Category: Time and Attendance

Take Advantage of Shop Floor Data Capture

Production companies can have any number of employees and machines working at any one time making it increasingly difficult for them to monitor time and energy. Meaning business are often unable to determine if employees are slacking or if machines are lagging behind. Fitting a shop floor data capture system in to your business will provide you with the opportunity to track each individual employees actions within each section of the production process as well as monitor machine production and waste numbers.

The Art of Chaos

Production is a stressful part of a business, especially having to monitor employees and efficiency of machinery. This responsibility is challenging while still maintaining a cost-effective production process. The amount of machines and employees are at times overwhelming. With each employee working in various parts of the process, it is often though to determine where there is potential to maximise time and energy. That is, unless you have the right software.

Monitoring All Angles

The unique ID swipe system that Ceequel® uses allows the seamless tracking of both individuals and groups: creating real-time result comparison on duration, efficiency, and productivity; giving the opportunity to recognise specific areas that need attention, in order to reach optimal employee efficiency. You can compare the detailed time records for production and employee attendance, for accurate individual productivity data. Our software even calculates performance based pay, then transfers this data to payroll for seamless accounting. These results are then used tweak the process, amplifying individual and group productivity.

Tracking Machinery

This software isn’t just for employees though, it also maintains the capacity to monitor machines as well, even using calculations to convert employee labour and machine usage into a monetary value which can then track machine down time, allowing you to locate areas to maximise efficiency, helping you monitor your production growth and discover needs for new equipment, ultimately increasing your productivity by process maximisation.

Contact us to learn more about how your company can take advantage of Shop Floor Data Capture and maximise your potential!

Data Capture on the Shop Floor

The numerous different types of software available for business departments has drastically grown over the years and now includes Time and Attendance systems. Ceequel Time and Attendance eliminates the need to record information using pieces of paper and storing them within filing cabinets. The system gathers accurate clocking information in real time, thus saving both time and money.

Big data software has developed from accounting, sales, marketing, and manufacturing project management to now include Shop Floor Data Capture systems. Ceequel® Time and Attendance software works with your corporate Microsoft SQL Server technology to seamlessly handle many of the tasks previously handled with piles of paper forms and painful hand calculation by the human resources department. The system will gather information and make calculations in close to real-time using data from continuous input. Gone is the punch clock, replaced by RFID information systems and easy-to-read ATM type terminals at work stations.

The employee can clock in at terminals located anywhere in the facility, once the employee clocks in, the reading cannot be modified, so you always have the assurance that the records are complete and accurate. Bradford Factor scores are continuously calculated for a running period to aid in the supervision of employees. Automatic adjustments can be made for disabled employees in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Virtual terminals simulate conventional clock-in systems, using a convenient graphical interface. They run on Windows-based equipment. Since they are software based, they are very flexible allowing users to monitor themselves, getting updates in real-time regarding their hours and other noted features of their performance. Security features allow modifications only by authorised personnel.

The system output identifies employees with photographs, it even designs photo-identification cards and badges. The Human Resources Department receives continuous updating of attendance, hours worked, overtime, calculation of flexi-time to be allotted, and holiday allowances that take account of length of service.

The system also handles shift patterns and outputs graphical shift rosters and rotations. An auditory notification to mark shift changes can be programmed into the system. Data capture provides aids in labour planning, records absences and manages absence allowances. The system simplifies supervision by recognising exceptional bookings-in, recognising when clocking activities are outside of normal, no clockings, or patterns of missed clockings, more or fewer hours than expected, patterns of lateness, or unplanned attendance.

Elf Productivity LTD. supplies and adapts time management and attendance software and terminals to meet your needs. Please contact us for more information.

Is Employee Self Service the wave of the Future?

Businesses are much like machines, with departments acting as cogs that work together in order to achieve goals. If one department fails to complete a task, then it’s possible that other departments within the business may struggle in the completion of their day to day job.

Specialisation in work was one of the biggest developments in creating a society. In the long ago and far away you had metal workers and horse breeders, innkeepers and tanners, each doing their own job in a small setting. Fast-forward to today’s workforce and the village has been replaced by the company, but the idea of specialisation has remained the same: businesses have cashiers and data entry workers, human resources and managers, and each of them does a specific job. The idea is that every worker, team, and department, will come together like cogs in a machine to create a business that works quickly and steadily to achieve its overarching goal.

That’s the goal, at least.

The problem is that it is possible to draw those lines a little too darkly. It isn’t just that a certain task is supposed to be done by another department, it’s that it must be done by that department. Say that Margery just got married and needs to change her last name in the system, but instead of allowing her the ability to go in and do it herself she has to fill out a double set of forms and wait for HR to make the changes for her. Maybe James moved over the weekend, and now he has to update his address. Instead of trusting him to put in the changes he also needs to fill out a stack of forms and wait for HR to get around to making the changes.

The Flexibility of Employee Self Service

Specialisation is a good thing, but so is flexibility. That’s where employee self service comes into the picture. Employee self service means that instead of requiring employees to fill out paperwork and to wait for a specific department to make any and all changes within the company’s system, every employee is given access to change their own information. So rather than filling out forms and waiting a few days to a few weeks, it’s now possible for employees to sign in to the company system, make the necessary changes in a few minutes, and then get back to work.

Elf Productivity Ltd. Is Here To Help

The difficulty with embracing employee self service is that it requires giving more employees more access, which is something that a lot of company software just isn’t made to do. Like the employees the computers have only been programmed to do very specific tasks. That’s why Elf Productivity Ltd. designed a software suite that incorporates everything into a single, flexible whole. From the time clock to data changes, production information to access control, this suite puts all the tools a business needs right at its fingertips.

For more information on how Elf Productivity Ltd. can help your business achieve more with less wasted energy, simply contact us today!

Shop Floor Data Capture Saves You Time And Money!

Modern day technology now makes it possible for businesses to record and transmit employee data in real time making it easier for managers to make accurate decisions quickly. A shop floor data system has the ability to do the above and much more.

One of the most important things business owners can have is information, and the fresher that information is, the better. Thanks to modern information technology it’s possible to record and transmit business data in real-time, which means that it’s possible for businesses to make decisions more quickly and accurately than they could before. This process is often referred to as shop floor data capture.

What Is Shop Floor Data Capture?

Shop floor data capture is, in short, the process of capturing data as projects and events are unfolding in real-time. Whether it’s recording the hours that employees spend on certain tasks, or compiling the number of units produced by a given machine, all of that information is recorded and transmitted instantly. It allows business owners to get a good look at what’s happening on the floor, and they can make decisions and implement policies quickly to make sure problems are swiftly corrected.

Examples often work best to explain how this process works, so let’s take a hypothetical situation: there’s a manufacturer with five machines that all make wire ties. In the past the numbers would be tallied at the end of the day, compiled in a computer, and then printed out at the end of the week. So if there was an error in the third machine that was subtle, and which could only be detected in its slightly reduced output (which has become a largely reduced output by the end of a week) then it will take up to seven days to notice it. A shop floor data capture program would point out those numbers quickly though, and the problem could be brought to management’s attention by the end of the first day. This saves time, and more importantly money that would have been lost due to wasted energy and a depleted product.

Just One More Feature Elf Productivity Ltd. Offers

At Elf Productivity Ltd. it’s out goal to give businesses the best possible tools to get the job done. Our software suites are designed to be simple, organic, easy-to-learn, and to provide clients with all of the features they need to keep productivity up, waste down, and to serve their customers better. We offer shop floor data capture, but we also provide features like employee self-service, automated time clocks, and dozens of other helpful tools that will make sure your business never misses a step.

For more information about how Elf Productivity Ltd. software can help your business simply contact us today!

Why Digital Access Control is so Important

How secure your organisation is can often be the make or break of any new business deal. If clients believe their data is likely to become compromised they will almost always pick a competitor over you. In order to stop this from happening, businesses have been implementing access control systems which allow them to limit what data certain employees have access to.

Security is one of the biggest keys to earning client trust and running a successful business. Clients need to know their information is safe, and one of the best ways to keep it safe is to make sure only employees who need access are the ones that get it. That way if there is a leak or something similar, the number of people who could be responsible is a smaller pool than “everyone in the office”. Not only is the suspect-base smaller, but when there are fewer people who have access to sensitive data there is a smaller chance of that data getting out and falling into the hands of people who shouldn’t have it (e.g. identity thieves, con men, etc.).

Using The Proper Access Control Software

One of the best ways to make sure that data stays safe and secure is to use access control software. This software can be thought of as a digital lock, and only employees who have the key can get through to the other side. The key typically takes the form of a management account and password, thus ensuring that employees who need access to higher-level information can get it easily, but those who don’t need that data to do their jobs simply can’t open the electronic door.

Keeping Things On A Need-To-Know Basis With Elf Productivity Ltd.

Elf Productivity Ltd. knows how difficult it is to make sure all employees have enough information to properly do their jobs, but still keeping sensitive data locked away from the general worker’s pool. That’s why we produce high-quality software that offers access control solutions along with dozens of other features that will help businesses achieve more with less effort.

What other features does the software boast? Well, it offers security and access control solutions, but it also operates as an electronic time clock to keep accurate track of employee hours. This software also allows more employees to do more, allowing anyone to change basic information so there’s no need to go through HR in order to alter an address or change a name to reflect what’s on a driver’s license.

For more information on how our software suites can help you keep sensitive data locked away where it belongs simply contact us today!

Cut through Red Tape with Employee Self Service

Filling out forms to request a change of information on the system can be a time consuming task for employees. This information can then take weeks to be updated due to the number of high priority tasks human resource departments need to complete. Employee self service systems cut out the middle man meaning your employees can update their own data in real time.

Every business has bureaucracy: maybe you need to fill out three forms to have Human Resources change your name in the computer, alternatively you might have to put in a request for a change of address and wait for weeks before the system gets updated; all this red tape is seen as a necessary evil, after all, how else is all this information going to get updated?

By letting the employees do it themselves.

Employee Self Service

Employee Self Service is the idea that all employees are capable of doing simple tasks, such as changing their names, addresses, and other personal information. Instead of giving this power only to the Human Resources department, a business utilises software that allows every employee to access and alter his or her own basic profile. This means that employees can make necessary changes more quickly, and the Human Resources department is freed up to handle different assignments.

Elf Productivity Ltd. Can Help

Efficiency is the name of the game, and Elf Productivity Ltd. can give your business the tools it needs to play in the big leagues. The software suites produced by this company are easy to learn, and they provide more access for more employees. At the same time, though these systems don’t sacrifice security, making absolutely certain that employees only have the amount of access they need to get the job done.
You can go in and change your name and address easily enough, but information like personnel records, evaluations, etc. can only be accessed by those with authority to do so.

What Else Does This Software Do?

Elf Productivity Ltd. wanted to create a single solution for all of a business’s needs, which is why their software balances access control, employee self service, and record keeping. It’s flexible and functional with features that even allow it to be used as a time clock so hourly employees can make sure management knows how long they’ve worked. The suite eliminates redundancy, and provides simple, elegant solutions for fixing the problems every business has to deal with.

For more information on what Elf Productivity Ltd. can do for you and your business simply contact us today!

Breaking Bad Habits (Infographic)

This infographic provides you with statistics about how time and attendance systems can increase your employees productivity and includes sections on employee monitoring, human error and administration costs.

Here is an infographic that we have created that is packed with statistics on how a time and attendance system can make your employees more productive. The infographic includes sections on employees being monitored, human error and administration costs.

Continue reading “Breaking Bad Habits (Infographic)”

2015: The Big Year for Human Resources

Having a poor functioning human resource department within your business can lead to a significant decrease in net profits. This is due to a drop in employee productivity levels being caused by unaddressed attendance issues or position forecasting. If someone were to leave your organisation, your Human Resource department should still be able to provide you with up to date information on their entire time within the company as well as being able to tell you what skill sets new applicants need to have.

Human Resource Management is actually a key ingredient of any business. Poor HR management can lead to a significant decrease in net profits due to a decrease in employee productivity and efficiency stemming from unaddressed attendance issues or position/function forecasting. For example, if a valued employee resigns, improper HR management may lead to not knowing exactly what this employee’s functions were (since job titles don’t disclose everything), and thus, even if this employee gives a 30-day notice, it may take you longer than a month to figure out which potential applicants have all the skill sets needed to fulfil the now-lacking functions in your company.

According to a recent article by Business2Community, 2015 will mark new, progressive trends for HR management. No longer is HR management going to be one-dimensional, with employees, wages and other statistics boringly laid out on long spreadsheets and multi-page documents: “In 2015, visual media [will become increasingly utilized and]… when it comes to HR technology, the importance of visuals will increase.”

You should start improving your HR management resources today! Be ready to re-fill positions and functions this upcoming year, since “according to a recent survey, one in three employees will look for a new job in the next year.” This goes both ways – your employees are at a higher risk of leaving you, and you’ll have a more rich pool of applicants – so HR management becomes critical.

Elf Productivity Ltd. offers innovative software that efficiently and accurately records and processes all of your employees information. Not only will you have them neatly organised by job titles, you can include notes and sub-notes in a detailed, organised fashion that allows you to list specific functions and roles that the employee performs. Our software also allows your employees to perform self-attendance. Contact us today to learn more!

Employee Self Service is the way to do more with less

Businesses are always looking for ways in which they can get more things done without the need to increase hours worked or the number of people employed. A cost effective way to increase productivity is by implementing easy to use tools that simplify tasks, thus providing extra time for employees to do more within their working days.

There are three ways to get more done in a business setting: increase the hours in the working day, increase the number of hands doing the work, or use better tools in order to do more. While many businesses shy at the cost of paying overtime or hiring additional personnel when it isn’t strictly necessary, investing in better tools is usually an easier pill to swallow. This is why so many businesses have invested in Elf Productivity Ltd. software in general, and in the idea of Employee Self Service in particular.

What Is Employee Self Service?

The quick and easy definition is that Employee Self Service is when employees are given more access to human resources information and allowed to make changes on their own. In a typical business set up, an employee who moves, gets married, or has any other sort of information change would contact HR, fill out the necessary forms, and then wait for a human resources representative to put in the changes. By contrast, Employee Self Service allows the employees to access their information directly, and to put in any and all changes on their own.

What Are The Advantages?

The advantages of Employee Self Service are two-fold. On the one hand employees, can now make minor changes on their own, this cuts out the human resources middle-man and ensures that these changes get made in a quick and timely manner. On the other hand the burden on human resources personnel is eased, meaning they have more time to handle more serious work.

In the end, Employee Self Service allows more flexibility in the work force, and allows employees to get more work done more quickly with fewer forms filled out in triplicate.

Elf Productivity Ltd. Is Here To Help

While Employee Self Service is a great goal, it isn’t easy to accomplish without the right tools. That’s why Elf Productivity Ltd. has designed business software with this feature already built-in. It’s easy to learn, intuitive, and it allows more employees to handle their business more quickly.

While it’s still possible to build your business with old-fashioned tools, you get the job done a lot faster if you use the latest models available.

For more information on how Elf Productivity Ltd.’s software can help your business, simply contact us today!

Digital Access Control is just as Important as Physical Access Control

Access control within a business is when a company limits what information or areas are available to which employees. This is often decided based on where or what information each individual employee needs in order to complete their job. Access control can be both digital and physical with many companies relying on computers to get everything done.

Access Control is one of the most basic parts of a business’ security: in short it means that people who shouldn’t be able to gain access are locked out. Maybe this means that only the manager is given the code to the security system, or only the night supervisor has a copy of the key that opens the record room. The basic theory of access control is that by cutting down on the number of people who have access to a given area, there is less opportunity for theft, misuse of facilities, etc.

In today’s day and age more and more businesses rely on computers to get the job done; Access Control is just as much digital as it is physical.

The Importance of Digital Access Control

Imagine a business in which cash was laid out on a counter where anyone could walk past and grab it. Sooner rather than later, someone would walk out the door with all that money. By putting the cash in a place that only employees have access to, the pool of people who could steal it is much smaller. By putting the money in a place only three people have access to, it’s much safer. Digital access control is just like that, but for a business’ data.

More often than not, a business’ information is just like cash on the counter: exposed and easy to steal if someone really wants to. By using the right software, and putting the right security onto a business’ system, that information is steadily locked away behind additional layers until only the people who really need to access it can do so. Some information, such as an employee’s work schedule, doesn’t need to be kept behind heavy security. Other information though, such as time sheets and customer information, needs to be put behind several locked doors.

How Elf Productivity Ltd. Can Help

Elf Productivity Ltd. has spent years designing software suites meant to help businesses get the job done without needlessly exposing themselves and their company data to outside risks. The computer programs we’ve created are like high quality armour for a business: they allow for freedom of movement, but when something happens to threaten your safety, you’re going to be glad you took the time to keep yourself protected.

For more information on our easy-to-use, effective software suites, and how they can help with your business’ access control issues, contact us today!