The trend of using Android spying apps to monitor employees is now an open secret as more companies are switching to smart mobile device management solutions every day. With an increase in the demand for employee Android spying apps, a new debate has started online in which business experts and organizational psychology researchers are talking about the potential consequences of using Android spying apps to monitor employees. Like always, there are two schools of thought. One supports monitoring apps and considers them essential for ensuring data safety and employee productivity. On the other hand, the second school of thought highlights the concerns related to employees’ privacy. Here, the question arises: How can we achieve a balance between security and privacy while using Android spying apps?
Thin Line Between Ethical and Unethical Monitoring
As tricky as the questions seem, the answer is simple. It is in the hands of the user to create a balance between security and privacy. There is a thin line between ethical and unethical monitoring; managers must know it. Managers must consider Android spying apps like their assistant and helper, whose main task is to share their burden instead of using them to exploit employees by abusing the information they receive through these apps. Organizations should conduct workshops and training sessions for the managers on the responsible use of Android spying apps so that managers know what they are allowed to do and what is not permissible. They should also be educated on the government laws, labour laws and human rights laws practiced in their region to ensure that they do not end up violating any law as employees can sue the employer for monitoring their personal android activities without their permission.
Focus on Your Goals Only
The manager’s goal is to manage employees efficiently and effectively and to increase employees’ productivity in the process. Managers get paid to ensure that all employees do their best at work. This is something managers should always remember as it will solve a lot of problems. When managers know that they are only responsible for employees’ performance and not their personal lives, they automatically start focusing only on the relevant information while ignoring the irrelevant information. Managers should neither record nor keep employees’ data as keeping personal data safe will become an additional burden that is not worthwhile and is too risky as it may cause lawsuits if it gets mistakenly leaked. Hence, managers should only install Android spying apps on company-owned devices. In addition, they should monitor only those Android activities that are work-related. Some Android monitoring apps like TheOneSpy also provide access to passwords and patterns. Managers should not abuse this privilege; instead, they should only review data to monitor work performance.
Transparency is the Key to Success
We have always read that hard work is the key to success, but transparency is the key to success in the case of using Android spying apps for employee monitoring purposes. Sooner or later, employees figure out that they are being monitored through spying apps, and they lose trust in the employer when this happens. This is why managers are highly recommended to keep the whole process transparent. Managers must inform all employees about the use of monitoring apps before installing these apps on company-owned devices. Additionally, they should have a face-to-face conversation with all the employees regarding the purpose behind using these apps. This will help them to answer all the queries of employees. It will also minimize their insecurity and concerns regarding monitoring apps. Managers should take employees into confidence by promising them that the sole purpose of these apps is to avoid data leakage and time theft. Managers should install these apps only after addressing employees’ concerns; otherwise, these apps will reduce employee performance rather than increase it.
Despite their extraordinary benefits, android spying apps have their fair share of weaknesses, but they can easily be removed by ensuring their responsible use. Employers have an added responsibility in this regards. Business owners must instruct managers to respect employees’ privacy and avoid unethical activities while monitoring employees. Only then can organizations benefit from Android spying apps without breaking employees’ trust. Employees are the organization’s ultimate asset and should be given the care and respect they
