One of the most critical traits of thriving companies is paying close
attention to how their employees spend their time at work. Such
surveillance is essential to ensure flawless data processing,
especially regarding company data and confidential information about
clients protected by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Although the growing popularity of
user activity monitoring
software is often considered the aftermath of post-pandemic workforce
transformation, such software/tools have been widely utilized across
companies years before to gain visibility into their security levels.
In comparison, today's user activity monitoring software is a large
step ahead, offering multipurpose solutions scalable to different
business sizes.
Go through this in-a-nutshell user activity monitoring guide to find
out:
What's the purpose of user activity monitoring?
-
What are currently the most popular methods for monitoring user
activity?
What are the key benefits of user activity monitoring?
Why use TimeCamp for daily user activity monitoring?
But first,
get your free account
of TimeCamp, a top-notch user activity monitoring software
What is user activity monitoring?
And how does user activity monitoring work?
User activity monitoring is the process of tracking user behavior on a
website, app, or device to ensure the resources are utilized safely,
efficiently, and in compliance with company policy.
The most recommended way to track user activity is with the help of
user activity monitoring tools.
What are the most common features of user activity monitoring
software?
And how can they be used for user behavior analytics?
Googling the phrase "user activity monitoring software " yields many
tools similar in features and solutions for streamlining various
business processes. These tools range from general user activity
tracking components of existing systems to targeted solutions designed
to meet the needs of specific industries and business sizes.
Employee monitoring software
Online and offline user activity tracking tools
log time
users spend on their assignments. They come in different shapes and
features, from simple web timers to fully automated time tracking and
employee computer activity tracking software.
Their biggest advantage is detailed reporting, which provides instant
insight into activities registered when the
timer application
is working.
User productivity monitoring
Offer broader usage of data collected by user activity monitoring
software.
Employee Productivity monitoring tools measure time spent on specific
tasks and register activity during a tracking session. Collected data
can be used to generate detailed breakdowns with the use of essential
productivity metrics. They help identify individual and team
productivity levels,
track work
progress toward company goals, and provide valuable improvement
insights for employers and employees.
Security event manager
Advanced security information and event management tools. This user
activity monitoring solution collects, clusters, and analyzes user
activity data collected by users on their organization-owned devices
in real time, supporting data discovery and classification.
A thorough analysis of collected data aids in monitoring user behavior
and provides a clear overview of the company's security state.
GPS tracking software
Monitoring user activity by tracking their location is essential to
the field workforce management toolkit (which is also suitable for
remote teams). Installed on employees' mobile devices, they provide
real-time user location data. Often, they come with a geofencing
feature, which, for example, clocks in the employee once they reach
the destined job site.
Constant access to location data is crucial for field employees' user
behavior analytics. It also helps detect suspicious activity, such as
arriving elsewhere during work hours.
Data capture tools
User activity capturing tools include monitoring user activity by:
-
Monitoring user activity by recording screens of company devices
used by employees.
Taking screenshots randomly or at set intervals.
Keystroke logging.
Tracking visited websites and used applications.
Supervisors with access to a monitoring dashboard can see employee
activity in real time, such as the websites they browse, their apps,
or how long they work on one document.
It also helps assess whether in-office or remote employees act
randomly, as they should, or use jiggling devices or key clamping to
mimic human activity and send automated responses, causing the
monitoring software to consider their work time fully productive.
Many service providers blend two or more features in one user activity
monitoring software, providing a comprehensive overview of captured
time and activity data. However, you can still find activity
monitoring tools that cater to special needs teams and focus on a
certain activity tracking method.
What are the key benefits of user activity tracking?
User activity monitoring software is a must-have for
security-oriented, thriving companies.
In which areas it can help your company improve?
Data breaches prevention
-
Suspicious activity detection: User
activity reports
provide detailed breakdowns of browsed websites and files, and
used apps, all to to prevent insider threats or detect the
existing threat and react in time.
-
Location and device data: User activity
monitoring tools help prevent external threats by introducing
access controls regarding the location or device from which users
try to access company data.
-
Compliance with data protection laws: Top
user activity monitoring tools are regularly certified for data
protection and security compliance to deliver the safest data
processing services to their users.
-
Access controls:
Employee activity monitoring software
helps build employee hierarchy based on access privileges for
sensitive data processing.
Employee performance improvement
-
Detailed audit logs: A detailed user activity
history registered for a specific day helps detect suspicious user
activity and implement preventative measures for employees who
neglect their responsibilities.
-
Instant overview of employee activity: Tracking
employee productivity involves classifying user activities as
productive or unproductive, enabling user behavior analytics based
on identifying and eliminating unnecessary distractions.
-
Transparent, trust-based work environment:
Employee monitoring software with activity tracking promotes
transparency among team members and encourages proactive behavior.
-
Effective time management practices provide remote employees
with tools to regularly assess how they utilize their working
hours, promoting self-improvement and more efficient workload
planning.
Streamlined workload management
-
Seamless task tracking: See in real-time how your
employees work to plan and manage workload according to the
current team's capacity.
-
Higher task completion rate: Employees aware of
user activity monitoring software running on their computers tend
to focus better on their assignments.
-
Enhanced communication: Computer usage
monitoring tools with collaboration features keep remote teams
connected and make it seem like they share the same workspace
despite the distance.
-
Control budgets: Measuring time and activity
for specific tasks helps prepare more accurate budget estimates to
compare them with actual spending when the project steps into its
execution and closure phrases.
Simplified workforce management
-
Streamlined payroll: Integrating a remote
monitoring tool with accounting systems ensures accurate payroll
lists and timely compensations, which is crucial for building
trust-based employee-employer relationships.
-
Reduced micromanagement: Thorough analysis
of time data provides more detailed information about employee
productivity and is much less stressful for employees than
constant nagging.
-
Strengthened team cohesion: Remote monitoring
tools build a bridge between in-office, remote, and hybrid
employees, fostering an inclusive remote culture.
-
Employee self-service: Remote workers tend to
work longer hours than their in-office colleagues. Time and
activity data help supervisors track their overtime and react when
numbers indicate their employees work excessive hours.
Enhanced security
-
Centralized system: Using one multipurpose tool
for monitoring employees helps implement solid data security
measures to avoid sensitive data breaches and aids in successful
insider threat detection.
-
Full law compliance: Certified
remote employee monitoring
tools cater to employers' needs for the highest data protection
standards and compliance with employment laws around the globe.
-
Proactive attitude: Employees are comfortable
with their online activity; they should not give it too much
thought or, quite the opposite, use its features to their favor.
Implementing user activity monitoring tools should be the first step
for companies to keep up with the rapid workforce transformation. Just
one app can spoon-feed employers with activity summaries for each
employee, suppressing their urge for extended control and stressful
micromanagement practices.
So, what user activity monitoring tool should thriving teams choose?
business intelligence - reporting
How does TimeCamp streamline employee time monitoring?
What's the best user activity monitoring software that tracks time
and computer activities?
It's TimeCamp, the first-choice employee activity monitoring software
of thousands of companies worldwide.
Get your TimeCamp account and get a detailed overview of employee
activity, including:
-
How much data and of what nature do they process during the work
day?
How engaged are they in their work time activities?
-
At what time do they
start and finish
their work days?
And many more! If you need high-quality employee performance data
based on time and activity tracking, it's time to register a free
TimeCamp account.
Let's find out which assets in its rich toolkit help you monitor
employee activity!
Automated time tracking
How does TimeCamp monitor employee time?
TimeCamp is designed to adapt to your team's workflow, offering a
variety of time-tracking solutions suitable for monitoring employees
across different industries:
-
Automatic Time Tracking: The desktop app
(available for Mac, Windows, and Linux) automatically tracks user
activity and time, assigning entries to the appropriate projects
and tasks.
-
Timesheets: Users can fill out time logs by
either starting a new timer or manually entering their time. These
timesheets display all time entries recorded through various
tracking methods in TimeCamp. Both employers and employees can
easily access these logs, fostering a culture of transparency
within the organization.
-
Mobile Apps: The iOS and Android apps enable
users to track time remotely, even when offline.
Regardless of your preferred way of employee activity tracking,
TimeCamp's excellent synchronization across all apps ensures accurate
time records and timesheets that adhere to employee management
regulations.
Read more: Ways of tracking time in TimeCamp
GPS and Geofencing
TimeCamp mobile device apps provide real-time data about their mobile
workforce's whereabouts.
With Geofencing, you can assign job sites to specific users and tasks.
Once an employee enters the target location, TimeCamp automatically
starts a new timer and assigns the entry to the task.
Employers can monitor when and how long their team or specific
employees have been working in a specific location.
Read more: TimeCamp Geofencing
Computer monitoring software
Desktop applications operate in the background, collecting information
about user activity. Specifically, these internet monitoring tools log
the names of visited websites and applications, as well as the precise
time employees spend using them.
Employers can configure employees' computer activity features
according to their team's workflow. They can:
-
Define a timeframe of a typical workday at their
company (when the activities should be tracked).
-
Determine whether desktop apps should track
time and computer activity or only work hours.
-
Specify the amount of private time (total break
time per work day).
A desktop app works in the background to help users fill out their
timesheets without any distractions. Its usage should be clearly
communicated to the users to maintain the highest level of
transparency between employers and employees.
Read more: Computer Activities in TimeCamp
Screenshots
This is an optional feature of a desktop application. When enabled and
the app is running, the system automatically takes screenshots every
10 minutes and saves them for later review. Only administrators and
supervisors can access these screenshots; they have 60 days to review
the records.
Read more: Screenshots in TimeCamp
Detailed reports
Employers and supervisors can create performance overviews that offer
detailed insights into how employees spend their time at work. These
clear breakdowns can help identify the reasons for declining employee
engagement rates or, conversely, allow them to recognize and reward
highly productive team members.
Read more: People reports in TimeCamp
Time and attendance tracking
Tracking employee absences is an essential aspect of the TimeCamp
monitoring system. The attendance module can be customized based on
timesheet data or computer activity, depending on what best suits your
team's work.
An attendance report displays a breakdown of each employee's
workweek, including data such as:
The hours of clock-ins and outs.
-
The number of hours in between (compared to a default workday
length for this company).
Overtime value.
Private time value.
-
An overview of leave balance for the year in progress, including
sick time and remote work days.
A brief review of employee attendance data reveals whether employees
meet their required working hours and are punctual. Additionally, it
allows for evaluating whether their overtime leads to improved
performance and enhanced work outcomes.
Read more: Attendance reports in TimeCamp
Idle time tracking
An important addition to TimeCamp's employee monitoring features.
A desktop app in TimeCamp registers user activity and, thus, time when
the computer is actively used. If the app doesn't record any
mouse/touchpad or keyboard activity within the previously specified
time, the system automatically registers time away from the computer
and displays instant messages asking the user to define the reason
behind this break (e.g., meeting, or personal time).
If employees frequently misuse this feature, the option to disable
time logging for a particular user is available in the system
settings. Another solution is to limit the assignment of offline
activities to away time, ensuring that it doesn't count as productive
work hours. This can be applied to individual employees or a group of
staff members.
Read more: Idle time in TimeCamp
Employee self-service productivity tracking
Thanks to the real-time activity dashboards, users can access
performance data anytime. The dashboard displays the most frequently
visited websites and apps and daily and weekly breakdowns of tracked
hours, categorized by activity, projects, or tasks.
Activating this feature encourages employers to guide employees in
conducting regular performance self-assessments. This practice helps
employees gain insights into how they allocate their time and enables
them to self-manage their time and tasks, thus
increase productivity.
Read more: Activity tracking dashboard
Does TimeCamp support ethical user activity monitoring?
Absolutely. We strive to help you create a strong employee tracking
system while respecting employees' privacy. Our system does not offer
intrusive user activity monitoring features like keystroke logging or
ongoing video recordings. Instead, it provides features that encourage
employees to take accountability for their work.
Moreover, TimeCamp ensures full compliance with GDPR and other data
protection laws, so none of its apps register sensitive data.
What kind of data does TimeCamp collect?
Employee time data, computer activity to detect keywords in the names
of apps and websites (can be turned off), and computer screenshots
(only if the feature is enabled).
Subscribe to the only employee-friendly time monitoring software that
encourages your team to take ownership of their work time management.