The pandemic forced the entire world to shift to remote work. What was once thought of to last only a couple of months has lasted an entire year. A lot has changed since then, and new problems have cropped up. One such problem is the time tracking for your workforce.
Time tracking is a mountain of a task that requires much effort when done manually. There are mileages to track, leave requests, job costing, and more. Several companies have switched over to a web-based employee time clock by Clockineasy to tackle these problems.
What is an employee time clock? Why should you get one? What are its benefits for your remote workers? Keep reading to know more.
What Is a Web-Based Employee Time Clock?
A significant part of the workforce and economy around the world is now working from their homes in the make-shift home offices and remote work environments. If the staff was coming into the office every day before, most employees now work from home from different geographical locations and time zones.
Following your business’s nature, your employees may also be frequently on the road to meet prospects and clients. Though this culture has proven to be advantageous in different aspects, it will be challenging for you to keep track of your remote employees in many instances.
For example, if you run a telecommunication business, it will be challenging to manage the employees due to the lack of face-to-face time. This rift in communication can make it hard for you and the people in leadership positions to manage the project’s workflow and morale among employees.
Fortunately, to bridge the communication gap, solve employee attendance, and tackle time tracking issues, there is an effective system that you can incorporate as a part of your organization. Web-based employee time clock by Clockineasy allows the workers to clock in from any job site, office, or work location, at any given time.
Do You Need An Employee Time Clock System?
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, as an employee of a firm or an organization, you hold the responsibility to track certain records for every nonexempt employee. It includes tracking total hours worked per day or week, wages paid, etc. Every state may have different recordkeeping standards. Depending on the type of business, it will sometimes be difficult to figure out whether an employee is working or not.
In addition to working hours, you must also track the breaks and paid or unpaid time off taken by the employees. Sometimes, remote nonexempt employees may work overtime without your approval, which will reflect during payroll audits.
So, as an employer, you must give the remote workforce the tools they need to track time. One such tool which does this work accurately and consistently, adhering to FLSA, is a web-based employee time clock. Time clock system makes it easier to track travel time, training time and split shifts to avoid underpaying employees, submit “reporting time pay” in certain states, and more.
Benefits of Using Web-Based Employee Time Clock
#1. Accurate Pay Slips
For remote workers working on an hourly basis, precisely tracking hours is crucial but hard. As an employee, one does not want to be underpaid, and the employer does not want to violate labor laws.
Web-based time clocks allow remote workers to clock in from a registered device at the start and end of work. With an exact calculation of the number of hours worked, invoices, and payslip generation become easy.
#2. Streamlined Payroll
When employees were working from the office, processing payroll would have been an easy task. Even if an employee had not clocked on a particular day, it could be verified in no time without any hindrance to the payroll process. However, as an employer, with a remote workforce, you may have to wait to do your payroll until all your employees report their hours.
In due course, this may mess up the payment schedule as well. But with the web-based time clock system, the work hours are always up-to-date, which makes it possible to perform payrolls without delays.
#3. Access to Real-Time Data
With a web-based time clock, employers no longer have to wait for the employees to submit the time cards or wait for the systems to update the data. This system allows the leaders and managers to view all data in real-time. Employers can also receive instant notifications when someone requests a shift change, a break, or a vacation.
#4. Efficient
Manually tracking time can often result in miscalculations. With the web-based employee time clock, you can bring more efficiency to your business processes.
Plan resources, set budgets for projects, view the progress of existing jobs, track employees currently working and on leave, perform analytics and forecasting for jobs, right on the web-based time clock. The data generated is also backed up in the cloud or server for safekeeping.
#5. Accountability
The foremost reason to invest in an employee time clock is to improve accountability. Timesheets filled out manually at the end of the month can be inaccurate. With a web-based time clock, employees are more aware of clocking in and out of work. The entire system is transparent, leaving no room for time theft.
#6. Cost Saving
Web-based time clocks can monitor a project from start to finish, keep records of employees, and schedule shifts. As mentioned above, they also promote higher morale and accountability in employees. They work harder and bring in better results. Work is now more streamlined and finished within the set timeline, and all factors combined reduce a lot of overheads.
#7. Optimal Shift Cover
For jobs that need round-the-clock coverage, scheduling shifts is a massive task. Manually assigning shifts can cause overlapping between assignments. There is also the risk of being understaffed during a crucial job. Understaffing leads to production delays and hampers the entire project.
The web-based employee time clock can schedule shifts, days, and weeks in advance. Employees can log in and view the assigned shifts from their smartphones.
#8. Better Focus
A major issue remote workers face is the focus. When working from home, there are several distractions, like kids, chores, background noises, and so much more. Commuters traveling to work can switch to work mode when they step into the office. But, it is difficult for the remote worker.
This is where the time clock helps immensely. Once employees clock in, the work mode will switch on, and they can start.
#9. Verify Employees’ Location
The GPS tracking tools will help the employers monitor the employees’ location at all times. GPS technology is built in the web-based time clock systems to show where the workers are clocking in and out.
It also helps ensure that the allocated work is getting done at the right time and place and that you are not paying the employees for work they are not doing.
#10. Manager Oversight
Managers handling large workforces have a tough time keeping track of everyone. From assigning work to tracking time, managing projects, and tracking locations, there are many responsibilities. It can be easy to overlook or miss out on minor details.
The web-based time clock will simplify work for the managers. It automates every job, from mileage tracking to sending out messages and alerts.
#11. Improved Transparency
Whether the employees want to schedule a vacation or request an unplanned leave, a web-based time clock allows them to utilize the system to manage the schedule efficiently.
As most remote workforces use their PCs and laptops, many may not prefer having tracking software installed in them. Luckily, there is no software installation for web-based employee time clocks. As long as there is internet access available, the system will be readily accessible anywhere and anytime.
#12. Builds a Happy-Team
When fairness and equality prevail in a team, the employees promote positivity and happiness. If one employee can cheat the system due to a lack of attendance monitoring, it will create a strain on the rest of the employees, which will impact teamwork and productivity.
With a web-based time clock system in place, everyone is treated fairly, and no one will be able to cheat the timesheets any longer. This sense of trust naturally builds respect among the employees.
#13. Contributes To Personnel Decisions
In case your company is planning to reduce costs on the personnel front, you will be tasked with identifying the workers to terminate. Similarly, when the company plans to offer promotions and hikes, you will have to find the eligible candidate.
Besides work performance, contribution to the company, and personal growth, there is another factor that you should consider while analyzing the remote workforce – how efficiently are they utilizing the work hours?
Only when you observe how the employees working from home spend the work hours each day will you get a clear insight into the employee’s performance and commitment to the organization. The data from an efficient web-based employee time clock system will help make decisions regarding terminating or promoting an employee.
Time tracking is a tool of great need right now. With the pandemic in full force, remote working is not going anywhere. Get the right tool and let the system handle all payrolls, track time, sending out alerts, geo-tracking, and improving focus and accountability in employees.
Employees have greater trust when there is an assurance that their payments are correct and timely. It makes the lives of the managers and HR personnel easy too.
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