It’s called RescueTime, and it’s a program that’s installed on a computer to measure exactly how much time a user spends running different programs and visiting different Web sites.

There’s a free individual version available, as well as a subscription-based business version that lets managers view the total data for an entire team.

Find out more at www.rescuetime.com.

One of those companies is TSheets, which recently released a service that allows workers to use their cell phones to clock in and out.

It can be done either through a text message, or with an actual phone call. The software uses voice recognition technology to translate something like “Clock me in at 8:00 a.m.” into instructions for the system.

Looks like it might be worth it, especially for companies with a lot of mobile workers who need to track time.

You can read more here.

Technology has made it easier for companies to solicit and compile the opinions of a workforce, whether it’s by asking questions through e-mail, using an Internet service like SurveyMonkey, or by using internal survey software. But the age-old problem remains – making sure everyone participates and gives you info you can actually use.

The key to getting decent responses is designing a decent survey. That starts with the questions asked – good questions will get good answers. Too often, questions are designed by management and tailor-made to elicit positive responses. To curb that problem, assemble a small group of employees to pitch ideas for survey questions along with management.

Next, you’ll need to communicate effectively to keep participation high. If it’s a big project, like a yearly overall satisfaction survey, that may a chunk of time for employees to complete, send out an e-mail beforehand to let them know it’s coming. Also, make sure people have enough time to get it done. For example, if you’re using an online survey, a good practice is to keep it active for three or four weeks. Send out weekly reminders asking people to get it done and re-explaining how important their input is.

And finally, you might think about adding some face-to-face feedback to your online survey. Encourage managers to informally ask employees for their thoughts on certain subjects whenever they have a chance, or set up focus groups of randomly selected employees to meet with management and toss ideas around.

There are some disadvantages of the sit-down exit interview. For one thing, it can be time-consuming. Also, some exiting employees might be afraid of burning bridges and it can be hard to get them to speak candidly when they still technically work for you.

That’s where online exit interview management systems come in (a good example is a service provided by Insightlink Communications). Basically, you get departing employees’ home e-mail addresses. Then you send a message linking them to an online survey. They take it if and when they want to, the software holds the data, and then you log on to view the results.

Price-wise, like a lot of software these days, most services are scalable based on the number of users. Some vendors charge a flat rate per survey conducted, while others charge monthly fees based on the size of your company.

It’s simple enough, but there are still solid reasons to stick with the old sit-down method. As long as people are willing to talk to you, you’ve got a really good chance to probe and get a lot of detailed, useful information from them before they say goodbye. And, if the company is small enough, you can make sure you interview every departing employee.

When you’re using an online survey, you don’t know what the respond rate will be, and you aren’t in any position to ask follow-up questions.