If you are still relying on a mechanical punch card clock or an antiquated time clock for tracking employee hours, you could be wasting a little extra money on payroll. Having an accurate way to track your employee’s time on the clock can help trim costs, while also simplifying the payroll process.
What are Clocking In Systems?
Clocking in systems are essentially electronic devices that allow you to get a precise record of when your employees are working. You do not need to waste space with a board containing everyone’s punch cards or need to question whether or not an employee was clocked in.
In the past, businesses would use a ledger and have employees write in their start and end times. This was inaccurate and could easily lead to human errors. Eventually, the punch clock was created. While this was a step up, electronic time clocks have become the new standard in employee time tracking.
Available with various input methods, the electronic device is typically placed in a convenient location where employees can easily clock in or out. Each time an employee clocks in or out, the information is stored digitally. Periodically, the information gets transmitted to the primary clocking in systems.
How does using an electronic time clock help your business? There are many reasons to start using one of these devices to track employee’s hours, including:
- Simplify the process for your employees
- Enforce your company time policy
- Make payroll processing easier
Employees should not have to deal with a complicated time clock or have to worry about whether or not their time is being accurately tracked. Your employees will not need to waste time checking in or out.
Depending on the clocking in systems that you use, it will help enforce your company time policy. You will have an accurate record of their time, which can be added to their personal file, if your time policy includes penalties.
Using clocking in systems also makes payroll processing easier. There are no transcription errors or delays in processing. This will lighten the workload of your human resources or payroll department. No more hassles with transcription errors, delays, or employee fraud.
What Types of Time Clock Systems Are Available?
Depending on how your offices are setup and the type of industry that you are involved in, some clocking solutions may work better than others.
In an office setting, where the majority of employees will be working from a computer and/or a phone, PC based systems or land-line clocking may be a suitable option. These systems transmit the employee time tracking data to a central system for record keeping and payroll. Though, this may not be as efficient in an industrial setting – such as a garage or a factory where individual computers and phones are not used.
For most businesses, the smartest option is to use employee time clock systems that are easy for employees to use and require very little time or opportunity for error. This includes wall-mounted clocking terminals. The most streamlined of these terminals is the biometric clocking systems.
With biometrics, employees simply have to place their finger on the biometric scanner, which is attached to the terminal in a convenient location – such as the employee break room, cafeteria, or any other spot that all employees have easy access to.
The biometric clocking in systems prevents buddy punching and other forms of time clock fraud. It increases the accuracy of employee time tracking and allows employees to clock in or out more efficiently. With a biometric scanner, the fingerprints are stored as algorithms and stored within the system. This increases security and prevents employees from being able to trick the system. The information received by the terminal is downloaded to the system periodically and then be printed or viewed.
In addition to the biometric scanner, you can include other input methods. This includes key fobs, ID badges, swipe cards, or a PIN entry. Including a second input method will also help cut down on errors and enforce attendance.
Biometric scanners are not just useful for employee time tracking. You can also use them for granting and preventing access to various locations, rooms, or doors within your building or offices. This gives you the option to grant certain employees to access various locations.
Are There Any Other Options for Clocking Systems?
Along with biometric terminals and the other time clocks discussed, some businesses may prefer to use mobile phone clocking or text alert clocking. These options may be best suited for a professional setting or a business that requires employees to work off-site or from their home.
Choosing the Best System for Your Business
How do you know which system to use for your business? Consider the points that were made. You have several options to choose from. The mobile and text alert clocking could be useful for jobs that require off-site work. The PC based clocking or land-line clocking could be used for telemarketing jobs and other office settings where employees work from a computer or phone.
While those are all great options, the biometric terminal is suitable for all environments. It can be even used in conjunction with some of the other options, depending on your needs and the different positions within your company.
The biometric time clock systems simply offer the most convenient method for precisely tracking employee hours. Employees can clock in or out within seconds, so there is no wasted time spent using the clocking systems and no chance for error.
There is no reason to waste time and money on inefficient time clock systems. With a biometric terminal, or any of the other options, you can simplify the payroll process, eliminate human error or abuse, enforce company policy, and keep you from underpaying or overpaying your employees.
To summarise – every business should use some type of electronic time clock. They make everyone happy, including your employees and the payroll department. If you do not already have a system in place or need to upgrade to a more efficient system, get setup with a biometric terminal or any of the other options as soon as possible.
