Employee monitoring has become increasingly popular over the course of the last few years – and shows no signs of receding. It is safe to say that in 2022 the use of monitoring software is likely to continue to grow and evolve further.

While there are many employee monitoring trends that may have a part to play in 2022, the five key trends that you should keep an eye on are:

Hybrid workplaces

Throughout 2021 lockdowns were gradually lifted across the world and many people were able to go back to work. However now that businesses have seen firsthand the benefits of remote work, many are opting to run hybrid workplaces.

The reason this trend is important is that it is likely to be the main factor that propels the growth of employee monitoring in 2022 and for years to come. To maintain a smooth workflow, remote work solutions like WorkExaminer that can keep track of employee activities and monitor their behavior will be needed.

Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring

As IoT devices become more commonplace, many wearables are starting to be used as a tool to track employees. Although this trend is not that widespread and does raise ethical issues regarding the privacy of employees, it is likely that it will continue to grow in 2022 and a compromise between tracking and privacy may be reached.

Data protection and privacy regulations

More and more US states as well as other countries are poised to roll out the new data protection and privacy regulations in the coming year. In some cases these regulations may have a big impact on how you carry out employee monitoring, and what data you track – while focusing on consent.

If you use WorkExaminer, you can track practically any and all of your employee’s activities. Some of those activities such as apps, website history, and company emails or file transfers may be fine, but others such as keystrokes, screenshots, webcam capture, private emails, and IM chats may not be.

Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The current generation of employee monitoring tools already automates many tasks, such as WorkExaminer which will automatically gather data, analyze it, and produce reports as well as productivity scores. However, that automation can be taken a step further, especially with the integration of AI.

By using AI to monitor the activity and behavior of employees, more advanced insights can be acquired. That can help improve productivity, security, and safety.

Employee engagement and wellbeing

One of the main reasons why employee tracking software is so popular is because it can be used to improve productivity. However recently many companies have started to use it for a different reason: To boost employee engagement and wellbeing.

Simply put, monitoring tools like WorkExaminer can track a wide range of employee behavior including productivity. That data can be used to identify employees who may show signs of losing engagement, working excessive hours, and so on. Once identified, you can take action before employees burn out, get sick, or quit.

All of these trends are very likely to shape the state of employee monitoring in 2022, especially seeing as they have already been trending strongly throughout 2021. However, keep in mind that there is no guarantee that 2021 trends actual in 2022 end up being realized.

At the pace that progress is being made, 2022 may even have unique trends of its own that rise to the surface. Seeing how quickly employee monitoring is evolving, it is worth keeping tabs on new developments this year to see how it progresses.