Month: August 2016

Recording and tracking employee t&a  data is not a new concept for many organisations.  However over time the systems available to businesses have changed drastically.  For many years organisations used paper based cards – as a means to monitor employee time and attendance. The most common problem companies found with a paper based system was that many employees forgot to fill in their time card and the data recorded was often inaccurate.  As technology advanced so did the number of companies opting for electronic punch card systems. These types of systems provided more accurate records but were also slow. Human resource departments were also still required to manually record all employee clock-in data in to a database which costs companies a significant amount of time and money.

Computerised time and attendance systems drastically revolutionise the way in with organisations store and record time and attendance data.  Below are the top 3 ways in which they do this.

Accurate Payroll Data

Old fashioned t&a systems such as paper based cards and punch card systems rely on the manual imputing of all data. The problem with this is that nobody’s perfect and even the most accurate typists sometimes make mistakes.  The data recorded by these types of systems is also in most cases inaccurate. Asking an employee to record the correct time they clocked in and out as well as the amount of time taken for breaks or lunch is rarely accurately documented. Many employees often forgot to fill in their time cards meaning times documented were rough estimates. Employees who were entitled to overtime were also known to extend time by awarding themselves extra minutes at the start and end of the day.  Legacy Systems were also prime targets for ‘buddy clocking’ as no formal identification was required when clocking in/out.

When companies process payroll, information provided needs to be accurate if employees are to be paid correctly.  And one of the biggest reasons employees leave companies is wages being paid incorrectly. Computerised time and attendance systems record accurate employee clocking data in real time.  Information recorded is immediately accessible by your payroll department eradicating lengthy processes and the need for manual imputing.

Central database

Collating employee time and attendance data from multiple office locations can be a challenge.  Chasing paperwork, manually verifying the content, manipulating the content and uploading it in to spreadsheets or other systems comes with a hefty workload.  Companies with a centralised payroll department require clean data at set points of the week or month.  Even if one locations data is late or incomplete, it could impact on the whole company’s payroll run.  Any delay in pay and the impact on moral, productivity and more importantly trust by employees – could be seriously damaged.

A dynamic and computerised t&a system will provide a centralised solution with full access from every location, whether it be over LAN, WAN, MPLS or GSM network. Employee clock-in data is recorded real-time and stored from all sites into one core database. Having instant access to the information needed to complete your company’s payroll without the need for any manual imputing of data significantly simplifies your processes.

Expand with your organisation

As your organisation expands, so usually does the number of employees.  Increasing headcount can add pressure on to a human resource department and existing systems/processes.  Increased pressure often means stressed and over worked colleagues – significantly increasing the possibility of workplace errors.

Computerised time and attendance systems grow with your organisation. The enrolment of new staff is both quick and easy – either centrally or at a divisional level.  All employee time and attendance data is recorded automatically enabling your human resource department to complete more strategic tasks.

For more information on how a computerised time and attendance system can benefit your organisation contact us today!