Can team conversations be monitored? Are you worried about what your team is talking about when you’re not around? Turns out, there may be ways to monitor those conversations after all. Read on to learn more!
Can Team Conversations Be Monitored?
Within a team inside a company, there may be times when managers or team leaders need to monitor what team members are saying. Sometimes these conversations are about work issues and sometimes they are about gossip. Either way, this information can be valuable for a manager to know. Fortunately, there are ways to monitor team conversations.
Monitoring social media and the internet is one way that this can be done. If you suspect that a few members of your team are spending too much time on Facebook. Or if you don’t have a Facebook but think someone is spending too much time on YouTube, it is possible to monitor these accounts. You may even be able to find out what they are saying in their status updates and wall posts.
Moreover, you can monitor the internet through an online monitoring service. And look for anything that is being said online about your business or other employees.
When it comes to monitoring team conversations, though, there’s a big difference between the internet and social media and what goes on in person. You cannot simply sit next to an employee who is talking with friends or other employees. And then listen in on their conversation.
Further, you also cannot sit in an office and listen to them talk through the walls or over an intercom system. However, there are ways for managers to tape record conversations that occur within a company so that they can be reviewed later.
How Can Team Conversations Be Monitored?
If you want to make sure that no one is speaking negatively about you or a co-worker, you can install audio recorders in certain locations in your office building. Or within vehicles owned by the company. These recorders can then tape any conversations that take place within range of them. So that they can be reviewed later without anyone knowing they were there at all.
It’s important to note that if you plan on installing these kinds of recorders in vehicles owned by the company, you should check with your state’s laws beforehand. Because some states do not allow this kind of monitoring even if it’s for business reasons.
Moreover, if you do decide to use audio monitors, make sure that you have the consent of everyone who will be recorded before doing so. Because otherwise it could be considered illegal wiretapping. If you don’t get consent from the people who will be recorded, but decide to go ahead and install the devices anyway, you risk being sued for invasion of privacy.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, it is possible to monitor team conversations. You can use the internet and social media to see what your employees are saying about you and your business. And you can even use audio recorders in vehicles and in the workplace. Just be sure to check laws in your state to avoid any legal troubles!