Monitoring technologies are thriving all over the world since early 2020. Well yes! Pandemic has accelerated things a bit, but PC monitoring tools have always been an essential part of our technological space.
It is total bliss to know the peaks of computer threats and eliminate them before it even causes damage! From monitoring their own computer to monitoring the activities of employees on their user screen, monitoring software has predicted and prevented potential threats.
Nowadays, no matter if your employee is working remotely or on-site, you can not ignore monitoring and managing their activities.
Many PC monitoring software, hardware, and open source technologies are available that solve problems ranging from system issues to real-time remote surveillance. If you are finding it hard to spot a good PC monitoring tool, then this article is made just for you.
Well, the good thing is, there are plenty of options available in the monitoring market that serve an advantage of exploring the range of best deals in respect to their provided convenience. Considering a large number of options, it will be good if we start with knowing the features that make a PC monitoring tool worth a choice.
Why Do We Need PC Monitoring Tools?
Knowing the best features of PC monitoring tools will not make the first impression if we don’t even know the importance of monitoring software. So let us begin our journey by learning it all!
PC monitoring tools help you in many ways! The computer devices do not protect themselves from data breaches and device failure threats. Plus, your PC cannot monitor itself for someone else!
For example, you are a remote employee, but your supervisor is not aware of what you are doing during your working hours. It is a matter of their overall productivity and reliance on employees for any enterprise. Hence, remote PC monitoring software is a crucial step to have productivity assurance from the employees.
So let us begin to know what these PC monitoring tools are capable of.
- Detecting issues and alerting system administration before any damage.
- Securing device data from external threats.
- Retaining the user activity history on the device and executing backup options.
- Providing stability and reliability to the device against any software hassle.
- Delivering a guided approach towards manually accomplishing solutions.
- Network-based monitoring for remote devices.
- Alerts admin on security breaches or picking up unusual activities in devices.
- Prepare a detailed activity graph of the device.
- Restricts users from visiting certain web domains.
Sometimes, monitoring does not fix system problems but could help you detect and get rid of one. So, even if you are not an employee, do consider installing monitoring software to avoid the prospects of cyberattacks.
PC Monitoring Tools | Hardware Vs Software
Since monitoring technology is on the rise, people have begun to talk about which PC monitoring tool is the best; software or hardware. Well, there is no correct answer to these questions, but you can deduce your correct answer by knowing the pros and cons of both types of tools.
Hardware PC Monitoring Tools
Hardware monitoring software provides you the most centralized solution to resolve your monitoring issues. Through these, you can observe the health of your PC with no fuss thoughtfully!
So before wasting any second, let us learn some basic pros and cons of utilizing hardware PC monitoring tools.
Pros
- Cost-effective:
Hardware is generally cost-effective because they are a one-time investment, and you do not have to buy a subscription for long-term use.
- Software scanning and system alert:
They are a centralized tool that scans and alerts the device if detected malicious entities.
- No requirement of network:
Hardware tools are specialized to work offline and scan your device to detect any type of system issue, even if it is internal.
- Enterprise monitoring solutions:
Yes, hardware tools can monitor more than one system at the same time.
Cons
- Installation on site:
The drawback of installing these hardware PC monitoring tools is that they can only get installed offline. And this makes it the biggest inconvenience for monitoring new remote workers.
- Non-personalized user interface:
Many times, the hardware monitoring tools do not possess the ease of simple reports. And tend to showcase CPU activity & device health along with the required information, which seems confusing sometimes.
- Does Not support multiple devices:
There are so many hardware PC monitoring tools available that do not support multiple devices. However, they support only one PC for home use and stuff. So better make your decisions based on your exact requirements.
- Monitor all users of a device:
Hardware monitoring software does not stop monitoring other device users who do not require observance or are for your personal use.
Software PC Monitoring Tools
Software PC monitoring tools are seen as the most optimal choice in the monitoring market since they give us numerous beneficial features capable of extending boundaries at our convenience
Pros
- Install from any location:
Installing these tools from anywhere in the world seems like the most luxurious convenience anyone can ever have. They only require an internet connection and an authentic downloading device.
- Personalized monitoring and in-depth reports:
The best PC monitoring software gives you the most personalized surveillance experience by collecting the data that you truly require. They are also capable of forging a detailed report of all the activities that you consider monitoring. Plus, if you are an admin, you can personalize the monitoring experience for your subordinates by letting them know those activity reports that are useful to them.
- Supports multiple devices:
There are plenty of monitoring software available that support unlimited devices and data collection from any systemized location. For example, EmpMonitor!
- Monitor selected device users:
The best PC monitoring tools favor your privacy, and hence, they do not track your activity beyond the selected device user.
- Cloud storage:
With these PC monitoring tools, you get cloud data storage options to have a limitless convenience of data visibility from anywhere in the world.
Cons
- Privacy issues:
Monitoring software installed systems are not to be used for personal purposes. Its recording and tracking feature can also record your personal data along with the official one. So it is advised to keep your professional and personal users different if you possess only one device.
- Time analytics:
Some people do not seem to be comfortable with the fixed-time module of professional work. Since half of the world is working remotely, it might seem like pressure to work only at a certain time. - Feelings of distrust:
Surely, monitoring your employee is a need of an hour, but it might cultivate some feelings of distrust in your employee’s mind. Well, employee monitoring also has its limits and legal compliances. However, if you are monitoring someone for personal gain, that might damage your relations with that person, so make sure to have valid reasons before monitoring anyone.
Everything You Need To Know About Remote PC Monitoring Tools (EmpMonitor)
Remote PC monitoring is the most comprehensive solution for enterprises to make sure their remote employees are working and keeping up with their productivity. Since the early 2020s, remote work has become the most optimal solution for companies to moderate their work in the pandemic.
Today, micromanaging is a new reality. Companies tend to keep records of employees minute by minute activity during working hours to avoid productivity loss and insider data breach threats.
If you want to upscale the productivity of your remote employees, then the solution you are waiting for is right around the corner. EmpMonitor! It not only gives you full visibility to your employee’s user screen but also treats you with comprehensive monitoring solutions.
From time tracking to absolute employee monitoring, get everything within a single dashboard. EmpMonitor is a cloud-based software with the finest PC monitoring tools that are best for your business.
With EmpMonitor, you can avail yourself of every single feature mentioned here.
- Clock in/out Time-Tracking:
Track the log-in/out time of your employees along with productive, non-productive, and idle hours.
- Unlimited device support and storage options:
Cloud-based software that stores all of its data on cloud storage, giving you full-time accessibility to the reports of your employees from anywhere in the world.
- Robust Productivity Reports:
Get in-depth reports of employee productivity matrix based on various filters and algorithms.
- Personalizing Website visiting activity:
Give your team leaders the access to visit particular white-listed sites for organizational purposes, and also restrict your employees from visiting non-required web portals.
- Stealth Mode:
Monitor the device without appearing anywhere on the user screen.
- Web and Application History:
Know the websites your employees have visited during working hours. Plus, have details regarding the device applications on which they have spent much time.
- Identification Of Employee Status:
Identify and track the productive hours of your employees along with non-productive and idle hours.
- Keylogger:
Get the real-time information of the keystrokes pressed during working hours.
- Webcam and Screen Shot feature:
Track their activity through real-time screenshots, and know if your employee is actually on the screen or not.
- Robust Employee Activity Reports:
Get an ultimate report on the activities of your employees during working hours and measure their performances accordingly.
- Shift Management:
Monitoring software that entertains flexible working hours too!
- Attendance:
Get the log-in and log-out records of your employees and track their day-wise availability.
- Geo-location based tracking:
Get the real-time location details and know from where in the world your employees are working.
- Chat monitoring:
Track your employee’s total time spent on chatting during working hours.
- Email Monitoring:
Track and monitor emails sent by your employee during working hours.
- Leave Management:
Allow your employee to mention the leave details within the software.
- Project Management:
Track and manage the progress of the project through monitoring software.
- Alerts:
An alarm system that notifies the admin on picking up unusual activity.
- Integration with OS platforms.
A PC monitoring software that operates on all OS platforms devices is your best choice if that fits your requirement. For example, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Well, if you want all these benefits without wasting time searching for software, then hop on to EmpMonitor! And join the community of 1000+ happy customers across the globe.
5 Free Remote PC Monitoring Tools That Fit Your Business
Who said you could not monitor your remote employees for free! Yes, you heard right!
There are numerous free PC monitoring tools available on the market. That allows you to have most of the monitoring advantages you require without paying a single penny.
So let us maximize the productivity benchmark with these free remote PC monitoring software.
Remote Utilities:
It is free software that integrates with a maximum of 10 computer devices through an internet ID, and interestingly, it doesn’t require a download on monitorable devices.
Chrome Remote Desktop:
It is an extension on chrome provided by the browser which lets you connect which sets you up for remote access. It is a totally free feature hosted by chrome, and it only requires one download.
Kimai:
It is an open-source paid software whose free version is available for use on up to 5 devices. Kimai has the most comprehensive features available rather than just allowing connectivity. It can generate productivity analysis reports and allows plugin support for feature extension.
Windows Remote Desktop:
It is a built-in software provided by windows, which simply can be connected to other devices to share real-time surveillance data by activating this feature through the device control panel. The first and foremost advantage of this tool is that it doesn’t require any subscription. This feature is available on OS platforms ranging from Windows XP to Windows 10.
EmpMonitor:
It is a paid software used by many big companies, and it caters to all the monitoring advantages you might want to have. The free version of EmpMonitor is available for 15 days for five users without eliminating any premium benefits from your monitoring experience.
Wrap Up!
The common misconception about monitoring is that monitoring remote employees is unethical. Well, monitoring is a controversial subject, but in times of pandemics, they are the only source of managing the workforce virtually.
Before going further with remote monitoring, it has to be concluded that these PC monitoring tools operate within legal boundaries as suggested by the nation or organizational compliance as directed by authorized parties.
For example, EmpMonitor has GDPR compliance. That enables authentic monitoring features that don’t disturb the privacy of the employees. Also, the surveillance reports are available to the admin and at hand to the employees too!
Well, the best PC monitoring software remains thoughtful to the purpose of monitoring, so whenever you get stuck deciding which one is best for you, do refer to the above points and relish the monitoring technology comprehensively.
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