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

Mastering budgeting and forecasting is essential for a thriving business, as it enables efficient resource allocation, preparation for upcoming expenses, and setting attainable financial goals.

Employee monitoring serves as a key component in achieving these objectives by supplying managers with precise data on employee performance and productivity.

In this blog post, we'll delve into the benefits of employee monitoring in the realm of budgeting and forecasting, examine best practices for implementation, and explore the future trends shaping this dynamic industry.

The Role of Employee Monitoring in Budgeting and Forecasting

Not only does employee monitoring solve the problem of how to monitor employees working from home, but it can also provide valuable insights that can significantly enhance budgeting and forecasting processes:

Assessing Productivity

Tracking employee performance is an effective way to assess productivity levels. With remote business monitoring software like Insightful, employers can gain insights into how their remote teams are performing, identify areas of high productivity, and pinpoint those that need improvement. 

By analyzing this data, businesses can determine how to allocate resources more effectively and set accurate productivity targets.

Here are a few examples of how businesses can use performance data analysis to allocate resources more effectively:

  • Identify top-performing employees or teams: By analyzing data on employee performance, businesses can identify individuals or teams that consistently perform at a high level. These employees or teams can then be given additional resources, such as more challenging projects or access to specialized training, to help them continue to excel and drive business success.

  • Pinpoint areas of low productivity: Data analysis can also help businesses identify areas where employees or teams are struggling to meet productivity targets. By pinpointing these areas, businesses can allocate additional resources, such as coaching or extra support staff, to help improve productivity and efficiency.

  • Adjust staffing levels: Based on performance data, businesses can determine if they have the appropriate number of employees in each department or role. For instance, if a certain department consistently meets or exceeds its targets with a smaller staff than other departments, the business may choose to allocate resources by reallocating some of the employees from the overstaffed departments to the under-staffed department.

  • Allocate resources based on client or project needs: Performance data can also help businesses understand how much time, money, or other resources are needed for different clients or projects. By analyzing this data, businesses can adjust resource allocation to ensure that they are meeting the needs of their clients while optimizing their resources.

Identifying Trends

By monitoring employee performance over time, employers can identify patterns and trends that can be used to predict future performance. This data can be used to make more informed budgeting decisions, helping businesses optimize their operations and allocate resources more effectively.

Here are a few examples of how businesses can use trends to better manage resources:

  • Personalize training and development: Use employee performance data to create personalized training programs that address the specific skill gaps or areas of weakness identified in the data. This can help employees improve their performance and productivity.

  • Set clear and measurable performance goals: Use employee performance data to set clear and measurable performance goals for employees. This can help businesses measure the effectiveness of their training programs and make adjustments as needed.

  • Identify cost savings opportunities: Use employee performance data to identify areas where costs can be reduced, such as high employee turnover rates or excessive overtime. This information can help businesses make informed budgeting decisions to optimize their resources and reduce unnecessary expenses.

  • Forecast future labor needs: Use employee performance data to forecast future labor needs based on trends and patterns. This can help businesses plan their budgets accordingly and ensure they have the necessary resources to support their business goals.

Streamlining Processes

Employee monitoring can help employers identify inefficiencies in work processes, allowing businesses to optimize their operations and reduce costs. By tracking employee performance, employers can identify bottlenecks in workflows and develop strategies to streamline their operations.

Here’s how employee monitoring can help you streamline processes:

  • Identify inefficiencies in work processes: Use employee monitoring data to identify areas of inefficiency and bottlenecks in work processes. 

  • Develop strategies to optimize work processes: Once inefficiencies are identified, develop strategies to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. For instance, implement new technologies, provide additional training, or restructure work teams. 

  • Monitor progress: Continuously monitor employee performance data to assess the effectiveness of the strategies and make adjustments as needed. This can help businesses stay on track with their budget and resource allocation goals.

Workload Distribution

Employee monitoring can assist employers in achieving a balanced workload distribution among their team members, which is crucial for maintaining productivity and ensuring employee satisfaction. By keeping track of employee performance, employers can gain insights into workload patterns and make informed decisions on resource allocation.

Here's how employee monitoring can help you optimize workload distribution:

  • Identify workload imbalances: Use employee monitoring data to identify areas where workload distribution may be uneven, potentially causing burnout or underutilization of team members.

  • Develop strategies to balance workloads: Once imbalances are identified, develop strategies to distribute workloads more evenly. For example, delegate tasks based on employee strengths, prioritize work based on deadlines, or reassign tasks to avoid overloading certain team members.

  • Monitor individual and team progress: Continuously monitor employee performance data to evaluate the effectiveness of workload distribution strategies and make adjustments as needed. This ensures that resources are allocated efficiently and that employees have the support they need to succeed in their roles.

Determining the Right Employee Monitoring Solution

Selecting the right business monitoring software is crucial for businesses to enjoy the full benefits of this technology for budgeting and forecasting. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a monitoring solution:

  • Ease of use: A user-friendly platform will ensure that both managers and employees can quickly adapt to the new system.

  • Customizability: The ability to customize the monitoring parameters to suit your business's specific needs is essential.

  • Integration capabilities: The employee monitoring solution should integrate seamlessly with your existing tools and systems to avoid any disruptions.

  • Security and privacy: The platform should adhere to strict security standards and protect employee privacy, ensuring that sensitive data is not compromised.

Insightful offers a comprehensive employee monitoring solution that meets these criteria, providing businesses with the data and tools necessary for accurate budgeting and forecasting.

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Employee Monitoring

The Importance of Employee Monitoring for Budgeting and Forecasting

Written by
Kendra Gaffin
Published on
April 17, 2023

Mastering budgeting and forecasting is essential for a thriving business, as it enables efficient resource allocation, preparation for upcoming expenses, and setting attainable financial goals.

Employee monitoring serves as a key component in achieving these objectives by supplying managers with precise data on employee performance and productivity.

In this blog post, we'll delve into the benefits of employee monitoring in the realm of budgeting and forecasting, examine best practices for implementation, and explore the future trends shaping this dynamic industry.

The Role of Employee Monitoring in Budgeting and Forecasting

Not only does employee monitoring solve the problem of how to monitor employees working from home, but it can also provide valuable insights that can significantly enhance budgeting and forecasting processes:

Assessing Productivity

Tracking employee performance is an effective way to assess productivity levels. With remote business monitoring software like Insightful, employers can gain insights into how their remote teams are performing, identify areas of high productivity, and pinpoint those that need improvement. 

By analyzing this data, businesses can determine how to allocate resources more effectively and set accurate productivity targets.

Here are a few examples of how businesses can use performance data analysis to allocate resources more effectively:

  • Identify top-performing employees or teams: By analyzing data on employee performance, businesses can identify individuals or teams that consistently perform at a high level. These employees or teams can then be given additional resources, such as more challenging projects or access to specialized training, to help them continue to excel and drive business success.

  • Pinpoint areas of low productivity: Data analysis can also help businesses identify areas where employees or teams are struggling to meet productivity targets. By pinpointing these areas, businesses can allocate additional resources, such as coaching or extra support staff, to help improve productivity and efficiency.

  • Adjust staffing levels: Based on performance data, businesses can determine if they have the appropriate number of employees in each department or role. For instance, if a certain department consistently meets or exceeds its targets with a smaller staff than other departments, the business may choose to allocate resources by reallocating some of the employees from the overstaffed departments to the under-staffed department.

  • Allocate resources based on client or project needs: Performance data can also help businesses understand how much time, money, or other resources are needed for different clients or projects. By analyzing this data, businesses can adjust resource allocation to ensure that they are meeting the needs of their clients while optimizing their resources.

Identifying Trends

By monitoring employee performance over time, employers can identify patterns and trends that can be used to predict future performance. This data can be used to make more informed budgeting decisions, helping businesses optimize their operations and allocate resources more effectively.

Here are a few examples of how businesses can use trends to better manage resources:

  • Personalize training and development: Use employee performance data to create personalized training programs that address the specific skill gaps or areas of weakness identified in the data. This can help employees improve their performance and productivity.

  • Set clear and measurable performance goals: Use employee performance data to set clear and measurable performance goals for employees. This can help businesses measure the effectiveness of their training programs and make adjustments as needed.

  • Identify cost savings opportunities: Use employee performance data to identify areas where costs can be reduced, such as high employee turnover rates or excessive overtime. This information can help businesses make informed budgeting decisions to optimize their resources and reduce unnecessary expenses.

  • Forecast future labor needs: Use employee performance data to forecast future labor needs based on trends and patterns. This can help businesses plan their budgets accordingly and ensure they have the necessary resources to support their business goals.

Streamlining Processes

Employee monitoring can help employers identify inefficiencies in work processes, allowing businesses to optimize their operations and reduce costs. By tracking employee performance, employers can identify bottlenecks in workflows and develop strategies to streamline their operations.

Here’s how employee monitoring can help you streamline processes:

  • Identify inefficiencies in work processes: Use employee monitoring data to identify areas of inefficiency and bottlenecks in work processes. 

  • Develop strategies to optimize work processes: Once inefficiencies are identified, develop strategies to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. For instance, implement new technologies, provide additional training, or restructure work teams. 

  • Monitor progress: Continuously monitor employee performance data to assess the effectiveness of the strategies and make adjustments as needed. This can help businesses stay on track with their budget and resource allocation goals.

Workload Distribution

Employee monitoring can assist employers in achieving a balanced workload distribution among their team members, which is crucial for maintaining productivity and ensuring employee satisfaction. By keeping track of employee performance, employers can gain insights into workload patterns and make informed decisions on resource allocation.

Here's how employee monitoring can help you optimize workload distribution:

  • Identify workload imbalances: Use employee monitoring data to identify areas where workload distribution may be uneven, potentially causing burnout or underutilization of team members.

  • Develop strategies to balance workloads: Once imbalances are identified, develop strategies to distribute workloads more evenly. For example, delegate tasks based on employee strengths, prioritize work based on deadlines, or reassign tasks to avoid overloading certain team members.

  • Monitor individual and team progress: Continuously monitor employee performance data to evaluate the effectiveness of workload distribution strategies and make adjustments as needed. This ensures that resources are allocated efficiently and that employees have the support they need to succeed in their roles.

Determining the Right Employee Monitoring Solution

Selecting the right business monitoring software is crucial for businesses to enjoy the full benefits of this technology for budgeting and forecasting. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a monitoring solution:

  • Ease of use: A user-friendly platform will ensure that both managers and employees can quickly adapt to the new system.

  • Customizability: The ability to customize the monitoring parameters to suit your business's specific needs is essential.

  • Integration capabilities: The employee monitoring solution should integrate seamlessly with your existing tools and systems to avoid any disruptions.

  • Security and privacy: The platform should adhere to strict security standards and protect employee privacy, ensuring that sensitive data is not compromised.

Insightful offers a comprehensive employee monitoring solution that meets these criteria, providing businesses with the data and tools necessary for accurate budgeting and forecasting.