How to Monitor Remote Employees

Chelsie Wyatt

How to Monitor Remote Employees: A Balanced Approach to Productivity and Trust

Every organization is mobile now. While most companies have a way to monitor employees’ computers within their workplace, few have tools to monitor them as they’re working from home. One compelling case can be made for recording remote sessions for later playback and review. Employers are concerned that in the event of a security breach, they won’t be able to see what was happening on users’ computer desktops when the breach occurred. Another reason for recording remote sessions is to maintain compliance, as required for medical and financial institutions or auditing for business protocols, etc.

As remote work becomes the new norm, businesses face a critical challenge: how to monitor remote employees effectively without compromising trust, morale, or privacy. While it’s important to ensure productivity, it’s equally vital to respect employee autonomy and create a culture of transparency.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through practical strategies, tools, and best practices to help you monitor remote employees the right way.

Why Monitor Remote Employees?

Monitoring isn’t about micromanagement — it’s about:

  • Ensuring accountability
  • Tracking productivity and progress
  • Identifying roadblocks early
  • Protecting company data and assets
  • Improving team collaboration

When done correctly, monitoring helps both employers and employees stay aligned on goals and expectations.

  1. Set Clear Expectations Upfront

Start by defining:

  • Work hours and availability
  • KPIs and performance goals
  • Communication standards
  • Deadlines and project timelines

When expectations are clearly communicated, there’s less need for constant check-ins.

  1. Use the Right Tools

Leverage technology to make monitoring seamless, not intrusive. Here are some tools categories and examples:

✅ Time Tracking Tools

  • Toggl Track, Clockify, Harvest
  • Help employees log hours, track tasks, and stay on schedule.

✅ Project Management Tools

  • Asana, Trello, Monday.com, Jira
  • Give visibility into task progress, ownership, and deadlines.

✅ Collaboration Tools

  • Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom
  • Foster regular updates and communication.

✅ Screen Monitoring (Use with Caution)

  • Tools like Time Doctor or Hubstaff offer screen capture features.
  • Use only when absolutely necessary and with full transparency.
  1. Focus on Results, Not Activity

Avoid obsessing over how many hours someone is online. Instead, ask:

  • Are deadlines being met?
  • Is the quality of work up to standard?
  • Are goals being achieved?

Emphasize output over hours. Trust employees to manage their time while holding them accountable for results.

  1. Encourage Regular Check-Ins

Daily or weekly stand-ups can help:

  • Keep everyone aligned
  • Identify blockers
  • Build team rapport

These can be async (via messages) or live (via calls), depending on the team’s workflow.

  1. Be Transparent About Monitoring Practices

One of the most important elements of monitoring is honesty.

  • Let employees know what tools you’re using and why.
  • Get consent if collecting data like screenshots or app usage.
  • Reassure them that the goal is support and collaboration, not surveillance.

Transparency builds trust and cooperation.

  1. Collect Feedback and Adjust

No system is perfect from day one. Ask your team:

  • Is the current monitoring method fair and effective?
  • Are there areas where they feel micromanaged or unsupported?
  • What tools or processes could be improved?

Use their feedback to refine your approach.

  1. Protect Data and Privacy

When monitoring remote employees, always:

  • Follow local labor and privacy laws
  • Use secure tools with strong data encryption
  • Limit access to sensitive monitoring data

Being respectful of employee privacy protects both their rights and your company’s reputation.

The Solution

This is where RecordTS comes into the picture. With RecordTS you can:

  • View their sessions in a video and provide evidence of wrongdoing (were they working when they said they were?)
  • Mistakes in business procedures (not entering customer data properly)
  • Security breaches (Ransomware attacks – did they open an infected email?)
  • Support information (what steps were taken when your program crashed?)

TSFactory’s RecordTS v7 will record Windows remote sessions reliably and securely for RDS, Citrix and VMware systems. Scalable from small offices with one server to enterprise networks with tens of thousands of desktops and servers, RecordTS integrates seamlessly with the native environment.