Remote Work Tracking Apps Are Lowering Productivity and Morale

Employees have expressed a desire for help and support from their employers — but when do they cross that line?

Some employers still insist on monitoring their employees’ every move with tools like “mouse tracking” and keyboard monitoring. But employees can take short breaks—in fact, time away from screens can boost productivity. Employers need to learn to trust their employees more to get through their to-do lists without stepping on their toes.

“Rather than focusing on disciplining employees with keyboard switches, organizations should focus on implementing programs that drive engagement,” says Hannah Yardley, director of people and culture at employee engagement platform Achievers. “This shows employees that these work-life balance practices are not only welcomed by the organization, but also embedded in its values.”

Read more about the benefits of leaving employees alone at work: Employers’ Attempts to Monitor Remote Workers Are Backfiring

Of course, being too distracted at work is a problem — but workers often find that the distractions come not from their personal lives but from the tools they need to get their work done. Nearly half of workers are distracted at least once every 30 minutes According to a research report by software company Unily, the majority of users access tools from the workplace, with almost a third of users being distracted at least once every 15 minutes by notifications popping up in the workplace.

“There’s a real opportunity here to step back and understand how these tools can be used more effectively in their role,” says Kaz Hassan, community and industry lead at Unily. “We need to figure out how to connect all of these things to make flexible and remote work more sustainable and end this culture where we always have to be ‘on’ and notified.”

Read on to learn more ways to simplify your technology use at work and minimize distractions: 48% of employees said they were distracted every 30 minutes

In addition to tracking employee performance, there are some areas where employees actually want their employers to play a role. Morgan Stanley found that more than 80% of employees believe their employer should be more proactive in helping them address financial concerns. Offering resources that support their financial well-being and help them achieve their financial goals can help them make tangible progress.

AfireFi financial platform uses AI to help employees create a financial plan: AI-driven questions and live assistance help them connect with their “why,” encouraging short term and long term money habits they must achieve them.

Learn more about how to support your employee financial plan with the right benefits: Setting financial goals helps employees achieve financial well-being

Employers can’t ignore the fact that employees have lives outside of work – supporting them and their families should never be seen as a bad thing. Alice Potts, EY’s Experience Manager, took advantage of the company’s generous parental leave policy, Pathways to Parenthood benefits program and flexible work schedule to return to work after giving birth to twins.

“My life stage changed, and I still had support,” Potts says. “And if I hadn’t found that support, I probably would have had to leave (EY) and find something else.”

Learn more about the benefits of family support in building a loyal workforce: How EY supports parents after maternity leave