--- title: "Daily Buzz: The Rise of Employee Surveillance Software" id: "50002" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-the-rise-of-employee-surveillance-software" published_at: "2020-04-21T21:02:23+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T03:22:45+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/04/21/daily-buzz-the-rise-of-employee-surveillance-software/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/04/21/daily-buzz-the-rise-of-employee-surveillance-software.md" excerpt: "Why more organizations are investing in technology that can track remote workers’ digital movements. Also: How to get lapsed members back to your association." taxonomy_category: - "Membership" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "employee engagement" - "member retention" - "Membership" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: The Rise of Employee Surveillance Software As many transition to remote work, organizations continue to adjust their business operations. One effect is the significant increase in the [investment of surveillance software (opens in a new tab)](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-03-27/bosses-panic-buy-spy-software-to-keep-tabs-on-remote-workers) . “Surveillance software, in particular, can monitor what remote workers do on their devices by tracking keystrokes, regularly taking screenshots and using other methods,” [says Kaya Ismail on CMSWire (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cmswire.com/digital-workplace/why-employers-are-tracking-remote-workers-with-surveillance-software/) . Why are organizations investing? For one, it’s a matter of accountability. “In some cases, businesses believe that just letting employees know they’re being monitored has the psychological effect of keeping them productive,” Ismail says. But the effect of these methods could backfire, Ismail warns. “It makes sense to keep tabs on what your employees are doing. After all, you’re paying for their time and expertise. However, using tools to actually spy on their digital movements or time spent in front of a screen can encroach on employee privacy and cause distrust,” he says. An alternative approach to tracking digital movements is to set clear goals and then give employees the autonomy to achieve them. That level of responsibility could motivate them to do good work. If organizations are looking for a middle ground between total surveillance and employee autonomy, they might benefit from such collaboration tools as Slack or Trello. “Even if surveillance software isn’t right for most employers, that doesn’t mean employees should operate in the dark either,” Ismail says. ### It’s Not Too Late for Lapsed Members > A lapsed member is the best opportunity to recruit someone back to your organization, here’s why: [https://t.co/4nkhURYuk1 (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/4nkhURYuk1) > [#associationhustle (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/associationhustle?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#associations (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/associations?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#associationmanagement (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/associationmanagement?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#membership (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/membership?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Big Red M (@bigredmco) [April 20, 2020 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/bigredmco/status/1252186522796818432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Don’t look at lapsed members as a disappointment**—they present the best opportunity to recruit someone back to your organization, [says The Moery Company’s JP Moery (opens in a new tab)](https://moerycompany.com/how-to-re-engage-a-lapsed-member/) . With an already established relationship, you have a leg up on recruitment. How can you reengage them? Offer a fresh start and highlight any new initiatives, programs, and leadership changes. “It is all about rebranding and relaunching your association to those lapsed members,” Moery says. ### Other Links of Note **Creating engaged and motivated employees** [takes more than (opens in a new tab)](https://marketinginsidergroup.com/marketing-strategy/help-your-employees-feel-safe-and-unleash-the-power-of-employee-activation/) short-term incentives, says Michael Brenner of Marketing Insider Group. **Building a resilient workforce** does not happen overnight, says Craig Mackereth on the Enterprisers Project blog. [He offers tips (opens in a new tab)](https://enterprisersproject.com/article/2020/4/resilient-team-how-build) to develop a team that’s ready for tough times. **Can’t stand your slow Wi-Fi?** [Make sure your service provider (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cnet.com/how-to/slow-wifi-make-sure-your-service-provider-isnt-throttling-your-internet/) isn’t throttling your internet, says David Priest of *CNET*. (scyther5/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Michael Hickey](https://associationsnow.com/author/michael-hickey/) Michael Hickey is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/michael-hickey/) Tags: [#employee engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/employee-engagement/) [#member retention](https://associationsnow.com/tag/member-retention/) [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoInvesting in Well-being: The Strategic Advantage of Mental Health Support in the WorkplaceJune 23, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/06/23/investing-in-well-being-the-strategic-advantage-of-mental-health-support-in-the-workplace/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [TemplateMembers onlyMember Onboarding ToolkitNovember 5, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/11/05/member-onboarding-toolkit/) - [ArticleSmart Moves: How AI Is Shaping the Future of AssociationsMarch 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/18/smart-moves-how-ai-is-shaping-the-future-of-associations/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2020%2F04%2F21%2Fdaily-buzz-the-rise-of-employee-surveillance-software%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !