Productivity Management Tools Implementation of “Bossware” for Your Remote Team?

There’s a new kid on the block in the world of productivity management tools. It’s called bossware, a software tool that enables organizations to monitor what their employees are doing while working remotely. 

Bossware could help Tennessee business owners with one of the significant concerns of remote working: tracking employee productivity. When you can’t just walk over and see someone typing away at their computer, how do you know they’re working when at home and not watching TV part of the time?

Statistics actually show that when empowered with the right business technology, remote employees are more productive because they have fewer interruptions throughout the day. But it can still be challenging to properly track that productivity remotely. Enter bossware – a tool designed for the age of hybrid and remote work. 

Bossware isn’t new, but deployment skyrocketed during the pandemic. Express VPN research found that 75% of businesses used some form of Bossware to monitor employee performance over the last 12 months.

Bossware, though, isn’t without controversy. Critics call the solution an invasive surveillance tool. But champions of this software say it’s a great way to boost employee productivity and project management in the hybrid world. It’s proving pretty popular too. Companies like Groupon, Ericsson, Verizon, Arizona State University, and Emory University have all adopted bossware according to EFF. 

With so many large organizations using bossware, we thought it was worth taking a deeper look at it. Below, we’ll explore how bossware works, the pros and cons, and provide advice on implementing it ethically. 

What is bossware? 

Bossware is a collective term encompassing a range of employee productivity and surveillance applications. These tools help with tracking employee productivity so that managers can see how their people are performing, monitor time management and better share out tasks as people work from home. 

Not all bossware is created equal. While some apps offer simple functionality to track time, others feel kind of like ‘big brother’. The most invasive bossware variations log employee keystrokes, make use of webcams and microphones, and even take screenshots of employee application usage. 

Because some bossware tools have deep surveillance capabilities, there’s a lot of debate about it. However, certain bossware can genuinely be helpful for employee wellbeing. Here are the pros and cons. 

Pros:

• Better distribute workload: Bossware can help managers understand how employee time is being spent and better share workloads between teams.

• Improved productivity: Employees may work more efficiently when they know they are being monitored. 

• Enhanced wellbeing: Bossware can help managers to see if employees are struggling when working from home, which they might not otherwise realize. 

• Better security: Monitoring employees encourages your teams to follow workplace best practices

Cons:

• Sensitive data collection: Bossware tracks the websites and applications your employees’ visit. To do this, it automatically collects sensitive data, which may include data from private chats and messages. 

• Privacy infringement: Some employees may view bossware as a breach of their privacy, leading to low engagement levels. 

• Bring your own device issues: Employees that use their own laptops and mobiles for work may object to having bossware installed on their devices. 

Should I invest in Bossware?

Because there are so many forms of bossware out there, it is difficult to give a blanket yes or no answer to this question. Ultimately, you need to look at your work environment and see if bossware could solve some of the challenges you face. 

If you’re concerned about the productivity of your employees in the remote working world, then bossware could be a good idea. However, we’re not encouraging you to deploy an invasive surveillance tool by any means. Many milder forms of bossware can help you keep track of your employees’ time without granular monitoring. 

If you think bossware sounds like it’s right for you, speak to our IT team, who can help you explore the different options. Beyond that, here are our top tips for deploying Bossware responsibly. 

• Be clear and transparent: Create a written policy that explains how your solution works and what it will monitor. You should also offer demos to your people, so that they can see how the solution works in practice.

• Focus on the positives: Position Bossware as a tool that will solve remote working challenges rather than a ‘big brother’ style solution. 

• Uphold employee privacy: You should deploy your solution to only monitor employees during work hours and only view their usage of workplace apps.

Get help empowering your remote team 

Unbound Digital can help your Johnson City, Tennessee business with the right productivity tracking and communication tools to empower a smooth WFH experience.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Call 423-467-7777 or reach us online.