Short answer: no, not by default.
Most standard business setups simply aren’t built to monitor what staff are doing minute-by-minute. If you want that level of visibility, you’re into separate software territory.
What your current systems actually do
If you’re running a typical setup – Microsoft 365, maybe a server, VPN, firewall – you’ll already have some data available:
- Login and sign-in logs
- Basic file access history
- Email metadata (who sent what to who, not what they actually did)
- Device connection info
Useful for troubleshooting and security, but that’s about it.
What you don’t get out of the box:
- Live screen monitoring
- Application or website usage tracking
- Idle vs active time
- Anything that looks like “productivity scoring”
So when someone asks “can we see what people are doing at home?” – the honest answer is no. Not with standard tools.
What you’d need instead
If you do want that visibility, you’re looking at a dedicated monitoring platform. Something like ActivTrak is a common example.
These tools can give you:
- Application and website usage breakdowns
- Activity timelines
- Optional screen capture or playback
- Alerts for unusual behaviour
- Reporting dashboards
Basically, a much clearer picture of how devices are being used.
Deployment – fairly straightforward
From a technical point of view, it’s not complicated:
- Install an agent on each device
- Push it out via PowerShell, Intune, or your RMM
- Data feeds back to a cloud dashboard
Time-wise:
- Small setup – couple of hours
- Larger rollout – half a day or so including testing
Once it’s in, it tends to just sit there and do its thing.
The bit that matters more than the tech
This is where things usually get underestimated.
Employee monitoring in the UK isn’t just a technical decision – it’s a legal and HR one.
You’re dealing with:
- UK GDPR
- Data Protection Act 2018
- Employment law
- Privacy rights
That comes with some non-negotiables:
- You need a clear business reason
- Staff must be informed – properly, not buried in small print
- Monitoring has to be proportionate
- Policies and contracts usually need updating
- You need to handle and retain the data correctly
If you get this wrong, the fallout isn’t technical:
- Complaints and grievances
- Potential tribunal issues
- ICO involvement
- Damage to trust internally
That tends to cost more than the software.
Practical advice before you go near this
If you’re thinking about it, don’t start with the tool.
Start with the why.
- Speak to HR or an employment solicitor first
- Be clear what problem you’re actually trying to solve
- Decide the minimum level of monitoring needed
- Update policies before rollout
- Be upfront with staff
If that feels like overkill, it probably isn’t the right route.
Is it actually worth it?
Depends what you’re trying to achieve.
Where it makes sense:
- Compliance-heavy environments
- Process-driven roles like call centres
- Handling sensitive or regulated data
Where it usually doesn’t:
- Small teams
- Trust-based professional roles
- Anywhere you’re trying to “watch” people rather than manage outcomes
In a lot of cases, you’ll get better results from:
- Clear KPIs
- Measuring output, not activity
- Regular check-ins
Less friction, fewer risks.
Bottom line
- Your current IT setup won’t track home workers in detail
- Tools exist and aren’t particularly expensive
- The technical side is easy – the legal side is where it gets complicated
If you go down this route, treat it as an HR-led decision with IT supporting it. Not the other way round.