How To Track What Employees Are Working On
Working remotely has become more the trend in the workforce. But many employers need a way to track that the employees are doing what they say and ensure that they are being productive. So how can you track an employee?
There are many ways you can track your employees which include the following:
- Using a tracking application like Wolfeye.
- Ensuring they have a work computer at home.
- Track email or program activity.
- Monitor employee productivity.
- Make a task list.
These will help you as an employer ensure that employees are staying on task and complete the assignments provided to them. Continue reading to figure out how you can implement these into the workday.
How To Track What Employees Are Working On
Tracking employees while they work remotely has become easier than ever. You can track them many different ways including the following:
- A tracking application
- The employee uses a work computer.
- Track via email or program activity
- Monitoring employee productivity
- Making a task list
It may be scary to allow your employees to work remotely on tasks because there is no visual confirmation of workflow, but it has proven that employees are still quite productive remotely. All you need to do is implement these to ease your worries.
Use A Tracking Application
There are so many tracking applications that your employee can install on their computer so that you can see they are staying on task. There are many that are cheap and within a company’s budget.
Wolfeye is a great application to use with a free three day trial so you can test out all the perks that come along with it. Many applications, like this one, provide the following features:
- Live PC screen sharing
- Screenshots
- Information of websites visited
- Begins at start up
- Runs invisibly
- Works on both PC and mobile phones
You can feel assured that you are paying for the proper monitoring to ensure that your employees aren’t sitting there watching videos or visiting websites they aren’t supposed to while on the clock.
Ensure They Have A Work Computer
Ensuring that your employees have a work computer and are using one while on the clock is one of the best ways to track an employee’s work progress. This gives the employer complete access to anything that is completed on that computer. Here are a few other benefits as well:
- You can track the laptop.
- You have control of what is downloaded on the laptop.
- More company privacy so data is less likely to be leaked.
- Allows your employee to have privacy on their own computer since they don’t need to use it for work.
- You can use the laptop for new employees if the old employee quits.
This is a difficult route for small companies. They may not be able to pay for the upfront costs of a computer with a laptop anywhere from $500 to $4500, depending on the features.
If your employees would have a computer in the office, then you can provide them a laptop at home. This ensures that you access the right information and still provide your employees privacy within their home.
Track Email Or Program Activity
One of the more simple ways to track your employees is to track their email activity. You can see if they are sending out emails and completing the write tasks.
If you are a smaller company using G Suite, you can track any documents your employees are making, what they are doing on their email, and access their browser history while they are logged into their company account.
You can also track an employee’s progress with whatever applications you use. Some companies use a call center application while others use other programs. Check your employees progress in those applications to ensure they are completing their tasks.
Monitor Employee Productivity
You can monitor your employee’s productivity in many different ways without downloading an app to track their computer screen. Here are some of those ways to ensure things are getting done:
- They are meeting sales, quotas.
- They are turning projects in on time or early.
- Their projects are well organized and clean.
- Client feedback is good.
- There are no complaints from peers or clients.
- Your employee responds quickly while on the clock.
Now, not meeting all these criterias doesn’t mean that your employee isn’t doing what they are supposed to be doing. If a complaint does come in, it doesn’t mean they aren’t working.
Remember to use reason and right communication to ensure that you aren’t jumping to conclusions when it comes to identifying if your employee isn’t working.
Make A Task List
If you feel that productivity may be slacking from your employee, sometimes you need to help them get organized. Some employees don’t do well without structure, like an office or someone redirecting them back to their task.
You can make a task list for your employees to work through so that they do all the work that needs to be done during the day. There are even programs that both you and your employee can access that can help keep them on task.
Sometimes providing an outline of what you want is the easiest way to communicate your needs as an employer and what you expect from your employees. Employees love knowing what their expectations are.
What Makes A Good Tracking Application?
There are so many tracking applications, it is difficult to to choose one. So what makes a good tracking application that you can use to track your employees.
Applications have improved with the rise of remote jobs and so you can find all sorts of perks. But finding the right application can be a little difficult. So what makes a good tracking application?
To figure what makes a good tracking application, the best question to ask yourself is what do you want from a tracking application? So here are some things you can ask to see if a tracking application is for you:
- Does it have location tracking?
- Does it provide live recording?
- Does it have screen shots?
- Does the plans fit my needs, bundles, large corporation vs. small corporations?
- Are there any free trials?
You want a program that offers a free trial so you can see what features they have. Not all interfaces are the same and so getting a little sneak peak at it will help you decide if the program is the right fit for you.
Wolfeye: A Great Option
Wolfeye is a newer tracking program that provides many features to ensure your employees are working. Many of these perks are perfect for a company looking to keep tabs on their employees. Look to the table to see if it is right for you:
Pros | Cons |
● 3 day free trial ● Live PC screen sharing ● Better for smaller companies ● Screen shots ● Browser history tracking data ● 97 euros or about $104 a year for one computer. ● Monitor’s internet behavior ● Provides a dashboard of employee activity | ● Newer company ● Only in select countries ● Supports only Window computers. |
One of its best features is the Live PC screen sharing which allows an employer access to an employee’s computer at any time. You don’t have to request for them to share the screen, you just access it and see if they are on task.
You can get a report of your employees and what their activity looks like. This keeps you on top of things without having to search through every recording to ensure that the employee is doing what they need to do.
It also provides a 3-day free trial that gives you access to all the features Wolfeye has to offer. You can see if this program is right for you. If you decide it isn’t, you just cancel and move onto another program (which not all will give you a free trial).
Tips To Keeping Your Employee On Task
As the employer, it is your job to keep your employees on task. This task sometimes seems difficult, especially now that most employees are working remotely, but it is possible. Here are some tips to keep them on task:
- Keep them organized.
- Provide clear expectations and goals.
- Be realistic.
- Allow for breaks.
- Look for feedback.
- Optimize your workflow.
These all can improve the work environment and give your employees more motivation to stay on task.
Keep Them Organized
Keep your employees organized. When the employer is a mess, it makes it difficult to keep employees on task and it takes a lot longer for projects and tasks to be completed.
Ensure that you have a structure within your company that will help only optimize their productivity. It is okay to change things within that structure to improve it, but ensure that you aren’t just throwing something new at your employees each day.
There will always be some employees that can work independently and stay on task, while others may need a little more structure. Each employee is different.
As the boss, you need to figure out which is the best way to keep them organized and on task, whether it is a checklist or something as simple as a reminder.
Provide Clear Expectations And Goals
Always have clear expectations of your employees. When they know what to provide you, you are more likely to get that from them. Don’t just leave the interpretations up to them.
Outline any goals that you have for that day, week, or even month. This provides a finish line for employees that will help them cross it. They can start planning on what needs to be done and when.
Be Realistic
Be realistic with your expectations and goals. There will always be unexpected delays with a project, so be realistic. Don’t get upset if something out of your employee’s control causes a setback.
Don’t push too many goals on your employees. This can create burnout and will increase the risk of your employees quitting or just not worried about the work they are doing. You don’t want to lose quality work because of burnout.
Allow For Breaks
Allow some breaks for your employees. Yes, they are working remotely, but they are allowed to have a few down times during the work day. It is a normal part of the work day.
Even when employees are in the office, they will take a break from the computer to get coffee, grab a snack, or go to the restroom.
Even encourage breaks! Breaks are important to provide increased productivity. It can be daunting sitting at a computer all day. Movement helps the blood flow and provides better cognition. Breaks are good!
Look For Feedback
Always ask for feedback from your employees. They are on the ground seeing everything. They may have insight on how to help improve productivity and efficiency with whatever projects and jobs you are working on.
Feedback also improves the work environment. It shows your employees that they are a part of the company and that their insight matters. Employees who don’t feel like they are a part of the company will not show as much productivity.
Don’t take this feedback personally. It is great that your employees are willing to open up to you and you don’t always need to implement all of their feedback.
Optimize Your Workflow
Optimize your workflow by redirecting basic tasks using other programs. You can use programs like Asana to help you optimize your workflow. It helps in ways like:
- Send automated emails or messages.
- AI chats can minimize the need for employees to be on chat.
- Helps prioritize which tasks need to be completed.
- Keeps everyone up to date on what needs to be done and what has been completed.
- Provide live and up to date feed on projects, tasks, and other items.
You want your employees prioritizing the more imperative tasks over the menial ones. You want to get rid of tasks that may take up their time. Look into applications to help you do that and use them when necessary.
Conclusion
Employees can be tracked in so many different ways. You don’t have to settle with one route over the other. To optimize your company’s productivity, implement different options and follow these tips to keep your employees on task.