As the popularity of remote work continues to grow, companies are increasingly turning to monitoring software to keep tabs on the productivity of their employees.
In 2024, the use of employee monitoring tools has surged, with the market projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2032. This growth is driven by the widespread adoption of hybrid and remote work models, with around 70% of managers storing recordings of employee communications to evaluate performance, fueling what is now termed “productivity paranoia” among leadership.
Some employees are finding sneaky ways to evade monitoring and make it appear as though they are more productive than they are. Traditional methods like using ‘mouse movers’ to mimic activity, prevent the screen from going idle and employing auto-clickers to simulate work remain popular, but there has been an evolution in evasion techniques. Employees are now employing VPNs to mask their online activity, manipulating collaborative software to appear active, and even leveraging AI tools to auto-generate responses or tasks. These tactics make it increasingly difficult for employers to distinguish between genuine and artificial productivity.
A notable example occurred recently when Wells Fargo fired more than a dozen employees who were caught using mouse mover technology to fake productivity. This trend has raised questions about the effectiveness of employee monitoring and the viability of remote work compared to in-person office work.
In this article, we explore the topic of monitoring evasion in the United States and take a deeper look at monitoring technologies, evasion techniques, and productivity in remote versus office work settings.
This Article Covers:
- What is Employee Monitoring?
- Limitations of Employee Monitoring
- What is Employee Monitoring Evasion?
- Employee Monitoring Evasion Techniques
- The Myth of In-Office Productivity
- Effective Monitoring Strategies
- Can We Trust Workplace Surveillance?
What is Employee Monitoring?
Employee monitoring is the practice of tracking and recording an employee’s activity on company devices and systems. This can include a variety of techniques including logging website visits, recording screenshots, tracking keystrokes, emails, and even webcam capturing activity.
The reasons employers use this software vary, but the most common are to increase productivity, prevent security breaches, identify training needs, and ensure pay accurately reflects the work completed.
Monitoring software makes it much easier to see where an employee is underperforming, and identify improvements. Other advantages of using monitoring software include increased efficiency, fairer employee evaluations and prevention of security leaks.
Limitations of Employee Monitoring
Although 78% of employers use monitoring software to improve efficiency and accurately evaluate performance, this practice has notable limitations. These include:
#1 Privacy Concerns – Employee monitoring software can potentially give employers access to sensitive data such as bank accounts, private emails or health records. This can raise significant privacy concerns among employees. It also increases the possibility that this sensitive information can be exposed or used for fraudulent purposes if anyone was able to gain unauthorized access to a company’s system. Modern privacy laws, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), impose stringent requirements on how employers collect, use, and store this data, necessitating transparency and consent to avoid legal pitfalls.
#2 Breach of Trust – If companies are not transparent or fair in the way they monitor employees this can naturally diminish the trust and morale that employees have toward their employers. If employees feel that they are constantly under surveillance and micromanaged, this can eventually result in decreased job satisfaction and high staff turnover.
#3 Legal or Compliance Issues – Employers face potential legal risks related to privacy violations, data breaches, and discrimination claims if monitoring practices are not carefully managed. U.S. federal law, like the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), allows for monitoring under specific conditions, but state laws vary widely. For instance, states like Connecticut, Delaware, and New York require employers to notify employees about monitoring activities. Moreover, issues can arise when monitoring extends into areas protected by privacy laws, such as personal communications or off-duty activities, leading to potential legal disputes.
#4 Accuracy – Employee monitoring may not always be accurate. Some software works by monitoring keystrokes, logs or website visits without context. This can lead to a culture where quantity is prioritized over quality and may not give a holistic view of employee productivity. Furthermore, monitoring software may not always be compatible with every device or application.
What is Employee Monitoring Evasion?
Monitoring evasion simply defined, is when employees use software and manipulative techniques to appear more productive than they are. Concerns over privacy and breach of trust can lead to some employees attempting to evade monitoring. According to the Harvard Business Review, monitoring employees actually makes them more likely to find ways to evade monitoring.
Employee Monitoring Evasion Techniques
Below we explore some of the common strategies employees use to evade monitoring. Understanding these techniques can make it easier for employers to improve productivity and security at their organizations.
#1 Using Mouse Movers
Mouse movers are small devices or software applications that mimic mouse movement to prevent the computer from going idle. By mimicking activity, employees can give the appearance of being present and working, even when they are not. There are two main types of mouse movers. These include hardware mouse movers, which plug into a USB port and subtly jiggle the cursor and imitate mouse movement to keep the computer from going idle. Then there are software mouse movers which are downloaded onto the computer and generate automated movements. In addition to the Wells Fargo incident, another case involved a remote worker who was caught using a “mouse jiggler” app to simulate activity. This incident gained widespread attention after going viral on TikTok.
#2 Uninstalling or Deactivating Monitoring Software
Some employees might attempt to get around monitoring by simply uninstalling or deactivating software. This is usually done by using administrative privileges or by exploiting vulnerabilities in the software, effectively stopping the monitoring process. However, even if successful, uninstallation might leave residual files or registry entries, which can expose the employee’s actions.
#3 Utilizing Dual Monitors
Employees can use dual monitors to evade monitoring by keeping work-related activities on one screen and personal or non-work-related tasks on another. This way, if companies are using monitoring software that only captures screenshots or activity from one monitor, they will fail to see the full picture. However, this method will be ineffective if companies are using monitoring software which works across dual monitors and also logs keyboard strokes or activity levels.
#4 Falsifying Time Sheets
One of the more common ways that employees attempt to evade monitoring is by manipulating timesheets to make it appear as though they have been working longer than they have. This can be done either manually or by using software. However, companies may detect this by utilizing software that detects unusual patterns in timesheet entries, making automated manipulation tools less effective.
#5 Using Different Devices
If companies issue work devices, some employees may avoid tracking by using their personal devices to work. This creates a blind spot for companies relying solely on monitoring software installed on company machines. As a result, monitoring software installed on company devices may not capture the full scope of an employee’s activities.
#6 Running a Virtual Machine
Running a virtual machine (VM) allows employees to create a separate operating system environment within their computer. They can effectively ‘ringfence’ their work by using the virtual machine for monitored work tasks while engaging in non-work-related activities on the main system and evade detection. However, savvy companies might utilize monitoring tools that can see through the VM veil and track resource allocation across the entire system.
#7 Keeping Idle Windows Open
Employees can also evade monitoring by keeping idle windows open, such as word processors or spreadsheets. This can create the illusion of active work because monitoring software might only detect the open window without recognizing that no active work is being done. However, a closer look often reveals a lack of activity within those applications. Savvy employers might utilize additional monitoring features that track cursor movement, keystroke logs, or even document changes to identify these attempts at deception.
The Myth of In-Office Productivity
With so many employees using monitoring evasion techniques, it is unsurprising that many companies think the office is the best environment to keep employees productive.
In fact, more than half of managers think employees need to be in the office to collaborate with colleagues and complete their work, while 44% said the office was important to increase productivity for varying reasons.
One major factor is the perceived lack of oversight in remote work settings, leading some managers to believe that employees are less accountable when working from home. Additionally, concerns about maintaining a cohesive team culture and facilitating spontaneous interactions play a significant role in this preference for office-based work.
However, this perception may not always be accurate. Modern technology has significantly enhanced remote work productivity. Tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, monitoring software, and project management platforms have made it possible to collaborate efficiently and from virtually anywhere. While there will always be individuals who attempt to avoid their responsibilities when the manager isn’t around, being in the office does not inherently ensure higher productivity. In fact, many employees report that they are less distracted by colleagues and the often noisy office environment when working from home.
Indeed, 90% of employees said that they were just as productive at home, if not more, while 74% said that millennials and Gen Z are distracted at work.
Research indicates that managers’ perceptions of remote work significantly influence employee productivity. A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that when managers view remote work as effective, it tends to be more successful. Additionally, managers who maintain regular contact with their remote employees are more likely to recognize the benefits of remote work.
Effective Monitoring Strategies
So if the success of remote work is largely dependent on managers, how can companies ensure that employees are productive regardless of location? Here are some effective monitoring techniques that help avoid employee evasion:
#1 Activity Monitoring
Activity monitoring tracks both active and idle time, recording keystrokes and mouse movements to gauge engagement. The combination of these features make it difficult for employees to evade monitoring by providing a more holistic insight into their activities, so that it is difficult for them to simply appear active without actually completing their tasks. By continuously capturing and analyzing this data, managers can quickly identify any discrepancies or periods of inactivity, ensuring higher levels of accountability and productivity.
#2 Screen Recording
These tools can capture periodic screenshots or video recordings of employees’ screens to visually verify their work activities. These screenshots are then stored and made accessible to employers for review and further analysis. Tools like Jibble’s employee screenshot monitoring tool capture real-time screenshots across all active screens, providing a comprehensive view of even the most multitasking team members.
#3 Time Tracking Software
You can also keep tabs on employee productivity by tracking how much time employees spend on various tasks. Some tools can also automate timesheets, and log hours across different devices such as desktop, mobile and web.
#4 Project Management Tools
Project management tools like Asana and Trello are now incorporating AI to provide predictive analytics and smart automation. These enhancements allow the tools to forecast project timelines, automatically assign tasks based on employee availability and skillsets, and even identify potential bottlenecks before they impact productivity.
#5 Set Targets
Setting targets and realistic KPIs can make it much easier for employers to measure productivity, track performance, identify problems and motivate staff members.
Can We Trust Workplace Surveillance?
Given the prevalence of employee evasion, some companies may question the overall value of implementing monitoring systems. While there may be many ways that employees try to evade monitoring, these can be easily exposed with the right monitoring systems in place.
Effective monitoring systems can combine dual features to prevent employees from exploiting a loophole in the system.
However, to promote trust within the organization, it is crucial to communicate openly about the implementation of employee monitoring.
This approach may discourage employees from attempting to circumvent the monitoring.
A strategy that includes regular feedback, recognition of good performance, and maintaining a transparent monitoring policy can further enhance productivity and morale.
