As in the past few years, almost every workplace has transformed in one way or the other, and employee monitoring has become necessary. For example, most of the companies are going towards global expansion and don’t hesitate to hire remote employees.
Similarly, many companies provide employees with company cell phones. Employees in sales, fieldwork, and remote or hybrid roles typically use these phones. Additionally, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) culture is practiced in many small companies.
Usually, these phones are assigned for company usage; however, in the past, employees could use them for personal purposes. Now, as there are fewer boundaries between work and personal life, maintaining proper checks and balances on phone usage has become essential.
Other than that, there are several risks that nudge companies to install an employee cell phone monitoring app on company phones. These include cybersecurity threats, data privacy violations, loss of productivity, and compliance lapses.
However, as smartphones themselves are considered a private gadget, there are many stigmas associated with employee phone monitoring apps. In this article, we will discuss the Pros and cons of employee cell phone monitoring and whether a company should do it or not.
The Risks Addressed By Phone Monitoring in Workplaces
Without proper oversight, mobile phone usage can pose several risks to organizations. Here are a few that you should especially look out for.
Data Leaks and Confidentiality Breaches
Most of the company phones hold a lot of sensitive information. For example, an employee handling customers on the phone usually has information about the orders and products being sold to them. They can easily use this data for personal purposes. Other examples include internal financial records, proprietary product information, internal affairs documents, and more.
Cybersecurity Threats
According to a survey, 62% of companies have suffered data breaches and cybersecurity threats in some way or another. Company phones may receive phishing messages, malicious app requests, and can even connect to suspicious Wi-Fi networks. All these threats can become a danger to the data stored on the phone.
Time Theft and Productivity Loss
Mobile phones are one of the biggest distractions at work. Employees can use company phones for personal work, which can be the cause of productivity loss. Also, using company phones for personal calls or using social media can also be considered time theft.
Insider Threats and Misconduct
Employees can misuse the phone for inappropriate communications or illegal purposes. Additionally, they can leak information to competitors or use it for fraud.
Theft or Misplacement of Devices
When field workers or remote employees use their phones, it is quite possible that they are not on company premises. On the field, anything can happen, like the phones can be stolen or misplaced. In case theft happens, the data on them is not safe. It is one of the risks the company has to bear in case they do not use phone tracking apps.
Considering these threats, phone monitoring apps can offer several benefits. Here are a few Pros and Cons of using such apps so you know if they are the right choice for your company.
Boosts Productivity by Reducing Unnecessary Distractions
One of the biggest issues in the workplace these days is employees using cell phones for personal work. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, almost 75% of employees admitted to using their phones during working hours.
In general, companies have policies for phone usage; however, if the employee has a company phone, it is difficult to tell if they are using the phone for themselves or company work. Here, having an employee cell phone monitoring app can help you understand how employees are using their phones.
You will know whether they are wasting time on social media or talking to friends. When employees know their devices are being monitored, they will not get distracted. They will focus on work that will help boost productivity.
Protects Business Data from Breaches
Company data, whether it is related to customers or internal matters of the company, holds significant importance. For example, most companies give their business developers their phones, and all the information related to clients is saved on them.
Imagine they open a link from an email, and the company’s phones are hacked, resulting in the leak of all client information. You can easily lose both the information and the client because of this cybersecurity threat.
Here, if you use a monitoring app, you will know what email was opened and where it came from; you can easily trace it back. Additionally, all the information will have an automatic backup in the monitoring app. You can use that information to retain the client and protect such data.
Supports Compliance with Legal and Industry Standards
Every industry has rules and regulations that are mandatory by law and must be followed. If they fail to comply, the company faces legal penalties. These regulations also include mobile phone laws that specify when you can use your phone.
So, whether you are a healthcare provider, run a legal firm, or have a financial services company, your mobile communication must meet regulatory standards. A monitoring app can help you enforce all the rules that meet the law. These apps will log calls, texts, and emails, maintaining accurate records for audit purposes. They also offer secure storage and encrypted tracking.
Helps Managers Understand Work Habits and Workload
Organizations use various methods and tools to ensure that the business runs efficiently, like using ERP systems and HRMS. All these system covers major aspects of the business and provide insights into how employees work. Similarly, the employee phone tracking software provides data on how employees work and whether they are focused or distracted.
With this data, managers can understand if there is a need for reallocation or disciplinary action. Using the same data, managers can also identify the best-performing employees. They can encourage the performers and boost their morale. Addressing all these attributes enhances team performance, allowing employees to use their time more efficiently.
Strengthens Remote Workforce Oversight
Remote and hybrid work models are still gaining a lot of traction, with more companies offering these options as benefits. The main reason why companies do not hesitate to offer this option is employee monitoring tools. These tools track employees’ time and log their working hours in detail to make sure there are no gaps in productivity.
Similarly, when these employees are assigned company cell phones with a monitoring app, you can track their detailed phone usage. By doing so, you will be assured that the company phone is used only for work purposes. In the case of remote employees, the GPS trackers can also help provide location details.
The Only Con
Using employee phone tracking tools can help organizations ensure that their phones are being used for only company work, which in turn helps boost productivity. However, it doesn’t mean that the employee also likes it.
Continuous surveillance can make them think that the company doesn’t trust them. They can also feel that their privacy is being breached. The problems occur when they don’t communicate with the managers and follow their own perception, creating more issues with the management.
These issues can be easily reduced if employers provide the full context for why they are tracking the phones. Explain the purpose of monitoring and how it can boost performance and productivity.
You should first take consent from employees and conduct sessions to explain what apps are being tracked and how, and how it affects their overall performance. If you explain all the characteristics, employees are less likely to create conflict and can focus more on their work.
Choosing a Reliable Phone Monitoring App for Business Use
Once you have decided that you need a monitoring app, the next step is choosing the app you want to use for the phones. One option is Xnspy, a trusted employee cell phone monitoring app.
Xnspy offers various features that help you track every phone activity, whether it is online or offline. From showing pictures taken from the phone to recording calls and tracking the phone, the app logs all.
Xnspy can be a great fit for employee phone monitoring because it is very easy to install and track. You simply need to purchase a subscription and install the app on the company device once, before handing it to the employee. The whole process takes a few minutes. Once the app is installed, you can track it from the secure control panel.
The Xnspy dashboard is user-friendly, and almost all the information is directly accessible. You can easily access it from any browser on your laptop. If you have multiple phones that you need to track, you can add them to the same account.
All devices will be visible on a single dashboard, and you won’t need to switch accounts to view data. Xnspy is compatible with both Android and iOS devices, so no matter what phones you have, you can track them through the same dashboard. Here are a few features the app offers;
Call Monitoring
Xnspy logs incoming, outgoing, and missed calls on the company phones with timestamps and contact details.
Text Messages
Keep an eye on your employees’ SMS conversations. Xnspy saves all data on the dashboard, so you can see even deleted data.
Email Tracking
See sent and received emails on their account. You can also view the sender’s details and the content of the email.
Browsing History
Keeps a record of all websites they have visited while using the company phone.
GPS Location Tracking
Xnspy lets you see remote employees’ and field workers’ real-time location updates and location history.
Keyword Alerts
Xnspy sends you notifications whenever your employees use a flagged word on any app on the phone.
Remote Commands
The remote commands Xnspy offers can be very useful for the company’s Phones. If you feel the company’s data is in danger or in case the phone has been stolen, you can wipe all data remotely, or you can lock the phone from the dashboard.
Surround Recording
To provide more security, Xnspy allows you to record the surroundings of your employees. This feature is helpful when employees go into the field or have a meeting outside the office.
Social Media Monitoring
Xnspy tracks all popular social media apps on the phone. It includes Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. You can view all the activities and time spent on these apps through the screenshots. Also, for apps like TikTok, you can take an ambient screenshot.
App Monitoring and Blocking
Keep an eye on installed apps, and if you feel employees are misusing the phones, you can block the apps remotely as well.
Pricing
Xnspy offers two plans to keep it easy for you. You can purchase the app on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis. One plan is basic, which offers basic monitoring features, and the premium plan offers all the features Xnspy offers. The basic version’s annual price is $4.99 per month, and the premium plan costs $7.49 per month. You can choose the plan that suits yoy the most.
Company phones hold essential data of the company. Protecting it is the company’s responsibility. Using employee cell phone monitoring apps provides a safety net for your data, and if the app offers remote commands, you can use them for comprehensive security.
A continuous surveillance system may not resonate with every employee. It is essential to obtain proper consent. Moreover, you must provide a clear explanation of why you are using these apps. Additionally, it is important to go through all relevant laws and regulations before using these apps at the workplace. This way, you can avoid any potential legal issues.
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