How To Choose An Appropriate Computer Monitoring Software?

Computer monitoring software is a kind of workplace surveillance that allows employers to collect vital information regarding their employee’s productivity, computer usage, and location. When used effectively, it can provide valuable insight on time usage gaps to help determine which employees are productive and those that are inefficient.

Besides, the rapid growth of remote working especially due to the current global pandemic makes employee monitoring software an important tool for employers.

If you’re considering implementing a computer monitoring software tool, here are five factors you should consider when choosing the right one for your company.

Consider your budget

When selecting an employee monitoring software, it is crucial to first know the total cost. Computer monitoring software comes in different forms. Some are free or relatively cheap and others require a sizable investment. The needs of your company will determine the kind of monitoring software you choose.

Usually, for basic tasks such as keystroke logging and time tracking, you can invest in a low-cost piece of software. However, for serious security breaches, you may be required to invest a bit more to get comprehensive monitoring software.

Think about your budget and how much money you can comfortably spend on the monitoring software without interfering with your organization’s daily operations. For large companies, a sizable budget may be a no-brainer, but small companies must not overlook the cost when shopping around for this tool.

Usability

The primary reason for investing in employee monitoring software is to save time on issues such as payroll calculations, process supervision, attendance tracking, and project overview. Therefore, selecting software that takes months to master or is difficult to use can be very frustrating.

Invest in software that is intuitive and easy for your supervisors and managers to use on a daily basis. The software should make their work easier, not harder.

Generally, you should spend about 30 minutes trying to understand where each function is and the report it generates. Anything more is a waste of resources and time.

Also, take into consideration the usability of the monitoring software when choosing the appropriate one. It must be user-friendly for it to be effective. Ensure that you can use it without needing the assistance of tech support or an IT guy.

Besides, you don’t want your employees feeling like they are being watched, thus interfering with their productivity.

The number of employees being monitored

Selecting an appropriate monitoring software must begin with knowing the number of employees being tracked. The size of your organization will influence numerous factors such as possibilities for data aggregation, functionalities, and implementation.

If you’re tracking a small number of employees, it may be economical to use a free monitoring software that does not have a lot of functionalities and features. There are many simple monitoring tools that are capable of controlling internet access and tracking productivity.

However, if you’re tracking hundreds or thousands of employees, you should consider investing in a top-of-the-line tool that can monitor multiple devices simultaneously. A more comprehensive software can help you investigate tools such as keystroke logging, GPS systems, time management, and video surveillance.

Besides, if your employees work remotely, you should look for software with functionalities that make monitoring remote employees non-intrusive and painless.

Ease of installation

The ease or difficulty of implementing a tracking software can be a good sign of what your experience will look like while using it. The installation process should be easy and smooth and one that does not require extensive technical expertise to successfully implement it.

For instance, a tracking software like SoftActivity is super easy and will save you a lot of time because it uses an active directory that allows you to install the software on all computers at the same time.

Security

Data breaches have become quite common because advancements in technology have made sensitive information easily accessible to hackers. Ensure that the monitoring software you choose is capable of protecting sensitive information from threats such as computer viruses and cybercriminals.

The last thing you want is valuable information that is critical to your company’s operations falling in the hands of cybercriminals and putting your organization, employees, and clients at risk.

Choose a tracking software that offers a high level of security to avoid compromising your organization’s information.

Conclusion

Employee monitoring software is of numerous types. Depending on the needs of your company, it is important to take into consideration which factors are most valuable to you before selecting the tool that best suits your organization.

This ensures that you get a tool that fits your budget and needs without compromising on usability and security.