Today’s market has seen the slow, yet a steady increase of time card software by small businesses across multiple industries. While the added cost of software may be a hard pill to swallow, especially for a small business, it comes with many benefits. It offers the ability to track employee hours, efficiently manage multiple tasks, and can even remind workers when it is time to take a break.
Why Use Time Card Software
There are several reasons why a small business decides to use time card software. One such reason is the ability to track employee time and attendance. In a small business setting, accurately reporting time and attendance is crucial, allowing owners to quickly calculate the number of hours worked by an employee in a determined period.
Another reason small businesses are moving to time card software is the support offered on multiple platforms. One method used by small businesses is a web-based portal, which allows employees to access and submit their time information at their personal workstations. This eliminates the long lines that occur when using a traditional punch clock time tracking method.
Using time card software also allows employees to track their time remotely. If work is needed off-site, or a work-from-home policy is in place, the ability to submit hours worked from anywhere is a significant benefit to using time card software. Employees no longer have to be on the premises to log time.
There are other types of platforms through which a small business can use time card software. Some employ biometrics, text messaging, and even mobile phone sign-in. Regardless of the chosen method, the flexibility afforded by a time clock software allows for a customised solution tailored to the needs of each individual business.
Managing Time
With the implementation of time card software, organisational managers can see and determine appropriate workloads for their employees. Even when employees are working on a remote project, leadership can assign specific tasks and insert expected completed dates. Using time card software not only increases the effective management of employee time but also reveals gaps and opportunities for improvement in areas where employees may need training.
Another way to effectively manage employee time is through the absence management tool provided in many time card software solutions. Using a punch card method gives employees a chance to manipulate their time worked by having others clock them in and out. Using a time card software can help reduce this type of deceptive behaviour.
A few methods employees can use through time card software are open shift notifications and shift swapping. An employee can set up an alert that can be sent to them anytime a shift becomes available. Businesses save the hassle of finding a replacement since everyone is notified and those available can cover the open shift.
Additionally, there are occasions when employees want to swap shifts. Through the use of the time card software, employees can change shifts with one another as needed. Management is notified of a shift swap, which eliminates any surprises, and provides information surrounding which employees are working which shifts.
The use of electronic time cards allows management to quickly and effectively determine absent behaviour over a period of time. By using the tool within the software, leadership can identify a pattern of absenteeism and assess any repeat offenders. Doing so eliminates the sizeable financial impact absent workers may have, as well as the negative impact felt by other workers.
Health and Safety
There are several industries which can use time card software as a benefit for health and safety concerns. Some examples of these types of fields include truck drivers or medical professionals. The potential to overwork, or overclock, employees in these sectors is high. By using the software, businesses can set up reminders that tell employees when it is time to take a break, or when their shift has ended. This eliminates employees who may be overtired or exhausted and has a dramatic reduction in accidents and safety concerns.
Managing time appropriately is one key factor in running a successful business, whether it be large or small. Using intuitive time card software helps alleviate the concern surrounding time management. It provides a method to track absences, view employee hours worked, and see habitual late arrivers. Time card software not only provides management with all of these features but can be done through a variety of platforms.
From the benefits mentioned in this article, it is easy to see why small businesses in Ireland are trending towards the use of time card software. The adoption of this type of solution allows for effectively managing the time and attendance of company employees. Using time card software eliminates one less headache for business owners, and provides for the continued growth of their company.
