Employee productivity is decreasing day-by-day. Most of it is due to the distractions we face in our daily life. Among these distractions, the internet is the biggest one. Just a simple review of the latest movie can lead you down a rabbit hole of various issues ranging from song choice to mental illness.
The internet is easily available on our mobile phones. Even if a connection is not available, it still contains numerous offline apps that can easily divert your attention for hours. This means that we essentially carry around a pocket-sized distraction with us at all times.
No wonder employee productivity is becoming such a headache for employers. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. In this article, we’re going to talk about some of the best ways to track employee working hours.
Pen And Paper
Using a simple pen and paper seems like an outdated approach to track employees but many businesses still use it. They may eventually move to a shared spreadsheet in the future.
There’s no cost involved so companies who are short on money will find this method attractive. However, as small businesses grow, this method’s limitations will start to show. For example, who will be in charge of writing down the time. Is his/her writing understandable? Will the employees sign themselves in and out? It is safe to say that this system is full of loopholes and vulnerabilities.
Time Clocks
Employee time clocks are used by both large and small businesses but their popularity has decreased drastically due to computers. It’s quite simple to use. Each time an employee register at the clock, it records the date and time of the punch or swipe. There are various models to use. It all depends on the needs of a business.
These machines are relatively inexpensive but can be hard to maintain. They can also be abuse by employees.
Wall Mount Car Swipes
Wall-mounted card swipes can be viewed as the updated version of the punch card system. Here, instead of a timecard, employees use their ID to clock in and out. Data automatically transfers to a computer which calculates hours worked for employee attendance.
However, even the most basic system is expensive. After the initial cost, you also need to spend money on staff training, ongoing maintenance, and troubleshooting.
Employee Time Tracking Software
As the name suggests, a time tracking app helps users effectively track their time.
Effective time management apps can help people make deadlines, avoid getting stressed, improve their productivity & efficiency, and above all else, make extra time for themselves. They will also be able to maintain a work-life balance by keeping track of their time.
Make a list of features that you would like in your monitoring software and then search the market accordingly. Look into apps, like Stafftimer, that can improve business operations by providing time tracking and automatic time capture. They allow you to keep track of daily employee progression and send feedback through audio clips.