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Remote and hybrid work arrangements continue to reshape the way employers approach performance management, and many organizations are turning to technology to help supervise offsite workers. Whether an employer simply notes when remote workers are available online through a platform such as Teams or Slack or uses more sophisticated software to track keystrokes and other activity, monitoring remote employees has its pros and cons.<\/p>\n
Employers will need to understand the relevant legal risks and balance the value of such practices with the potential impact on employee morale. Here\u2019s what employers should consider as they review and revise their remote-work policies. <\/p>\n
The Benefits of Monitoring Workers<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the dramatic increase in remote-work arrangements since the inception of the pandemic\u2014and the stickiness of those arrangements to this day\u2014many employers are looking for ways to monitor productivity and ensure that employees are available and working during business hours,\u201d says Risa Boerner, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
How can technology help? Employers can use systems to track productive and unproductive time while employees work remotely, notes Amber Clayton, SHRM-SCP, senior director of SHRM\u2019s HR Knowledge Center. For instance, a monitoring system could detect when an employee is performing tasks that aren\u2019t job-related, such as surfing the Web for restaurant recommendations or things to do on the weekend. <\/p>\n
Monitoring can also be useful for timekeeping purposes, particularly with hourly employees. Accurate systems can help address potential wage and hour issues that may arise when nonexempt employees work offsite, explains Brent Sedge, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Dallas. <\/p>\n
Sedge notes the following additional benefits:<\/p>\n
Monitoring solutions can also help employers protect sensitive business information and ensure it is not inadvertently lost or stolen or intentionally removed for competitive purposes. <\/p>\n
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Compliance Is Complicated<\/span><\/p>\n Employers should be mindful of employee privacy rights, including those contained in specific monitoring laws as well as common law and even state constitutional rights to privacy in certain locations, Boerner notes. <\/p>\n She cautions that employers that monitor employees may unintentionally capture personal information, such as an employee\u2019s membership in a protected class or participation in after-hours activities that may be protected by off-duty conduct laws. As a result, Boerner says, employers should consider limiting the scope of monitoring and providing notice of the practice, even when it\u2019s not expressly required by statute. <\/p>\n In addition, employers should pay attention to differences in state law. For instance, a Texas worker performing duties remotely from California could potentially expose an employer to liability under the California Privacy Rights Act. Because of concerns like this, employers may want to restrict employees from working outside of their respective states, if practical. <\/p>\n Sedge suggests taking a proactive and transparent approach to minimize the legal risks. \u201cThis can allow employers to enjoy the benefits of a flexible workforce while reducing their overall legal risk,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Focus on Morale<\/p>\n In addition to reducing legal risks, transparency may help put skeptical workers\u2019 minds at ease. Inevitably, some employees will resist being monitored and may even be less productive if they think they\u2019re being closely watched or micromanaged. In these cases, proactive communication could provide reassurance and help get workers back on track.<\/p>\n \u201cEmployers should communicate why they are using an electronic monitoring system, what it does and how it will be used,\u201d Clayton says. She recommends that employers ensure employees understand that the system is not designed or intended to monitor what they do in their personal lives.<\/p>\n Sedge similarly suggests that employers should go beyond issuing a privacy policy that simply discloses the type of data being collected. While having and sharing such a policy is a great start, he says, an employer that is more transparent and explains the reason for the monitoring may face less resistance than an employer that takes a \u201cbecause-we-said-so\u201d approach. <\/p>\n A Patchwork of Laws<\/p>\n Employers should work with counsel to review the many federal, state and local laws that could come into play when monitoring employees, says Risa Boerner, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Philadelphia. Consider the following examples: <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Weigh the Alternatives<\/p>\n Because every workplace environment and culture is different, using technology to monitor productivity may work for some businesses but not for others. The good news is that employers can assess productivity, performance and employee engagement in a variety of ways. <\/p>\n Many managers schedule regular check-ins with remote employees either on the phone or through a videoconference, Clayton explains. Some managers ask employees to document projects or tasks they are working on. Others use a timekeeping software system that requires workers to clock in and out, which might seem less invasive to an employee.<\/p>\n If the goal is to protect confidential data and trade secrets, Boerner says, employers can consider implementing security controls that limit employees\u2019 ability to save, copy or print sensitive data. This can help protect the company\u2019s confidential information without the need for monitoring. <\/p>\n Want to remove potential distractions? Implementing strong computer use policies and limiting access to certain websites that are not needed for business purposes can reduce the likelihood that employees might spend time visiting those sites rather than focusing on work, Boerner notes.<\/p>\n The key is to stay focused on performance metrics. Remote workers are much less likely to object to a monitoring suite that provides insights into performance through analytics than a requirement to be visible on a webcam during all work hours, Sedge says. In principle, both address the same employer concern: ensuring a productive workforce.<\/p>\n Lisa Nagele-Piazza, SHRM-SCP, is legal content counsel for Fisher Phillips in Atlanta.<\/em><\/p>\n Illustration by Adam Niklewicz.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n