Do you need new time and attendance software?
Businesses that spend hours collecting, verifying and correcting timecards and time sheets should consider digitizing their workflows. If you are still using paper time sheets or a traditional punch clock, consider the advantages of a digital time and attendance system.
First off, it reduces the chances of time-related errors in your payroll. Most of these systems integrate with payroll by uploading the time sheet data into your payroll program. No one has to manually calculate time punches and re enter them into the payroll software — a process that’s more likely to result in errors.
Time and attendance systems allow businesses to create electronic schedules, manage PTO, and store employees’ schedules, work hours, break time, time off, overtime and paid hours in one place. That means you’ll no longer need to dig for data in paper files when an employee or your payroll provider has a question.
How can time and attendance software save you money?
Time and attendance systems reduce time theft, increase productivity and streamline back-office workflows, resulting in significant savings. You may pay $2 to $10 per employee per month for time tracking software, but your return on investment (ROI) can far outweigh the cost.
By eliminating inaccurate clock-in and clock-out times, businesses can save money with a digital time and attendance system. For example, with manual timekeeping, employees might round up their clock-out time from 4:50 to 5 p.m. or round down their lunch break from 40 minutes to 30. Time and attendance systems eliminate this type of punch rounding and ensure that employees are paid only when they actually work.
Time and attendance software also saves money in the following ways:
- Reducing the paid hours that managers, admins or HR staff spend on gathering and calculating timecards
- Decreasing manual data entry errors that result in time spent fixing payments
- Lowering the risk of labor-law fines and back pay, which are common when employee time isn’t calculated and paid correctly
What should you expect time and attendance systems to do?
You should expect your time and attendance system to handle all your hourly and salaried employees’ time tracking needs, including overtime. At the very least, look for a timekeeping solution that offers multiple ways to clock in and out, gives remote workers the ability to punch in and out from wherever they are, and integrates with your payroll software.
Other valuable features include generating employee schedules, managing PTO tracking and approvals, logging how long employees work on specific projects and monitoring where your remote employees are clocking in and out each day.
How does an employee time clock work?
An employee time clock provides a record of when an employee works. With traditional punch clocks, an employee inserts a paper timecard into the machine, which records on the card what time the employee clocked in or out.
Digital time clocks (e.g., computers, kiosks and mobile devices) record the clock-in and clock-out times directly in the time and attendance software, using a secure method to avoid time theft. Examples are a login ID, PIN, swipe card or biometrics (such as fingerprint, photo or facial scan).
How does employee time tracking integrate with payroll and HR?
Employee time tracking is an input for payroll, especially for employees who are paid by the hour. To pay your workers properly, you need to know how many hours they work each day, week and pay period.
The best time and attendance systems integrate with your payroll and HR software, offering exportable CSV files or automatically transferring time sheet data through a digital interface. This process saves time and reduces errors in transferring work hours from one program to another.
Why is it important to clock in and out at work?
The biggest benefit of employees clocking in and out is ensuring that you pay employees for all work hours in compliance with federal and state labor laws. Similarly, you don’t want to pay employees for time they aren’t working. A digital time and attendance system give employers precise details on when employees are working and when they aren’t.
Biometric time clocks, which make employees punch in and out with a fingerprint or retinal scan, also prevent buddy punching. In other words, they ensure employees clock in themselves rather than having someone else do it for them. If not curbed, buddy punching can cost your business money and reduce productivity and morale.
Accurate timekeeping also gives employers a better handle on staffing needs. With time and attendance software, you can compare employees’ schedules with the busiest days and times for your business and adjust staffing levels accordingly.
How are time and attendance managed with a PEO?
As a co-employer, a professional employer organization (PEO) will require you to manage employee time and attendance according to labor laws. Therefore, they’ll likely provide a time and attendance app on the same platform as other HR functions, like payroll and benefits administration.
For example, when an employee records their time for the day, that data automatically populates in the software, saving you from duplicate data entries that could lead to payroll errors.
Why is it important to document employee time and attendance?
A time and attendance system can save your business money, improve team productivity, and aid in legal compliance because the time records serve as legal documents and must be kept for a minimum of two years in most states.
An accurate log of when employees are — and aren’t — working ensures that each staff member is onsite when they’re supposed to be and is paid only for their work hours. In addition, a record of employees’ hours helps employers optimize their staffing levels, so they are not under or overstaffed. This is especially important for service businesses like restaurants and retailers.
Time and attendance reports can also prove that your business is following the appropriate employment and labor laws — for example, adhering to youth attendance laws, paying overtime, and tracking mandatory paid rest breaks and unpaid meal breaks.
What is a reasonable attendance policy?
Some organizations need strict attendance policies to function properly, while others offer flexible work schedules. Most employers require workers to call in when they are going to be late or miss work. Many document each tardy occurrence, and some terminate employees who fail to show up for work after one, two or three days.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average full-time worker misses three days per year. The absence rate is higher in some industries, such as service occupations. When drafting your company’s attendance policy, consider your industry, your company culture, and the demands of the business.
For example, one employer may find it acceptable for an office worker to be 30 minutes late because their work schedule is flexible. On the other hand, a manufacturer or retailer may not tolerate tardiness or an unauthorized absence because it may affect the business’s ability to function.
Once you’ve created your company’s attendance policy, you should meet with your employees to review it and ensure they understand what is expected of them.
