Author: Agent ELF

Modern day Time and Attendance solutions

Time and attendance solutions have drastically changed over the years thanks to the help of modern day technology. Paper based card systems are now rendered useless as companies choose to adopt electronic clocking systems. These modern systems come with many added benefits.

time and attendance

Time and attendance systems have been around for many years.  Employees were once expected to clock in using paper based time sheets or with a punch to clock system.  With the use of modern day technology employees are now able to clock using much easier methods.  Almost all modern day systems record data in real time onto a web based time and attendance solution, making it easier for businesses to accurately track each individual employee.

Keeping track of employee time and attendance data is imperative to the survival of any company.  Time and attendance systems allow mangers to easily know exactly how many holidays each employee has taken.  They also track all employee absences providing mangers with the means to identify any absences patterns at the earliest of stages.

Web based time and attendance

A web based time and attendance system records accurate employee data in real time.  This data can then be accessed on any device anywhere using an internet connection.  Data is collected using a networked data capture terminal with either biometric or proximity technologies.  This means employees are able to clock using a proximity fob/card or by finger or even facial recognition.

Different specifications can be setup within the system to incorporate flexitime, shifts, attendance requirements and public holidays or any other requirements specific to your business needs.  Employees can access their individual attendance data by logging onto employee self service.  From there they can see how many holidays they have left, request any future time they would like off and employees who work shifts are able to check and request shift changes.

The main benefit of having a web based system over any other time and attendance solution is that it always remains accurate.  As all records are stored online employees can be provided with permissions, to gain access to their time and attendance data, providing transparency to the employee, ensuring any queries are dealt with in a timely fashion.   Having an automated online system also saves Human Resource and Payroll department’s time.  They no longer need to spend hours working out attendance rates and pay premiums as the process is now automated. Web based attendance systems also make it easier for mangers to plan rotas as shift patterns and rosters can be predefined within the system.

A web based time and attendance system can benefit organisations of all sizes.  It saves time by simplifying your payroll processes, allowing human resources to deal with more pressing tasks.  An automated system can also save your organisation money, as not only does it make the calculation of wages a simple process thus saving valuable resource but all the data collected is accurate, meaning every employee is paid the correct wage at the correct time.

For more information on a web based time and attendance system contact us today!

 

Modern day work place security

Making sure your business is secure in every way is a crucial to the success of your organisation. Companies who do not have systems in place to protect their premises or key data risk having their possessions n information stolen. Access control systems are designed to stop this from happening by securing every aspect of a business.

Access Control

Securing your business premises and the key data kept inside is paramount to any business owner. The most common method, organisations use to do this is by using an access control solution.  Access control systems work by limiting and monitoring access to your organisations premises and secure data Files.  Many organisations have already begun to experience the added benefits of an access control solution.  Below are the three main ways in which an access control solution will revolutionise your business security.

The benefits of an access control System

Customisable

An access control system is by far the safest way to secure your organisation.  Access can be controlled on a door by door basis minimising your risk of exposure.  Employees are only allowed to access permitted areas of your building or the required information needed to complete their job. Limiting who has access to what information within your organisation means that if a data breach was to take place the list of possible suspects is significantly lower making it easier to find the person responsible.  Not only can you limit employees to certain parts of your organisation you can also limit them to specific times and days.  If as a company you shut down completely on public holidays or over festive periods, then having an access control system in place allows you to completely lock down your premises.

History logging

All access data is collected in real time and logged onto your time and attendance system.  Information is not only stored every time an employee clocks in/out but also when employees try to access areas that are restricted to them. This information is easily accessible to line mangers and notifications can even be set up to alert them as soon as access is denied. This information is also imperative when it comes to investigating data theft or physical property damage.  The information can also be used to track any individual employee’s movements you may be sceptical of.

Keyless

Employees no longer need to worry about locking themselves out of the office as most access control systems don’t require a physical key to gain access to a building or area.  Access is granted using a number of different innovative technologies.  Biometric systems permit employee access through the use of fingerprint or facial recognition. Proximity systems require employees to carry a key card or fob which will need to be presented within 3-5cm of the reader.  Each system can be supplied with a backup clocking method.

Access control systems are regenerating the way organisations secure not only their office space but also the key information stored inside.  For more information on how an access control system could help you, contact us today!

 

 

Four tips to achieving a better Work-life Balance

When it comes to achieving an ideal work-life balance many of us find it hard. This is often because most of us work jobs that are considered to be ‘always on’ meaning we often never really have chance to relax. Checking our emails outside of work time because a common occurrence and taking work home seems like a logical thing to do.

worklife balance

Many employees often struggle to find or maintain the appropriate work-life balance. This isn’t surprising in a world that never stops. With employees now being able to access their emails and work files remotely off multiple devices, from practically anywhere in the world fully switching off when away from the office can be difficult.

After all we’ve all fallen victim to what we believed would be a quick check of our work emails and then found ourselves spending hours responding to ‘urgent’ messages, that realistically could of waited until the next day.  Accessing work from outside of the office however is not our only downfall. Many of us often choose to stay late at work or come in early in order to finish off tasks that should have already been completed.

Listed below are four tips to help employees effectively maximise their time which in turn will help them to achieve and maintain a better work-life balance.

Schedule/manage your time

Scheduling your time should not only be a key aspect at work but also within your home life. Having no clear organisation when it comes to the completion of tasks means you’re never fully making the most of your time.

Creating a daily schedule of all tasks that need to be completed and prioritising them by importance, is an ideal way to stay on top of what needs to be done and makes sure you don’t forget anything.  Estimate and schedule a block of time for each task and try to keep within the allocated time limit. Make sure to make a note on any task that exceeds the time given as this information will help you to correctly schedule any future tasks that are similar.

Don’t strive for perfection

When it comes to completing work almost all of us strive for perfection. This however is not always probable, especially within a busy working environment when you are inundated with tasks. Employees often waste valuable time redoing the same tasks over and over again until the task reaches what they believe to be perfection. This can often leave employees with too much work to do and not enough time to complete it.  Instead of completing all tasks to perfection level employees need to learn to just be happy with submitting work when it’s good enough.

Learn to say NO

Although making yourself available 24/7 and accepting any task asked of you is a good way to stay in your bosses good books is just not plausible. An excessive workload is one of the main causes of employees getting stressed at work.  Stressed employees are less likely to be able to complete work to the best of their ability, meaning the standards of work produced can dramatically fall which in turn doesn’t look good to any manager.

Many people believe that saying no when asked to take on extra work can potentially portray them in a negative light to their line manager. This however is not true. Before accepting any extra work employees should always think clearly about whether they have sufficient time available and just how much strain would the completion of these extra tasks could have on their current workload.  If the realisation is that the extra work would leave you submerged then just simply saying NO is the best thing for you. There’s also no need to make up excuses as to why you can’t take on the extra work, simply apologising and explaining to your fellow employees that you’re currently too busy is enough.

Leave work at work

We live in a society where almost all jobs are now considered ‘always on’. This means many employees often feel obligated to work outside of their contracted hours.  Employees who do this make it impossible for themselves to ever achieve a work-life balance.

Instead of completing tasks at home, employees should note down before they leave the office any outstanding work that needs to be completed. This can then be used as a list of priority tasks that need to be dealt with the next time you are in the office.

Learning to leave work at work and switching completely off from checking and completing work related tasks when at home or on vacation is the easiest way to achieve and maintain a good work-life balance.

Productivity Gains from Flexible Working

Every company strives to improve employee productivity. After all a productive workforce is a happy workforce and happy people often produce a higher standard of work. Reliable working is just one of many options to boost employee productivity.

Flexiable Working

Since the twentieth century UK employees have been expected to work a total of forty hours a week. Working eight hours a day, five days a week is considered natural to most people and a vast improvement on the 12 hour, 6 day week prior to that.  However as times change so do companies thoughts on how many hours an employee should work per week.

Many companies are opting to allow their employees to work a four day week – instead of the now considered – traditional five.  These companies believe that a shorter working week increases productivity levels in the workplace and therefore leads to an improved working environment.

However there are still some companies who remain unconvinced.  Detailed below are three reasons why a four day working week would be beneficial to both employers and employees.

Improved work-life balance

In today’s world, employees can struggle with finding an acceptable work-life balance.  Working long hours, five days a week, often impacts on the quality time parents spend with their children. Employees who don’t have parental commitments can also experience time intrusions on their out of work activities and social commitments.

Allowing your employees to work a four day week provides them with more personal time, giving them the chance to be more focused and productive.

Parents can spend more time with their children and family life. Employers, who are flexible on which day an employee takes off, allow both parents the opportunity to spend equal amounts of time with their children, as alternate days can be had away from the workplace.

Employees without children can also use extended weekends to participate in out of work activates such as hobbies.  A longer weekend gives staff more time to relax, meaning employees are more likely to come into work on a Monday feeling refreshed and enthusiastic.

More Productive Employees

Companies often assume that having a four day week will significantly impact the amount of productive work from employees.  This however is not known to be correct.  Employees are more aware they have less time to complete their weekly tasks and therefore they become more focused and productive.  Most employees will no longer waste time checking emails or interacting on social-sites and re-direct their attention on to completing the essential tasks in the given time.

A longer weekend also provides employees with the ability to completely switch off from work and concentrate on relaxing and revitalising.

Ultimately this leads to happier more productive employees.

Increase employee retention

Employee retention is vital to running a successful organisation. Every company wants to retain their best employees, their skills and knowledge.  Losing essential members of the workforce can not only impact businesses negatively but is often costly.  Attracting replacements can be a long, tedious and costly process and will generally have an effect on productivity and quality whilst new employees are up-skilled.

Ultimately – providing your employees with a four day week option is a positive way to incentive your employees to stay with the company.  It makes your organisation more appealing over your competitors when it comes to recruiting for new employees.   A four day working week can also act as an alternative to pay-increases or staff bonuses – improving your businesses bottom line.

 

Stress related absences can harm your business

Employee absence rates related to stress can be a real headache for organisations. Stress related absences often last longer than normal employee absences meaning a high number of tasks have to be passed on to other employees. Most stress related absences can often be avoided through the implementation of certain processes.

Employee absences can be a real drain for organisations. Not only do absences cost money but long term absence can have a lasting impact on employee workloads. The number of Employees taking time off work due to stress is becoming ever more prominent within all companies.

A survey carried out by CIPD shows the eighteen most common causes of stress at work. With Two-fifths of the organisations surveyed reporting an increase in stress-related absence over the past year.  Workload was the highest common cause of stress within all sectors but affected public and private sector organisations the most.  Employers within the manufacturing and production industry found that management style and issues at home were equally to blame for the high number of stress related absences. Non-profit organisations found that thirty seven percent of employees were stressed due to having in-work relationships. Poorly handled organisational changes had a higher effect on public sector organisations than all others.

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Stress at work

Some cases of employee absence, due to stress, could easily be avoided. Setting up procedures in the workplace to assist employees effectively manage their workload, could help massively reduce employee absence rates. Communicating organisational change (e.g. office moves, department shake ups) to employees at the earliest opportunity helps them to plan ahead, instead of last minute surprises which can often lead to stress.  Allowing employees to work flexible hours when needed is one of the easiest ways to reduce absence rates and improve employee morale.

Office romances can often cause problems for organisations when it comes to absences. Relationships within the workplace that end badly often see the employees involved having to take time off work due to emotional stress or because they want to avoid their colleagues. Some organisations include a workplace romance policy into their company guidelines. The policy is often introduced to deter employee romances with work colleagues as businesses see them as a major disruption to the workplace.

 

 

Time and attendance for business and the available access control solutions

Organisations have been using time and attendance systems as a means to track employee clocking data for over 20 years. Old card based systems were slow and unreliable and as technology advanced new cutting edge real time systems took there place. Employees are no longer limited to how they can clock as most systems now come with a range of different options. The introduction of biometric and proximity technology now means that clocking can be completed in a number of seconds.

Access Control

Time and attendance within a business is not a new concept. Organisations have been using paper cards as a means of clocking employee working hours since the 20th century.  The problem with using a paper card system is that it’s extremely unreliable. Paper is easily lost and even if the card remained safe there was never any way of knowing if the times written on the sheet were accurate. This caused major problems for companies when it came to payroll, meaning employees were often over or under paid. An employee who has been under paid is less likely to work to their full potential meaning productivity levels in the work place often drop. Low productivity levels and overpaid staff can lead to organisations losing out on thousands a year.

As times changed and technology advanced so did the type of systems organisations use to track their employees time and attendance data.  Electronic automated clocking systems now record accurate employee data in real time. As data no longer needs to be manually imputed human resources departments are able to focus on more pressing tasks.

The benefits of having a fully functioning time and attendance system

The main benefit for a company which uses a time and attendance system is that the data being collected always remains accurate.  As all employee clock-ins are collected through an electronic system, the chances of fraudulent clocking is significantly reduced.  Employee time-thefts are also reduced as clockings can be completed via an IP based clock device, over a browser and even through a mobile device.  This allows employees to clock from any location whilst on the go. Notifications can be set up within the system to alert managers when staff clock late or leave early. These alerts inform an employer of attendance issues at the earliest stage.

Companies who implemented punch card systems often became victims of ‘buddy clocking’. Employees would often clock in for their “colleagues” when they were perhaps running late or had opted to take a longer break than allowed.  Almost all time and attendance systems available today, come with technology which can make it impossible for an employee to clock as anyone but themselves.

Human resource departments are at the forefront of any business. It manages all employee data and ensures that all information they have remains correct and up to date.  The underlying issues surrounding this is that manually checking and manipulating data can be time consuming and extremely costly.  Data collation and maintenance rapidly drains the resource available in most HR departments, meaning that information is often neglected or mislaid.  Any dynamic software solution should combine both Time & Attendance and HR System within one scalable database.

One database means the eradication of double keying information as data entered is immediately filtered throughout the system.

Most now come equipped with employee self-service (ESS) capabilities which provides employees with an easy-to-use web based interface allowing them to update their own personal data, without needing to contact their HR department.  Employees with access to ESS can also view information relating to their shift patterns, holidays – requested, planned or taken, together with full information on their weekly clockings and pay premiums.

Employees are able to request holidays or absences using employee self-serve and any absence requests are forwarded to their line manager for approval. Once a request has been accepted it is automatically imputed into the employee’s calendar, removing any need for the employee to contact HR.

Implementing an automated time and attendance system can also help a business’s stay on the right side of any legislation. Manual systems make it difficult for companies to track things such as overtime and overall hours worked. Both have high legal requirements that if not obeyed can lead to an employee perusing corrective action via an employment tribunal.

The available Access control solutions

Over the years, the number of Time & Attendance systems available to businesses has significantly increased.  Advancing technology is often utilised by the companies who manufacturing T&A systems creating a wider choice of cutting edge systems.  Each system is designed with its own capabilities and can permit access to employees in a number of different ways.

Biometric systems

Biometric access control systems are becoming ever more popular. These technologies offer cutting edge opportunities – look impressive to visitors and because they rely on unique employee features time-theft is completely eradicated.

Fingerprint biometric Time & Attendance units are the most common systems implemented into companies as they now have a 99.9% accuracy rate.  As Time & Attendance systems act as one big database, information collected on one terminal, is automatically passed through to all the other terminals within the business. This provides employees the ability to clock at any terminal within the building.  Facial recognition software works in exactly the same way.  Once enrolled, template information is distributed automatically throughout the company’s device estate.

Most Time & Attendance systems can be integrated with an access control unit. Businesses with an integrated access control and Time & Attendance system, are able to restrict access on a door-by-door basis, making sure that only authorised employees gain access to sensitive areas. Access can also be restricted by date and time allowing companies to lock down their business premises over festive periods, during bank holidays and after working hours.

Proximity technology

Proximity access control systems have always required an employee to swipe their access card in order to clock. The processes of swiping a card however can be time consuming.  Employees in a busy environment often swipe their cards too quickly for a system to recognise who they are, forcing them to slow down and problems begin as ques start to form into the building especially at busy periods of the day.

As Proximity technology advanced – so did the systems and options available. The invention of contactless technology now means that access control cards and fobs are designed to permit access without the need to swipe. An employee simply needs to hold their card up to the device in order to gain access or register a clocking.

Intercom and integration with VOIP

Intercom systems have been the chosen solution for granting visitor access into buildings for a number of years.  More often than not, they come with audio capabilities but as costs decrease, more are being installed with both audio and video capabilities.

As companies move towards a combined VIOP infrastructure, external intercom can now be fully integrated with your VIOP telephone system, providing full control of your external access points to any extension on your telephone system.

Barrier automation and turnstiles

Automated barriers or turnstiles now provide control to companies of who has access to your perimeter, company carpark, warehouses or any other company land.

Securing the first point of access to your organisation adds an extra level of security when protecting your business. Both barriers and turnstiles can be configured to only allow access to registered employees within your company’s Time & Attendance database.  Access can be granted using biometric or proximity technology and time profiles can be set up in order to stop people from accessing the premises outside of working hours or on certain days.

There are a number of different types of barriers available including sliding gates, ground mounted bollards and rising arm barriers.  Turnstiles are also available for both internal and external applications and are usually configured with anti-pass-back technology.

For more information on what a time and attendance system is, the benefits it could have on your business and the available access control systems, contact us today!

 

Onwards and upwards – We’re moving!

We are delighted to announce that we will be relocating offices on the 16th May 2016.

Ceequel house

Well, after 16 years at our current location – we’ve finally run out of space.  Another year of double-digit growth, and impressive plans for the business has meant that we physically can’t get any more desks in to our current offices.

We need to increase headcount to enable us to get to the places we want to go and most importantly – continue to offer our customers the first class support they’ve become accustomed to.

Therefore we are pleased to announce that we will be moving offices as of 16th May 2016.

But don’t worry, you can still speak to us on exactly the same telephone numbers as you’ve always contacted us on. Email correspondence will be sent out to our customers closer to the time.

However if you do have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us

Our new office address:

ELF Productivity Ltd,

CEEQUEL House,

2 Smithy Court,

Smithy Brook Road,

Wigan,

WN3 6PS

 

Shop floor Data Capture – How lean are your processes?

Constantly hitting production targets is crucial to any company producing products. Having a system in place that records and tracks production numbers at every available stage is key – check out this infographic to discover the impact a shop floor data capture system can have on an organisation.

When it comes to the production of products every company needs to be able to stay on top of their processes. unproductive employees and faulty machinery can prove fatal to any manufacturing organisation. Constantly missing production targets over an extensive period of time can lead to a significant drop in profits which if not corrected can lead to the closure of any organisation. A Shop Floor Data Capture system is designed to help organisations track each stage of their manufacturing process and record accurate data for employers to monitor. The below infographic provides more information on what a shop floor data capture system is and the benefits it can have on organisations who opt to implement one.

The Benefits of a Shop Floor Data Capture system

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shop floor data capture

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12.5 working hours a week are being wasted on these 10 tasks

High productivity levels within a business are a key aspect to the survival of any organisation. So it’s surprising to find that on average 12.5 working hours a week are being wasted by UK employees on unproductive tasks. A survey carried out by vouchercodespro found that employees who worked seven and a half hours a day were only using 5 of those hours to complete their given tasks.

According to a recent survey carried out by VoucherCodesPro.co.uk’s, employees spend 12.5 working hours on average each week ‘dilly-dallying’ with tasks that have nothing to do with their current workload.   The survey was carried out on full time employees within the UK, who should be working approximately seven and a half hours a day.   However only five hours of that time was being spent productively.  The other two and a half hours were most commonly being wasted on the same 10 tasks.  Can you guess what these are?

Out of the employees surveyed 89% of them admitted to overly checking social media channels such as LinkedIn, Facebook and twitter in work time. This was then closely followed by internet shopping/ paying of bills which 84% of employees admitted to doing.

Working Hour Distractions Chart

Of the employees surveyed 58% of them admitted they weren’t scared of the repercussions as they didn’t believe they would get caught. 22% of employees admitted they were careful not to be caught off duties.  Surprisingly 20% of people revealed that their boss didn’t actually mind them taking time out from their supposed tasks as long as all work was completed on time.

Amazingly some 39% even admitted to viewing adult websites during working hours.

Do you know what your employees are doing during working hours and do you have a method of recording employee productivity?  Why not consider Ceequel® Employee Tracking?

 

A guide to managing additional working hours

Almost all businesses have employees who work additional hours – check out this infographic to discover the impact these extra working hours can have on your workforce.

Almost all businesses have employees who work additional hours. How these hours are recorded often depends on the organisations polices. Flexi time, overtime, time off in lieu and additional hours all have there advantages and disadvantages. The below infographic details each option and the positive and negative affects these extra working hours can have on your workforce.

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Best Practices for Additional Working Hours

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