Frequently Asked Questions

Employee monitoring software allows organizations to track work hours and analyze how employees use their work time and company devices. Such software usually monitors the start and end of the work day, idle time, computer activity, application and website usage, communication, and in some cases, location. Companies use employee monitoring software to evaluate productivity, enhance security, protect data, and ensure compliance with company policies.

Typically, employee monitoring software is a small program (sometimes called an agent) that employers install on employees' computers or devices. This agent works in the background and collects data on various activities. The collected data is then transmitted to a central server or dashboard, where authorized personnel, such as managers and administrators, can view and analyze it.

When implemented transparently and with ethical considerations, employee monitoring is a powerful tool for increasing productivity. It provides insights into work processes, helps detect inefficiencies, and encourages data-driven measures to improve the situation. Besides, the awareness of being monitored can encourage employees to stay focused and on task.

When choosing employee monitoring software, consider features that align with your needs, such as tracking work hours, improving productivity, or maintaining security. Valuable features are:

1. time tracking;
2. website and application usage monitoring;
3. idle time detection;
4. screenshots/screen recording;
5. reporting and analytics;
6. alerts and notifications;
7. online monitoring dashboard;
8. integrations.

Employee monitoring is important because it contributes to a more secure, efficient, compliant, and productive work environment. It provides employers with valuable insights into how work time is spent, helping to:

1. highlighting inefficient work processes;
2. improving productivity;
3. increasing security;
4. ensuring compliance with company policies and legal requirements;
5. optimizing resources
6. supporting performance evaluations.

When implemented thoughtfully and transparently, employee monitoring leads to several positive outcomes for both the organization and the employees. It is a powerful tool to improve workflow efficiency and productivity. It can encourage employees to be responsible for their work hours, identify training needs, and help managers recognize and reward performance. Besides, employee monitoring helps protect the company against data breaches, cyber threats, and inappropriate behavior, creating a safer work environment for everyone.

The main benefits of employee monitoring are better performance and productivity, enhanced data security, lower risks or insider threats, improved accountability, better resource management and allocation, and informed decision-making.

On the other hand, monitoring can potentially decrease employee morale, undermine trust, create unwanted stress and pressure, and negatively affect the company culture. Besides, if tracking is implemented without considering applicable regulations, it can raise legal and ethical concerns.

Employers typically state they track and monitor employee behaviors to improve productivity, enhance security and protect sensitive data, ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations, prevent time theft, and gain insights into work patterns for better resource management and performance evaluation.

The primary business reasons for employee monitoring include safeguarding company assets and intellectual property, minimizing legal liabilities through compliance and record-keeping, and optimizing workflows. Besides, employee monitoring is a valuable data source to back decisions aimed at improving overall business performance and profitability.

These risks include potentially damaging employee trust and morale, increasing stress and anxiety among the workforce, facing legal challenges related to privacy violations, misinterpreting data which could lead to unfair treatment, and potentially stifling creativity and innovation due to constant surveillance.

Critics fear that employee monitoring programs can lead to a surveillance-heavy work culture that erodes privacy, reduces autonomy, increases job-related stress and burnout, creates an imbalanced power dynamic between employers and employees, and could be used to discriminate against certain workers or suppress legitimate workplace organizing.

The legality of employee monitoring depends on the location. Generally, it is legal in many jurisdictions, including the USA, Europe, and India. However, the scope of activities the employer can monitor may vary depending on the applicable state and local regulations. Besides, organizations are often obliged to notify the staff about the monitoring.

Generally, employers are allowed to track computer and internet usage on company equipment, monitor work-related communications through company email and messaging systems, and use video surveillance in common work areas. Monitoring of personal devices, private communications, or private areas like restrooms is typically restricted or prohibited.

Identifying a single "weakest" employee monitoring law is difficult. Legal frameworks differ significantly across jurisdictions: some deliver minimal employee privacy protections, while others have stricter notification and consent requirements. Generally, areas with fewer specific statutes addressing electronic monitoring and workplace privacy may offer less protection to employees.

Employees can check for monitoring software by looking for unfamiliar processes running in their computer's Task Manager or system monitor, analyzing network activity for unusual data transfers, and using security programs.

There are several signs that the employer may be monitoring the computer: unusual computer behavior, such as slow performance, strange pop-ups or errors, suspicious processes in the Task Manager or Activity Monitor (on macOS), or increased network activity. If employees notice these signs, they can check installed apps for unfamiliar names, use antivirus or security software, or consult the IT or HR specialist in their organization.

On macOS, employees can open Activity Monitor to view running processes and identify unfamiliar or suspicious applications. One can also examine login items and launch agents that start automatically, review network utility for unusual connections, and check System Settings/Preferences for installed profiles that might indicate device management or monitoring.

Attempting to block employee monitoring software on a company-owned device is generally not advisable. It may violate company policy, potentially leading to disciplinary action, including termination. Technical methods to impede monitoring, such as using virtual machines, attempting to disable processes, or using tools to mimic activity, may be detectable by the employer and could have serious consequences. It is best to understand and comply with your company's monitoring policies.

CleverControl is a cloud based software so all of the data recorded by CleverControl Agent installed on your employees’ computers is saved on a remote secured server. And to access the data you need to register an account to be able to securely review your information on a remote server.

CleverControl is compatible with Windows OS and OS X so you can install it on any laptop or desktop running any Windows version including the latest one – Microsoft Windows 10 or any OS X from 10.13 High Sierra version and above.

We believe it is more convenient for you to get signed up for an account before installing CleverControl Agent. Because to finish installation process you will need to enter your account details to establish a connection to the cloud server. So if you don’t have an account you will be prompted to create one.

CleverControl is intended for lawful employee monitoring on company-owned devices and should be used with proper authorization, employee notification, and internal policies. Employers are responsible for informing employees about monitoring and configuring the software according to applicable laws and workplace privacy requirements. Employees can get access to the collected data via the Self-Monitoring feature.

Yes. CleverControl Agent can record configured work-related activity on authorized company devices, according to the organization's monitoring policy and applicable law. Reports may include application usage, website activity, screenshots, and other enabled features, where legally permitted and properly disclosed.

Yes. CleverControl can record configured website activity on authorized company devices. Depending on the settings, applicable laws, and the company's internal policies, authorized managers may review visited websites and related screenshots.

Yes, website blocker is one of the functions of CleverControl Agent. You can block certain web pages or whole categories, for instance all social networks. You can do that in “Remote Settings” in your account.

To see the data from CleverControl Agent you need to log in your remote account in the dashboard: https://dashboard.clevercontrol.com/ . You can use any web-browser on any device to log in.

At the moment access to the computer with administrator rights is required to install the program. However the installation process will only take a couple of moments.

All settings can be changed and applied remotely in your dashboard account. Go to the “Remote Settings” tab change the settings and click “Apply on this computer” or “Apply on all computers”.

The terms of storage are different depending on the type of data and are the following: Events - one year, Screenshots - six months, Screen Recording, Webcam Recording and Call Recording - one month. After that, the data is deleted automatically without the possibility of recovery. If you would like to keep the event log and screenshots beyond that time, you can use Reports to export the data.

Important: Automatic start scheduling should be configured only on authorized company devices and according to the organization's written monitoring policy, working-hours rules, and applicable law. Monitored users must be informed in advance, and consent must be obtained where required.

CleverControl starts when you turn on the computer by default. Sometimes you may need it to run at the scheduled time of the day instead. It is impossible to schedule CleverControl to start automatically via the settings in the current version of the program. However, you can do it with the help of Windows Task Scheduler.

1. Click the Windows icon in the taskbar. Scroll down the list of programs and find Windows Administrative Tools. Click the folder to expand it, and click Task Scheduler to run it.

   

2. Click Create Basic Task.

   

3. Enter the name of the task, for example, "Run CleverControl". Add a description (optional). After that, click Next.

   

4. Choose Daily and click Next.

   

5. Set the time when CleverControl should run, for example, 8:00:00 AM. Click Next to continue.

   

6. Copy and paste the path: C:\ProgramData\FO16FA1A-AA91-C56A-654F-E3865DA10DAT\clvhost.exe to the Program/Script field. Click Next.

   

7. Click Finish.

   

Important: Automatic stop scheduling can help align monitoring with working hours and internal policy requirements. Organizations should configure monitoring schedules according to their written monitoring policy, notify monitored users in advance, and obtain consent where required by law.

By default, CleverControl runs all the time while the monitored computer is on. However, if you are using a personal computer for work, you would want the monitoring to cease when the workday is over. It is impossible to schedule CleverControl to stop automatically via the settings in the current version of the program. However, you can do it with the help of Windows Task Scheduler.

1. First, you should create a batch script that will run and close the program. Open Notepad and type in the following: TASKKILL /F /IM clvhost.exe

   

2. Save the file with the .bat extension, for example, "Stop CleverControl.bat".

   

3. After that, you should schedule the task to stop CleverControl. Click the Windows icon in the taskbar. Scroll down the list of programs and find Windows Administrative Tools. Click the folder to expand it, and click Task Scheduler to run it.

   

4. Click Create Basic Task.

   

5. Enter the name of the task, for example, "Stop CleverControl". Add a description (optional). After that, click Next.

   

6. Choose Daily and click Next.

   

7. Choose the time when CleverControl should run, for example, 5:00:00 PM. Click Next to continue.

   

8. Select Start a program and click Next.

   

9. Click Browse and find the file "Stop CleverControl.bat" that you have just created and saved. Click Next.

   

10. Click Finish.

    

Face Recognition is not included in the basic subscription. To start using it, you should buy the Webcam Recording addition. If you already have it, you should update the program on the monitored computers to the latest version.

After that, follow these steps to activate Face Recognition:

1) Go to your online dashboard > Account > Computers and ensure that Webcam Recording is toggled on.

2) Click the button Setup Computer under the computer's name.

3) Go to the Media tab and scroll down to the Face Recognition section. Toggle on the Face Recognition option and select the webcam in the drop-down menu. All set!

Later, you can find the report on the Face Recognition tab on the dashboard.

The lifetime license includes all the basic features of CleverControl: screenshots, tracking visited websites, printer activity monitoring, etc. Also, you get access to all additional features: Screen Recording, Webcam Recording + Face Recognition, and Call Recording.

Yes, they are available with a lifetime license.

No. The lifetime license is available for CleverControl On-Premise only.

All version updates initiated by CleverControl are free forever.

No, technical support is free forever. You can contact our support team regarding any questions about the product 24/7 at [email protected].