Tag: Apps

Responsible Workforce Technology: Better Information Without Losing Employee Trust

Workforce technology gives organisations unprecedented visibility over working time, attendance, access, absence and operational performance. Used correctly, it can improve payroll accuracy, reduce administration, control labour costs and help protect employees. Used without clear safeguards, however, the same technology can create legitimate concerns about privacy, fairness and excessive monitoring.

Responsible workforce technology is not about collecting as much employee information as possible. It is about using the right information, for a clearly defined business purpose, with appropriate security, transparency and human oversight.

This distinction is becoming increasingly important. The UK Government is currently considering how workplace-monitoring technologies should be managed, with a particular focus on clarity, transparency, employee voice and responsible implementation. This is a consultation rather than final legislation, but it gives employers a clear indication of the direction in which expectations are moving. Read the Government’s workplace-monitoring consultation.

Workforce technology should have a clear purpose

Every workforce system should begin with a legitimate operational requirement.

An employer may need to record attendance so employees are paid accurately, manage access to restricted areas, confirm who is present during an emergency, monitor working-time compliance or understand the labour used on a particular job or production process.

These are valid business purposes. Problems arise when information collected for one reason is subsequently used for an unrelated purpose without proper consideration, communication or justification.

Before introducing any workforce technology, an organisation should therefore be able to explain:

  • What information will be collected.
  • Why that information is required.
  • How it will be used.
  • Who will be able to access it.
  • How long it will be retained.
  • Whether it will contribute to any automated decisions.
  • What choices or alternatives are available to employees.

Transparency creates confidence

Employees should not have to guess how workplace technology affects them.

Clear communication helps employees understand that a time-and-attendance system is there to create accurate records, that access control protects people and premises, or that operational data is being used to improve production rather than simply scrutinise individuals.

Where appropriate, employers should consult employees and their representatives before new technology is introduced. This provides an opportunity to explain the business requirement, answer questions and identify legitimate concerns before implementation.

Transparency is particularly important where technology involves location data, biometrics or detailed operational information.

Biometric technology requires additional care

Facial recognition can provide fast, contact-free and highly accurate employee identification. It can reduce forgotten credentials, discourage “buddy clocking” and support secure access control.

However, biometric information used to identify a person is special-category personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office states that organisations must complete a Data Protection Impact Assessment before processing biometric data to identify workers.

Employers must also establish an appropriate lawful basis, demonstrate that the proposed use is necessary and proportionate, and consider whether a less intrusive alternative could achieve the same objective.

Where consent is being relied upon, employees must have a genuine choice. The ICO gives the example of providing a swipe-card alternative without disadvantaging employees who do not wish to use biometrics. Read the ICO’s guidance on biometric time and access control.

This does not mean that facial recognition cannot be used responsibly. It means that the organisation introducing it must make a considered and properly documented decision.

Collect only what is needed

A responsible system should allow organisations to configure technology around their actual requirements rather than forcing them to collect unnecessary information.

For example, a mobile employee may need to confirm that they have arrived at an authorised work location. That does not automatically mean their movements need to be continuously tracked throughout the working day.

Similarly, operational technology may need to record which employee completed a job or production operation, but this should not become unrestricted personal surveillance.

The principle is straightforward: collect the information needed to achieve the defined purpose—and no more.

Important decisions should remain subject to human oversight

Workforce systems can identify exceptions, highlight patterns and provide managers with better information. They should not remove appropriate management judgement.

An attendance pattern may require investigation, but the system will not necessarily understand the personal or operational circumstances behind it. A productivity variance may identify a problem, but it may have been caused by machine downtime, material shortages, training requirements or an unrealistic production target.

Technology should support fair, consistent and informed decisions. Managers should remain able to review the underlying information, correct errors and consider the wider context before action is taken.

Security must be designed into the solution

Workforce information must be protected throughout its lifecycle.

This includes appropriate access controls, encryption, secure communications, clearly defined administrative permissions, retention policies, audit trails and reliable deletion processes. Remote access should also be controlled, authorised and restricted to the systems and time periods genuinely required.

The organisation using the system remains the data controller and is responsible for determining why and how employee information is processed. The technology provider should support that responsibility through secure design, clear documentation and configurable controls.

The Ceequel® approach

Ceequel® brings together Time & Attendance, HR, Employee Self Service, Access Control, Visitor Management, mobile clocking and Operational Intelligence within one configurable software suite.

This allows organisations to establish consistent controls across workforce processes while maintaining clear distinctions between different types of information and their intended purposes.

Depending on the organisation’s requirements, Ceequel can support:

  • Facial recognition or non-biometric proximity credentials.
  • Defined user roles and administrative permissions.
  • Accurate time, attendance, absence and working-hours records.
  • GPS and geofenced mobile clocking for authorised locations.
  • Controlled access to buildings and restricted areas.
  • Interactive fire and evacuation information.
  • Job, operation, output, downtime and labour-cost analysis.
  • Audit trails supporting management and compliance requirements.
  • Integration with payroll, HR and wider business systems.

The communications software used within Ceequel clocking devices is designed and coded by ELF Productivity Ltd, providing secure, encrypted communication between hardware and the Ceequel software environment.

Crucially, Ceequel provides information to authorised managers; it does not replace their responsibility to make fair, proportionate and properly informed decisions.

Better control and responsible use belong together

Organisations do not have to choose between operational visibility and employee trust.

A well-designed workforce-management system can help employers control labour costs, improve payroll accuracy, manage compliance and make better decisions while still respecting privacy, proportionality and individual rights.

The strongest workforce technology is not simply the technology that collects the most information. It is the technology that gives an organisation the information it genuinely needs, protects that information properly and enables it to be used openly, fairly and responsibly.

To discuss how Ceequel® can support responsible workforce management across your organisation, contact ELF Productivity Ltd or request a demonstration.

Why Corporate Businesses Must Start Preparing for Martyn’s Law

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025—more commonly known as Martyn’s Law—will introduce new legal responsibilities for organisations responsible for certain publicly accessible premises and events.

Named in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena attack, the legislation aims to ensure businesses are better prepared to protect employees, visitors and members of the public in the event of a terrorist incident.

Although Martyn’s Law is not yet in force, the Government has published statutory guidance and confirmed an implementation period of at least 24 months from Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. Organisations likely to fall within its scope should use this time to understand their responsibilities and begin preparing. Government guidance makes clear that businesses may wish to start considering the requirements before the legislation formally commences.

Which organisations will be affected?

Martyn’s Law does not automatically apply to every corporate office or workplace. It principally applies to qualifying premises used for activities listed within the Act, where members of the public may be present.

The legislation establishes two principal tiers:

  • The standard tier applies to qualifying premises where between 200 and 799 people, including employees, may reasonably be expected to be present at the same time.
  • The enhanced tier generally applies where 800 or more people may be present at the same time.

Qualifying public events attended by 800 or more people may also come within the enhanced requirements where entry controls are in place.

Corporate groups operating shops, hotels, leisure facilities, conference venues, healthcare environments, visitor attractions or other publicly accessible locations should therefore assess each site individually. A single organisation may be responsible for several premises, but the risks and necessary procedures may differ from one location to another.

Why businesses should act now

Preparing for Martyn’s Law should not be viewed simply as another compliance exercise. At its heart, the legislation is about ensuring organisations can respond quickly and effectively when lives may be at risk.

Businesses need to consider how they would:

  • Evacuate people away from danger.
  • Move people to a safer area within the premises—known as invacuation.
  • Lock down all or part of a building.
  • Communicate clear and timely information during an incident.

For enhanced-tier premises and qualifying events, organisations will also need to consider appropriate measures to reduce their vulnerability to attack and limit the risk of physical harm.

This requires more than producing a written policy. Businesses must understand who is on their premises, control how different areas are accessed and ensure that accurate information is available to those managing an emergency.

Knowing who is on site

One of the greatest challenges during any emergency is establishing who is actually present.

Employees may work across different locations, while contractors, agency workers and visitors may arrive and leave throughout the day. Paper visitor books and disconnected systems can quickly become inaccurate, particularly across large or multi-building sites.

Ceequel Visitor Management System provides a controlled and auditable process for managing visitors and contractors. Visitors can be pre-registered before arrival, issued with appropriate site information and recorded as they enter and leave.

Contractor documentation—including RAMS, Public Liability Insurance and other compliance records—can also be managed within the system, helping organisations strengthen their wider site-control processes.

Controlling access across the organisation

Ceequel Access Control allows businesses to manage who can enter particular buildings, rooms and controlled areas.

Access permissions can be defined by person, department, role, location or time of day. Lost cards and fobs can be cancelled immediately, temporary permissions can expire automatically, and facial recognition templates can be removed from connected devices centrally.

For organisations with multiple locations, access policies can be managed from a central point while still allowing authorised local administration. This helps create consistency across a corporate estate without ignoring the individual operational requirements of each site.

When planning for Martyn’s Law, access control can also form part of a wider strategy for evacuation, invacuation and lockdown. Depending upon the organisation’s agreed procedures and system configuration, doors and controlled areas can be managed to help direct people away from danger or prevent access to higher-risk areas.

Providing accurate emergency attendance information

Ceequel Fire Register brings employee, visitor and contractor attendance information together to provide an accurate, real-time view of who is believed to be on site.

The system can identify which building or area an individual last entered and provide emergency information to authorised personnel. Photographs can also assist with identification, while mobile access allows information to remain available away from a fixed reception desk or computer.

Although originally designed to support fire evacuation, accurate attendance information can form an important part of broader emergency preparedness. Knowing who may still be inside a building, who has arrived as a visitor and where people were last recorded can support a more informed response.

Bringing systems and procedures together

No single piece of software can make an organisation compliant with Martyn’s Law. Legal responsibility remains with the organisation or individual responsible for the qualifying premises or event.

Technology can, however, provide the visibility, control and evidence needed to support well-designed procedures.

By integrating Ceequel Access Control, Ceequel Visitor Management System and Ceequel Fire Register, organisations can create a more joined-up approach to:

  • Managing employees, visitors and contractors.
  • Controlling access to buildings and restricted areas.
  • Maintaining real-time attendance information.
  • Supporting evacuation, invacuation and lockdown procedures.
  • Managing multiple locations through a central system.
  • Demonstrating that security and emergency processes have been properly considered.

Preparation should begin before the deadline

Martyn’s Law represents an important change in how organisations approach public protection. Those that begin preparing now will have time to assess their premises, identify weaknesses, review responsibilities and test their procedures properly.

The objective should not be to do the minimum necessary to satisfy legislation. It should be to create an environment in which employees, visitors, contractors and members of the public are better protected—and where those responsible for managing an emergency have accurate information when every second matters.

Ceequel can assist organisations on that journey by bringing access control, visitor management and real-time emergency attendance information together within one integrated platform.

A Message To You…..

Over the course of the month, inspiring commercials produced by a well-known high street bank have started to appear on TV, titled “A message to myself in 6 months’ time.”

The commercials are essentially video messages created by members of the public, currently in lockdown, with the intention of sending a motivational memo to themselves for 6 months’ time.

They range from people being thankful for family and friends, to a couple sharing their isolation wedding arrangements for when they eventually tie the knot later in the year; you get the general idea.

During this unfamiliar and surreal time, is it still ok to plan? Can we prepare for the future during a period of severe restrictions, with the country locked down to such a degree that there is no definite ‘end date’ in sight?

Where do you see yourself in 6 months, a year or 5 years’ time is a question normally reserved for job interviews. The answers range from the usual run-of-the-mill, “Hopefully working here” to the eye-opening “I’ll be sat in your chair!”

So, considering the recent adverts, we have a message for you, “Where do you see not only yourself but your business in a year’s time? When restrictions are finally relaxed and lifted will your business still be operating in the same way?

More importantly, do you want it to be?”

At the start of 2020, nobody could possibly have envisioned the situation we all currently find ourselves in. For business across the UK, it is without question a testing time. However, will you look back at this moment with regret or will you be thankful that you had chosen this time to consider real investment for your company?

If this period is causing you to focus on a much needed and long overdue overhaul of your company’s processes, then ELF Productivity Ltd has the answer.

ELF Productivity Ltd’s Ceequel® software suite encompasses Biometric Time and Attendance with Human Resources, Access Control, Shop Floor Data Capture and mobile-clocking Apps for both I-Phone and Android, along with hardware that incorporates both facial recognition and proximity terminals.

Clear and precise Real-Time information as it is processed through your business.

We have no tangible idea of what the coming months hold or when we will see some degree of normality return, but one thing is clear, do not stop planning for the future. Make certain that you can pinpoint this moment as a pivotal time when you made the key decision, that once able, you were proficient enough to move your business forward.

Ensure that the message you send to your ‘future-self’ today is one that you will be happy to receive in a year’s time.

For a closer look at ELF Productivity Ltd’s Biometric Time Management system, contact us today on 01257 256000 for a free, no obligation demonstration and quotation of Ceequel® software suite.

Or alternatively, please feel free to download our brochure catalogue here.

Guidance For Preventing The Spread Of COVID-19

You are all now fully aware of the UK Government guidance for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

It is both our duty and social responsibility to ensure that we continue supporting our clients as much as humanly possible during this challenging time, to ensure that companies can continue to pay their staff, efficiently and effectively.

Because of this ELF Productivity Ltd has taken the following measures: –

• We will continue to have a fully-manned Technical Support Desk which has had social distancing protocols applied.
• Those who are able to work remotely from home are doing so.
• We are performing system configuration and training remotely via Skype and Team Viewer.
• Our hardware engineers are continuing to attend client sites where appropriate and have fully comprehensive hygiene procedures to follow.

We have put together a FAQ list, in which ELF Productivity can assist your organisation in maintaining business continuity with the first highlighting the correct way to keep your devices clean.

General advice on frequently touched objects.

Public Health England (PHE) recommends that cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces will help prevent people from catching and spreading COVID-19.

Clocking machines are interacted with by all staff daily, therefore we recommend that you sanitise your devices regularly throughout the day to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, however please be aware of the following points: –

Avoid the use of very high concentration bleaches as they may discolour the clocking / access control units.

Ensure that cleaning staff do not use abrasive cleaning products on transparent fingerprint scanners or units as they will cloud and could become non-functional.

Depending upon the terminals that you have, you may want to consider the following measures;

1. Facial Recognition – If you already use facial recognition terminals then you will be familiar with clocking without any physical contact. If any staff are using the additional fingerprint reader, we strongly recommend you direct them to use only facial recognition. If any staff report that they are unable to use facial recognition because their biometric template is no longer recognised (e.g their appearance has altered since enrolment, such as the addition of glasses or thick beards) simply re-enrol the staff member. The unit will automatically overwrite their old template with their new one.

2. Fingerprint Recognition – If you have fingerprint terminals and wish to keep using biometric technology, now may be a time to look at changing these for facial recognition units.

3. Proximity Recognition – If you have card / fob terminals then we recommend that you remind staff that the readers will operate without physical contact, no need to “tap” in and out, a wave will suffice.

Many of our clients already use wall mounted sanitisers and ensure frequent cleaning of their readers for general hygiene, please be aware of the points above.

If you have any concerns regarding Ceequel® software or any of your Time & Attendance devices, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01257 256000.

When Harry Met…….Megxit

In any workplace, despite knowing that the time is right to step away from a senior position, making that move can still prove to be challenging. Whilst no one is predominately enthralled, there’s just no escaping the latest ‘Royal’ step-down.

Harry and Meghan’s imminent departure from the House of Windsor or ‘Megxit’ as it’s become known, has been publicised all over the world.

A manipulative, calculating social climber; terms that have been coined to describe the Duchess of Sussex. Snowflake and ‘under the thumb’ are just two that depict the nation’s favourite Prince.

But are all these labels true or unjust?

When you decide the time is right to step away from something and forge your own path, not everyone will be happy for you.

Obviously, we are not saying that the Monarchy is wrong, quite the opposite. The Queen and the senior Royals do an amazing job but not everybody is cut out for a repetitive and regimented lifestyle.

The Monarchy, a well-oiled machine that has been running for over 1000 years and is still ‘in business’ depicts that something is clearly right. The House of Windsor has to some degree, adapted and changed with the times. To stay ahead of the game, you have no choice.

Leaders are not born they are made and whilst being born into a specific role is considered an advantage, it doesn’t mean that you will a) be any good at it or b) want to work at it your whole life.

As within every ‘Firm’ one size does not fit all. Different methods and ways of working suit different companies as not every person is looking to adopt the traditional, organised 9-5 lifestyle. The laid-back remote and flexible way of working now appeals to a vast majority of employed people.

A lifestyle that can be attained, deployed and enjoyed anywhere in the world.

Remote/flexible working, TOIL, mobile clocking, are all terms coined for the modern business. Different personalities and skills, along with a difference in opinion all come into play in the workplace but when put together with the ‘right solution’, everything ‘just works’.

We shouldn’t be too harsh on Harry and Meghan as they depart from their ‘workplace’. They clearly feel that as working parents, they are now better suited to a more relaxed and less restrictive way of working.

If you are looking for a Biometric Time and Attendance Management system to suit your ENTIRE workforce, take a look at Ceequel® software suite today and realise all that can be achieved in your workplace.

If you would like to take advantage of a free, no obligation quotation and demonstration of Ceequel® software, contact ELF Productivity Ltd or alternatively, our brochure catalogue can be downloaded here.

Holiday, Celebrate!

“If we took a holiday, took some time to celebrate”

Thinking of taking some well-deserved time off? Of course, you are! Sun, sea, sand and sangria, what’s not to look forward to?

But, whilst lazing on your lounger soaking up the sun, the question is…. who’s on your shop floor?

Ah, the typical summer scenario, several staff members all requesting the same holiday time, the epitome of an archetypal working business. Nothing new there.

However, does it really need to be that demanding or that much of a nuisance to organise?

  • Artificial Intelligence

The arrival of AI is ruffling a few feathers within HR and if truth be told, on the shop floor. Reported recently by a leading HR magazine, that despite the pessimism surrounding AI, there has never been a better time or opportunity to up-skill your entire workforce.

But, whilst pondering this soundbite, have you stopped to think about Time and Attendance?

With the UK’s delayed Brexit  departure and with job vacancies to fill, there’s a greater need for stability and for a Time Management solution that will deliver the whole ‘enchilada’ for UK business workforce management. Continue reading “Holiday, Celebrate!”

Send Her Victorious, Happy and Glorious

As anniversaries go, two hundred is quite remarkable.

This week the United Kingdom marks a very special day; the 200th Anniversary of the birth of one of its greatest monarchs, HM Queen Victoria.

Alexandrina Victoria was born at Kensington Palace on the 24th May 1819.

After what can only be described as an unconventional and solitary childhood, Victoria ascended to the throne upon the death of her paternal uncle, King William IV.

Victoria was just 18 years of age.

The new teenage Queen wasted no time in heading to her new ‘office’ and after dispatching her mother to the remotest wing she could possibly find, took up residence at the unfinished Buckingham Palace.

Following her Coronation and ensuing marriage to Prince Albert and with the fortitude that would eventually see her clock up 63 years on the throne, Victoria established her reign.

The ‘Grandmother of Europe’ the ‘Empress of India’ as she would eventually become known as, had arrived.

That’s not to say Victoria wasn’t without her testing times or critics. With cholera, death and assassination attempts, Victoria would emerge ‘victorious’ from the numerous challenges that arose during her time on the throne.

The Victorian era is perhaps attributed to be one of the greatest times for the United Kingdom and much of today’s successes and traditions were birthed during Victoria and Albert’s reign.

In 1829, George Stephenson’s steam locomotive, ‘Rocket’ was unveiled. This feat of engineering became the blueprint for modern design for the next 150 years.

Ada Lovelace, the remarkable mathematician who Prince Albert admired greatly, emerged during Victoria’s early reign due to her work on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine.

Ada is considered perhaps to be, the first female computer programmer.

But what do we know about her Prince Charming, Albert?

Albert, a serious, dependable, logical thinker was at the forefront when it came to public health. Working alongside the Royal Society, Albert improved the hygiene and sanitation conditions for not only Buckingham Palace but the City of London as a whole. The Palace became one of the first ‘shop floors’ to provide ‘facilities’ for their staff.

With forward thinking, Albert achieved an even greater height with his vision of a ‘grand exhibition’.

The Grand Exhibition of Works and Industry in 1851 became a huge success and was showcased in a vast, flexible, glass construction that was essentially a conservatory.

Albert named the building Crystal Palace.

Victoria and Albert were at the forefront of change and modernisation, the effects of which the United Kingdom can still feel today.

So, all that remains for us to say is ‘Happy Birthday’ your Majesty!

ELF Productivity Ltd and Ceequel® not only Made in the UK but like V&A, progressive, dependable and reliable.

If you are interested in Biometric Time and Attendance software for your business, contact us today for a free, no obligation quotation and demonstration of Ceequel® software.

Explore ELF Productivity Ltd’s Time and Attendance software suite in more detail by downloading the brochure catalogue here.

Human Resources, Shop Floor Data Capture, Employee Self Service, Ceequel® Apps and E-Manager all fall under the Ceequel® umbrella.

School’s Out

You know the scenario, childcare is all booked when suddenly, without warning and usually via text or email as is the normal notification method these days, the deal is off!

It’s awkward enough when it’s a professional organisation reneging on the arrangement but when family bail, it can cause undue frustration.

Now I’m not saying that grandparents don’t love their little darlings but often the thought of having a VERY hyper and over-excited little one racing around their normally calm and ‘zen’ like home interrupting their daily fix of Judge Rinder and Movies-for-Men, can be too much to bear.

In case you didn’t realise, the first half-term of 2019 is here, or almost, depending on your location. And for the motorists that are child-free, the clearest roads all year so far but that’s another story!

What is it about school holidays that takes planning to the extreme, the likes of which are only ever seen and reserved for military exercises?

Easter, summer, Christmas, the planning list is never-ending, and it usually involves reverting to a back-up plan B. Throw in sickness and illness, you get the picture, and this is just the parents!

It goes without question that working parents undertake an intense juggling act, especially when their brood consists of more than the usual 2.4 children, some of whom are not necessarily of school age.

Workplace and childcare, unless you have the luxury of an in-house creche, they don’t usually go together.

Unless you are an employer that walks around blinkered, you will have realised long ago that with holiday prices forever increasing around this time, employees begrudge taking their holiday leave if they suddenly find they have no available childcare.

At the other end of the scale, employees who would prefer to be at home with their family during this time rather than pay for extra childcare, can find themselves stuck in a regimented working shift pattern, with no room for change.

So, what is the solution, what can be done to modify a way of working that both suits and benefits everyone?

Say the words ‘remote’ and ‘flexible’ out loud and management shrink back in horror! Believe it or not, these working options are now not only leading the way for Human Resources current recruitment drive but are by far and away the most popular.

So, is it time for your company to make a change?

ELF Productivity Ltd can help and assist in restructuring your Time and Attendance processes in a way that you never thought possible.

Employee Self Service, CEEQUEL® clocking applications and E-Manager, just three of the CEEQUEL® Human Resource Management tools that can help with such a transition.

Remote clocking, flexible working and working from home, not only a possibility for your business but a reality.

With CEEQUEL® software, rescheduling emergency childcare situations within your business will be relegated where they belong; the past.

If you would like to take know more about the unrivalled software suite that is CEEQUEL® contact us today and take advantage of a free, no obligation quotation and demonstration.

Alternatively, please feel free to download our brochure catalogue here.

LOVE IS …….

“When I fall in love, it will be forever”

“Fairy-tales can come true if you’re young at heart”

The velvety smooth voices of legendary crooners Nat King Cole and Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, classy, iconic and instantly recognisable.

Just in case you hadn’t realised it, “Love Is All Around” February 14th is just around the corner.  Once again offices and shop floors across the nation, will be ‘saying it with flowers’ to their “Perfect” sweetheart.

But what is it about this time of year that makes us all go just a little bit bonkers?

Shops are bulging with Valentine cards as big as a small semi, flowers and chocolates suddenly double in price!  Somehow Valentine’s Day always seems to bring with it a very large receipt, not that you can put a price on true love of course, or can you?

Let’s take a closer look at that little four-letter word L.O.V.E as sung by Nat himself.

L is for the way you look at me
O is the only one I see
V is very, very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore

With an ‘end of term’ atmosphere now fast approaching, what if you looked at that little word differently?

What if L.O.V.E took on an entirely different meaning for your company this week?

L is for Logic
O is for Outstanding
V is for Value
E is for Exceptional

Same letters, different words. Words attributed to the Biometric Time and Attendance Management software suite that is CEEQUEL®.

CEEQUEL® a software suite that Human Resource departments ‘heart’ all year round, not just once a year.

A collection of outstanding modules established by our exceptional in-house team of highly-skilled developers.   Providing your rules have logic, ELF Productivity can facilitate ALL your Time and Attendance requirements at a cost that is “Truly” value for money.

A range of modules including Shop Floor Data Capture, Mobile Clocking Applications and Access Control, CEEQUEL® is “The One That You Want” this Valentine’s Day.

Take some time out this week and get to know and love a Biometric Time and Attendance Management company that along with Longevity, is Optimal has Velocity and is highly Esteemed.

Or as the legendary Peanuts cartoonist Charles Schultz put simply;

Love is………

Employee
Logistics
Facilitator

ELF Productivity Ltd and CEEQUEL® software suite, classy, iconic and very very extraordinary.

If you are interested in learning more about the incomparable software suite that is CEEQUEL®, contact us today.

Alternatively, please feel free to download our brochure catalogue here and learn how to “Love the One You’re With” this Valentine’s Day.

Are You Gonna Go My Way?

We’ve all fallen in love with John Redmond and Kayleigh Kitson from Car Share.  A series’ which highlighted two work colleagues sharing the daily commute together and introduced us to two of the most popular and adorable characters ever created by Peter Kay and Sian Gibson.

Peter and Sian’s witty, comic timing and observational comedy, was crucial in bringing to life an otherwise tedious subject.

Miss Kitson, she’s as giddy and dizzy as they come, a very likeable and effervescent character but what was she really like?

Well, she liked a tipple or 10 (remember the “Cheeky Vimto” session) therefore she was prone to the odd hangover.  She was partial to knocking out the odd “tune” via Forever FM, knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it and she really, really, REALLY wanted to be on John’s “Christmas team!”

This brings us to her partner in crime; John Redmond.  Mr Belt and Braces himself, the quintessential image of middle management.  A mild-mannered gentleman, who loved to “push the envelope”, his “Nan Rose” and his band “Compendium”; probably in that order.

But, what was he actually like?

Well, underneath the surface, John liked things just as they were.  He didn’t like to “rock the boat” or venture any change within his orderly life.  John, unlike Kayleigh, was not a risk taker, he was mellow, easy going and laid back; except when faced with a fugitive in the shape of an incontinent monkey!!

John and Kayleigh, two very diverse personalities and who, under different circumstances, probably would’ve just about managed to nod to each other in the staff canteen.

If you, like most of the ELF Team, especially the “ELF Boss” were hooked on the series’ and were genuinely sad to see it end, then you  would’ve recognised not only yourself in the banter about HR, management, staff and shifts but your colleagues too.

Remember “Stink Ray” the VERY loud, back-seat driving smelly fishmonger?  “Back in Okinawa, it was BOOM TIME!!”

Joking aside, if you looked beyond the witty repartee, the series’ brought to the forefront a very real issue, a daily commuting battle, a battle which Kayleigh endured, to make it into work on time. 

On closer inspection, at one stage, Kayleigh’s commute consisted of the following;

  • A walk to the bus stop
  • A bus ride to the train station and subsequent train journey
  • Another bus ride or walk, depending on the weather, into work

Repeat for the return journey!

How would you fare if that was your commute every single day?

According to a recent article reported by a leading HR magazine, Inchcape research has discovered that 18.6 million UK workers commute daily by car and out of those, just 12.3 million car share.  The research concluded that the average weekly spend on driving to work equated to £38.72 per motorist and from that, the yearly spend tallied up to more than £1,700.00!

That’s a lot of gas!

If 4 people were to car share twice weekly, based on the figures produced, each would save £527.00 annually.

According to Lifeshare.com and reported in the same article, CEO Ali Clabburn stated “If the UK’s motorists’ car shared for just one day, not only would they save money but congestion and pollution would be reduced by 10% and traffic jams by 20%”

So is car-pooling the only other option available out there?  Are we to follow Peter Kay’s lead and Car Share?

Whilst great for a TV series and the obvious friendship benefits, access to a car-pooling scheme within a business isn’t always forthcoming or feasible.

Unfortunately, back in the real world, car sharing, walking or cycling to work just isn’t workable for a lot of people, especially those with child-care obligations

If pressed, every worker would admit, that although they love where they work and the people etc, they would prefer to be spared the costly, daily commute at the dreaded peak times.  Throw into the mix the most recent mis-management of the UK’s sub-standard rail network and you get the picture.

So, what if there WAS another way?

Flexible and remote working possibilities are now becoming more and more mainstream within the workplace.   If this is not an option your company has considered before, there has never been a better time for you to pursue it.

Potential new employees now consider flexible working to be a standard option offered within their remuneration package.   It is now proving to be a deciding factor when job hunting; throw a remote working prospect into the job offer and you are heading in the right direction.

If you aren’t already aware, Brexit has pushed the recruitment process further into the public eye with an apparent skills shortage now a real possibility; the whole recruitment process needs to be approached a little more differently. 

Candidates are able to pick and choose job opportunities like never before.

This is where ELF Productivity can step in and help you.

ELF Productivity Ltd, authors of CEEQUEL® software suite is at the forefront when it comes to Time and Attendance processes, Human Resource Management and flexible working options for ALL businesses.

Mobile clocking applications for Android, Apple and Windows devices, along with CEEQUEL® Human Resources and E-Manager modules, will free your management team from time consuming administration tasks, whilst at the same time streamlining your Time and Attendance processes; giving you the edge over your competitors.

CEEQUEL® Employee Self Service, software that hands over more control to your employees.  Installed in a centralised area or alternatively on a PC, this module can be accessed via employees’ smart phones or tablets.  Flexi-Time requests, holidays, shift rotas etc. can all be requested via this module.

Remote working is not to be feared with CEEQUEL®, as an employee’s clocking times are recorded in Real-Time, enabling you to pinpoint their location exactly.

With employees’ well-being and lifestyle improved, this will make for a happier, relaxed and more content workforce.

With the summer drawing to a close and the new academic year almost upon us, the daily commute and all that entails, will soon rear its ugly head again.  The scorching summer heatwave, Royal Wedding and World Cup matches, will all be dim and distant memories.

With that in mind, would you not like to take that step and consider another alternative for your workplace?  Would your workforce not benefit from a more flexible working pattern this autumn?

Are you willing to consider introducing remote working for perhaps the first time?

If, unlike John Redmond, you WOULD like to “rock the boat” and be more like Miss Kitson and see a real change and transformation in your company’s Time and Attendance processes, contact ELF Productivity’s Sales Office today on 01257 256000 for a free, no obligation quotation and demonstration of CEEQUEL® software.

If you feel your company would benefit from the unrivalled product that is CEEQUEL® software suite, please feel free to download our brochure catalogue here and comprehend today all that can be achieved in your workplace.