Internet Monitoring Software: A Productivity Booster

The internet is an integral part of many people’s lives and businesses realize this.  Whether it’s through the use of social media, blogs, video sites, and other web based sites, organizations have discovered that the internet is one of the best marketing tools for their business.

Employers fully understand that the internet allows their staff to communicate and conduct research; yet they also know that allowing their employees to use the internet for personal use during office hours makes employees happy and, in most cases, maintain strong productivity levels.

A good number of SMEs now have policies in place that allow their staff to use the internet and email in order to chat, bank online and even play games during their working day yet provide guidance on what they can and cannot do. In most cases, policies are adhered to but what happens when one member of a team pushes the boundaries too far – the one who feels compelled to more time online on personal stuff while his colleagues are busy at work?

How does that make you feel? We all like to have some downtime during the working day but when that coworker spends most of his or her time browsing his or her Facebook or Twitter account and non-work related websites during office hours it’s not only unfair on other members of staff but also in breach of company policy.

The Solution: Internet Monitoring Software

Dealing with an employee who procrastinates on the web during work is important to both the employer and other employees. One way to manage internet use and employees who breach company policy in this regard is to use a solid internet monitoring software to control internet access.

The result is that the employer will see an increase in productivity, both directly and indirectly. By monitoring what individual team members are doing on their workstations the employer can ensure that their internet access is channeled towards business needs during designated work times. This could be achieved either through redirecting staff or by blocking non-work related websites.

As mentioned, this will also boost the morale of other team members who will feel much happier knowing that their coworkers are also focused and on-task. While increased productivity may be an important benefit of internet monitoring software, there are other advantages to consider.

One such instance is the negation of legal risks. I mentioned the employee who uses Facebook and Twitter earlier but some workers view offensive or illicit websites while at work, or attempt to download copyrighted files. No employer will want that sort of activity to go unnoticed. Not to mention that a good number of sites are poisoned and downloads may contain malware that can infect the corporate network – slowing down productivity and increasing costs been saved had you invested in of internet monitoring software.

Not only is the deployment of internet monitoring software beneficial to any organization when it comes to boosting productivity, but it is also a layer of protection against malicious software, a tool that reduces the risk that you could end up facing legal action, and a money saver.