Managing remote employees well starts with clear expectations, regular conversations and practical support—not simply adding monitoring software. Monitoring can serve a defined safety or security purpose, but its effects on workers and performance vary. If you use it, make the purpose clear, choose a proportionate method and ensure people can understand and challenge consequential results.
What effective remote performance management looks like
Performance management is an ongoing process, not a dashboard setting. Acas describes it as setting targets, explaining how performance will be monitored, discussing performance, assessing progress, supporting improvement and making expectations clear when performance falls short. Its guidance is written for a UK employment context.
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Translate that into day-to-day practice by agreeing on the work to be delivered, the quality expected, each person’s responsibilities and the relevant time frame. Use measures that reflect the work itself rather than activity that merely looks like work. A count of keystrokes or time spent at a screen, for example, may not show whether someone has completed thoughtful analysis, resolved a customer problem or produced accurate work.
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Hold performance conversations often enough to identify problems before they become surprises. Discuss progress against agreed expectations, but also ask about blockers, workload and support needs. When work needs to improve, explain what must change and what support is available. Acas includes meetings and support as parts of performance management, rather than treating measurement alone as management.
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Adapt policies with employees
When changing expectations or policies for home work, consult the people affected. Acas recommends a clear monitoring policy and says workers should be told what monitoring is used and why, except in extremely limited circumstances. As a practical matter, explain what information is collected, who can access it, how it may be used and what employees can do if a result appears wrong. Acas says, “However, it’s important to trust your employees to do their job, wherever they are working.”
What the evidence says about monitoring
The evidence does not support a simple rule that workplace surveillance always improves performance or always harms it. A 2025 U.S. Government Accountability Office review examined 122 studies published from 2020 through 2024 on surveillance effects on physical health and safety, mental health and employment opportunities. The GAO found possible benefits, including safety benefits, alongside possible stress, anxiety, injury risk linked to pressure to meet targets and inaccurate performance assessments. The report also notes limitations in the underlying studies. Read the GAO report.
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One field study illustrates why results need context. Yea Hee Ko and In Gyun Baek reported a 7.1% productivity increase after computer monitoring was introduced for telecommuters in their study setting, as well as a significant increase in departure rates. The article was published online on March 26, 2024, and appeared in the January 2025 issue of Management Science, volume 71, issue 1. These are findings from one field setting, not a forecast of what another employer should expect. Read the study.
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How to decide whether monitoring is justified
- Define the problem first. State what the monitoring is meant to address, such as a specific safety or security need. “We want more visibility” is not a sufficiently clear outcome.
- Consider less intrusive ways to meet the aim. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) advises choosing the least intrusive means that can achieve a defined purpose. The availability of a monitoring tool does not by itself make its use appropriate. Acas also recommends an impact assessment.
- Explain the arrangement and consult workers. Set out what will be collected, why it is needed, who will see it and how it will affect decisions. Consultation can surface practical problems and misunderstandings before a policy is put into use.
- Check accuracy and context before relying on results. Monitoring data can be incomplete or misleading. The ICO says workers should be able to see and, where necessary, explain or challenge monitoring-derived information, particularly when it informs a performance review or adverse decision.
- Limit collection, access, use and retention. Collect only information needed for the stated purpose, set appropriate retention limits and revisit whether the monitoring remains necessary. The ICO warns against gathering information “just in case” and allowing data collected for one purpose to drift into another.
These ICO recommendations interpret UK data-protection rules; they are not a universal legal checklist. Employers should get advice for the jurisdiction where they operate and for the particular workforce, purpose and data practices involved. The GAO report is a U.S. evidence and oversight report, not legal advice. An overview published by Ontario’s privacy commissioner describes research and legal frameworks across jurisdictions, but it does not replace location-specific advice. See the Ontario privacy commissioner’s report overview.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep safety monitoring separate from productivity scoring
A monitoring measure may be appropriate for a specific safety or security risk without being a sound way to judge everyone’s productivity. The need to address a role-specific risk does not, by itself, show that screenshots, webcam checks or keystroke measures can fairly assess the quality or value of all remote work. Match the method to the defined aim, and do not treat activity data as a substitute for reviewing actual work and its context.
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Questions to ask before adopting a monitoring method
- Does the measure reflect meaningful output, or mainly record activity?
- What clearly stated problem is it intended to solve?
- Is there a less intrusive method that can meet the same aim?
- Have employees had a chance to understand and comment on the policy?
- Can the information be interpreted accurately and in context, and can workers challenge it?
- How might the method affect trust, wellbeing and employee departures?
- Does it fit the applicable legal and data-protection requirements?
These are decision considerations, not a universal scoring system. A monitoring plan should be judged against its specific purpose and the people and work it affects.
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