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
Workpuls Hubstaff Toggl TimeDoctor Harvest TimeCamp Timely Everhour Tick TMetric
OVERVIEW
Price (per month) $6 per user $5.83 per user $9 per user $9.99 per user $10.80 per user $5.25 per user $99 for 5 users $7 per user $19 for 10 projects $5 per user
Free trial 7 days 14 days 30 days 14 days 30 days Yes 14 days 14 days 30 days 30 days
Ease of use Very easy Difficult Difficult Very easy Easy Very easy Easy Difficult Very easy Difficult
TIME TRACKING METHODS
Manual
Start/stop buttons
Automatic time mapping
IN-DEPTH TASK AND PROJECT ANALYSIS
Screenshots
App and website usage
Activity levels coming soon
Real-time tracking
TASK AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project adding
Project templates
Project status
Task assignment
Task priorities
Budgeting coming soon
Mark billable/non-billable hours
Payroll calculation
Invoicing
ALERTS
Idle time reminders
Deadline alerts coming soon
Budget alerts coming soon
REPORTING
Client login
Productivity analysis
Email reports coming soon
PLATFORMS
Web
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app coming soon
iOS app Beta
Android app
Browser extension Chrome Chrome, Firefox Chrome Chrome Chrome, Firefox Chrome Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge
OTHER
Support Phone and online Email and online Email and online Online Online, email and phone Email, online and support ticket Email and chat Email and chat Email Chat
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Integrations coming soon
API
On-premise hosting

As we move into a new age of work, our reliance on technology grows. Learning how to work more effectively in the modern era begins with understanding your tech. 

More and more employees are beginning to embrace remote work or a hybrid workplace model in today’s world. This means that organizations are faced with the need for an increasing number of devices and applications for managing productivity inside and outside of the workplace. 


The issue? 


With so many different options and types of remote work apps, you may find yourself faced with a host of security risks and productivity slippages due to the sheer number of options and combinations. This can happen even if you’re putting significant thought into tracking productivity for remote workers on your team.  


To stay safe and productive using modern tech, let’s dive into some of the risks you may encounter and the six remote teams best practices to foster productive use of technology in remote work. 

Why Does Tech Play Such a Crucial Role in the Modern Workforce?

We rely on technology to navigate our day-to-day lives. Technology is everywhere, and that can be an amazing thing. 


Tech has opened up an entirely new way of working. Whether from gig economy workers using smartphones to earn cash on their own time or freelancers utilizing laptops to work globally, technology is an integral part of how we work today. 


Today’s companies need to be able to utilize tech to allow for seamless communication and collaboration between in-person and remote teams. Why? Giving employees the ability to work where they please will often result in more satisfied, productive employees. 


With teams increasingly remote, the challenge for leaders is discovering the best remote tools to manage their global workforce. Many companies have become accustomed to only focusing on technology in the office, which doesn’t provide all the answers when looking to boost remote work productivity. 


Beyond creating efficient systems and processes (and tracking productivity for remote workers), company leaders are also faced with the challenge of avoiding the risks that accompany technology designed for the modern workplace.


So, what are the risks and how do you navigate them?

Modern Tech Challenges for Today’s Leaders

The impact of technology on productivity is undeniable. Tech makes it easier than ever to collaborate, communicate, and coordinate from anywhere. For remote and hybrid teams, this allows for greater remote team productivity that would not have otherwise existed. 


Of course, this doesn’t mean that tech is flawless. Some concerns still remain for company leaders regarding productivity, including:

The Potential for Distractions

Working remotely means always being in front of a device, and supervising remote employees isn’t the same as supervising them in the workplace. We all know the temptation of opening up a new tab to watch a funny video. Unfortunately, the potential for distractions is always a threat to remote employee productivity. 

Not Having the Right Tools

There are so many tools designed for a specific purpose, but that doesn’t mean that every tool will be a good fit for every team. If you end up choosing the wrong tools, your team may fall behind as a result. 

Having Too Many Tools

Having too many tools can be just as detrimental as not having any of the right tools. When you’re not consolidating your communication into one platform, you have to utilize multiple tools to get the job done, which can waste time and make collaborating effectively near impossible. 

A Lack of Structure at Home

All the productivity tools in the world can’t help remote staff focus if they’re not providing themselves with the proper structure at home. If they don’t have a dedicated working space, lack a work schedule, or only work and don’t maintain a good work/life balance, their productivity will naturally be affected. This will happen regardless of whether or not you have remote employee productivity monitoring software. 


With Technology Comes the Need for Security

Beyond productivity, leaders should also be concerned about security. Security concerns are often centered around:

Data Breach Risks

Remote workforces are at a greater risk of data breach risks due to the use of personal devices and data storage in cloud programs that would not otherwise be conducted in the workplace. Should you not have the proper protection on all employee tech that contains sensitive data, this can be a cause for concern. 

Work Conducted on Personal Devices

As we stated above, personal devices aren’t the most secure, and that leaves both you and your employees vulnerable to hacks that could otherwise be avoided. The last thing you want is a hacker coming in and taking valuable information and ruining your systems. 

Devices Being Used in and Out of the Office

Keeping track of devices leaving the office and being operated remotely can be difficult. Should they be lost or stolen, those are costs that you have to pay to replace these items. Should they be hacked after they’ve been taken, this can be potentially damaging to your company as well. 


Put simply, there are many things to consider when using tech to streamline your remote or hybrid operations. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to improve your experience when shifting over to a new way of working. 

How to Foster Productive Use of Technology

Making sure that your technology works for you is simple. Some of the key remote productivity tips to utilize are the following. 

1. Pay Close Attention to Employee App and Internet Usage

Monitor the use of applications and websites to determine which tools are the most important to your employees and which need to be restricted. You can do this by tracking productivity for remote workers and seeing which apps yield fewer results during working hours. 

2. Offer Contextual Access to Applications and Websites

Provide contextual access to applications and websites to certain employees based on their roles. For example, if an employee needs access to Facebook for marketing purposes, they would receive access. Meanwhile, someone who works on the development team may not. 

3. Allow Employees to Access Certain Websites During Breaks

Give employees access to social media and news sites that they can use during downtime. Remember, forcing employees to work 24/7 is not conducive to a productive remote work environment. Breaks are necessary!

4. Keep Out-of-Office Devices Secured to Avoid Data Breaches

Secure company data on devices in the workspace, personal devices that have been authorized for remote use, and company devices that are being used in and out of the office via a hybrid workforce. 

5. Develop a Tech Toolkit That Minimizes App Usage

Develop a tech toolkit that offers your team one solution for every need to avoid a fractured system of tools that hinder your productivity. For instance, nominate Slack as your primary communication tool, limit video meetings exclusively to Zoom, and channel all your project management to JIRA. 

6. Train Your Workforce on How to Use Tech Efficiently

Give your employees the proper training and expectations so they know how to use their technology and understand what is and isn’t permitted. You can enforce these expectations with remote employee productivity monitoring software. 


Technology can either be a major distraction or a serious supporter of your team’s productivity. Make it the latter by leveraging the tips above to create strong remote or hybrid workplace systems for your team!

Adjusting to Remote Work Needs Is a Must

Remote work and hybrid work environments rely on technology to get work done, but that doesn’t mean that all teams are using available applications efficiently. To foster a productive remote work environment, we must understand the many productivity and security risks that can befall any organization and learn from these. 


The guide above will give you the right direction to develop systems and implement safeguards to avoid such pitfalls and increase your organizations’ efficiency. Once you have all the systems in place, you can supplement them with remote employee productivity monitoring software to track your employees’ productivity and keep them engaged!


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
Productivity and Efficiency Improvements

6 Remote Productivity Tips To Help Remote Teams Use Technology Productively

Written by
Bojana Djordjevic
Published on
July 9, 2021

As we move into a new age of work, our reliance on technology grows. Learning how to work more effectively in the modern era begins with understanding your tech. 

More and more employees are beginning to embrace remote work or a hybrid workplace model in today’s world. This means that organizations are faced with the need for an increasing number of devices and applications for managing productivity inside and outside of the workplace. 


The issue? 


With so many different options and types of remote work apps, you may find yourself faced with a host of security risks and productivity slippages due to the sheer number of options and combinations. This can happen even if you’re putting significant thought into tracking productivity for remote workers on your team.  


To stay safe and productive using modern tech, let’s dive into some of the risks you may encounter and the six remote teams best practices to foster productive use of technology in remote work. 

Why Does Tech Play Such a Crucial Role in the Modern Workforce?

We rely on technology to navigate our day-to-day lives. Technology is everywhere, and that can be an amazing thing. 


Tech has opened up an entirely new way of working. Whether from gig economy workers using smartphones to earn cash on their own time or freelancers utilizing laptops to work globally, technology is an integral part of how we work today. 


Today’s companies need to be able to utilize tech to allow for seamless communication and collaboration between in-person and remote teams. Why? Giving employees the ability to work where they please will often result in more satisfied, productive employees. 


With teams increasingly remote, the challenge for leaders is discovering the best remote tools to manage their global workforce. Many companies have become accustomed to only focusing on technology in the office, which doesn’t provide all the answers when looking to boost remote work productivity. 


Beyond creating efficient systems and processes (and tracking productivity for remote workers), company leaders are also faced with the challenge of avoiding the risks that accompany technology designed for the modern workplace.


So, what are the risks and how do you navigate them?

Modern Tech Challenges for Today’s Leaders

The impact of technology on productivity is undeniable. Tech makes it easier than ever to collaborate, communicate, and coordinate from anywhere. For remote and hybrid teams, this allows for greater remote team productivity that would not have otherwise existed. 


Of course, this doesn’t mean that tech is flawless. Some concerns still remain for company leaders regarding productivity, including:

The Potential for Distractions

Working remotely means always being in front of a device, and supervising remote employees isn’t the same as supervising them in the workplace. We all know the temptation of opening up a new tab to watch a funny video. Unfortunately, the potential for distractions is always a threat to remote employee productivity. 

Not Having the Right Tools

There are so many tools designed for a specific purpose, but that doesn’t mean that every tool will be a good fit for every team. If you end up choosing the wrong tools, your team may fall behind as a result. 

Having Too Many Tools

Having too many tools can be just as detrimental as not having any of the right tools. When you’re not consolidating your communication into one platform, you have to utilize multiple tools to get the job done, which can waste time and make collaborating effectively near impossible. 

A Lack of Structure at Home

All the productivity tools in the world can’t help remote staff focus if they’re not providing themselves with the proper structure at home. If they don’t have a dedicated working space, lack a work schedule, or only work and don’t maintain a good work/life balance, their productivity will naturally be affected. This will happen regardless of whether or not you have remote employee productivity monitoring software. 


With Technology Comes the Need for Security

Beyond productivity, leaders should also be concerned about security. Security concerns are often centered around:

Data Breach Risks

Remote workforces are at a greater risk of data breach risks due to the use of personal devices and data storage in cloud programs that would not otherwise be conducted in the workplace. Should you not have the proper protection on all employee tech that contains sensitive data, this can be a cause for concern. 

Work Conducted on Personal Devices

As we stated above, personal devices aren’t the most secure, and that leaves both you and your employees vulnerable to hacks that could otherwise be avoided. The last thing you want is a hacker coming in and taking valuable information and ruining your systems. 

Devices Being Used in and Out of the Office

Keeping track of devices leaving the office and being operated remotely can be difficult. Should they be lost or stolen, those are costs that you have to pay to replace these items. Should they be hacked after they’ve been taken, this can be potentially damaging to your company as well. 


Put simply, there are many things to consider when using tech to streamline your remote or hybrid operations. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to improve your experience when shifting over to a new way of working. 

How to Foster Productive Use of Technology

Making sure that your technology works for you is simple. Some of the key remote productivity tips to utilize are the following. 

1. Pay Close Attention to Employee App and Internet Usage

Monitor the use of applications and websites to determine which tools are the most important to your employees and which need to be restricted. You can do this by tracking productivity for remote workers and seeing which apps yield fewer results during working hours. 

2. Offer Contextual Access to Applications and Websites

Provide contextual access to applications and websites to certain employees based on their roles. For example, if an employee needs access to Facebook for marketing purposes, they would receive access. Meanwhile, someone who works on the development team may not. 

3. Allow Employees to Access Certain Websites During Breaks

Give employees access to social media and news sites that they can use during downtime. Remember, forcing employees to work 24/7 is not conducive to a productive remote work environment. Breaks are necessary!

4. Keep Out-of-Office Devices Secured to Avoid Data Breaches

Secure company data on devices in the workspace, personal devices that have been authorized for remote use, and company devices that are being used in and out of the office via a hybrid workforce. 

5. Develop a Tech Toolkit That Minimizes App Usage

Develop a tech toolkit that offers your team one solution for every need to avoid a fractured system of tools that hinder your productivity. For instance, nominate Slack as your primary communication tool, limit video meetings exclusively to Zoom, and channel all your project management to JIRA. 

6. Train Your Workforce on How to Use Tech Efficiently

Give your employees the proper training and expectations so they know how to use their technology and understand what is and isn’t permitted. You can enforce these expectations with remote employee productivity monitoring software. 


Technology can either be a major distraction or a serious supporter of your team’s productivity. Make it the latter by leveraging the tips above to create strong remote or hybrid workplace systems for your team!

Adjusting to Remote Work Needs Is a Must

Remote work and hybrid work environments rely on technology to get work done, but that doesn’t mean that all teams are using available applications efficiently. To foster a productive remote work environment, we must understand the many productivity and security risks that can befall any organization and learn from these. 


The guide above will give you the right direction to develop systems and implement safeguards to avoid such pitfalls and increase your organizations’ efficiency. Once you have all the systems in place, you can supplement them with remote employee productivity monitoring software to track your employees’ productivity and keep them engaged!