If you think that task tracking is some new invention that capitalists invented to drain every drop of sweat out of freelancers, well, you’re wrong. It has been around longer than you thought, dating back to the era of punch cards. Now, if you’re guilt is preventing you from having a good night’s sleep, let us help you justify why it’s reasonable to get the best employee monitoring software for Windows and Mac.
Task monitoring is not necessarily a tool for spying, as long as we talk about the right app. It’s an excellent way to identify how much time your remote workers spend on a certain task, allowing you to identify distractions that waste their time. By using a task monitoring program, you can minimize productivity leaks by as much as 80%. Despite that, the best time tracking apps for freelancers should still have the capability to protect their privacy and data.
These days, time tracking apps have become increasingly popular, especially because of the rise of freelancing services. With all the options available to you, it can be challenging to select the right tool for your needs. Now, if you’re struggling to learn how to choose time tracking apps for employers, then this guide is all you’ll need. Keep reading and discover the tools that will let you monitor employees’ computer use.
1. Traqq
One of our favorites is Traqq, an employee-friendly app that makes the tracking process immensely simplified with its automated stopwatch. It shows the activity levels of your employees during a whole working day, making the billing process a lot easier. If you want to use one of the best time tracking apps, then Traqq should be your top option.
What’s more, since Traqq was designed to track and not ‘spy’, it is sympathetic to remote workers. The tool’s developers understood that people are concerned about the ‘spying’ aspect of task trackers. As such, they’ve designed Traqq to blur and compress the collected screenshots, preventing sensitive and personal information from becoming visible and therefore introducing employee-centric monitoring software with ethical tracking. Besides, the user is in control of all screenshots and can delete any of them along with the recorded time.
However, you (as an admin) can still get a good idea of your employees’ activity and detect suspicious or inappropriate usage.
With detailed reports and online time sheets, Traqq allows you to measure and analyze activity levels of everyone on your team, find your best-performing employees, and coordinate your least-performing ones. That way, you can easily optimize your company’s performance and profitability. You can also see what websites and apps are used by the members of your team, build reports and summaries for them, and filter your data by app and web usage. This makes your processes transparent and efficient.
One of the best things about Traqq is that it allows the user to add and edit recorded time manually and explain their edits. This comes in especially handy when having spontaneous business meetings.
2. Clockify
If you’re looking for a task monitoring program that you can use for various project, Clockify is a suitable option. It is an efficient tool for tracking employee productivity and attendance. What’s nice about this program is it offers rich insights without getting too confusing for managers. It features a visual map that collates your team’s work hours, making it easier to audit their output.
Another good detail about Clockify is it has dedicated apps for various platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. So, whether you’re using your MacBook Pro or your Samsung Galaxy Tab, you can still handle invoicing and processing of timesheets. You can use Clockify for free, but there are more features you can access with the paid version. For instance, there’s a time audit tool that allows you to identify logs that are unusually short or long.
3. Toggl
Try asking outsourcing experts this question:
“What is the best employee monitoring tool for 2023?”
For sure, Toggl will be in the list. One of the unique selling points of this program is its cloud-based storage system like in Traqq. Now, if you tend to use different devices or you travel a lot, Toggl will allow you to view all the charts and timesheets anytime and anywhere. What’s more, it doesn’t take rocket science knowledge to master the features of this app. It features a user-friendly reporting tool that allows you to analyze the available data quickly. As such, you can easily monitor your freelancers’ billable hours, productivity, break times, and more.
If you want access to a nice tracking features, Toggl is a good option. It is an easy solution for managers who monitor the billable hours of their remote team members. The added benefit you’ll get from this tool is the availability of the data anywhere you go.
4. Hubstaff
When it comes to payroll management, Hubstaff makes things easier. The tool allows managers to generate accurate timesheets for invoicing and processing billable hours. Say goodbye to manual computation in 2023. Hubstaff will let you establish rates for every remote worker in your team. You can also use it to plan shifts and schedules for your freelancers. You will see the employee work hours on the tool and even create tasks for them to do.
Did you know that around 67% of employees check on their social media accounts during work hours? No matter how you look at it, 13% of the billable hours go to your freelancer’s quest to find the perfect hashtag or their stalking endeavors.
With Hubstaff and above mentioned trackers, you can check your remote workers’ website and app activities. You will also see the amount of time they spend on non-essential tasks.
5. Time Doctor
Time Doctor is one of the biggest players in the task tracking sphere. Thousands of users across the globe trust this app, and it is not surprising why. It is highly customizable, allowing you to adapt it according to your specific monitoring requirements. What’s more, it is quite versatile. It lets managers view the data according to the projects, clients, or tasks. It makes it easier to determine weak points that may hamper a team member’s productivity.
Time Doctor is also handy for the nitpicking manager, especially since it generates comprehensive and detailed data and reports. You’ll be able to see which websites your freelancers frequently visit, as well as the apps they use. So, you’ll know if any team member is honestly working or are “doing research” on shopping sites.
However, the benefits go both ways. Your employees can get daily performance reports, which they can use as motivators for improving their productivity. They can use the data to work on their weaknesses.
Managing remote teams can be both rewarding and challenging. The digital workforce makes it more convenient to delegate tasks, pushing you forward towards your business goals. However, it is still important to understand how you can maximize your freelancers’ time and skills. Add time tracking apps to the mix and discover how it can boost your production rate.
