Many employees are working from home; it’s called remote work. Remote work has many advantages, like as less work stress and more freedom as compared to working on-site.
But it also has some disadvantages, such as managers not being able to understand who is working on what. In this blog, we will try to understand how to fix the remote work activity tracking problems.
What is Remote Work Activity Tracking?
When employee is sitting in the office, manager can easily see who is working on what but when an employee is working from home, it is almost impossible to see., that’s why companies use remote employee tracking software and it includes tracking working hours, which apps are most used, what is their idle or tracking and creates daily and weekly report this process called remote work activity tracking.
Problem 1: Remote Employee Feel Constantly Watched
A common and major mistake is that employee feel that companies are spying on them. When they are monitored every hour, every minute, employees cannot work with a relaxed mind, and this also takes away the enjoyment of their work.
There is a simple solution to this problem: companies should tell employees
- Tracking is not used for punishment
- Tracking is used for planning and improvement
- Our software is not tracking your personal information
When employee understand the reason for remote employee tracking, they feel more comfortable.
Problem 2: Manual Time Tracking is Prone to Errors
In many tools, employees have to manage tracking themselves, like
- When employee start their work, they need to press a button.
- When employee stop their work, they need to press a button for stop tracking
The problem is that sometimes they forget to press the start and stop buttons, resulting in:
- Incorrect data
- Inaccurate reports
- Poor decision-making
The solution to these problems is to use an automatic tracking system, which automatically starts tracking when employees begin their work, and the software also detects idle or active time, thereby removing human errors
Problem 3: Mouse Movement Doesn’t Mean Work
This is the biggest misunderstanding. Let’s understand it with an example.
- The writer thinking but mouse is not moving
- The designer making plan fewer clicks
- The manager is meeting screen is idle
Tool says – Idle time but in reality, person is actually working. The solution is that you don’t rely only on tracking. check output also
- Check given task is completed or not
- Were deadlines met?
- What was the quality of work
Check results along with time.
Problem 4: The Confusion of Different Time Zones
Remote teams work with different countries and different time zones like
- Morning in India
- Night in US
- Evening in Europe
If the time tracking tool does not support time zones, the consequences are as follows:
- Working hours appear incorrect.
- There is confusion regarding attendance
The solutions of these problems are using advance employee time tracking tool that understands each employee’s time and adjust reports automatically.
Problem 5: Excessive Tracking Can Lead to Burnout
When an employee feels that every second is being counted so lunch, tea and rest everything getting start skipped and it creates long time burnout.
This is the way solve these problems
Companies should have told this like
- Taking breaks are allowed
- A healthy work routine is so important
- Tracking does not mean pressure
Problem 6: Trust Becomes an Issue
The manager doesn’t communicate with employees on a regular basis because he relies mostly on data, and this removes trust. Employees feel that the manager doesn’t trust them, and the manager believes that the data tells the whole story.
Solutions include tracking progress:
- Maintain regular communication
- Give and receive feedback
- Use data for discussion purposes only, not as a weapon
No tool works without trust between the manager and the employee.
Problem 7: Too Much Data, But no Clear Direction
Some tools are providing too much data for manager and the results are comes out with
- Manager gets confuse with data
- The employee becomes demotivated
It’s virtually impossible to track every website visit, every app usage, and every second spent online.
Solutions to these problems are tracking only important things. like
- Core work apps
- Project time during working shifts
- Productive vs un-productive patterns
Simple data is equal to better decision
Problem 8: Using Tool for Wrong Purpose
Tool is being used for help but some companies use for punishment like
- Warning for every little thing
- Fear of reports
- Micromanagement
These things only motivate employees to appear to be working online, not to actually do any work.
The solution to these problems such as
- Tracking for improvement
- Using tools for planning
- Helping to balance the workload
Problem 9: Privacy is Compromised
Employees are concerned about their privacy, as they fear that their personal chats or personal emails are being taken.
- Screenshots are being taken
- Personal apps such as social media profiles are being tracked
- The data could be used for malicious purposes
We can solve all these problems in this way. Companies need
- Clear privacy policies
- Avoid personal time and personal apps tracking
- To keep data access limited
Companies should send a message to all employees that privacy is a crucial part of our policy.
Problem 10: The Tool is Difficult to Use
If a tool isn’t working properly, for example, if it’s slow, difficult to use, or hard to understand, managers will either use it for the wrong purpose or stop using the tool altogether.
Solutions
Use a simple tool like WorkDesQ
- Easy interface to understand
- No need for high training for understanding
- Easy for downloads reports
Software with a simple and easy interface works well for a long time.
Conclusion: Remote Work Activity Tracking Problems
- Employee always feels comfortable
- Managers are clear
- Tracking software is simple
- Only focusing on results
Tracking doesn’t mean monitoring every second and every hour; it means understanding how a remote team can work more effectively. If you understand the problem, implement the necessary solutions, and the remote tracking tool will become a supportive system.