Once upon a time, employers used paper and pen or spreadsheets to track employee work hours. They had to find their employee and confirm their correct working times if any errors were made. In addition, time off requests had to be written and placed in a box that would only be checked every few days. Management would then need to track down the employee once their request was received to let them know if their time off was approved.
As you might have guessed, this tracking time method was incredibly inefficient, and whether or not employers were aware, they were losing money. This article will cover the top five reasons that online time and attendance software is the best method of employee time tracking.
It’s Cheaper
Online time and attendance software is far cheaper to implement than you think. Since the software is web-based, you can use existing devices to track employee work hours. For example, you can set up a computer in a centralized location that all employees can use to punch time. You could also allow workers to punch time directly from their mobile devices.
If you are looking for an inexpensive timesheet management solution that can track time for just a few or several hundred workers, online time clock software is the way to go.
It’s Easy to Maintain
Online time and attendance software are straightforward to maintain. As long as the devices you choose to punch time on are in working order and have access to an internet connection, your time-tracking process will remain trouble-free.
Unlike traditional time clocks, an online timecard system does not have internal components that need to be replaced or serviced. It will not randomly break down, and you will never have to send it in to be repaired. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is the support that comes with your time clock solution. You will want to invest in a frequently updated solution, and if any technical issues arise, they will be quickly addressed.
It Increases Accountability
In a time when businesses are transitioning to remote employees, accountability is crucial. Employees can have a renewed sense of responsibility with online time and attendance software. They are no longer in an office where management can check in to ensure they work on the appropriate task. Instead, employees must take it upon themselves to punch in on time, take their breaks and lunch, and punch out on time at the end of the day.
While employees will have increased accountability, management will still need to oversee them. For example, facial recognition features could be implemented to ensure that employees only punch time for themselves. In addition, alerts could be set up so their manager can be notified if an employee forgets to punch in.
Online time and attendance software improves time tracking and increases employee accountability and productivity. When employees have a greater sense of how their actions impact their time tracking, they are far more likely to adhere to the policies created.
It’s Efficient
Long gone are the days of having employees stand in line, waiting to punch time. Employees can punch time from any device with online time and attendance software. Even if using a centralized device that employees can all punch time from, you can use features that speed up the process, such as PIN punching. This feature allows a user to enter a 4-digit PIN to punch in or out quickly. The process takes less than 10 seconds in total.
From a management standpoint, users can log in to quickly see who has punched in for the day, how long they have been punched in, and what they’re working on. If an urgent project comes in, managers can see who’s available and send them a message from within the software to inform them to change gears.
It Makes Payroll a Breeze
Most web-based time clock software integrates directly with major payroll providers such as QuickBooks. When it comes time to process payroll, you can sync employee information with a few clicks of a button. This significantly reduces the amount of time it takes to process payroll and the chances of errors.
Reducing errors is a critical part of the payroll process. If employees frequently receive paychecks in the wrong amount, this can lead to dissatisfaction and cause them to look for employment elsewhere. Not only will inaccurate paychecks hurt your employer-employee relationship, but they can also lead to an audit that could result in you receiving fines for not accurately paying your workers.
If you are still doing in-house payroll processing, most employee timesheet software comes with payroll-specific reports. These reports include regular, overtime, and paid leave so that you can accurately process payroll.
Online time and attendance software is crucial for any business that wants to track employee time correctly and efficiently. Hopefully, if you are on the fence about investing in such a solution, these five points will be reason enough to start your search.
