Written by: Allied Time
As your business begins to scale, and you acquire more employees, you will find it necessary to develop a plan that tracks employee hours and activities. Most employers solve this dilemma with a simple time machine, but you may leave yourself open to time card fraud. What about contractors, and those who work off site?
The realities of business demand solutions that are flexible, and time card shorting can lead to legal consequences for the employee and the business. Track employee time worked accurately and report the proper hours to payroll with these tips.
Set Clear Attendance Policies
You should outline the importance of attendance, and set rules that everyone abides by. You might allow for a short late period, or you may not. Every employee should receive a time card or some kind of passcode to clock into work each morning. There should be a central station to do this, multiple stations if the company is large enough, and all new employees should be trained to use it during orientation. Be sure that there are consequences for late appearances. Allow for a certain number of accidents, everyone is late from time to time, but be firm in disciplining employees who are chronically late.
Switch to Biometric
Fingerprint time clocks offer a level of security to both employee and employer. Employees never have to worry about losing time cards, and fingerprint scanning is often faster than waiting to punch in for the day or fumbling about with a code. Employers gain security that employees are working onsite, at the times that they say they are. Time card fraud is difficult when biometrics are deployed because they rely on features of a specific person. Also, this system does not record anything personally identifiable. Even in the case of facial scanners, only a set of data points are saved so a computer can recall the contours of a face.
Final Thoughts
The choice of time clock for your business is dependent on your needs. If you employ many people working offsite, a system with an online component may be more beneficial to you. Cards and “fobs” may work best for those who have secure areas that require restricted access. Biometrics offer the best security, but they may carry a heavier price tag. No system is perfect, and a business may find that one system works best until scaling to more employees. Be prepared to remain flexible and pay attention to how you can make time and attendance a more efficient part of your business.