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
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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
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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

Many studies show that remote workers are happier in comparison to those working in an office. Yet, while the idea of remote work is exciting for many people, after a while, when people have their deadlines and commitments, it may not be enough of a productivity motivator.


For remote employees to be happy, productive and achieve their full potential, they continually need to be engaged, inspired, and motivated.


But how do you keep your remote employees engaged, motivated, and inspired all the time? 


You may think that it is not easy, but there are six simple methods you can apply to keep your remote employees engaged.


Connect Through Tech


For connecting with remote employees, you first need to cover all the basics. Make sure you provide your employees with hardware and software that will enable them to communicate with the rest of the team easily.


If it is possible, connect with your remote employees outside of the virtual space as well. Meeting face to face can help everyone feel more connected. It will give all employees time to meet each other on a more personal level, and these relationships will in return make collaboration more seamless. 


When it comes to other forms of communication, email should not be the only communication device you use. Instead, set up a team chat software like Slack or Microsoft Team. Software like this can help foster a more casual conversation among your employees. Making it easy for your employees to connect increases the likelihood that they will build a stronger bond, making them more engaged.


Remote Onboarding New Hires


Employee onboarding helps new hires acclimate to their new environment so that they can work productively and comfortably in the company. Since your employees are in different corners of the world, it is not likely that you will be able to bring them to your headquarters (of course, assuming that you have one). Instead, you can use video chat apps for face-to-face meetups with the new hires.


It is also essential to make the new employee feel welcomed to the team. You can do that by introducing them to other team members to help them build relationships with their coworkers more easily.


Additionally, you can create a remote “buddy system”. It means each of your new employees will have a dedicated buddy to help them meet the company, everyone on the team, or answer any of the questions they might have. This person should usually be on the same team as the new hire, but you should encourage that they meet people from other teams as well.


Setting Goals


For remote companies, setting measurable goals is a must for keeping track of employees' progress, their contribution to the company, and whether or not they were able to reach the desired goals. 


To set up measurable goals with remote teams, you need to identify measurable goals. Next, you need to break those goals into smaller tasks that an employee will be able to do. Also, the goals should have a start and an end date, and they have to be regularly improved, monitored, and adjusted as needed.


To monitor the progress on goals, you can use a remote employee desktop monitoring software. With it, you will observe how your employees are spending their time at work and how much time it takes them to complete specific tasks. With most remote employee desktop monitoring software, you can also set up task deadlines, making it even easier for you to follow the employees’ progress. Using work from home tracking software is one of the smartest – if not the smartest way – to measure goals and follow the progress of your remote employees.


Collaborate Efficiently


Collaboration in a team is essential, and it is an area that most of us need to improve.


To foster effective collaboration in your company, you need to encourage your employees to hear each other out and keep their conversations open at all times. 


Next, they need to bring all of their ideas into one place. Once everyone's thoughts are on the table, all of you need to fuse those ideas into a common one that you all can work towards achieving.


Regular Check-Ins


In a remote environment, you must regularly talk about the progress everyone is making. However, getting employees to sync at the same time can be a challenge. That is why you need to establish a habit of regularly checking-in with all team members. 


Check-ins are usually organized as one-on-one conversations between managers and employees about the progress they made on their tasks and projects. A check-in should not take longer than a few minutes per employee over video or text chat. Alternatively, you can also send out a structured questionnaire for employees to fill out and send over to you. But, we do recommend that you go with video chats, since it will give you more face time with everyone on your team.

By using work from home monitoring tools, your check-ins can go much smoother as you can have an overview of how your remote employees are spending their days at work.


To engage your employees, you need to regularly check-in on them as that is one of the only ways you can gain insights into what needs to be changed so that they are more productive at work.


Remote Team Building


Remote team building brings your teams closer and creates stronger bonds between remote employees, as well as more engaging employees.


Some of these remote team building activities include:


  • Playing online games together;
  • Starting a book club;
  • Sharing pics of your family, pets, most prized possessions, or anything other you feel is worth sharing with your teammates;
  • Watching movies together via Netflix Party,
  • Show and tell.


The options for virtual bonding are almost endless, and we are sure you will be able to come up with something that works for your team.


To Sum Up


Remote employees need to be engaged  to stay motivated and on the top of their game. 


To keep your employees engaged, you can do a lot, including connecting through tech, setting goals, improving the onboarding process for your new hires. You can also collaborate more efficiently, regularly checking in with everyone, and at the end of the day, have fun with your team.


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Productivity and Efficiency Improvements

Best Practices to Keep Your Remote Employees Engaged

Written by
Vojin Deronjic
Published on
June 17, 2020

Many studies show that remote workers are happier in comparison to those working in an office. Yet, while the idea of remote work is exciting for many people, after a while, when people have their deadlines and commitments, it may not be enough of a productivity motivator.


For remote employees to be happy, productive and achieve their full potential, they continually need to be engaged, inspired, and motivated.


But how do you keep your remote employees engaged, motivated, and inspired all the time? 


You may think that it is not easy, but there are six simple methods you can apply to keep your remote employees engaged.


Connect Through Tech


For connecting with remote employees, you first need to cover all the basics. Make sure you provide your employees with hardware and software that will enable them to communicate with the rest of the team easily.


If it is possible, connect with your remote employees outside of the virtual space as well. Meeting face to face can help everyone feel more connected. It will give all employees time to meet each other on a more personal level, and these relationships will in return make collaboration more seamless. 


When it comes to other forms of communication, email should not be the only communication device you use. Instead, set up a team chat software like Slack or Microsoft Team. Software like this can help foster a more casual conversation among your employees. Making it easy for your employees to connect increases the likelihood that they will build a stronger bond, making them more engaged.


Remote Onboarding New Hires


Employee onboarding helps new hires acclimate to their new environment so that they can work productively and comfortably in the company. Since your employees are in different corners of the world, it is not likely that you will be able to bring them to your headquarters (of course, assuming that you have one). Instead, you can use video chat apps for face-to-face meetups with the new hires.


It is also essential to make the new employee feel welcomed to the team. You can do that by introducing them to other team members to help them build relationships with their coworkers more easily.


Additionally, you can create a remote “buddy system”. It means each of your new employees will have a dedicated buddy to help them meet the company, everyone on the team, or answer any of the questions they might have. This person should usually be on the same team as the new hire, but you should encourage that they meet people from other teams as well.


Setting Goals


For remote companies, setting measurable goals is a must for keeping track of employees' progress, their contribution to the company, and whether or not they were able to reach the desired goals. 


To set up measurable goals with remote teams, you need to identify measurable goals. Next, you need to break those goals into smaller tasks that an employee will be able to do. Also, the goals should have a start and an end date, and they have to be regularly improved, monitored, and adjusted as needed.


To monitor the progress on goals, you can use a remote employee desktop monitoring software. With it, you will observe how your employees are spending their time at work and how much time it takes them to complete specific tasks. With most remote employee desktop monitoring software, you can also set up task deadlines, making it even easier for you to follow the employees’ progress. Using work from home tracking software is one of the smartest – if not the smartest way – to measure goals and follow the progress of your remote employees.


Collaborate Efficiently


Collaboration in a team is essential, and it is an area that most of us need to improve.


To foster effective collaboration in your company, you need to encourage your employees to hear each other out and keep their conversations open at all times. 


Next, they need to bring all of their ideas into one place. Once everyone's thoughts are on the table, all of you need to fuse those ideas into a common one that you all can work towards achieving.


Regular Check-Ins


In a remote environment, you must regularly talk about the progress everyone is making. However, getting employees to sync at the same time can be a challenge. That is why you need to establish a habit of regularly checking-in with all team members. 


Check-ins are usually organized as one-on-one conversations between managers and employees about the progress they made on their tasks and projects. A check-in should not take longer than a few minutes per employee over video or text chat. Alternatively, you can also send out a structured questionnaire for employees to fill out and send over to you. But, we do recommend that you go with video chats, since it will give you more face time with everyone on your team.

By using work from home monitoring tools, your check-ins can go much smoother as you can have an overview of how your remote employees are spending their days at work.


To engage your employees, you need to regularly check-in on them as that is one of the only ways you can gain insights into what needs to be changed so that they are more productive at work.


Remote Team Building


Remote team building brings your teams closer and creates stronger bonds between remote employees, as well as more engaging employees.


Some of these remote team building activities include:


  • Playing online games together;
  • Starting a book club;
  • Sharing pics of your family, pets, most prized possessions, or anything other you feel is worth sharing with your teammates;
  • Watching movies together via Netflix Party,
  • Show and tell.


The options for virtual bonding are almost endless, and we are sure you will be able to come up with something that works for your team.


To Sum Up


Remote employees need to be engaged  to stay motivated and on the top of their game. 


To keep your employees engaged, you can do a lot, including connecting through tech, setting goals, improving the onboarding process for your new hires. You can also collaborate more efficiently, regularly checking in with everyone, and at the end of the day, have fun with your team.