How To Monitor Employee Emails - A Guide To Outlook and Gmail (Former G Suite)

Emails are a significant tool for communication and collaboration holding a wealth of confidential company’s data. Along with the persistent popularity of emails in business development, the urgent question to protect sensitive data has risen. This rising concern has contributed to the creation of employee monitoring software with the purpose to track email usage either Outlook or Gmail (former G suite). This guide will overview factual data in relation to how to monitor employee emails: tools, legal considerations, viewpoints of both employers and employees, etc.

Monitoring employees email transparently is essential for fostering an eco-friendly, comfortable, and effective business environment. When employees understand the reasons behind using monitoring software, they feel respected, it, in turn, builds trust in the executive staff. This strategy not only enhances job satisfaction rate among employees, but also contributes to higher productivity, better collaboration, security of sensitive data, leading to a more profitable business.

We’ve gathered some recommendations to build transparent relations with your team. Feel free to use it in order to reach the set goals:

• develop clear policies
• obtain employee consent
• explain the purpose of monitoring
• limit monitoring to work-related communications
• use monitoring tools responsibly
• regularly update employees
• ensure compliance with legal requirements
• monitor and review policy effectiveness

Diverse options exist helping in monitoring Outlook emails. The first one is to use built-in Outlook features. Use message tracking to monitor email delivery, read receipts and the status of sent emails, resulting in records with incoming and outgoing emails.

Together with incoming and outgoing emails’ records, use the tool as mailbox auditing. Its main function is to track actions such as email send, delete, and access by others. If you’re using Microsoft Exchange, you can enable mailbox auditing through the Exchange Admin Center.

However, the usage of Microsoft 365 Compliance Center is designed for more advanced monitoring. Features like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies help monitor and prevent the sharing of sensitive information via email.

In many cases, built-in tools do not address the inquiries. Employers start searching for extra software to reach the set goals. A long search ago, they managed to find and implement third-party tools - employee monitoring software that integrates effectively with Outlook. This tool can provide keyword alerts, track attachments, and analyze email communication patterns.

Employee monitoring software has already gained a solid reputation thanks to diverse options utilized to track productivity of every employee. Among available features, there are: email monitoring, app tracking, screenshots, overall website activity, etc.

Businessmen are willing to use any available means to protect sensible data and innovative business ideas. They mostly consider implementing any available option, sometimes, using Deploy Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools. Such tools automatically monitor outgoing emails for sensitive data, such as financial information or intellectual property, and block or flag inappropriate emails.

G Suite is now known as Google Workplace, specifically Gmail. WifiTalents-held survey shows incredible statistics:

• 60% of small businesses use Gmail as their primary email provider
• 70% of businesses use Gmail or G Suite for their email services

Given these impressive statistics, it’s important to address two key questions about Gmail monitoring:

1. how to use built-in tools in monitoring emails
2. how to monitor employee email g suite with extra resources

Let’s answer them one by one and find out whether you are maximizing the potential of Gmail’s built-in tools for email monitoring.

You may start asking the questions like what built-in options are usable in your individual case. Let’s find the answer. Google itself recommends using the Google workspace admin console. This console obtains the following options:

Continuing going through Google recommendations, enable Gmail Retention and eDiscovery. Start with the first notion - Retention. Use Google Vault for retention, archiving, and eDiscovery of emails. Vault allows you to retain emails for a specified period, even after they are deleted by users, which is essential for legal compliance and internal investigations.

Together with Google Vault for retention, enable eDiscovery to search for and export emails during investigations or audits. This ensures that you have access to all relevant communications.

While inner tools are functional, the critical question remains: are they sufficient for comprehensive email monitoring? Given the limitations of a single solution, external tools offer an expansive array of features designed to meet various monitoring needs.

Besides, it will grant your business a wealth of monitoring solutions, among which are Webcam recording, screenshot recording, social networks’ activities, and face recognition. One of the most appealing features for many businesses is the integration of AI. You will get AI-recorded statistics about employee productivity.

Wrapping up, the answers to both questions still contribute to discussions but it becomes obvious - no single solution exists. Use any option to safeguard your company, employees’ credibility and productivity.

Monitoring email activities guarantees enhanced security and compliance of the company’s policy. In accordance with US, for example, legislation, it is absolutely legal to monitor employees’ email activity with the exception of some states. Connecticut, for example, requires written confirmation of the employee that he is being monitored. Private companies in New York must provide specific notice to employees about the monitoring aspects.

The monitoring is led to the improved security level as the sensitive data leakage through emails can be detected.

Employee monitoring can contribute to significant improvements in productivity and efficiency as it provides insights into how time is spent in the workplace. By tracking activities, managers can identify patterns of unproductive behavior and address them promptly. This helps ensure that employees are focused on their tasks, reducing time wastage and enabling them to work more effectively. Additionally, monitoring tools can highlight areas where workflows can be optimized, thus it leads to more streamlined processes and better overall performance. As a result, the organization can achieve its goals more quickly and with fewer resources.

Employee monitoring helps mitigate the risks and threats of cybercrimes. As you are in constant tracking of employees’ activities, it becomes rather difficult to commit an offense. More data is available to prevent crimes.

Employee monitoring provides valuable insights and analytics that can help organizations make data-driven decisions. By collecting and analyzing data on employee activities, such as time spent on tasks, software usage, and communication patterns, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of workforce behavior and productivity trends.

Along with all the above benefits, we couldn’t stop mentioning - better client management. When your employees show high productivity, client management is also going up. Better client management is the way to increase revenue.

Before setting such software up, each employer should think properly about the legitimacy of monitoring practice. Each country has its own regulations introduced to govern this niche. The major cases show many countries permit to apply monitoring software but with one note: employees knowing this practice is applied.

Remember to respect employees' rights to the privacy of personal information. The executive staff has a legal permission to monitor only work-related aspects of life. So, no one should cross the boundaries - if an employee is aware of this practice, they are more likely to feel respected, which can lead to increased motivation and productivity.

When implementing employee monitoring, consider its impact on workplace culture and choose tools that align with your specific needs while ensuring data security. Balance control with employee autonomy to support trust and morale. Regularly review and update your practices to stay compliant and transparent. Providing legal and ethical training for management, along with clear communication to employees, will help foster a respectful and productive work environment.

The information provided helps employers understand how to effectively monitor employee emails. What tools either built-in or external, are applicable. We also mention the legitimacy aspect telling that in a major number of countries a written proof of an employee's knowledge should be received.

We highlight the value of monitoring practice for both parties of working relationships. How to enhance employee productivity together with security and privacy? You should try employee monitoring software helping be in touch with all of the company's sensible data.