Tips for Ethically and Legally Monitoring your Employees

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Employee monitoring is no longer a very rare phenomenon and a number of companies have begun to monitor workplace monitoring the staff and employees who work for them. While some may be monitoring their employees without informing them, others may do so in a transparent way, which allows their workers to be aware that they are being monitored and that they too should be careful with regard to the activities they undertake at work. The following are some of the ways in which electronic monitoring in particular can be conducted in an effective and fair approach.

1. Come up with written policies:

It is a must that a corporate policy be derived on the use of the internet as well as devices which will make responsibilities and rights of everyone clear to them and would also come in handy in case the company was to be challenged legally. As employers, risks and security needs should be defined along with weighing the expectations employees have towards privacy and then come up with a policy, which strikes a balance between the two. Rules should be set which determine the proper use of email, social network sites, instant messaging, blogging and using the internet along with the download of apps and software’s. It would also be a wise idea to come up with an electronic code of conduct, which employees can sign.

The policy derived should clearly spell out how monitoring will be conducted and whether the data captured will be kept secure or whether it will be destroyed. The business as well as employee’s needs to be protected and a high level manager can be put in place along with putting checks and balances on his power as well.

2. Let your employees know:

Let your employees know the risk to the business from an improper use of digital devices, the digital policy of the company, the limits, which are placed on employee privacy in the company and the fact that monitoring will be taking place. A transparent and fully informed consent should be taken or else the company could run into legal and/or morale issues. By simply telling people that they are being watched could end up having a deterrent effect. Connecticut and Delaware require employers to let their workers know that they are being monitored electronically but this is definitely a good practice to follow regardless of where you live. Encourage employees that they should keep their private communications to their personal computers and smart phones and should only use work gadgets for work purposes.

3. Make use of technology tools:

Make use of products which are available for monitoring computers, cell phones and networks. In order to reduce the amount of office friction that could be an outcome, to reduce the collection of personal information and the time you personally spend on the task, make use of technology that can alert you if a problem does exist and you can then take matters into your own hands.