Workpuls Teramind ActivTrak Hubstaff DeskTime Time Doctor RescueTime Kickidler Veriato Work Examiner
OVERVIEW
Price $6/user/month $6/user/month $7.20/user/month $7/user/month $7/user/month $9.99/user/month $6/user/month $9.99/user/month $150/licence/year $60/licence (lifetime)
Free trial 7 days 7 days No 14 days 14 days 14 days 30 days 7 days Yes 30 days
Ease of use Very easy Difficult Very easy Easy Easy Very easy Very easy Very easy Very difficult Easy
TRACKING METHODS
Unlimited (tracker working 24/7)
Fixed (defined working hours)
Automatic (when computer is connected to a specified network)
Manual (start/stop)
Project based (track time only on projects)
GENERAL MONITORING FEATURES
Stealth mode
App and website usage
Real-time monitoring
Offline time tracking
Attendance
Activity levels
Keylogger
Geolocation
Remote desktop control
Website/activity blocking
SCREENSHOTS AND RECORDING
Screenshots
Screenshots on demand
Screen recording
PRODUCTIVITY FEATURES
Productivity trends
Websites and apps labeling
Category labeling
Productivity alerts
ADVANCED SECURITY FEATURES
User behavior analytics
Data loss prevention
Advanced file and web monitoring
REPORTING
Productivity reports
Team reports
Timelines
Email reports
Access management
PLATFORMS
Web
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
Mobile app iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android iOS, Android Android
Browser extension Chrome Chrome Chrome
Other Citrix, VMware Chrome OS
OTHER
Support Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Phone, email, online Email, online Phone, email, online, in-person Online Phone, email, online Email, online, Viber, Whatsapp Phone, email, online, support ticket Phone, email, online
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Integrations comming soon
API
Deployment cloud, on-premise cloud, on-premise, AWS, Azure cloud cloud cloud cloud cloud on-premise cloud, on-premise on-premise
Kronos Humanity Timeclockplus Tsheets Wheniwork Deputy Replicon Jibble EbilityTimeTracker OnTheClock BeeBole
OVERVIEW
Price(per month)Available upon requestFrom $2 per userAvailable upon requestFrom $6.40 per user+$16Free for up to 75 usersFrom $2.50 per userBasic plan:$30 for 5 users+$5 per additional userFrom $1.50 per employeeFrom $4 per user+$8From $2.20 per user$5.99 per user per month
Free trial30 days14 daysYes14 days14 days14 days30 days30 days,no credit card required
Ease of useDifficultEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyDifficultVery easyEasyEasyEasy
FEATURES
Timecard management
Scheduling
Shift Trading
Timesheets
Break time management
Real-time tracking
PTO Management
Payroll
Invoicing
Client billing
GPS tracking
Clock out reminders
Alerts
Manual time
PUNCH-IN METHODS
Web app
Mobile app
Time clock device
Time clock kiosk
Facial recognition
Fingerprint scanning
Geofencing
Group punch-in
REPORTING
Visual reports
Email reports
Time rounding
MANAGEMENT
Permissions
Manager approvals
Add time for others
Integrations
PLATFORMS
Web
Android app
iOS app
Mac desktop app
Windows desktop app
Linux desktop app
OTHER
SupportPhone and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,chat and onlinePhone and chatEmail and onlineChat and phonePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlinePhone,email,chat and onlinePhone and onlineOnline chat and video support in English,French,and Spanish
Knowledge base
Video tutorials
Community forum
API
"The performance management design itself is not evolving as quickly as the objectives and the purpose that we have set out for what we want it to do."—Lesli Jennings, Senior Director in Willis Towers Watson's Talent Management & Organizational Alignment practice in Chicago.

Well then, how to keep track of employee performance? Do we even have the right answer to this question?

There will never be one all-encompassing answer, but there are strategies that you can adopt and adapt.

5 Methods for Tracking Employee Performance

Most industry leaders agree on the value of the following performance assessment methods:

1. Traditional Review Style

This approach includes yearly or semiannual evaluations. A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article reports that according to a Workhuman’s study, 49% of companies still limit evaluations to these intervals.

This method provides structured assessments and rewards performance but can be biased and overlook minor wins.

The problem is that the review can easily be too subjective if the manager is not trained well. Also, workers often don’t get enough information to go on if they want to develop and improve.

Keep these deficiencies in mind and find a way to solve them that corresponds to your team's work style.

2. Continuous Feedback Sessions

A more modern approach to performance assessments emphasizes the need for an increased frequency of official appraisal sessions.

Some companies have abandoned annual reviews even a decade ago. They recognized that retrospective assessments were not seen as beneficial by employees. Managers deemed them too time-consuming. Instead, these companies opted for quarterly check-ins and removed its numerical rating system.

The lesson here is to prioritize meaningful, two-way feedback discussions between employees and managers. Choose several uniform questions for each quarterly session, including feedback about the manager. Other topics should vary depending on the individual employee and their role.

3. Comprehensive 360-Degree Approach

This holistic feedback method involves collecting input from managers, peers, subordinates, and even clients, coupled with self-evaluation.

If the employee's perception matches external feedback, it indicates aligned performance expectations.

Discrepancies highlight areas for growth, and managers provide improvement plans.

Despite promoting a feedback culture and offering varied perspectives, this approach may harbor biases and miss timely opportunities.

4. Measurable Performance Parameters

Most companies rely on OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 

OKRs align employee efforts with company goals and ensure their progress is visible. For instance, an objective to "boost customer satisfaction" would include measurable key results like reducing response times.

KPIs translate key business activities into measurable values to gauge success. They could include metrics like revenue, customer loyalty, or new clients. KPIs are useful for establishing clarity, setting goals, and motivating improvement.

The numbers-based system’s upside is that it provides solid proof of a person’s work and supports objectivity in a manager’s evaluation. The downside is that it doesn't take into account elements like teamwork, etc.

5. Time Management & Productivity Monitoring

Time tracking software allows managers to measure the productivity of employees by analyzing how they spend their work hours.

Employees log project hours which provides insight into time allocation and productivity patterns. This approach helps managers plan and employees prioritize tasks.

Still, over-monitoring can harm creativity and privacy, and simply tracking time doesn't capture work quality. This is why the monitoring software needs to allow customization.

One of the most flexible and scalable tools is Insightful. This software allows:

Automatic and manual clocking in and out

Time tracking for each task

Manual logging of time per project

Monitoring the level of productivity depending on the apps and websites that the employee uses minute after minute

Break time, productive apps and websites, etc. can be customized for each employee which makes this monitoring tool perfect for a wide variety of industries.

Additional Tips on How to Monitor Performance of Employees

When figuring out how to monitor performance of employees, remember the following expert tips:

💡 Customize the Metrics: Tailor assessments according to specific job functions and industry standards to refine individual and team development plans.

💡 Balance the Quantitative vs. Qualitative: Incorporate both quantitative (e.g., sales numbers, production targets) and qualitative (e.g., creativity, teamwork) measures to ensure a holistic evaluation of performance.

💡 Explore Market Benchmarks: Compare employee performance against market benchmarks. This can guide decisions around promotions, compensation, and training needs.

💡 Track Long-Term Results: Identify consistent high performers, potential leaders, and those needing development, to plan resources more effectively.

💡 Gather Feedback: Ask employees for feedback. This will boost morale, foster a culture of trust, enhance engagement and productivity, and give leadership valuable insight.

Explore and experiment. This is the only way to find the perfect formula for performance reviews that completely fit your organization. To help your efforts, rely on a flexible productivity monitoring tool such as Insightful.

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Employee Monitoring

How to Keep Track of Employee Performance?

Written by
Vanja Savic Petrovic
Published on
May 22, 2024
"The performance management design itself is not evolving as quickly as the objectives and the purpose that we have set out for what we want it to do."—Lesli Jennings, Senior Director in Willis Towers Watson's Talent Management & Organizational Alignment practice in Chicago.

Well then, how to keep track of employee performance? Do we even have the right answer to this question?

There will never be one all-encompassing answer, but there are strategies that you can adopt and adapt.

5 Methods for Tracking Employee Performance

Most industry leaders agree on the value of the following performance assessment methods:

1. Traditional Review Style

This approach includes yearly or semiannual evaluations. A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) article reports that according to a Workhuman’s study, 49% of companies still limit evaluations to these intervals.

This method provides structured assessments and rewards performance but can be biased and overlook minor wins.

The problem is that the review can easily be too subjective if the manager is not trained well. Also, workers often don’t get enough information to go on if they want to develop and improve.

Keep these deficiencies in mind and find a way to solve them that corresponds to your team's work style.

2. Continuous Feedback Sessions

A more modern approach to performance assessments emphasizes the need for an increased frequency of official appraisal sessions.

Some companies have abandoned annual reviews even a decade ago. They recognized that retrospective assessments were not seen as beneficial by employees. Managers deemed them too time-consuming. Instead, these companies opted for quarterly check-ins and removed its numerical rating system.

The lesson here is to prioritize meaningful, two-way feedback discussions between employees and managers. Choose several uniform questions for each quarterly session, including feedback about the manager. Other topics should vary depending on the individual employee and their role.

3. Comprehensive 360-Degree Approach

This holistic feedback method involves collecting input from managers, peers, subordinates, and even clients, coupled with self-evaluation.

If the employee's perception matches external feedback, it indicates aligned performance expectations.

Discrepancies highlight areas for growth, and managers provide improvement plans.

Despite promoting a feedback culture and offering varied perspectives, this approach may harbor biases and miss timely opportunities.

4. Measurable Performance Parameters

Most companies rely on OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 

OKRs align employee efforts with company goals and ensure their progress is visible. For instance, an objective to "boost customer satisfaction" would include measurable key results like reducing response times.

KPIs translate key business activities into measurable values to gauge success. They could include metrics like revenue, customer loyalty, or new clients. KPIs are useful for establishing clarity, setting goals, and motivating improvement.

The numbers-based system’s upside is that it provides solid proof of a person’s work and supports objectivity in a manager’s evaluation. The downside is that it doesn't take into account elements like teamwork, etc.

5. Time Management & Productivity Monitoring

Time tracking software allows managers to measure the productivity of employees by analyzing how they spend their work hours.

Employees log project hours which provides insight into time allocation and productivity patterns. This approach helps managers plan and employees prioritize tasks.

Still, over-monitoring can harm creativity and privacy, and simply tracking time doesn't capture work quality. This is why the monitoring software needs to allow customization.

One of the most flexible and scalable tools is Insightful. This software allows:

Automatic and manual clocking in and out

Time tracking for each task

Manual logging of time per project

Monitoring the level of productivity depending on the apps and websites that the employee uses minute after minute

Break time, productive apps and websites, etc. can be customized for each employee which makes this monitoring tool perfect for a wide variety of industries.

Additional Tips on How to Monitor Performance of Employees

When figuring out how to monitor performance of employees, remember the following expert tips:

💡 Customize the Metrics: Tailor assessments according to specific job functions and industry standards to refine individual and team development plans.

💡 Balance the Quantitative vs. Qualitative: Incorporate both quantitative (e.g., sales numbers, production targets) and qualitative (e.g., creativity, teamwork) measures to ensure a holistic evaluation of performance.

💡 Explore Market Benchmarks: Compare employee performance against market benchmarks. This can guide decisions around promotions, compensation, and training needs.

💡 Track Long-Term Results: Identify consistent high performers, potential leaders, and those needing development, to plan resources more effectively.

💡 Gather Feedback: Ask employees for feedback. This will boost morale, foster a culture of trust, enhance engagement and productivity, and give leadership valuable insight.

Explore and experiment. This is the only way to find the perfect formula for performance reviews that completely fit your organization. To help your efforts, rely on a flexible productivity monitoring tool such as Insightful.