Category: Time Management

They Think It’s All Over……

“It’s coming home, it’s coming home” – Check out our World Cup blog as the countdown to Russia 2018 begins.

“They think it’s all over ….it is now!”

Those immortal words, spoken by Kenneth Wolstenholme at Wembley Stadium on 30th July 1966, were in celebration of the glorious and “only” England FIFA World Cup victory. Months of hard toil by the squad had paid off and the country celebrated like never before.

Yes, it’s that time again! The FIFA World Cup in Russia kicks off in just over three months’ time and football fever is already hotting up!

The England team’s expectations are high and given their polished qualification result, so is their preparation. As we get ready to enter into the most special of football tournaments, what are England’s chances this year? Could this be the year that England show up and deliver the greatest football of THEIR time and THEIR generation?

Every four years, homes and workplaces across the country suddenly become engrossed in the national side. Everyone has their opinion on how the team should play and everybody is an “expert”. Football becomes THE number one discussion, as conversations consist of but not exclusively, to the following:-

The Techno Hipster
This particular persona is often found at their local watering hole, usually dressed in skinny chinos, holding a pint in one hand, whilst pontificating to anyone that will listen about statistics, data analysis and the science “behind” the game – all the time caressing his somewhat striking beard!

The Best Wannabe Manager in the World
“What were they thinking of putting HIM into the line-up ……. HE’S USELESS!!!”

The Irksome Colleague
In their head, this person IS Ronaldo! They love nothing more than accosting people for several minutes/hours at a time in the kitchen, by the photocopier etc. Likes to dissect and relive every second of the match with you………… married to the game!

The Fantasy Penalty Taker
This individual knows the exact run-up, angle, time, distance and grass length it requires to take the perfect penalty. They never fail to relay this information during a match, as unlike the England team, THEIR penalties ALWAYS hit the back of the net!

The Suburban Social Climber
This particular neighbour “suddenly” finds that their dog can dribble and head a ball into any net, open window or doorway. They take great pleasure in alerting the entire neighbourhood to this rare feat; usually regaled at their obligatory World Cup Soiree’. For the duration of the tournament, “said dog” is nicknamed “Maradogga”!

Here at ELF Productivity Limited, we too are partial to a World Cup party. The “ELF Boss” is pretty generous in allowing us time-out to watch the game. He’s partial to, pretty much ALL of the post-match chit-chat that ultimately resonates around the company after a “big match”. Refer to “The Best Wannabe Manager in the World” point.

All joking apart, it is fair to say that England loves and enjoys the “beautiful game”.

The odds on England making it through the group stages have increased this year. The team is vibrant and hungry for success. What if this year WAS England’s time?

So, with that in mind, if England were to get through to the knock-out stages once again, what processes are in place for your workplace this summer; to help not only with a jolly “end of term” atmosphere but to manage the “sudden” absence requests?

Have your current processes, like a lot of Premiership players, turned out to be under-performing gaffes? Is now the time for you to “blow the whistle” and show them YOUR “red card”?

ELF Productivity Limited’s, Time and Attendance software suite is the current market leader in automated processes. Key elements within Ceequel® are two remote applications; Ceequel® Mobile Apps and Employee Self Service. These applications, that have been created for Android, Apple and Windows devices, will ultimately improve your Time and Attendance processes. They not only permit employees to clock “in and out” remotely, allowing for a more flexible working pattern but they will also “pin-point” the exact location of your remote workers.

Ceequel® is constantly progressing and we are currently refining our Time and Attendance software with fresh concepts, designs and ideas.

If you would like to know more about the supreme functionality of Ceequel® Software Suite, including our leading Time and Attendance modules; the downloadable catalogue of brochures can be found here.

Contact ELF Productivity today for a free no obligation quotation and demonstration of Ceequel® software and make 2018 the year that you “strike out” and gain a winning team-mate for your company.

Brexit – Where Will You Be In 50 Years’ Time?

Keep Calm and Carry On – check out our latest blog on the future of the United Kingdom after Brexit.

The EU Referendum result on 23rd June 2016 was met with some considerable shock and disbelief; not least because nobody expected THAT outcome but rather the new territory and direction the United Kingdom was seemingly heading into.

Despite our somewhat cantankerous partnership with the European Union, leaving our European counterparts behind was, for some, not going to be an easy time.

• “We are all doomed” the general reaction from anyone who voted “Remain” and given a smidgeon of air-time by a television or radio journalist.

• “They have robbed us of our future” courtesy of The Millennial Generation – see previous blog post.

Parting company is not easy, especially once you have taken that first step towards ending the relationship. Once you realise that you are unhappy with the current status quo, glossing over an already laboured correlation, without really addressing the issue, is no longer going to “cut it”. Once that time has past and you begin to look at different alternatives, you will start to wonder, “Why did I endure this for so long”?

The United Kingdom has seen some considerable changes since the end of the Second World War. Looking back over time and at how things have changed both before and during the “EU Experiment”, we can see that there have been some considerable highs but also some devastating lows.

From The Beatles “Swinging” us through the Sixties, to the flares and the afghan coats of the 1970’s; a decade that brought with it the 3 day week, the “Iron Lady” and the “Winter of Discontent”, Great Britain has always taken everything in its stride.

“Maggie’s Den” in the 80’s helped to produce the “greed is good” mantra by many would be “yuppies” as the Tory Government concentrated on privatisation and investments. Computers were the new fascination, with everyone wanting an Amstrad or Sinclair Spectrum – retro TV tennis anyone? Home computers were THE must have accessory on everyone’s wish list BUT the best was yet to come. Great Britain’s very own Sir Tim Berners-Lee proposed his “free gift” of the World Wide Web in 1989. Without Sir Tim, there would be no Google, Twitter or Facebook…….. or blogs! As we moved towards the 90’s, home ownership was up, mainly due to Maggie’s Right to Buy legislation but interest rates were at an eye watering 15%! “Things could only get better”…….apparently.

The arrival of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair and his New Labour Government on the 2nd May 1997, signalled a new age for the UK. Tony Blair, on a tidal wave of public optimism, was elected into office at just 43 years of age! Not since Lord Liverpool, who became Prime Minster at the age of 42 in 1812, had the country elected a leader so young. At the start of his leadership, Tony was held in great affection by the British public. “Cool Britannia” emerged, as the charismatic Tony spent time entertaining and rubbing shoulders at No 10 with the Britpop clique. Predictably, his popularity began to diminish, as for want of a better expression “a dubious war” started. He also signed away part of our hard-fought EU rebate – something that was not lost on the British people.

The 21st Century was well underway when the United Kingdom experienced what can only be described as “A Rock and a Hard Place”. The City was in freefall in late 2007, as Tony Blair’s successor Gordon Brown, had the unenviable task of handling one of the worst catastrophic episodes in our financial history. The collapse of Northern Rock was the trigger for a cataclysmic event that changed our banking system forever. As a direct result, Labour were booted out of government. Fortunately, Great Britain managed to weather this un-timely storm – just – but other EU countries were crippled financially as a result.

So, as we prepare to say “Au Revoir” to the EU, what have we learned from our chequered past and what will we learn looking to the future – what do these forthcoming years hold for the United Kingdom?

From the austere 1950’s to the present time, the British have always kept a controlled stance, never wavering in the face of adversity. At no better time, did we display this stoicism than on the 5th July 1948. It was on this date, that Great Britain launched the world’s first National Health Service – just three years after the end of the Second World War. This year, our precious pride and joy founded by Labour Minster for Health Aneurin Bevan, will be 70 years old. It is still considered to be the “envy of the world”.

Our much celebrated monarch HM Queen Elizabeth 2 is, at 91, the world’s most admired Crowned Head. After more than 65 years on the throne, Her Majesty is still committed to serving the country and the Commonwealth. She has met and ministered to an astonishing 13 Prime Ministers during her sovereignty – her first being Sir Winston Churchill!

On the 29th March 2019, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union and British business must come first. President Donald Trump is a key ally who wishes to do business with the UK. In fact, the President not only predicted that we would leave the European Union before he became Commander in Chief, his comment on learning that we had in fact voted to “Leave” was “You have your country back”. The people of Great Britain are just that, we are great; we just aren’t too fond of being told to pay for someone else’s mistakes!

We have come a long way in 50 years but one thing is certain; “Made in Britain” still carries some considerable global weight. Britain is still a good place to invest. Where will your company be in 50 years’ time, will it be like the UK, still standing in the face of adverse changes? Are you willing to make arduous decisions now based on the right course of action for its future? Is now the time for you to step out and make that change?

ELF Productivity Ltd’s Time and Attendance system is the current market leader in automated processes. Part of ELF Productivity’s award-winning Time and Attendance software, is Ceequel® Shop Floor Data Capture, which delivers unparalleled, real-time production analysis and intelligent activity-based costing calculations, enabling manufacturers to enhance operational efficiencies and improve strategic decision-making.

Our knowledge and expertise is unrivalled. We are constantly developing our modules with new ideas and new ways of making Time and Attendance processes, simpler, faster and easier – we too are also “Made in Britain”. You once made a decision to “Leave or Remain”, this is an easier choice to make – invest in the best, invest in ELF.

Looking towards the future what will we do as a nation once we have left the constraints of the European Union behind; we will do what we have always done and what we are most famous for, we will “Keep Calm and Carry On”

If you would like to learn more about the unrivalled functionality of Ceequel® Software Suite, including our flagship Time and Attendance offering; a range of downloadable brochures can be found here.

Contact ELF Productivity today for a free no obligation quotation and demonstration of Ceequel® software.

Disco 2000 – The Millennial Generation

From Disco 2000 to the year 2018, take a look at our latest blog and find out more about recruiting the Millennial Generation.

It’s January again and it’s traditionally the time to plan and to look forward to a new year ahead, unblotted, brand-new, ready and waiting. It’s also a time to reflect on things past and to ask yourself, could I do this better, is there something else out there, something different?

Let’s rewind to the year 1995……

Pretty much everyone knows the catchy song “Disco 2000” by the band Pulp right? For a certain few of us it’s hard to believe that that song is now over 20 years old! Does it only seem like yesterday that you were dancing and singing along to it – it’s interesting how time flies isn’t it?

It’s even more interesting, that Y2K babies as they become known who were born in the year 2000, the year that seemed a long way off in 1995, are now approaching adulthood. These Millennium babies are now looking to join the big world of commerce and industry, looking to make their own individual mark on the world.

2018 is the year when the last of what is known as the Millennial Generation enters the workplace. Everyone born in the year 2000 who have chosen not to pursue further full time education, will this year, enter into employment.

So the question we ask you is, are you ready?

• Are you ready to attract the Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Tech-Savvy Teenagers?
• How will your brand be attractive to an enthusiastic, prospective employee?
• How will your Human Resource and Payroll Departments deal with potential Apprenticeships?
• Can your current systems handle the various shift patterns and training that inevitably accompany these placements, whilst still meeting your current workforce’s needs and obligations?

Do you have the right Time and Attendance system in place, or are your current processes, like the song “Disco 2000”, stuck back in 1995?

Again we ask, are you ready?

Here at Elf Productivity Ltd, authors of Ceequel® Time and Attendance, we are ready!

We have been at the forefront of Time and Attendance since 1982, in fact, Elf Productivity Ltd was established not long after the start of the Millennial Generation (1980 -2000).

Elf Productivity Ltd is part of that same generation; we understand technology like they do, because we are the original trailblazers. We are continually developing new ideas and new ways of making Time and Attendance processes, simpler, faster and easier.

Human Resource Management, Employee Self Service, Apps for i-Clocker and Android, are just a few of the modules that Elf Productivity Ltd provides.

So, take the apprehension out of training and working alongside a technology confident teenager (Q to his friends) and have the latest Time and Attendance software in place, along with Elf Productivity’s bespoke user friendly training.

Take it from us, the first of the Millennial Generation, Elf Productivity Ltd’s Human Resource Management module is your Bond to their Q!

So don’t hesitate, contact ELF Productivity today for a free no obligation quotation and demonstration of Ceequel® software and as Jarvis sings in the song…. “Let’s all meet up”.

Go forward into 2018, better prepared and with the latest and most up to date software in terms of automated systems in place, for ALL your workforce.

If you would like to learn more about the unrivalled functionality of Ceequel® Software Suite, including our flagship Time and Attendance offering; a range of downloadable brochures can be found here.

The top 3 benefits of having a computerised T&A system

Keeping track of employees time and attendance information has always been considered a key aspect of any organisations processes. Making sure the information collected is accurate is paramount to the successful running of any businesses payroll process. With this in mind over time the systems available to businesses have dramatically advanced.

T&A

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!

 

 

 

 

 

Absence Management – “Anyone know where Bob is?”

Knowing exactly how many absences and holiday days each of your employees have had is key to the successful running of your organisation. Not knowing which of your staff is in the office at any one time could have substantial problems for your organisation especially if it leads to departments being under staffed.

Absence Management

Keeping track of your employees absences – whether it be holidays, medical reason or sick days can be a difficult task for any organisation, especially if there are no set processes in place to do so.  Not knowing who’s in at any one time can cause major disruptions to departments or even productivity. Employees who have a busy workload themselves are sometimes asked to take on even more work to assist with that of an absent employee.

Absence Management Software

Introducing absence management software into your organisation can drastically help manage your entire workforce. Mangers can access individual employee data in real-time, at the touch of a button.  Employee clock in data, absences and holiday information is all stored within the one easy to use system.  Managers have full access to every employee’s holiday calendar allowing them to view who’s off on which shift at what time. This information allows them to monitor and identify when agency staff need to be called in to cover. This also provides managers the ability to ensure your facility is staffed adequately in order to avoid any disruptions or fall in production. All employee clock-in data is also stored within the system allowing managers to identify at the earliest opportunity when an employee is absent.

A number of customised reports can also configured to run automatically, within the absence management system.  Employers can customise reports to flag up any employees with a significantly high absence rate or initiate triggers specific to your company KPI’s. Line managers are then able to monitor and interact with employees immediately.  Absence reports can also be customised based on days, weeks or months. The system will even report on an employee who has called in sick and identify if a holiday request for that day was previously submitted and rejected.

Absence management however doesn’t have to just be something an employer does. By giving your employees access to their own data they can take control of their own clocking in and attendance records. CEEQUEL Employee self-service provides your employees with access to their own personal data. Employee can view their current and weekly time cards, view absences by day or week basis and update personal information such as next of kin and emergency contact. Employees are also able to view any planned of taken holidays and send out holiday request to be approved by their line manager. Employee self-service also lets employees who work shifts view their weekly working pattern. The system is username and password protected, and can be customised to only show the information you want the employee to see.

For more information on how an absence management system can help your organisation better manage your workforce contact us today!

Biometric Time and Attendance for your organisation

Biometrics systems were once considered only useful when it came to securing business locations. However over time more and more businesses have began using biometric capabilities as a means to track their employees time and attendance data. The use of a biometric systems drastically simplifies the way in which your employee clock-in data is recorded.

Biometric Time and Attendance

The use of biometric security technology within organisations has dramatically developed over the years with many businesses now using it to do more than just act as an access control system to secure personal information, intellectual property rights or access office buildings.  Organisations are now using biometric technology as a means to accurately check and record employee time and attendance data.

Keeping track of how many hours each employee worked was once a complicated task. Mechanical time clocks were often unreliable and slow which often lead to long queues during shift changes or at the start and end of the day. Many employees would often forget to clock and due to the use of time sheets or proximity cards employers often became victim to ‘buddy clocking’.  “Buddy clocking” is when employees clock for a friend who is either running late or in larger organisations one that may not even be present.

Inaccurate time and attendance data can add substantial cost onto your payroll processes. Not knowing the exact hours of your entire workforce often means some employees can be over or under payed. Under payed employees require the attention of human resources to manually correct any mistakes that have been made. This process is time consuming and costly for all organisations.

Biometric Time and Attendance

The use of biometric technology eradicates fraudulent clocking’s, costly time delays and the recording of inaccurate data. The most popular biometric systems companies use are fingerprint or facial recognition. Both systems capture data and then compare this to an individual’s unique algorithm template.

The CEEQUEL biometric time and attendance system is easy to use and records accurate employee clock in data that can then be accessed by authorised personnel in real-time.  This information allows managers to identify, at the earliest opportunity, when members of staff are absent giving them time to organise any cover which may be required. Integrating the CEEQUEL HR module in to your time and attendance also allows your managers to track all employee absences. Employers can filter the data recorded using a number of different criteria’s allowing them to identify any employees with either a high or low absence rate, based upon KPI’s specific to your business. Information about each absence can be stored within the systems and fit notes attached where needed. This provides managers with the information to correctly manage absences.

For more information on how biometric time and attendance could work for your organisation contact us today!

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!

 

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.

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!

 

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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