Companies that focus on productivity can see anywhere from 30%–50% higher margins compared to their non-productive competitors. One neglected area of company productivity is employee time tracking.
Employee absenteeism is a major problem in the US. Employers lost about $36 billion on absent employees. Worse, the majority of US businesses have to deal with time theft — when employees track more time than they worked.
Luckily, there are technology solutions designed to help with this problem. A proximity card time clock is a contactless way to do employee tracking, and it can help you boost productivity and prevent time theft in your workplace.
Want to know more about proximity card attendance tracking? We are going in-depth on the subject in this guide. So, keep reading to learn more about this employee time-tracking technology.
What Is a Proximity Time Clock?
A proximity card time clock is an automated way to track employee attendance. This technology is an automated alternative to web-based and other manual attendance trackers.
Employees can use their proximity cards to clock in and out. Businesses can also leverage proximity time clocks to track employee breaks, lunches, and even overtime.
Now that you understand what proximity time trackers are, we will talk about how these time clocks work.
How Do Proximity Card Time Clocks Work?
Most proximity card time clocks feature two components:
- The employee’s contactless smart card
- The proximity card reader device
The contactless smart card (AKA proximity card) comes with a built-in Radio Frequency ID (RFID) chip. Each card has a different ID number, which corresponds to each of your employees.
The card reader device can scan for employee card RFIDs from a distance. If a proximity card comes within 1–3 inches of the scanner, it will track the ID. Exactly how the reader tracks the ID depends on the device’s programming.
For instance, you can program the device to clock an employee in the first time it reads an employee’s ID. The device may emit an audio or visual signal when it completes the programmed task.
There may also be a software system connected to the card reader device via Wi-Fi or VoIP. We will talk more about using attendance software to track proximity card reader data next.
How Do You Track Attendance Data?
The reader device feeds data into a backend attendance software system. This system can deliver attendance data to your computer automatically. There, you can manually edit time cards when the need arises.
Plus, you can send timesheet reports straight to payroll processing systems like ADP, Fidelity, PayLink, Quickbooks, and more. This feature can help slash your administrative costs by automating the process.
The Benefits of Using a Proximity Card Reader for Employee Attendance
Proximity card readers are great for businesses of all sizes. But as your employee pool grows, the benefits of these contactless and automated attendance trackers compound.
Below, we will discuss some of the top benefits of using proximity card attendance tracking in your workplace.
Boost Productivity
Business productivity suffers when problems with attendance arise. Yet, without an attendance tracking system, you may not even know if your business has problems with absenteeism.
A proximity card time tracker can help. You will get live attendance data automatically delivered to your work computer. You can then follow up with late or absent employees immediately, forcing them to take accountability.
Having a record of employees who are consistently late or absent will also help boost productivity. You can discipline or let go of these employees and find workers who show better attendance habits.
Decrease Administrative Costs
Proximity card readers can help with administrative costs in two ways. First, they can decrease the time it takes to manually record employee attendance. Secondly, they can help automate payroll processing.
Both of these things can cut your administrative costs significantly. Plus, it will give your administrative staff extra time to take care of important tasks throughout the workday.
Reclaim Stolen Time
As mentioned, time theft is a major issue for most US businesses, especially if employees track time manually. Time theft happens when employees clock extra time. They may not actually get work done during that extra time, but you will have to pay them for it.
With a proximity card tracker, you will know the exact moment when your employees clock in and out. They can not alter the attendance record or fudge the numbers to earn extra time.
Some attendance tracking products also come with built-in GPS. That way, you will know when your employees are at work and when they are not. You can then adjust the time card on the backend accordingly.
Increase Your Profits
Profitable businesses use data analytics. In fact, leveraging data can lead to cost reductions of up to 10% and profit gains of up to 8%. Utilizing employee attendance data is no exception.
When you have real-time access to attendance data, you can address absenteeism issues before they arise. Plus, you can set the standard that your company takes employee attendance seriously.
TimeTrak Systems for SMBs and Enterprises
A proximity card time cock system is a contactless, automated way to track employee attendance. They use an RFID smart card and card reader device for hands-free clocking in and out. This technology has countless benefits for businesses like yours.
Are you searching for a proximity card time clock for your workplace? TimeTrak Systems has solutions for businesses of all sizes. Browse our proximity time clock card devices to find the right solution for your needs.
