The global pandemic disrupted life in countless ways, but it also unleashed more lucrative remote working opportunities than we’ve ever seen. Before COVID-19, high-paying remote roles were at 4%. When the pandemic set in at the beginning of 2020, they comprised 9% of jobs. By 2022, that figure had risen to over 15%.

But giving employees the gift of convenience and the freedom to choose how and where they work comes at a cost. The lack of transparency into employee activity raises concerns surrounding productivity and efficiency. The good news is that learning how to monitor employee performance using tools like ControTask can help immensely.

Join us as we explore whether employee monitoring is worth it and how it can be successfully implemented so workers remain happy while helping companies achieve their business goals.

Is It Good to Monitor Employees?

It depends on how you go about it.

Are you monitoring employees to identify performance issues? To identify gaps in training? To check for signs of disengagement? To get insights into burnout?

If it’s any of the above, you’re good.

If it borders on spying or micromanaging, take a U-turn. It’s not worth it.

When you monitor employees for the right reasons—and with complete transparency (meaning they know they’re being monitored and for what purpose)—you can open doors to never-before-seen benefits for your business and employee wellbeing. These include:

  • Addressing potential security threats and preventing data breaches

  • Optimizing resource allocation to improve processes and workflows

  • Minimizing pinch points and reducing overhead costs to boost your bottom line

  • Boosting morale and engagement to ensure better retention (As the average cost per hire is nearly $4,700, low turnover can help you save big bucks.)

  • Increasing productivity because employees are more mindful of their working styles and browsing behaviors, resulting in higher profits for your organization

Because of its many benefits, close to 80% of employers use monitoring software.

What Are the Different Ways to Monitor Employee Performance?

Before we get into the different methods for monitoring employee performance, let’s quickly review who should monitor employee performance. Evaluating employee performance is generally the responsibility of the manager in charge. Team managers collect the individual performance data of each employee under them and assess the team’s overall progress. This is then communicated to high-level executives who make strategic decisions on behalf of the organization.

Here are five doable ways to monitor employee performance.

1. Host One-on-One Meetings

Every employee is different. Treat him or her accordingly.

Consider your customer service team for example:

  • Some are amazing at conflict resolution.

  • Some are great at connecting with customers.

  • Some are excellent at tracking customer metrics and buying behaviors.

  • Others are better at selling products to discerning clients.

Hence, measuring everyone by the same yardstick won’t help you monitor employee performance—not accurately, anyway. But one-on-one meetings, which increased by a colossal 1,230% from January to December 2020, can help turn the tide in your favor.

They’re a great way to set expectations, assess an individual’s performance, address bottlenecks, provide personalized feedback, and reward good behavior to inspire even better results.

2. Set Smart Goals and Endorse Them to Your Team

What does success look like to you?

To enable your team’s success, you need to know the answer to this question very well, preferably by defining your key performance indicators or KPIs. Alternatively, you can set goals by making sure they’re SMART, meaning they’re specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. After all, people can only help your business if they know what you want to achieve. So, the more well-defined your goals are, the better.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to communicate your business goals with your team. To get everyone on the same page, elaborate on what these goals mean for every department, team, and individual. Remember, teams that set goals enjoy 20% to 25% better work performance.

3. Regular Check-ins for the Win

Do you delegate work to your team?

If yes…that’s great. You can cross it off your to-do list. Now, you can move on to regular check-ins with your team. Whether done weekly or monthly, they help you stay updated on their progress, tackle challenges before they become bigger problems, promote continuous learning, and boost employee engagement.

Consider this: only 15% of employees who don’t regularly meet with their managers felt engaged. In contrast, regular meetings with managers resulted in nearly 45% of employees who felt engaged.

4. Get 360-Degree Feedback

The trouble with assessing performance through feedback is it’s highly subjective. The type of feedback you receive is dependent on who you ask.

So, how do you overcome this obstacle and get a more well-rounded overview of someone’s performance?

Employ 360-degree feedback. Instead of relying on one source of information, get the points of view of several people who work with your employee. This often includes his or her managers, peers, direct reports, and even clients. If someone overly praises or criticizes an employee, you can verify and validate your data against the insights of another.

5. Use Performance Management Software

The first four methods in this list heavily rely on communication and meetings but performance management software automates performance tracking, freeing you to focus on other tasks.

A good employee performance monitoring software allows you to check on your employees. You can see who’s online, when they’re available, what they are working on, and more through detailed reports.

It ultimately allows you to identify your high performers and those who might need extra support. With the data it offers, you can pinpoint employees who might be working too hard, address productivity issues, and eliminate performance problems.

This is a valuable solution whether you have teams working onsite, a hybrid setup, or a fully remote workforce.

Which Employee Monitoring Method Is Right for You?

The right employee monitoring method is based on the industry you’re in. For example, if you’re managing a manufacturing plant, you can measure each worker’s output to gauge performance. But if you’re in the service industry, it’s best to use software that’s been specifically designed to monitor employee performance.

ControTask is an excellent option. This all-in-one monitoring solution offers valuable insights that can help you gauge performance and make necessary changes to your processes. You can see the screens of your employees and check who’s currently logged on.

Because of its cloud-based management feature, you don’t need additional administrative resources to run or install it. ControTask also employs a cleverly designed interface that makes navigating and using it a breeze. Add new users, modify existing accounts, and remove employees from the system without complex processes.

Subscribing to ControTask: Only Pay For the Features You Need

Employee monitoring software doesn’t have to be expensive and complicated. Our pricing plans are flexible and varied so you only pay for what you need. ControTask’s basic plan only costs around $5 a month. This comes with live views of your employees, activity tracker badges, and detailed views. Our most premium plan, the Enterprise subscription, is around $20 a month. It offers advanced features and services like guaranteed data residency and a dedicated customer service line.

You can pay monthly or get a discount by paying annually. Check out all our paid plans here.

Manage Employee Performance With ControTask

How do you know which employees are performing? Who might be spending too much time on certain tasks? Which processes need to be tweaked?

By communicating with your employees regularly, employing 360-degree reviews, and setting specific goals, you can evaluate performance better and boost productivity. Combining these methods with performance management software like ControTask can help you cut down on meetings and assess performance firsthand while identifying bottlenecks in your processes.

A major barrier in managing employee performance is gathering the right information. Using these methods can help you make more informed management decisions that bring you closer to your business goals.