How to onboard your workforce to employee monitoring software

Much of this animosity stems from misconceptions about the reasons employers decide to implement the system. A lot of employees view this decision as a sign of distrust. The rest is brought about by not knowing how employee monitoring software works, what can be tracked and how the data will be used.

This can all be straightened out by simply talking to your employees before the implementation of the tracking system. This onboarding process is extremely important not only for the continued employee job satisfaction, but also for the smooth and ethical use of the software. Having this in mind, it’s not a question of whether you should tell your employees about the planned computer tracking in the workplace but of how to do it properly.

This article will aim to do just that - outline how you should go about onboarding your employees to the future use of employee monitoring software in the company so that they get a chance to adapt to this important change in the best possible way.

Tips for Breaking the News

The first question to tackle is: When is the right time to inform your workers about employee tracking software? The basic principle is - it’s never too early to do it, but even one day after implementation is too late. Try to do it at least a week earlier, though, so that it doesn’t come as a complete shock.

The next thing to consider is what to tell employees exactly. If you were the one researching and looking for the right employee monitoring software, you’ve probably learned quite a lot about how it works and what features it has, but during the onboarding stage, you need to assume that your employees know nothing about it. This means that you should start with the basics - What is employee computer monitoring software?

You can start by explaining that the system works by collecting data on employees’ computer activities and that you’ll be able to track which apps and websites they use, how much time they spend on those, as well as how long they spend away from their computers. You should also make sure not to fail to mention any additional features that you plan on using, such as screenshots, attendance tracking, productivity measurements, etc.

Since monitoring employees in the workplace is such a drastic change, you need to include as much detail as possible considering the use of the system. For instance, explain to them that they won’t need to have any interaction with the program and that all the data will be collected automatically. Also, don’t forget to mention who will have access to their data, how it’s going to be used and what benefits you’re expecting to see as a result of using employee monitoring software.

What Kind of Reaction Can You Expect?

After you’ve explained your reasons for implementing screen monitoring software, most of the doubts about this system being a sign of distrust should be eliminated. But still, you should anticipate some additional questions, concerns and comments. What’s important is to listen to and answer all of these questions. To that end, you should allocate a time slot at the end of the onboarding session that’s going to be used for voicing opinions and asking for additional clarification.

In order for you not to go into this totally unprepared, here are some of the most common questions about employee tracking software for PC: Should I change my behavior? Will you be able to read my social media feed? Can I turn off the system during break times? How will my performance be evaluated from now on? There might be more of these, so try to predict them and think about the answers.

The most important thing to remember, however, is to always be honest about everything. If your aim is to use the software for business optimization, then you have nothing to hide and your employees are going to understand this. But be responsive to your employees’ opinions and concerns.

Conclusion

Implementing employee monitoring software in the workplace isn’t a small change, so a proper onboarding process is a must. Just be detailed, honest and open to hear the workers’ perspective, and you’ll have an open road to getting all the benefits you’ve been hoping for without compromising your ethical standards or your employees’ trust.

This is a featured post.