A ‘Big Brother’ app that allows bosses to follow their roving employees’ every move has been launched by a Solihull firm.

The app can be used to snoop on workers via their mobiles, checking if they’re spending too much time talking on the phone or texting while driving.

It can also reveal exact routes taken by staff and what time they arrive at a location, cracking down on exaggerated mileage and overtime claims.

A key selling point for bosses, claim its developers, is that the employee has no control over the automatic monitoring.

The launch follows an outcry which led to the withdrawal from the Google Play store of a Brazilian Android app that allowed jealous lovers to monitor each other’s whereabouts, following complaints about privacy abuses.

In that case, after being installed on the target phone, the app allowed people to track their partner’s location, forward duplicates of text messages, and even force their partner’s phone to silently call their own, so they can listen in on conversations.

But Solihull-based iPointlive claims its new business-focused app will tackle serious safety issues, such as using mobile phones while driving, and could deliver efficiencies for companies that sign up to it, as well as ensuring they fulfil their duty of care to employees.

The firm claims its invention is the first fully-automated and integrated app on the market to turn GPS-enabled phones into monitoring devices.

Developed by industry experts, the product allows companies to locate employees at the click of a button, with information delivered in real-time to create an accurate, up-to-date picture.

The system is cloud-based, meaning reports can be accessed from any internet-enabled device.

iPointlive says benefits include reduced costs, improved performance, reduced driver distraction and assisting with the compliance of health and safety laws.

The software also dispenses with the need for manual timesheets and mileage claims.

Company director Steve Cole said although black-box technology that monitored company vehicles had been around for some time, this new software could monitor the movement of employees travelling on public transport, in private vehicles or on foot.

It can also monitor driving behaviour, including whether people use their phones while they are at the wheel.

Mr Cole told the Post: “It does exactly what a vehicle tracker does, including mileage and monthly mileage reports but also whether people are speaking or spending too much time on the telephone while driving and sending texts, things that have been highlighted in a few unfortunate incidents recently.

“Once you leave your car it continues to monitor you. Anyone who has mobile employees can use this software.”

Mr Cole said he hatched the idea along with colleagues who worked in the support services industry.

“Over time it was something we all talked about that we all thought would benefit us in our own jobs,” he said.

“In the end we thought it was such a good idea why didn’t we do it ourselves, so we did.”

The company has been developing and testing the software since last August and said interest in it has been strong.

Mr Cole added: “The exciting thing now is getting it to market. To some extent developing it was easy, the hard thing is selling it.”

He said the potential use of the software was wide-ranging and would suit a whole host of professions, including solicitors, auditors, field engineers and “anyone who spends a lot of time on the road”.

And countering the ‘Big Brother’ fears he added: “It is only during your actual working day when it monitors you, when you clock off it is not tracking you. It only clocks you through the hours that are set for your working day.”

Mr Cole said it would help firms to fulfil their duty of care and ensure employees have reached a specific place at a set time.

“There is a duty of care for all employers to make sure their workforce is safe,” he said. “If you have got a mobile workforce that’s not in the office you can’t see them – so how do you know they are safe.

“With this you only have to look at the screen in the office to see where your employees are and what they are doing. You don’t have to telephone them and ask them.

“Anybody who has a company that has a mobile workforce and cares about their employees’ welfare will benefit from our software and anybody who wants to make sure they are getting value for money. It’s a multiple win for the company.

“The aspects of the app are probably out there but I don’t think there is anything which offers it all in one package.”