engagement employee
Monitoring Progress
- or simply spying? W
hilst some organisations were more prepared for remote working than others, many found themselves
entering uncharted waters with little experience of managing remote workforces, writes David McGeough, Director of International Marketing, Wrike. For some business leaders, the desire to
maintain productivity resulted in aggressive surveillance measures, with technologies being used to monitor staff and their activity levels. But, as this market grows, so do concerns around employee privacy. Employee monitoring is nothing new. Even
before Covid, many banks and financial institutions already had these technologies in place as a legal requirement. Last year, Gartner reported that more than half of organisations were using some form of ‘non- traditional’ employee-tracking technique. Yet, in the wake of the pandemic, and
with the economy in turmoil, businesses are facing an uncertain future. This has caused a spike in the number of businesses resorting to surveillance tools designed to track employees whilst they work from home. These technologies can monitor web
“ People feel recognised in different ways. A simple ‘thank you’ from a manager works for many, whilst others want to have their good work recognised in
front of their peers. Jamie Mackenzie, Sodexo Engage
robust wellbeing programme, supporting employees on financial, physical and psychological levels. “It seems some employers think they
are already doing this, but their employees might disagree. Our research also found big discrepancies within SMEs with regards to the perception of wellbeing support. “Four in five SME employers think their business’s health and wellbeing support is effective with regards to helping ensure employees know where to get the support they need when they need it. Only three in five SME employees think the same.”
www.smeweb.com
browsing, record the amount of time spent on an application, and even capture a user’s screen. One such technology – Sneek – even takes a photograph of employees every one to five minutes via their webcam to make sure they do not leave their computer unattended. This business alone saw its sales increase tenfold within the first few weeks of the pandemic. But surveillance technologies often fall
Jon Maddison, Managing Director at the engagement platform Achievers felt that the recent disruption has
“presented a valuable opportunity for businesses to strengthen team connections and place recognition and employee value front and centre”. He added: “With predictions of further
employee cuts and an economic downturn, organisations need to be thinking about what drives participation, improves engagement, reduces attrition, and creates an aligned culture across the organisation. “Sustainable performance isn’t just outcomes. Organisations need to remain alive to the tricky situation their employees are currently faced with and support them with strategies and tools to help them cope and thrive.”n
short of their productivity promise. In fact, investing in such systems can have an adverse effect, creating a barrier of distrust between employers and their workforces. At best, they are intrusive and counter-
productive, negatively impacting motivation levels and business culture. At worst, they are immoral and verge on breaching employee rights – with many individuals initially unaware of the extent to which they are being watched. There’s no doubt that working remotely
takes discipline. But businesses need to trust their employees, supporting them and ensuring that they complete tasks to the highest possible standard, without monitoring their every move.
SME magazine
27
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