Debunking Myths On How Hubstaff Works

Time tracking software myths are everywhere — and you’ve probably heard a few yourself. When people hear the word “tracking,” their minds often jump to the worst-case scenario. 

In fact, an academic paper from Cornell University titled “It’s Always a Losing Game“ analyzed several Reddit posts and interviews about tracking software. It revealed that a lack of transparency in time tracking tools often leads to resistance driven by concerns over privacy and autonomy.

When it comes to tracking software, employees may see it as a sign of distrust or control, while some managers misuse it for micromanagement rather than support. That’s where the confusion begins.

Like any other time tracking tool, Hubstaff isn’t immune to scrutiny – and we’re here to address it. This post will unpack the most common misconceptions, break down the biases, and shed light on what Hubstaff actually does.

The purpose of Hubstaff’s software

Hubstaff’s time tracking software aims to help businesses manage their remote, hybrid, or distributed workforce more efficiently with built-in productivity monitoring, payments, invoicing, reporting, and more. 

It helps you:

• Stay focused and efficient with task-based time tracking.
• Understand how work gets done through activity level monitoring.
• Gain visibility into web usage, apps, and URL visits.
• Capture optional screenshots for added context (only when you enable them).

So, why the stigma?

While primarily a time tracker, our mission at Hubstaff is to illuminate and accelerate global work. To do that, our product relies on employee monitoring features designed to prevent time theft, improve workflow optimization, and provide better attendance monitoring.

Of course, monitoring has long been associated with surveillance, distrust, and control. That reputation stems from outdated practices, rigid monitoring tools prioritizing oversight over support, and a culture of micromanagement that significantly predates the concept of software.  

We designed Hubstaff to challenge that mindset — to foster transparency, boost productivity, and ultimately give both teams and managers peace of mind. What’s often overlooked is the control the software gives employees by helping: 

• Create a better work-life balance. Studies show that remote workers work 10% more than their in-office counterparts. Tools like Hubstaff can help employees monitor their work habits to prevent overwork.

• Prevent burnout. Features like Hubstaff’s achievement badges reward employees for productivity hot streaks, projects completed, and hours worked, but they’re also an indicator of burnout. You can also set hour limits to prevent overwork for you and your team.
  
• Provide more freedom. By giving managers a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of their remote workers, progressive approaches to the standard in-office workweek, like asynchronous work and digital nomading, can be freed up. 
  
• Advocate for advancement. Tangible productivity data is a two-way street. With access to real-time performance data and detailed reports, users can use Hubstaff to build a case for promotions, pay raises, and other growth opportunities. 

Unfortunately, misinformation around employee monitoring software still fuels skepticism. That’s why this article exists: to separate fact from fiction. We’re here to debunk the common myths about Hubstaff and show you how it can empower your team, not control.

Myth #1: Time tracking is invasive and kills trust

One of the top concerns employees have about time tracking is trust. 59% of employees are uncomfortable with workplace monitoring, primarily due to fears of micromanagement and lack of control.

But what if time tracking could be empowering instead of invasive?

At Hubstaff, trust and transparency go hand in hand. That’s why our platform puts employees in control of their own data while giving managers the data to support (not surveil) their teams. Hubstaff’s built-in productivity features are designed to promote clarity, not control.

A key part of this balanced approach is role-based access. Instead of granting everyone full visibility, Hubstaff ensures each person only accesses what’s relevant to their role. This protects:

• Sensitive information
• Respects employee boundaries
• Creates a culture of accountability without overreach

When team members understand exactly what Hubstaff is tracking and why, and they have access to their own data, they’re more likely to embrace time tracking.

Here’s how Hubstaff uses role-based access to build trust at every level:

• Organization Owner: Full control over billing, teams, projects, payroll, and integrations.

• Organization Manager: Manages teams, projects, users, and reports (without access to billing or organization-wide settings).

• Team Lead: Oversees specific teams and projects, approves time off, and manages budgets (within their scope only).

• Project Manager: Manages tasks, budgets, and schedules inside assigned projects (no org-wide visibility).

• Project Viewer: Has read-only access to assigned project data like reports and screenshots (no editing privileges).

• User: Tracks their time, manages personal tasks and time off, and sees their productivity insights—nothing more, nothing less.

Beyond these basic permissions, managers have full autonomy and can adjust Hubstaff’s monitoring settings to their management style. You’re in control of the metrics that matter to you with fully customizable permissions for each team member. This means you can enable, disable, or blur data like: 

• Screenshots
• Apps and URLs visited
• Keyboard and mouse activity
• Locations

Users can also delete information like screenshots at any time to protect sensitive data. 

By aligning access with responsibility, Hubstaff turns time and productivity measurement into a trust-building tool—not a surveillance system.

Myth #2: Employee monitoring is for micromanagers

It seems that the moment a company rolls out employee monitoring software, team members feel threatened. In one Reddit thread on r/overemployed that gained traction, workers expressed frustration when their company introduced monitoring software that reported productivity scores and flagged short breaks.

No one wants to feel watched or micromanaged. However, when implemented transparently, employee monitoring can actually become a tool for empowerment, not control. That’s why, with Hubstaff, employees know what’s being tracked, when, and how that data is used. 

For example, only managers can enable screenshot capture (often viewed as an intrusive feature). It’s optional and comes with clear on-screen notifications every time a screenshot is taken. There are no hidden trackers, and everything is visible to the user.

So instead of fostering distrust, monitoring supports self-management. Team members can view their productivity reports, track their time spent across projects, and adjust workloads proactively.

In turn, managers gain visibility into team workflows not to micromanage, but to optimize resource allocation, set fair expectations, and support smarter decision-making.

In fact, according to the Hubstaff Workstyle Revolution Report, distributed teams that use real-time visibility tools like Hubstaff report higher productivity and focus than fully in-office teams.

Here’s how Hubstaff busts the myth that “employee monitoring is just for micromanagers”:

• Managers use insights to spot time-consuming tasks, rebalance workloads, and identify coaching opportunities — not to hover.

• Employees use their time tracking data to stay focused, show proof that they’re working, and even advocate for promotions based on real performance metrics.

• Project managers can set time or budget limits, receive alerts when thresholds are reached, and adjust plans in real time to improve workflow management.

• Remote-first teams gain visibility into active work hours, allowing them to identify bottlenecks early—without resorting to constant check-ins or status meetings.

When managers use time tracking and monitoring features transparently, they become a tool of trust, not a barrier.

Myth #3: Hubstaff is difficult to set up

When it comes to comprehensive time tracking tools like Hubstaff, one of the top questions is how to set it up correctly — especially for those new to the platform. As the saying goes, you won’t know until you try.

Setting up your organization in Hubstaff only takes a few simple steps:

1. Create Your Organization & Projects: Set up your organization based on clients, teams, or departments. Create dedicated projects to track time and tasks accurately.

2. Invite Team Members & Assign Roles: Add team members via email, define their roles (User, Manager, etc.), assign them to projects, and set pay rates based on their responsibilities.

3. Install the App & Configure Tracking: Have your team download the Hubstaff app on their preferred devices (Mac, Windows, iOS, etc.). Configure tracking settings like screenshots, idle time detection, activity levels, and set pay/bill rates and time limits to streamline productivity and payroll.

Also, you don’t need to change your existing tech stack. Hubstaff integrates seamlessly with the tools you already use — from payroll systems like PayPal, Gusto, and Wise to project management platforms like Trello, Jira, Asana, and more. And if you need something custom, you can create custom workflows with Hubstaff’s API.

Myth #4: Hubstaff is like a free pass for employers to spy on teams

Hubstaff’s privacy mission is rooted in transparency and employee well-being. Our goal is to foster a respectful, positive work environment for employees, while giving businesses the insights they need to support productivity — but never at the cost of personal privacy.

Recently, Hubstaff was labeled “spyware” in a Business Insider article after reports surfaced of it being used for strict employee surveillance. But let’s set the record straight: Hubstaff is anything but spyware.

Here’s what we don’t do:

• We don’t track emails
• We don’t log keystrokes
• We don’t use video surveillance or access webcams

What we do offer is control, transparency, and respect for privacy:

• Screenshots are turned off by default on all new accounts. Individual users can blur, delete, or hide their screenshots when enabled.

• Managers can blur or hide apps and URLs, ensuring private or unrelated activities aren’t exposed.

• Hubstaff collects high-level activity data — not detailed behavioral content.

• Every user receives notifications when tracking starts or stops, when idle time is detected, and when screenshots are taken.

Employees also have full access to their own:

• Hours worked
• Projects worked on
• Time off requests
• Activity scores
• Daily or weekly time limits

Real productivity is built on trust, not surveillance. Hubstaff empowers teams with tools that drive productivity and a sense of accomplishment backed by data — without compromising their privacy.

Fact: Hubstaff adds real value in the workplace

Time tracking alone is not enough. The productivity insights built into the system make a time tracking platform valuable. All-in-one time tracking software, such as Hubstaff, combines in-depth insights into how work is done. 

The Hubstaff Insights add-on comes with a performance dashboard for each team member. It reveals what goes on in a workday, including:

• Utilization Rate: Compares actual hours worked to expected daily targets (e.g., 7h 12m worked vs. 8h target).

• Work Time Classification: Categorizes time into Core (value-driven tasks), Non-core (necessary overhead), Unproductive, Non-essential activity (e.g., social media).

• Focus Time: Measures uninterrupted deep work sessions (e.g., 30+ mins on one task).

• Activity Rate: Tracks frequency of mouse and keyboard interaction during logged time.

• Unusual Activity Detection: Flags time patterns significantly deviate from norms (e.g., sudden inactivity or excessive intensity).

• Smart Notifications: Automated alerts triggered by set thresholds (e.g., low focus time, underutilization).

What do these metrics do?

• Help managers assess workload balance and make real-time adjustments.
• Identify inefficiencies and training opportunities by benchmarking against industry standards.
• Encourage prioritization and improve time management
• Indicate engagement levels and flag signs of distraction, overload, or burnout.
• Detect unusual behavior before it impacts performance.
• Keep managers proactively informed without constant monitoring.

These aren’t just metrics but drivers for data-driven decisions. This depth of insight unlocks numerous opportunities for businesses to process accurate billing and improve workflows with visibility and accountability. 

Myths will be myths, but the truth about Hubstaff prevails

Time tracking tools often get a bad reputation, but that reputation usually comes from misconceptions, not experiences. In this post, we’ve debunked the most common myths about Hubstaff: 

• That it’s invasive
• That it’s built for micromanagement
• That it’s difficult to set up
• That it’s a surveillance tool in disguise

The truth is, Hubstaff cares about empowering teams, not controlling them. It gives managers the insights they need to make smarter decisions, while giving employees full visibility and control over their own data. 

From privacy-first features like blurred screenshots and app/URL controls to real-time productivity insights and role-based access, everything about Hubstaff is designed for transparency, trust, and performance.

Moreover, the Insights add-on dashboard goes beyond time tracking to surface meaningful metrics, such as utilization rate, focus time, and activity levels. These metrics are built to help businesses optimize workflows, spot burnout early, and support high-performing teams.

Ready to separate myth from reality in your own business? Try Hubstaff and see how it can improve accountability, streamline productivity, and build a culture rooted in trust.

Start your free trial today.