The 8 Best Employee Monitoring Software Solutions for 2024
Looking for employee monitoring software for your construction business? We’ve reviewed 8 of the best apps on the market to help you!
Employee monitoring. Sounds like a prelude to a dystopian society, doesn’t it?
In reality, however, employee monitoring is less about micromanaging workers and more about tracking the cost and time it takes to complete a project or task.
In other words, it’s project management much more than employee management.
In this article, we’ll explore the best employee monitoring software to help you track your employees’ productivity, prevent big projects from dragging on, and increase your profit margin.
Let’s get started…
Top Picks
Below, you’ll find a summary of each app we’ve reviewed, with our scores, each app’s ideal use cases, its pricing, the availability of any free trials or free tiers, and the platforms on which the app is available. Each app has been thoroughly investigated and analyzed for users like you, with pros and cons, key features, integrations, and real user reviews.
Let’s take a look…
9.1 
14 days (no credit card needed)
8.2
14 days (no credit card needed)
8.0
14 days (no credit card needed)
7.9
10 days (no credit card needed)
7.6
7 days (or 14 days if you’ll provide a phone number)
7.5
7 days (no credit card needed)
7.4
14 days (no credit card needed)
7.2
7 days (cloud) or 14 days (on-premise/private cloud)
EDITOR’S NOTE: We created Workyard – the first app reviewed here – to address issues we encountered while struggling to track and manage construction payrolls for over 700 workers in over 50 construction businesses. We built the Workyard app from the ground up to support construction companies like yours, with industry-essential features like the industry’s most accurate time clock app with GPS and geofencing, intuitive contractor scheduling, construction cost tracking tools, and more.
Learn more about how Workyard works on our main website, or sign up for a 14-day free trial today to see what Workyard can do for your business.
Workyard
Scoring
Key Features
-
High-accuracy GPS time clock for field workers
-
Live map-based team view for real-time location tracking
-
Detailed tracking of travel time, driving route, and mileage
-
Real-time job progress and labor cost tracking
-
Customizable dashboard and employee productivity reports
-
Out-of-the-box accounting and payroll integrations
Mobile app login only requires a phone number
Offline-capable mobile app
Tracks worker’s time, location, and mileage in real time
Tracks location even beyond the geofenced site
Automatic clock-in/out at geofenced locations
Spanish version available on Android
Need to educate workers about location tracking
No forever-free plan
Tracking features too advanced for home-based employees
No time clock kiosk for onsite attendance
Pricing is not flexible for solopreneurs
Highlights
Workyard’s robust employee monitoring software is built for the field, making it the best choice for construction and field-based companies.
Its high-accuracy GPS time clock not only tracks workers’ hours but also allocates those hours to their designated projects and cost codes, helping managers see in real time where they’re making money and where it’s being lost.
Workyard is designed to be intuitive, so field workers can accomplish tasks on the fly with only a few taps on their phones. If you (as the manager) activate geofencing, employees can be automatically clocked in/out upon entry/exit from the project location, allowing them to work uninterruptedly without feeling like someone is breathing down their necks.
Workyard also takes workers’ privacy seriously. The mobile app stops tracking when the worker clocks out, ensuring their phone battery won’t be drained and no personal details will be leaked.
Let’s take a deeper look at Workyard’s features and how they can improve your company’s monitoring efforts.
Precise GPS Time and Geolocation Tracking
With Workyard’s GPS time clock, tracking your crew’s hours is effortless. Employees can clock in and out directly from their mobile phones, eliminating the need for physical punch clocks at the office.
Managers can also set up geofences to automatically clock employees in and out when they arrive and leave project locations. With no attendance sheet to fill out or time clock counter to fall in line for, employees can go straight to work without the hassle of paperwork.
Each time clock entry syncs automatically with the team’s timesheet. This real-time syncing means managers can instantly see who’s working, who’s off work, and who might need to fill in for absent colleagues.
The Time Cards feature provides a snapshot of your team’s activities, showing clock-in/out times, locations, travel hours, and mileage.
Click on an employee’s entry for a complete breakdown, including their exact locations throughout the day. If someone forgets to clock in or out, Workyard’s GPS logs can prove their presence at the site, ensuring accurate time cards and fair pay.
Workyard also shines with its bulk editing feature, allowing managers to update multiple time cards simultaneously. This is perfect for making quick adjustments and maintaining precise records, especially handy during payroll processing.
Workyard’s GPS employee time tracking can also:
- Provide each clocked-in worker’s exact location on the map
- Track the worker’s driving mileage, route, and time
- Work continuously, even in low or no reception areas
- Allow supervisors to clock in multiple workers simultaneously
- Notify managers whenever workers clock in/out inaccurately
- Update timesheet in real time for faster manager review and approval
- Stop tracking automatically when the employee clocks out
See why 50,000+ workers and over 10,000 contractors use Workyard (and why construction managers like you gave it a stellar score of 4.9 / 5 on Capterra). Explore Workyard and start a 14-day free trial today to see how we can speed up your construction and workforce management.
Robust Task Management with Live Labor Cost Tracking
Workyard goes beyond simple employee monitoring. For every clock-in, field workers can tag their hours to specific projects and cost codes. This way, every hour worked is allocated to the right task under the right project.
With Workyard automatically computing labor costs based on employees’ hourly rate, managers can quickly see how much time and money are spent on each task.
By analyzing costs per task, users can easily spot issues slowing the project down, determine if the task is priced accurately, and correct budget overruns before they get out of hand.
Workyard also comes with a simple collaboration and communication tool accessible right from each scheduled task.
Through this feature, managers can assign tasks with checklists, so workers will never have to guess what needs to be done and in what order.
Managers and workers can also send and exchange status updates, photos, receipts, and other file attachments via the mobile app, ensuring real-time communication and progress tracking.
Customizable Reports on Employee Attendance and Performance
Generating reports with Workyard is simple and customizable.
In the Time Cards section, click “Report” to select the data you need. Whether you want a detailed timesheet, a summary, or a project-focused attendance sheet, Workyard provides it in your preferred format (PDF or CSV).
Reports can cover individual workers or entire teams, include time card notes, and track mileage. This data helps you identify attendance patterns, optimize scheduling, and adjust staffing strategies to improve overall efficiency.
In Workyard’s Project Hub, you can also get a bird’s eye view of each project your team is working on. Simply select the name of the project, and you’ll quickly get access to a live breakdown of all project-related data grouped according to hours worked, costs incurred, and mileage spent.
Filter the result to show data for each employee. From this view, you can easily identify the top and weakest performers and customize your training plans accordingly.
Easy Integrations with Accounting, Payroll, and Other Business Apps
Workyard integrates smoothly with your existing payroll or accounting systems. It pairs effortlessly with QuickBooks, ADP, Gusto, and more, minimizing manual data entry and speeding up payroll and accounting processes.
For additional flexibility, Workyard’s developer API allows you to connect with other business solutions designed to enhance your workflow.
Reviews
Workyard’s mobile app specializes in field-based time, location, and mileage tracking. This sets Workyard apart from other employee monitoring software solutions designed to only track computer activities.
Workyard has generated mostly positive reviews across different review platforms. Most users note how accurate its GPS tracking is and how convenient its automatic clock-in/out functionality is for busy field employees. Let’s go over some select user reviews for Workyard.
The iOS user below won’t have to endure long queues just to clock in for their attendance, thanks to Workyard’s convenient mobile time clock.
iOS Review:
How great Workyard mobile app is – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“More convenient sufficient, and less time consuming. This new technology helps workers sign in and sign out in a more sufficient way as far as having to go to a machine Wait in line and then signing her up and with so much new technology at hand, the Workyard app is just brilliant.”
The Android user below loves how Workyard simplifies tasks–from clocking in and switching between two projects to posting job progress updates.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Great app, makes clocking in and out effortless. Also switching job sites is quick and easy. Great features, including posting job descriptions, progress and pictures.”
The Capterra user review below likes Workyard’s geofencing feature, which allows managers to track exactly when employees start or stop working at the job site.
Capterra Review:
One of the easiest time tracking apps – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Overall: I highly recommend this app and the services and support that the workyard employees provide.
Pros: I personally like the geofence feature to know exactly when each employee starts and stops at a job site.
Cons: The ease for each employee to adjust break times and start stop times”
Pricing
Free Trial?
14-day trial with no credit card required
Time Tracking
Annual: $6 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Monthly: $8 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Workforce Monitoring
Annual: $13 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Monthly: $16 / mo. per user + $50 base fee
Monitor every minute with Workyard
See how it works
ActivTrak
Scoring
Key Features
-
Visual productivity dashboards for measuring the team’s progress
-
Team productivity report with a breakdown of time spent on each activity
-
Automated time tracking with flexible monitoring schedules
-
Integrations with popular CRMs and project management apps
Free plan available for up to 3 users
Real-time alerts to warn against possible security threats
No keylogging, camera access, or email monitoring
No mobile app
Only offers annual payment plans
Screenshots and enhanced support available as add-ons
No alerts for employee absences
Highlights
ActivTrak’s comprehensive productivity reports allow you to examine your team’s work habits in depth, tracking everything from the time spent on productive versus unproductive activities to how each team member is performing against set goals.
ActivTrak helps you determine which one from remote, in-office, or hybrid work environments yields the highest productivity. It also provides real-time insights into employees’ active, passive, or offline statuses and the applications or websites they use.
On the flip side, ActivTrak lacks a mobile app, which can be a hassle for some managers who need to check on team productivity while on-site. Additionally, ActivTrak only offers annual payment plans, making it inconvenient for businesses that prefer or require monthly billing.
Reviews
ActivTrak’s biggest selling point is its customizable and insightful reporting features. Unfortunately, the app is only made for computer monitoring, with its lack of a mobile app a serious dealbreaker for construction and other field-based businesses.
While the Capterra user review below applauded ActivTrak’s monitoring features, it also noted the app’s rigid pricing, which basically alienated users who prefer monthly billing instead of being tied to an annual subscription.
Capterra Review:
It helped track my employees in stealth mode. I can judge behavior of my employees and keep eye on. – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: Recent screen shots help get overview at a glance about what your employees doing. One can monitor from anywhere or on the go. website blocking is very easy and its very difficult for employees to track whats going on their system. For home users its free to monitor 3 computers with enough data
Cons: Price is bit high as compared to other solutions. Also paying annually is also a paid and they don’t offer monthly payment options.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
14 days (no credit card needed)
Free
No cost, but limited to only 3 users
Essentials
$10/mo. per user (billed annually)
Hubstaff
Scoring
Key Features
-
Built-in time tracker and timesheets for remote work monitoring
-
Real-time tracking of online activities, hours worked, and earnings
-
Employee activity goals with achievement badges when KPIs are hit
-
Optional location tracking with geofencing for field workers
-
Integrations with over 30 apps, including QuickBooks and Gusto
Optional screenshot capture
Automatic clock-in/out at geofenced job site
Offers built-in expense tracking and budgets
Tracks overtime with automatic notifications
Location tracking and task management only as add-ons
Issues with app integrations
Limited reporting features
Highlights
Hubstaff is a remote employee monitoring software with an integrated budget management system.
After creating to-dos and assigning them to team members for time tracking, Hubstaff lets you set project or client budgets based on either total costs or hours.
Hubstaff’s automated notifications keep you informed as you approach or exceed your budget limits, ensuring you stay on top of costs throughout the project lifecycle. Additionally, the insights from Hubstaff’s reports help in creating more accurate future estimates and managing actual costs efficiently.
However, users have reported challenges when attempting to integrate Hubstaff with other platforms, which can be particularly frustrating for those needing a cohesive monitoring system.
The software’s drag-and-drop functionality has also been cited as clunky and time-consuming. Furthermore, its reporting feature, while functional, is often described as mediocre, lacking advanced tracking capabilities and a comprehensive project dashboard.
Reviews
Hubstaff’s employee monitoring tool has an overall good reputation across different review platforms.
However, its Android app is notably the poorest performer, with most negative reviews attributed to faulty time tracking, which often forced users to input their hours manually.
Here are Hubstaff’s review numbers so far:
The iOS user below appreciated how Hubstaff smoothly incorporated task management and even an online job board into its platform, making it appealing for startups looking for these exact features.
iOS Review:
Great Software- Especially for Remote Company ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I love the fact the screenshots are exact and they provide a great detail on what activity is carried on while on the clock. I love how there is a task management attached as well a job board for recruiters to fill a position in the company. Very easy to maneuver and there is awesome integrations that will make usage easy and effective especially if you are start-up company looking for online time tracking system that has a lot features.”
For the Android user below, Hubstaff can be a battery hog, and its interface is tricky to navigate for first-time users.
Google Play Review:
⭐⭐⭐
“Good program. A little hard to figure out all the functions on the menu. Uses way to much battery power.”
The Capterra user review below detailed how an attempt to connect Hubstaff with a third-party tool revealed a flaw in how its customer support team handles technical issues.
Capterra Review:
API support needs some work – ⭐⭐⭐
“I recently attempted to use your API to link my CRM to employee availability and it is absolute trash and the support team has been everything except helpful. I ask for server logs from your end and they dont have access to them, I ask for data and they tell me they cant see it. I can provide a timestamp from my server, why cant you? They even asked me to record a video so they could see what im doing instead of offering to set up a call and watch! What kind of dev asks for a video when they can look at the server log? Just the worst service I’ve had in years and thought you might care to know. I’d love for Hubstaff to continue to meet our needs.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
14 days (no credit card needed)
Starter
$7/mo. per user
Grow
$9/mo. per user
Team
$12/mo. per user
Enterprise
$25/mo. per user
Monitask
Scoring
Key Features
-
Real-time screen capture with automatic screenshot storage
-
Shift scheduling tool with overtime tracking and auto-scheduling
-
Work hour tracker with optional manual time entry
-
Software usage tracking to identify unproductive times
-
Employee in-out board for accurate attendance tracking
-
Stealth monitoring for discreet supervision
Customizable reporting feature
Extensive integrations with CRMs, project tools, etc.
Blurs sensitive data on screenshots for privacy
Screenshots available as an add-on feature
Limited logs make it difficult to audit time data
Users can’t grant client access for collaboration
Highlights
Monitask’s IP and VPN tracking help identify unauthorized access, effectively protecting your systems against potential breaches. It allows you to monitor and manage user locations, ensuring regulatory standards are upheld.
Moreover, Monitask offers valuable insights into user activity, promoting accountability and optimizing network performance. Many users also appreciate its clean and effective task-tracking feature, which provides helpful guidance and templates for project management.
Unfortunately, Monitask only retains logs from the past two weeks, which can be a hassle for those needing to audit hours recorded over longer periods. The short retention period has frustrated some users, who find themselves scrambling to save logs manually before they vanish.
Reviews
Like most employee monitoring software, Monitask is a desktop-focused app. This explains its weak presence on the iOS App Store and zero mobile app for Android users.
The Capterra user review below commended Monitask’s solid time and task progress tracking. Also worth noting is the short storage period for time-tracking logs, which basically forced the user to save them manually before they disappeared.
Capterra Review:
Task tracking and manager – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Pros: Monitask is important for my workflow, as they offer an easy way to track and time track my task. I usually collaborate it with my team, and we can monitor easily the task progress and intervention that are needed for the task. The notification will be sent either by email or on the notification central for the task that has reach its dateline and still not marked complete.Cons: Monitask has limited logs or history for the time tracking. It only store the logs for the last 2 weeks and nothing after it. I make the auditing process is harder as i will need to save the logs manually before it disappeared.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
10 days (no credit card needed)
Pro
$5.99/mo. per user
Business
$8.99/mo. per user
Enterprise
Contact sales for pricing
Kickidler
Scoring
Key Features
-
Screen video recording for in-depth insights into employee activity
-
Real-time viewing of employees’ screens
-
Shift-based timesheet records
-
Remote access to all employee computers
-
One-click productivity reports (employee- or company-based)
Free plan available
Logs keystrokes and records screen simultaneously
Self-monitoring interface for employees
API available across all paid plans
Lacks mobile app
Complicated installation and setup
Lags while playing video recordings
Highlights
Kickidler is a robust employee monitoring software tailored to meet the needs of industries where data security is paramount.
With its comprehensive data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities, Kickidler can closely monitor and control file transfers within your organization, effectively preventing unauthorized transfers that could lead to data breaches.
Kickidler excels at identifying unusual user behavior patterns, alerting you to potential data leaks. For instance, if an employee starts transferring large amounts of data outside of their regular patterns, Kickidler sends an alert, allowing you to investigate promptly.
The app also prevents unauthorized screen capturing, ensuring sensitive data isn’t leaked through screenshots or photographs.
Unfortunately, Kickidler lacks a mobile app, which can be a hassle when you’re on a business trip and need to keep tabs on your team.
Another challenge is the server installation requirement. It demands a fixed IP address, which can be cumbersome for small to medium-sized businesses, as it necessitates additional expenses for services like AWS or VPNs.
Reviews
Kickidler specializes in computer data loss prevention. It has robust security features that sadly can’t extend to mobile devices. This is because Kickidler lacks a dedicated mobile application, whether on iOS or Android devices.
The Capterra user review below applauded Kickidler’s “proactive approach to employee management.” The user also noted how demanding Kickidler’s installation process is, with businesses being required to have a fixed IP address.
Capterra Review:
Kickidler Review – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: Kickidler software impresses with its robust real-time tracking, enabling a proactive approach to employee management. Its comprehensive features empower us to optimize daily activities effectively.Cons: One drawback of Kickidler is its server installation requirement, demanding a fixed IP address. This poses challenges for small to medium businesses, necessitating additional expenses for services like AWS or VPNs, impacting overall cost-effectiveness.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
7 days (or 14 days if you provide a phone number)
Kickidler Free
No cost, but only for 1 user
Kickidler Time Tracking
$4.9/mo. per user
Kickidler Employee Monitoring
$9.99/mo. per user
Kickidler DLP
$20/mo. per user
Insightful
Scoring
Key Features
-
Computer activity monitoring to track apps and websites visited
-
Screenshots recorded randomly or triggered by suspicious activity
-
Activity logs to easily identify active and idle time
-
Stealth mode for discreet monitoring and prevention of malicious activities
-
Automatic attendance tracking with detailed reports
Computer activity is monitored in real tim
Employee checks in automatically once their computer’s on
Website visits labeled as productive or unproductive
Comprehensive logs for up to two years
No free plan available
Lacks mobile app
Reporting feature is too basic
Highlights
Instead of letting employees manually track their time, Insightful’s time mapping does the heavy lifting by automatically logging every task and creating detailed timesheet entries for every project action.
With Insightful, you can see exactly how much time is spent at any project stage, helping you predict future resource needs accurately. And because it runs seamlessly in the background, your employees can focus on their work without worrying about switching tasks or starting and stopping timers.
On the flip side, Insightful lacks a mobile app. In construction and other field-based businesses, where managers and workers are often on the move, the absence of a mobile app can be a real dealbreaker.
Reviews
Insightful lacks a mobile application, which explains its zero presence in app marketplaces.
Based on Capterra reviews, Insightful pleases users with its intuitive interface and ease of installation. However, a number of reviews pointed out flaws in its time-tracking feature, which often led to inaccurate data and interrupted workflow.
The Capterra user review below liked how easy it was to install Insightful but pointed out its lack of reporting features. In all fairness, Insightful offers basic logs and timeline reports, but they’re ironically not as insightful as they should be.
Capterra Review:
Insightful – Review – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: GoodPros: Ease of installation and monitoring on employees’ devices.
Cons: No reporting features or auto calculation for timekeeping.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
7 days (no credit card needed)
Productivity Management
$8/mo. per user
Time Tracking
$10/mo. per user
Process Improvement
$15/mo. per user
Enterprise Solution
Custom quote available on inquiry
WorkTime
Scoring
Key Features
-
Non-invasive tracking only monitors app and website usage
-
What’s Now report showing who’s productive and who’s not
-
Distraction score measures workers’ level of unproductivity
-
Leaderboard reports of top-performing employees and departments
-
Online meeting monitoring to track where teams waste time
Free plan available for up to 3 employees
Respects worker’s privacy
Saves storage by not capturing screenshots
No mobile app
Not suitable for teams requiring screenshot captures
Technical glitches cause sudden log-outs and session halts
Highlights
WorkTime’s non-invasive green monitoring feature lets you keep track of productivity without infringing on employee privacy.
Unlike other remote employee monitoring software that relies on intrusive screenshots, WorkTime’s approach involves analyzing each employee’s screen and summarizing the data into numerical reports. This way, no personal data is recorded (i.e., no screens, passwords, or keystrokes), ensuring complete privacy.
However, WorkTime seems to be riddled with technical glitches, causing session halts and unexpected logouts.
Several users have reported frequent interruptions in their workflow due to these issues, hence the need for WorkTime’s developers to address them before they fully impact user experience.
Reviews
WorkTime stands out for offering a more conservative approach to employee monitoring. Unfortunately, its features are mainly designed for remote computer monitoring.
This explains its lack of a mobile app, which would have been valuable for field-based businesses where employees are always on the go.
The Capterra user review below commended WorkTime’s versatility as an employee monitoring tool. However, the reporting wasn’t as versatile, making it difficult for users to customize it according to their needs.
Capterra Review:
No-nonsense software – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros: Easy to set up Has lots of options for various things to track has scheduling and groups to track different things in different spaces doesn’t eat up a lot of resources reasonable price, no-nonsense software and support staffCons: The generated reports can be difficult to customize for useful data – it is meant as a corporate analysis tool for worker productivity and not necessarily what we used it for – namely to see how many licenses of a software were in use on which computer, for how long by which person. It tracked all that info but presenting that data in a meaningful way wasn’t very easy to do.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
14 days (no credit card needed)
Free
No cost, but with limited users and features
Basic
$6.99/mo. per employee
Premium
$8.99/mo. per employee
Enterprise
$10.99/mo. per employee
Teramind
Scoring
Key Features
-
Machine learning-powered monitoring tools to detect threats
-
Real-time visual reports and dashboards for employee productivity
-
Remote desktop control to investigate suspicious activities
-
Keystroke logger for capturing all keyboard activities
-
Screen recording and playback of employees’ online activities
Robust security features
Automatically blocks or alerts on possible data leaks
Tracks employee’s active and idle times online
Time tracker available on web and mobile apps
High cost per user
Limited functionalities on Mac
Lacks detailed activity logging
Extensive monitoring features not suitable for smaller orgs
Highlights
Teramind is designed to protect your company’s sensitive data through robust insider threat prevention and detection. By leveraging behavior analytics, Teramind effectively safeguards businesses against data breaches caused by accidental, negligent, or compromised insiders.
One of its standout features is the Behavior Rules & Alerts engine, which allows you to detect and thwart threats before they escalate.
Additionally, Teramind’s endpoint monitoring helps fend off malware and phishing attacks, ensuring your team remains vigilant against cyber threats.
However, Teramind’s extensive range of features can be a double-edged sword.
While comprehensive, Teramind’s fleet of monitoring tools can overwhelm smaller businesses or those without a dedicated IT staff. This complexity can result in a steep learning curve, causing some features to go underutilized.
In addition, Teramind’s limited functionality on Mac devices poses a challenge for teams using diverse operating systems.Teramind works best on Windows computers, but several user reviews complained of its limited functionality when installed on Mac devices. It only has a mobile app for iOS users, and not a single review was published to help users gauge how it performs when we wrote this review.
Reviews
Teramind works best on Windows computers, but several user reviews complained of its limited functionality when installed on Mac devices. It only has a mobile app for iOS users, and not a single review was published to help users gauge how it performs when we wrote this review.
Based on the Capterra user review below, Teramin’s robust security features are offset by the app’s unaffordable pricing, complexity, and unintuitive user interface.
Capterra Review:
Unmatched employee monitoring software – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“While Teramind offers robust employee monitoring capabilities, there were a few areas that left room for improvement. One drawback was the complexity of the platform, which required a learning curve to fully utilize its features. The interface, while functional, could benefit from a more modern and user-friendly design. The pricing structure felt a bit on the higher side compared to some alternatives. Additionally, the system occasionally experienced performance lags, impacting real-time monitoring. Despite these limitations, Teramind remains a powerful employee monitoring solution with valuable features, but it could benefit from addressing these areas for enhancement.”
Pricing
Free Trial?
7 days (cloud) or 14 days (on-premise/private cloud)
Starter
$116/mo. per user
UAM
$233/mo. per user
DLP
$272/mo. per user
Enterprise
Contact sales for pricing
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re monitoring remote workers or field employees, the ultimate goal is not to spy on them. Rather, you want to optimize project completion, ensure company resources are spent strategically, and fix profit leaks before they get out of control.
Choosing the best employee monitoring software is especially crucial for managing a dispersed construction team. Workyard is built for field-based team monitoring with its precise GPS time tracking complemented by detailed job progress and cost monitoring.
With Workyard’s monitoring features, field-based businesses can quickly identify and fix bottlenecks, ensuring projects don’t drag on longer than necessary.
Accurately monitor your employees while they’re in the field with Workyard’s best-in-class GPS time clock. Sign up for its 14-day free trial today to get started.
Our Scoring System Explained
Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.
We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.
Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:
The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.
How We Score Software
All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.
In general, the 0-10 range translates as:
- 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
- 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
- 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
- 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
- 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
- 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.
How We Calculate Overall Scores
The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:
- Ease of Use: 20%
- Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
- Scheduling Features: 15%
- Job Tracking: 15%
- Integrations: 10%
- Customer Support: 15%
- Company: 5%
Methodology for Each Factor
Ease of Use
We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:
- How easy is it to set up this app?
- How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
- How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?
These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.
Time Tracking Accuracy
Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…
- How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
- How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
- How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
- Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
- Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
- Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
- How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?
Scheduling Features
Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.
When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:
- Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
- Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
- Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
- Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
- Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.
Job Tracking
This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.
We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:
- Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
- Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
- Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
- Any built-in job costing views.
- Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)
Integrations
No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.
To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:
- How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
- How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
- Does it have robust data import and export features?
Customer Support
Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.
Customer support scores are calculated based on:
- Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
- Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
- The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
- What other users say about support in online reviews.
Company
A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.
When assessing this score, we’ll examine:
- Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
- Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
- Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
- Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
- Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
- Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).
Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!
Employee monitoring software is a workplace management technology designed to track employees’ activities, whether in or out of the office.
Office-based or remote employees are often monitored in terms of computer activities. Field employees, on the other hand, are often monitored through GPS tracking capable of recording each worker’s time, location, and driving mileage.
For remote or office-based employees, monitoring starts after installing the software on company-owned computers or devices. This can be initiated by the company’s IT department or completed by the employees themselves.
Meanwhile, field employees are usually required to install employee monitoring software on their mobile phones. As long as the employee is clocked in, the monitoring app can seamlessly track and record the employee’s activities and whereabouts.
Most robust employee monitoring software can enter stealth mode, making it harder for users to detect its presence on their devices.
However, one possible way to uncover employee monitoring software is to use command-line tools like Process Explorer, TCPView, or Netstat. These can scan your device for possible network connections or processes related to monitoring software.
Alternatively, you can run an anti-malware scan on your computer to get a list of potentially unwanted programs, one of which could be employee monitoring software.
Employee monitoring has gained a lot of bad rap for reportedly pushing workers into a constant surveillance system. However, business managers or owners can fine-tune this software to make it less pervasive. They can also help employees get on board faster by communicating clearly, explaining the benefits of each feature, addressing privacy concerns, and providing training to those who need it.
