Did you know that the traditional punch-in and punch-out employee timeclock system originated way back in 1888? While considered revolutionary for the time, this method of tracking hours worked is cumbersome at best by today’s standards. The timeclock system of timekeeping is ripe for abuses such as employees punching in or out for each other or punching in and then going to sit in the break room for several minutes. It can also be a lot of work for your human resources department to record attendance based on timeclock entries.
Traditional timeclock systems are difficult to install and move, which means that employees may have to walk for several minutes just to punch out at the end of the day. This method is also inflexible to account for issues such as employees working from home one day or at another location. If your company still uses this system for employee timekeeping, the time has come to consider a more modern and efficient approach.
Introducing Biometric Timekeeping
Biometric timekeeping is the new age in employee timekeeping. Besides the benefits it brings to your company, it’s also more attractive for new employees who expect modern conveniences when they accept a position. With biometric timekeeping, employees receive an individual smartphone-type device that they clock in and out from regardless of their physical location. It provides the flexibility that today’s workforce requires while improving communication between employees and the payroll department.
Biometric timekeeping is the ideal solution for businesses with several employees who work remotely. Employees can post their schedules and track their working hours whether they are traveling for business, working from home, working at a satellite location, or meeting with a client locally. Having this option available gives your business the confidence to offer more remote positions and attracts people to apply who desire this type of working arrangement.
Efficient Communication
The biometric device goes beyond just tracking time. It also gives employees the ability to explain why they punched in late or left early and request time off for vacation or a medical appointment. There’s no need for employees and a human resources representative to try to track each other down to explain the discrepancy or complete a request for time off.
If you feel hesitant to try this type of employee timekeeping because your company has a lot of variables to track, there is no need to worry. With biometric timekeeping, you can track the working time of both salaried and hourly employees along with overtime, paid holidays, vacation, and additional personalized settings. You can even set it up to track employees by location or to determine individual progress on a specific work project. This makes less work for human resources, since it’s possible to automate each of these functions.
Are you ready to investigate alternative solutions for employee timekeeping? This is just one of the functions we can assist you with at Palmetto Payroll.
