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How to Make Time Doctor More Employee-Friendly

 

Note: Employee‑Friendly Configuration (Interactive App)
  • Available on: All Time Doctor plans unless otherwise noted.
  • Configurable by: Owner/Admin at the company level; some approvals may also be done by Managers for their groups. Feature‑specific availability is listed below.

 

TL;DR: 
 
Make the Interactive app less intrusive and more trusted by:
  1. enabling time editing with approvals
  2. blurring or disabling screenshots
  3. avoiding daily auto‑start
  4. setting a generous Time out after threshold
  5. keeping Web & App reporting at Basic unless detailed evidence is essential
  6. coaching managers to avoid micromanagement and to expect normal idle/unproductive time

 

In this article, we’d like to provide some tips on how to make Time Doctor more friendly for your employees. It applies to Interactive apps only.

Many of the suggestions below have a trade-off. Some of them may be more employee-friendly, but may result in tracking less data. Try different settings to decide what works best for your company. 

 

Employee‑Friendly SettingsAllow time editing (with optional approval)

  • Enable Can edit time for applicable users to let them fix gaps after timeouts, add time when tracking wasn’t possible, or correct tasks.
  • If tighter control is required, set Approval needed so manual time appears in reports only after approval by an Owner/Admin/Manager (for their group).
  • Availability: Manual Time Approval is available on Standard and Premium plans; configuration by Owner/Admin.

 

Blur or disable screenshots

  • Blur screenshots to reduce sensitivity while preserving context (non‑work sites remain recognizable even when text is unreadable).
  • Where screenshots aren’t needed, disable screenshots for selected users or groups.
  • Availability: Blurred screenshots configured in Company Settings by Owner/Admin; can be applied globally or to selected users.

 

Don’t auto‑start the desktop app each day

  • Leave Auto‑start tracking each day off—especially where computers are powered on before work begins—to prevent accidental time.
  • If company policy requires auto‑start, enable Notify when tracking starts so tracking changes are visible.

 

Set a generous Time out after threshold

  • Choose a threshold that reflects real work styles (e.g., meetings, thinking, reading). Thresholds under 15 minutes often cause unnecessary pop‑ups and frustration.
  • Configure per user on Settings → Users to match role needs.

 

Prefer Basic Web & App usage reporting

  • Keep Web & App reporting at Basic to show app names and root domains without full URLs, page titles, or window titles.
  • Use Extended only when detailed evidence is required (e.g., audits); consider Custom to limit full details for sensitive domains.

 

Don’t Micromanage

  • Allow a reasonable amount of unproductive time; real‑world work includes breaks, research, and context switching.
  • Expect idle minutes/seconds during calls, thinking, reading, and long forms; values vary widely by role.
  • Track personal work with Time Doctor to build empathy and calibrate expectations.
  • Train managers to use reports for trends and outcomes—not to nitpick seconds of activity.

 

 

Quick setup checklist 
  • Can edit time: On (with Approval needed if required)
  • Manual Time Approval: Enabled (Standard/Premium)
  • Screenshots: Blur (global or selected users) or Disable if not needed
  • Auto‑start tracking each day: Off (or On + Notify when tracking starts)
  • Time out after: ≥ 15 minutes for reading/call‑heavy roles (tune per user)
  • Web & App usage: Basic (use Extended/Custom only where justified)
  • Manager coaching: Share guidelines on idle time and productive expectations

 

 

 

Should there be any inconsistencies or concerns regarding the article, contact support@timedoctor.com for prompt assistance.