How to find out what an employee is doing on the computer: legal ways

For a manager, it matters to understand how working time is used: some employees are overloaded, others spend half the day on social media. You can find out what an employee is doing on the computer legally — through activity tracking on work PCs and mandatory notice to employees. Let's look at what data this gives you and how to set it all up properly.

What you can find out legally

• Active time and idle periods. How much time at the computer was actually spent working.
• Programs and time in them. Which apps were used and for how long.
• Visited websites. Work resources or entertainment.
• Screen captures. A clear picture of the workday, day by day.

How it works in practice

In a tracking program — for example, VkurSe for Windows — the manager sees an activity report in the dashboard: active time, idle periods, the day timeline, top apps and categories. A category here is only a description of the app (browser, documents, messaging), not a verdict: a chat can be work-related while a spreadsheet isn't. The owner draws the conclusions, looking at the apps and the time.

How to set up monitoring legally

1. Monitor only work devices. Personal phones and PCs are outside the scope of monitoring.
2. Notify employees. Put monitoring in the employment contract or a separate policy, signed off.
3. Collect consent where required. Set out the data-processing procedure.
4. Don't collect more than you need. Passwords and personal data — no; work activity — yes.

What you must not do

• Secretly install programs on employees' personal devices.
• Hide the fact of monitoring where the law requires notice.
• Use the data for purposes unrelated to work.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to monitor an employee at the computer?

Yes — on a work computer and when the employee is notified. This is corporate monitoring of work devices, not covert surveillance.

Do you need the employee's consent?

Employees are notified of the monitoring, and the procedure is set out in company documents. The details depend on the jurisdiction — check with a lawyer.

Conclusion

You can find out what an employee is doing at the computer legally and transparently: tracking active time, programs, websites and screenshots on work PCs, with notice. A program like VkurSe for Windows gives the facts, and the manager makes the decisions.