Are you trying to cut waste in your payroll operations? Learn why more companies are turning to cloud-based online time clocks to optimize their processes.
Does your manual time card system frustrate you or your employees? Consider how online time clocks can make things easier on everyone.
A good online time clock will make tracking and reporting easier. That way, you’ll be able to save money and time.
Read on to learn about the benefits of a virtual time clock.
Better Accuracy
One of the ways online time clocks can benefit your business is by improving the accuracy of employee time clocks. If you use manual time cards, someone from HR will have to input the data into your payroll system.
That gives plenty of room for human error, especially if you have a lot of your employees. You’ll be able to track when someone starts and stops work, and you can transfer the data to your accounting software.
If your business is small, you may be able to use manual time cards accurately. However, as your business grows, it will take more time and effort to maintain that, while technology can do it for you.
Reduce Problems
A small error in your payroll tracking can lead to much bigger problems. Even if it’s by accident, regularly miscalculating employee pay will either cost your business or your employees.
You may also face a fine of $1,000 if your miscalculation violates labor laws. If an employee worked for 41 hours but you only accounted for 40, you would owe the employee and the government.
The more errors you make, the more likely you’ll have to pay a fine. However, an online employee time clock can help you reduce the chance of making mistakes so that you can avoid fines.
More Productive
Another advantage of online time clocks is that employees can get straight to work. They can head to their desks and clock in from computers instead of a specific location in the office.
If the manual time cards are in the back or are far from someone’s desk, that can slow them down. Employees may face more distractions between clocking in and beginning work.
While employees may face distractions when they clock in at their desk, there might not be as many distractions. Plus, the employee can take care of any issues before they start working, and they can be more productive once they reach their desk.
Remote Access
If your employees ever need to work from home or a client site, you need an online time clock system. Your team will be able to clock in from anywhere, so they can track the time they’re working and not commuting to a client’s business, for example.
Employees won’t have to take note of the times they start and stop work. So they can focus on getting to work and being productive while they’re on the clock.
If you use manual time clocks, employees would need to track their time on paper. Then, they would need to send the information to HR to add to the payroll system.
Save Money
Because employees can clock in and out right when they start or stop work, you can save money. Time theft can be all too common in businesses that use manual time clocks.
Take two employees who are good friends. One of them arrives a bit early and so clocks in for both people. The other employee needs to stay late and so clocks out for both workers.
Some of the best online time clocks work with employee badges or biometrics, such as fingerprints. That means employees can’t clock in and out for each other, so you can keep from paying employees for more hours.
Save Time
All employees and your HR team can save time when you use an online time clock. When it comes to all employees, they won’t have to learn how to use a complex time card system.
So they can get to the office, clock in, and start their work for the day. HR employees won’t need to spend as much time reviewing manual time cards and adding the data to payroll software.
Instead, they can focus on other parts of their jobs, such as dealing with employee conflict. That way, everyone can be more productive and make the most of their work hours.
Track Employee Behavior
Since you can reduce time theft with online time clocks, they can give you more accurate data about employee attendance. You will be able to see if an employee is always late or if they tend to leave early.
Online time clocks can also tell you who takes a lot of breaks or long breaks. Then, you’ll be able to talk to the employee in question to ask them about their behavior.
If they don’t seem to care about the company, you can start looking for a replacement. Or you can work with the employee so that they can work the hours necessary if they’re a loyal part of the team.
Easy to Review
Even the best online time clocks may have room for error, but it will take your HR department less time and effort to check. A good time clock system will let you control the reporting process as well.
That way, your HR team can keep an eye on employee activity and make sure the time clock is easy to use. If there are any problems, you’ll be able to solve them sooner with regular reports.
You won’t have to wait until the end of the month to find that someone is committing time theft, for example. Instead, you can make sure your employees are productive and are working the number of hours they should be.
Are Online Time Clocks for Your Business?
Online time clocks can be an excellent way to track employee hours. You don’t have to worry as much about human error, and you can keep employees from clocking in for each other.
Be sure to consider other ways the tool can help your business. Then, you can decide which time clock is best.
Are you ready to switch to an online employee time clock? Contact us to learn how we can help.
