Keeping track of employee attendance is a huge part of keeping a business operational. Not only do missing employees cause staffing and productivity issues, but there is also the issue of time theft if employees are punched in but not present doing their jobs. Businesses lose a lot of money from time theft and lost productivity due to the inability to track employees accurately.
To track employee time and attendance in the past with physical punch clocks or paper timesheets was incredibly challenging. You had to assume that employees were honest about their punch times, which, let’s face it, not everyone was. Luckily, a modern clock in and out app has numerous features that can help with this problem.
Accurate and Trustworthy Timekeeping
One of the most significant benefits of a clock in and out app is that it captures employee work hours in real-time. This ensures that, first of all, the employee who is punching in or out is the right employee, and it also keeps an accurate account of attendance. This can be done by several means. Some use a biometric ID system that makes each employee’s punch unique; there are also photo and facial recognition options available.
A time and attendance app continuously calculates employee time down to the minute, so there’s no need to worry about incorrect time or difficulty calculating hours. Some time clock solutions even have a productivity tracking feature so that managers can see whether an employee is productive on company time or not. It also improves incentives for employees to work since they know both they and their hours are being tracked. This makes them eager to do the job since they are guaranteed pay.
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Remote Access
This is both a time-saving and money-saving feature. Most clock in and out apps can be accessed from any smartphone or device. This makes the entire punch in and out process much faster and more convenient. It saves on having to upkeep a traditional time clock and having to make employees punch time at a set location.
GPS functionality lets you see where employees are at any given time to be sure that they are punched in and working where they are supposed to be. A GPS time tracking app is critically vital for remote working employees or businesses with multiple locations. It prevents employees from punching in remotely and then taking care of personal business on company time or otherwise wasting company resources.
Automated Scheduling and Reminders
Scheduling is one of the more difficult parts of managing employee attendance because you normally have to manually enter every employee’s schedule and ensure it fits their assigned role and time slot. The trouble is, once you make the schedule, you have no assurances that they will actually show up.
A clock in and out app can help on both of these fronts. Much of the scheduling process can be automated and approved with a single click of a button. This includes scheduling time off or altering the schedule to meet demand or make up for employees who can’t work. You can even set the program to send reminders to employees about their shift or scheduled off days to encourage attendance.
Employee Reporting Features
Online timesheet software has several reporting features that help keep track of attendance and alert managers to a potential issue. The software can flag when an employee is absent and then send a notification to management. If this occurrence is frequent, it can be a sign of a potential problem.
The same is true for late punches as well. A chronically late employee may be a sign that there is an issue with their scheduling or a personal issue. Being able to identify and address attendance issues quickly can improve productivity and lower employee turnover.
Ensuring attendance compliance is challenging for businesses, both small and large. Luckily, a company can get ahead of any attendance issues with a modern clock in and out app before they even arise. And if they do occur, they can quickly be remedied by management.