’s behaviour. This may help corporations eliminate any threatening factors in time.

3- Ensure compliance with government laws:

Employees are not only liable to follow the corporation’s policies but also adhere to the certain government laws like the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), PCI DSS (The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). It is essential for enterprises to ensure compliance with the laws set by the government in order to avoid any legal penalties.

That’s why computer surveillance technology is the best option for companies to deploy. This way they can ensure that employees are not breaking any laws and doing the given tasks correctly, following the complete code of work ethics.

Final thoughts:

Computer monitoring software adds value to a company’s IT infrastructure. However, enterprises may also make sure that they follow the best practices for monitoring their employees’ computers without compromising the employees’ privacy. The employees must be well-informed about the surveillance system and should give you their consent before being monitored via their computers. The employer must not track the employees personal IDs and passwords and be transparent about all policies related to surveillance.

Based on the company’s size and requirements, an employer may choose a suitable computer monitoring system that fulfils the purpose of improving work quality, motivates employees to be productive and efficient, helps maintain the compliance policies and strengthens the network security within the workplace.