Employee monitoring is increasingly becoming critical in the workplace, and new technologies like video surveillance are making it easier to monitor employee performance and behavior.   

FREMONT, CA: Security guards may not be the source of help at all time. Filling this gap and offering round-the-clock service, video surveillance cameras are now functioning as the second set of eyes for the security guards. Technological advancements in surveillance technology have made video surveillance the perfect security solution. The installation of these devices is considered a one-time investment that is flexible and easy to use. The importance of these computerized surveillance systems in business cannot be understated in the current scenario as it is essential to ensure the safety of individuals and assets at the workplace. It is now one of the most common forms of surveillance available today.

With more accessibility to more technologies, employers are looking for ways to ensure employee productivity, despite possible distractions. Employee monitoring is one of the best means of knowing what workers are doing, considering whether the choice of monitoring is right for the business. Even though workforce environments' response to surveillance is not positive, many organizations are greeting positive results.

The majority of businesses are now monitoring their employees in some way. With a few simple steps, employers can better protect their companies and the people who work there. In the video surveillance system, wireless cameras are placed both indoors and outdoors to monitor locations around the business. It can help prevent employee theft, vandalism, break-ins, and more. Having cameras installed in locations where employees frequently spend more time can allow employees to realize that they are being monitored in those areas. This gives them a chance to correct their unproductive behavior during work hours. With mobile monitoring, employers gain a better understanding of what their employees are doing on all company-owned mobile devices. It allows employers to detect areas that are a time-suck for productivity in non-work-related activities. 

Employee monitoring tools help maximize productivity and ensure compliance with the firm's most important policies. With so many distractions around, it is now easy for employees to lose track of time. With this, there comes a significant loss of revenue for the businesses. Surveillance systems can be used to prevent and catch unproductive behaviors of employees. By installing surveillance systems around the office, employers can easily see which employees are working harder and who are hard at work. This information comes in handy at the time of deciding which employees deserve hikes and promotions.

The data collected regarding employees' are helping employers migrate the time employees spend on non-work activities to more productive uses. Specific knowledge attained through video surveillance gives employers the ability to institute policies that focus on problem areas. If monitoring identifies that workers are engaged in socializing during work hours, management can restrict such practices through the use of filters that prevents access to specific sites.

Reasonable monitoring of employee activities helps to protect the rights of employees, create a safer work environment, secure sensitive business information and assets, and demonstrate compliance with regulations. Employee monitoring is more effective when it is combined with a clear performance management framework and integrated with employee compensation and benefits. The important thing is that the nature of the monitoring and reason for it should be communicated to employees. When monitoring is transparent and sensible, it is more likely to improve employee performance: meaning that surveillance can be useful when it is used in a careful, informed, and strategic way. Indiscriminate collection of employee data without direction can create more problems than it solves. 

See Also: Enterprise Security Magazine Europe