Its 300 - Marist College

There are many forms of employee monitoring that goes on in the work place today. These systems range from simple GPS located in trucks to see where and how fast they are going, to filtering systems that companies can install into their mainframe and filter out certain websites or computer activates, to software used to spy on each individual's internet access. Whether or not companies choose to use this software of these techniques not only depend on cost, but also legal matter, as well as privacy and trust standards.

The simple GPS was really the first technology based employee monitoring system and we see it used today to track orders in UPS and FedEx. These systems are also widely used in municipalities and starting to become popular with company cars, usually distributed for transportation during work hours. Most of these systems are in the open or at least disclosed to the employee to keep from straying instead of being caught. At the town of Wallkill Parks Department these GPS systems are built into the radios and a signal is transmitted back to a map of New York State that sits in the Forman's office. This signal not only transmits location but it is also hooked into the speed and odometer. I know of this first hand seeing as how I was written up just last week for going over 90mph on the hi-way. This system is a very simple mechanism using a signal and a receiver, both of which are very low maintenance therefore only a small extra fee when installed at the same time as the radio.

Most companies have bigger problems than tracking their employee use of vehicles and that goes to stealing time. This problem arises as soon as an employee decides to minimize his work on his computer and starts surfing the web. This can seem like your only taking 15 minutes out of your work day to check your email, but over an entire year that adds up to over 65 hrs of time spent doing something totally opposite of work. This counter productivity is exactly what companies like Net Visor and Work Examiner are trying to help avoid. These are two of the largest companies that offer outside software to not only block and filter websites and activity, but also to monitor without the employee knowing about it.

Net Visor which runs though a website called www.employee-monitoring.com has a wide array of information regarding their products including but not limited to a savings calculator, exact price on the software which is dependent on how many computers you have to install it on, and different options on which software to use. One major advantage to this product is the ability to use a localized storage mode, which are logs of the use stored on each individual workstation. The "Viewer", also knows as monitor or boss, can connect to each computer without having to view logs across the network, but does not offer the archiving and roving user tracking as in centralized log storage. When using a central server or workstation to store these logs it is usually more of a secure data system in that employees can not find their logs on their personal computers and therefore make it harder to miss information. These databases are not only protected under password but usually restrict access unless it is files being transferred in from the remote workstations, not out. This program not only monitors work-stations but also has the ability to log employees out, restart the system, freeze the system and even disconnect internet access from one remote computer. Not only does this make it incredibly easy to catch people doing things wrong, but if they are told, it may deter them all together. Other programs that they offer include two versions of "spy" software that can be installed onto remote workstations via a single computer. By being connected to that workstation the monitor or viewer can install these programs via the internet without anyone ever knowing. As not as extensive as above they still can be used to check internet history, chat conversations, running applications, and even sent emails.

Another company that is heavily involved in creating this type of software is work examiner, which is sold with three options, standard, professional and academic. The academic version is the one that differences the most from the net visor explained above. This program is widely used in schools and university, offers a discount to academic establishments that want to use it all over their campus. Some major features include monitoring your student's activities as well as absences if they have not signed on that day. You can also block any inappropriate websites during regular hours as to much more of an extent due to any graphic nature. These programs can also allow the teacher to block certain applications during an exam that students may be taking in from of the computer or on the computer. This program is very easy to install and does not require any outside help from technician specialists. One unique feature that is not offered in most other programs is an email alert stating that any workstation has either been compromised or has been turned off and inappropriate activity has taken place. With the dawn of computers in each classroom, and sometimes on every desk this program would be a great addition to any school faculty.

Cost is a big factor when companies start to look into software that will be used for the company as a whole. When looking at the initial cost for net visor there is a break down, depending on how many work stations you hook up the price decreases considerably. For example if you have only 5 computers on your net work this can cost about $60 per workstation, but if you have a large corporation of about 500 workstations it will only cost $8 per workstation. On the other hand the spy software that they offer is sold on an individual basis, usually bought by a corporation and set up on one individuals computer and his job would be to monitor and "spy" on each employee. This program costs about $80 for the first one, and only $20 per copy there after, incase you have to many employees for just one person to monitor. Programs like this one would be very useful in Internal Affairs of a police department, as to not tip off cops that are breaking the law, so they can be caught sooner. Work examiner on the other hand does not have a huge price break and only offers a difference of $6 per work station on their academic version. Starting at a minimum of 20 workstations that you have to purchase the price is $33 per computer, only moving to $27 for up to 299 stations. This comes out to be roughly $8000, which is considerably more than net visor which is less than $4000 for 500 workstations.

"If it takes you, say, 20 minutes to select a DVD online and have it sent to your home, and two other employees do that, all of a sudden that's a lost hour of