Tag: Facial Recognition

Why It’s Time to Replace Your Clocking In Cards

Fed up of outdated clocking in cards? Have a read of our latest blog post here and discover the benefits that a bio-metric recognition system can bring to your workplace.

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Clocking in cards have been used for generations, and it’s really starting to show. The system was created in the late nineteenth century and many alternatives have since been developed that have made the process of recording employees’ working hours many times easier. If your company still uses this system, it may be time for a change. Here are a few reasons why you ought to throw out your company’s old clocking in method and take on something new.

Speed

 

It’s no secret that time cards take time to process. In many cases, it seems almost impossible to obtain enough clocking machines to reduce the backlog of employees at the beginning and end of a shift, and for offices that support the traditional nine to five working day, the queue to “stamp” time cards can get ridiculous.

Security

 

Any system that relies on a card, pass or fob to allow employees access to their workspace or to record their attendance has the potential to be compromised. The likelihood of timecards being misplaced or passed between staff members for the purposes of “buddy clocking” is high. There are other means of recording time and attendance that are much more effective and watertight.

Complexity

 

Many older clocking in systems rely on management or HR downloading or transferring the data they have collected, then processing it in order to undertake payroll duties or record attendance anomalies. More up to date alternatives are able to directly record information in real time, and can be programmed to create their own reports and process information automatically, meaning there is no further work required and a great deal of time and effort is saved.

Environment

 

Timecards may be small, but how many does your company get through in a year? Add that to the hundreds of other businesses that still rely on outdated clocking in systems across the country, and the amount of paper used unnecessarily really does add up. Systems that don’t rely on new cards being used every week, work wonders when it comes to your environmental impact.

So What Can We Use Instead?

 

The next step up from a clocking in card system is the use of proximity clocking terminals. This approach involves the use of fobs, cards or badges to allow employees access to areas of their workplace and an effective method to clock in and out. Yes, the items used can still be forgotten, lost, stolen or passed around, but they are extremely easy to use; all that is required is that they are touched against a pad or sensor. This system is also extremely quick, meaning multiple workers can enter and exit the premises without a large queue forming. Proximity clocking can also be combined with software that enables real-time updates and automatic data management.

One of the most up to date means of clocking in is the use of biometric recognition. Depending on preference, a company can choose between fingerprint scanners, facial scanners and retinal scanners – all of which are highly effective and exceptionally secure. These time and attendance methods do not rely on an external gadget or accessory to allow them to function – the employees themselves are their own pass. There should be no concerns about personal data security either; the fingerprints or other images are not retained. The system simply records certain points within each image and creates a code from them. The original information is then erased and only the unique code remains. While this system can sometimes take a little longer than the use of proximity clocking depending on the number of individuals needing to use it at any one time, this can be remedied by simply installing more terminals. It is a highly effective and can also be integrated within software that updates in real time and can be programmed to extract all required data and create reports.

If you’re ready to update your clocking in system, get in touch with ELF Productivity Limited today. They offer a wide range of products to suit every workplace, along with exceptionally useful software that will save managers and HR officers a huge amount of time processing data, organising payroll and authorising leave. This will give your company a greater opportunity to focus on the future. Call now on 01257 256000 or email sales@elf.uk.com to discuss your specific needs and find out what ELF Productivity Limited can offer you.

 

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!