They say time is money and in a business setting, it is important that the employee’s time is accounted for appropriately. Still, that doesn’t mean that the manager or head of the company should go down the micromanaging or spying on their worker’s route; that will bring more harm than good in the organization.
Today, employee time tracking is quickly becoming a popular practice in many businesses, a factor that has seen multiple software tools enter the market to help employers keep records of the time their workers clock in every day.
Before diving into whether you should incorporate time tracking in your company’s day-to-day activities, here are some dos and don’ts to consider.
Keep it simple
Time tracking is still a relatively new concept to many employees in the organization, which is why you need to make it as simple as possible for them to understand. Get a user-friendly software tool and organize a training session to show them how to record their time and tasks.
After that, consider conducting a trial for a week or two as they get the hang of it. The idea is to help them adapt, which is key in getting them to buy into the idea.
While at it, explain why you want to incorporate the time tracking routine in the workplace. Remember, many people will still be a bit skeptical about having someone constantly watch over them when working.
Use the tracker to improve productivity and accountability
When tracking your employees for time, one of the core goals should be to improve workplace productivity. With the data collected over time, you can understand what activity is taking the most time and plan or scope accordingly, all while ensuring that the workers are still motivated.
Tracking the time also helps employees stay accountable and do exactly what they were hired to. In the long run, productivity levels will significantly rise, as there is proper planning.
Use a faultless time tracking system
Whatever method you choose to track employees, you must ensure that it’s accurate. Different states have different regulations on time management for companies.
Your organization has to make sure that the rounding off of the time clocked in is in accordance with the set of rules. That way, the employees wouldn’t also take advantage of the system, especially if they are getting paid by the hour.
Finally, with an accurate system such as Soft Activity, it becomes easy to know how much the company spends on overtime and compensatory time, making sure that there are no payment and time violations.
Don’t micromanage
When unrolling a time tracking system, you might be tempted to start micromanaging your employees. While time tracking is an essential thing, maintain the trust in your workers that they know what they are supposed to do, and when they are supposed to. Set out proper project outlines and believe in them to execute without breathing down their necks.
Don’t roll the program out without prior training or notice
Many people are not open to abrupt change, especially one that they feel threatens their freedom. As such, it is important to explain clearly why you’re introducing time tracking in the company. That way, your employees are likely to be more responsive to the new routine and help with making implementation successful.
Don’t use it as a down to the minute record
It is okay to record the number of hours that the employees work, but that doesn’t mean you should track what they do every minute. Focus on the quality of work for the week and don’t try to account for the time spent. Chances are there will be some unaccounted hours and that is absolutely fine.
Don’t fail to pay your employees
As with any new changes, it’s likely that some of your workers might not adhere to the new rules, including failing to sign in or out of the timesheet. When this happens, you might be tempted to withhold their pay, but that is not the way to go about it.
Instead, ask the supervisor to confirm the employee’s billed hours and pay them accordingly. Then separately talk to the specific worker about the importance of using the new time tracking system.
Time to introduce an employee time tracker tool?
If you can follow the guidelines we’ve shared in this guide, then your company shouldn’t have any problem rolling out a time tracking system. The result is improved productivity, increased employer and employee satisfaction, and ultimately revenue growth.
Are you looking to introduce a time tracker this year? Let us know your reasons behind it and if our guide helped.
