Workpuls Teramind ActivTrak Hubstaff DeskTime Time Doctor RescueTime Kickidler Veriato Work Examiner
OVERVIEW
Price $6/user/month $6/user/month $7.20/user/month $7/user/month $7/user/month $9.99/user/month $6/user/month $9.99/user/month $150/licence/year $60/licence (lifetime)
Free trial 7 days 7 days No 14 days 14 days 14 days 30 days 7 days Yes 30 days
Ease of use Very easy Difficult Very easy Easy Easy Very easy Very easy Very easy Very difficult Easy
TRACKING METHODS
Unlimited (tracker working 24/7)
Fixed (defined working hours)
Automatic (when computer is connected to a specified network)
Manual (start/stop)
Project based (track time only on projects)
GENERAL MONITORING FEATURES
Stealth mode
App and website usage
Real-time monitoring
Offline time tracking
Attendance
Activity levels
Keylogger
Geolocation
Remote desktop control
Website/activity blocking
SCREENSHOTS AND RECORDING
Screenshots
Screenshots on demand
Screen recording
PRODUCTIVITY FEATURES
Productivity trends
Websites and apps labeling
Category labeling
Productivity alerts
ADVANCED SECURITY FEATURES
User behavior analytics
Data loss prevention
Advanced file and web monitoring
REPORTING
Productivity reports
Team reports
Timelines
Email reports
Access management
PLATFORMS
Web
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
Mobile app iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android Android
Browser extension Chrome Chrome Chrome
Other Citrix, VMware Chrome OS
OTHER
Support Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Email, online Phone, email, online, in-person Online Phone, email, online Email, online, Viber, Whatsapp Phone, email, online, support ticket Phone, email, online
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Integrations comming soon
API
Deployment cloud, on-premise cloud, on-premise, AWS, Azure cloud cloud cloud cloud cloud on-premise cloud, on-premise on-premise
Kronos Humanity Timeclockplus Tsheets Wheniwork Deputy Replicon Jibble EbilityTimeTracker OnTheClock BeeBole
OVERVIEW
Price(per month)Available upon requestFrom $2 per userAvailable upon requestFrom $6.40 per user+$16Free for up to 75 usersFrom $2.50 per userBasic plan:$30 for 5 users+$5 per additional userFrom $1.50 per employeeFrom $4 per user+$8From $2.20 per user$5.99 per user per month
Free trial30 days14 daysYes14 days14 days14 days30 days30 days,no credit card required
Ease of useDifficultEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyEasy
FEATURES
Timecard management
Scheduling
Shift Trading
Timesheets
Break time management
Real-time tracking
PTO Management
Payroll
Invoicing
Client billing
GPS tracking
Clock out reminders
Alerts
Manual time
PUNCH-IN METHODS
Web app
Mobile app
Time clock device
Time clock kiosk
Facial recognition
Fingerprint scanning
Geofencing
Group punch-in
REPORTING
Visual reports
Email reports
Time rounding
MANAGEMENT
Permissions
Manager approvals
Add time for others
Integrations
PLATFORMS
Web
Android app
iOS app
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
OTHER
SupportPhone and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,chat and onlinePhone and chatEmail and onlineChat and phonePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlineOnline chat and video support in English,French,and Spanish
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Community forum
API

Imagine setting up a system of remote work that allows your company to grow while your employees get the desired flexibility.

A system like this needs strong foundations, and they are listed in this concise guide.

Read on to learn how to measure productivity of an employee working from home while steering clear of micromanagement.

1. Organization of Work

Investing time into project planning and organization of tasks and subtasks is a job half-done. Check out how you can improve the organization of work within your company:

Lay Out Bite-Sized Objectives

Breaking larger tasks into smaller milestones can increase task visibility. Implementing this system can also motivate employees by providing clear markers of progress.

This method can be standardized across teams to aid in managing and integrating new members without overwhelming them.

Use Project Management Software

Project management tools offer a non-intrusive way to monitor team productivity. These platforms, like Trello, Jira, and Asana, provide easier tracking of task completion and workload distribution. Thanks to them, leaders can manage projects effectively and ensure fair work distribution.

Define Due Dates

Setting realistic deadlines for each task helps employees prioritize their work. At the same time, it allows managers to gauge the adequacy of resources. To set realistic and achievable expectations, PMs need to collaborate with employees and ask for their estimations.

2. Accountability

Keeping employees accountable without making them feel like you are pressuring them is not an easy task. This is how to set about solving it:

Track KPIs, OKRs, & ROI

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Objectives & Key Results (OKRs), and ROI for each employee are essential for tracking productivity. Here are some more details:

  • KPIs are specific to each role, reflecting individual performance through relevant metrics.

  • OKRs complement KPIs by setting broader business goals as well as breaking them down into achievable tasks for teams and individuals.

  • The ROI of each employee helps ascertain their contribution to your business's success.

These metrics help monitor progress and ensure that remote employees align with company objectives. Honesty and transparency in these assessments are necessary for fostering trust and accountability within the team.

Introduce Monitoring Software

Employee monitoring tools track and analyze the attendance, work style, and productivity of each worker. With the collected data, they detect workflow and resource allocation deficiencies, as well as areas for improvement for every individual within the company structure.

Insightful is a robust set of monitoring tools that is popular across industries. It is equally useful in remote, hybrid, and office environments.

Besides tracking employee work hours, it allows monitoring of app and website usage, as well as automatic and on-demand screenshots. Insightful also allows integration with numerous project management tools to make workflow smoother. These functionalities reinforce the sense of accountability in employees and help employers always be aware of what their employees are doing.

3. Communication

A leader cannot organize work well or keep their employees accountable without efficient communication. Take a look at the two important tactics for improving internal communication:

Schedule Frequent Check-Ins

Frequent team meetings and individual check-ins are vital for staying updated on progress toward KPIs and OKRs. These sessions should encourage open feedback and allow for adjustments in work plans based on employee input and project developments.

Emphasize the Importance of Openness 

Ensure that every employee understands that effective communication is the building block of remote work productivity.

Build a supportive work culture by encouraging interaction via group chats, updates, and recognitions. To be able to do this, you must provide channels for instant messaging, such as Slack, in addition to email as a channel for formal updates.

Maintaining Remote Employee Performance

Studies show that happy employees are more productive. This is why, beyond measuring productivity, it is critical to nurture a positive and engaging remote work environment. To do this, a leader must recognize and reward hard work, prioritize employee wellbeing, and ensure comfortable work setups.

Conclusion

Setting up a highly efficient remote work system is much more than sending people home with their laptops and a request to keep their web cameras on during the entire shift.

Constant and intrusive surveillance is far from efficient remote work management. The two have nothing to do with each other.

Focus on providing all necessary information. This applies to both data necessary for actual tasks and the info regarding the company’s short and long-term goals. Be clear when explaining what is expected and how each employee’s achievements will be measured.

Support your workers every step of the way through regular check-ins and feedback and watch your team and company thrive together.

We’ve reserved a 7-day free trial for you….

Want your hybrid or remote team to be more productive?

Claim your free 7-Day full feature trial of Insightful today. Insightful’s actionable work insights make your team more productive, efficient and accountable.

Ready to Take Full Control Of Your Workplace?

Try the simplest solution today…

Start Free Trial
Remote Work Management

How to Measure Productivity of an Employee Working from Home: 3 Pillars of Remote Team Success

Written by
Vanja Savic Petrovic
Published on
April 10, 2024

Imagine setting up a system of remote work that allows your company to grow while your employees get the desired flexibility.

A system like this needs strong foundations, and they are listed in this concise guide.

Read on to learn how to measure productivity of an employee working from home while steering clear of micromanagement.

1. Organization of Work

Investing time into project planning and organization of tasks and subtasks is a job half-done. Check out how you can improve the organization of work within your company:

Lay Out Bite-Sized Objectives

Breaking larger tasks into smaller milestones can increase task visibility. Implementing this system can also motivate employees by providing clear markers of progress.

This method can be standardized across teams to aid in managing and integrating new members without overwhelming them.

Use Project Management Software

Project management tools offer a non-intrusive way to monitor team productivity. These platforms, like Trello, Jira, and Asana, provide easier tracking of task completion and workload distribution. Thanks to them, leaders can manage projects effectively and ensure fair work distribution.

Define Due Dates

Setting realistic deadlines for each task helps employees prioritize their work. At the same time, it allows managers to gauge the adequacy of resources. To set realistic and achievable expectations, PMs need to collaborate with employees and ask for their estimations.

2. Accountability

Keeping employees accountable without making them feel like you are pressuring them is not an easy task. This is how to set about solving it:

Track KPIs, OKRs, & ROI

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Objectives & Key Results (OKRs), and ROI for each employee are essential for tracking productivity. Here are some more details:

  • KPIs are specific to each role, reflecting individual performance through relevant metrics.

  • OKRs complement KPIs by setting broader business goals as well as breaking them down into achievable tasks for teams and individuals.

  • The ROI of each employee helps ascertain their contribution to your business's success.

These metrics help monitor progress and ensure that remote employees align with company objectives. Honesty and transparency in these assessments are necessary for fostering trust and accountability within the team.

Introduce Monitoring Software

Employee monitoring tools track and analyze the attendance, work style, and productivity of each worker. With the collected data, they detect workflow and resource allocation deficiencies, as well as areas for improvement for every individual within the company structure.

Insightful is a robust set of monitoring tools that is popular across industries. It is equally useful in remote, hybrid, and office environments.

Besides tracking employee work hours, it allows monitoring of app and website usage, as well as automatic and on-demand screenshots. Insightful also allows integration with numerous project management tools to make workflow smoother. These functionalities reinforce the sense of accountability in employees and help employers always be aware of what their employees are doing.

3. Communication

A leader cannot organize work well or keep their employees accountable without efficient communication. Take a look at the two important tactics for improving internal communication:

Schedule Frequent Check-Ins

Frequent team meetings and individual check-ins are vital for staying updated on progress toward KPIs and OKRs. These sessions should encourage open feedback and allow for adjustments in work plans based on employee input and project developments.

Emphasize the Importance of Openness 

Ensure that every employee understands that effective communication is the building block of remote work productivity.

Build a supportive work culture by encouraging interaction via group chats, updates, and recognitions. To be able to do this, you must provide channels for instant messaging, such as Slack, in addition to email as a channel for formal updates.

Maintaining Remote Employee Performance

Studies show that happy employees are more productive. This is why, beyond measuring productivity, it is critical to nurture a positive and engaging remote work environment. To do this, a leader must recognize and reward hard work, prioritize employee wellbeing, and ensure comfortable work setups.

Conclusion

Setting up a highly efficient remote work system is much more than sending people home with their laptops and a request to keep their web cameras on during the entire shift.

Constant and intrusive surveillance is far from efficient remote work management. The two have nothing to do with each other.

Focus on providing all necessary information. This applies to both data necessary for actual tasks and the info regarding the company’s short and long-term goals. Be clear when explaining what is expected and how each employee’s achievements will be measured.

Support your workers every step of the way through regular check-ins and feedback and watch your team and company thrive together.