Proximity – Time and Attendance

Workforce management trends for 2027: from recording hours to protecting margin

Connecting people, working time and operational performance.

A business can have an accurate payroll and still have an incomplete understanding of its labour costs.

It may know how many hours it paid for last week, yet struggle to explain why one job exceeded its budget, why overtime keeps returning in the same department, or whether a shortage of trained staff is restricting output.

As UK employers plan for 2027, that gap de

serves attention. Research published during 2026 highlights pressure on employment costs, growing investment in existing employees and the practical difficulties of adopti

ng AI.

Our view is that these trends strengthen the case for connected workforce management: bringing together employee information, working time and operational activity so managers can act on a clearer picture of the business.

For Ceequel®, this connection runs through Time and Attendance, HR Pro and Operational Intelligence.

1. Labour costs need to become visible at job and activity level

In Make UK and PwC’s Executive Survey 2026, 86% of manufacturers expected employment costs to increase over the following 12 months. makeuk.org

For a finance director, knowing the

total wage bill is only part of the answer. The more useful questions concern where that spending went and whether it matched the plan.

Which operations needed more labour than expected? Where did premium-rate hours accumulate? Did a profitable-looking contract consume more time than the estimate allowed?

A weekly total can conceal these differences. Two departments may record similar hours while producing ver

y different results.

Ceequel Time and Attendance provides the foundation through configurable shifts, overtime rules, premiums, absence records and payroll-ready information. Connecting those hours with operational activity brings the commercial picture into sharper focus. Employee Clocking & Compliance

The management opportunity is straightforward: investigate labour variance while there is still time to influence the outcome.

2. Attendance and productivity need to be understood together

Being present and completing a job are different measures. Both matter.

Consider an illustrative manufacturing job budgeted for 100 labour hours. If it takes 118 hours, the additional 18 hours identify a variance. They do not explain its cause.

The useful investigation starts with what happened during those hours: waiting for materials, machine stoppages, repeated set-ups, rework or an unrealistic standard.

Treating every variance as an employee-performance issue risks missing the process problem.

Ceequel Operational Intelligence connects workforce and activity data with information from systems such as ERP and MRP. It can capture job time, output, downtime, scrap, rework and work in progress, then apply configured calculations to examine costs and performance. timeandattendance.co.uk

This extends Shop Floor Data Collection beyond recording transactions. It helps managers compare actual activity with the plan and understand the financial effect.

For manufacturers, that can suppor

t investigation of labour recovery, machine utilisation, Overall Equipment Effectiveness and margin variance. timeandattendance.co.uk The same management principle applies to project and site-based businesses: labour spending becomes more useful when it can be attributed to the work that incurred it.

The value lies in explaining the variance early enough to do something about it.

Connect recorded activity with the reasons behind cost and performance variance.

3. Skills and absence belong in the same operational conversation

The CIPD’s Resourcing and talent planning report 2026 found that 48% of employers had increased their efforts to develop talent internally during the previous year. CIPD

That creates a practical challenge. Investing in training is valuable, but managers also need to understand where those skills sit across the workforce.

Who has the required qualification? When does it expire? Which teams depend on one experienced person? Where would training create more flexibility?

Availability matters too. The CIPD’s separate Health and wellbeing at work 2025 report recorded average sickness absence of 9.4 days per employee, compared with 7.8 days in its 2023 survey. These are survey benchmarks, rather than a prediction for any individual employer. CIPD

Together, these findings underline the importance of understanding both capability and availability.

Ceequel HR Pro brings employee records, training, qualifications and competencies together. Skills matrices, expiry reminders and skills-gap reporting help managers identify development needs. When connected with Time and Attendance, HR information can be considered alongside attendance and absence patterns. Ceequel HR Pro

That visibility can support better preparation for shortages and more informed conversations with employees. Effective absence management also needs supportive policies and human judgement; a score or dashboard cannot explain someone’s circumstances.

The business question becomes more useful: do we have the available skills to deliver the work ahead?

Bring skills, employee information and availability into the same conversation.

4. AI ambition increases the importance of reliable operational data

AI is attracting considerable attention, but adoption is uneven.

Make UK’s June 2026 report on AI and manufacturing found that only 2% of manufacturers said AI was widely embedded across their operations. More than half cited skills shortages as a barrier to adoption. Make UK

Our assessment is that this makes the underlying information environment especially important.

A business exploring AI-assisted analysis needs to know what its data actually represents. Does “productive time” have the same definition across sites? Are downtime reasons recorded consistently? Can reported output be linked to the correct job and period?

Inconsistent inputs make both conventional reporting and advanced analysis harder to trust.

Ceequel’s configurable capture methods, business rules, calculations and reporting help organisations establish a more structured operational record. timeandattendance.co.uk

That has an immediate purpose: clearer management information today. It also gives a business a stronger basis for evaluating future analytical tools against real operational needs.

A sensible starting point is a specific question, such as why a recurring operation exceeds its labour standard. Define the information required, capture it consistently and assess whether the resulting insight changes a decision.

5. Connected workflows can remove the gaps between departments

The previous trends share a common dependency: information needs to move between people and systems.

A change in an employee’s role can affect HR records, working patterns, training requirements and access permissions. A holiday approval affects team availability. A production delay affects labour allocation and job cost.

When each department maintains its own version, reconciling the differences becomes another job.

Ceequel’s connected suite allows employee information to be shared across modules, with access controlled for authorised users. Ceequel Hub and Employee Self-Service also give managers and employees practical ways to handle relevant information and requests. Ceequel HR Pro

This gives organisations a way to reduce repeated administration while retaining control over who can see and change information.

Configuration matters here. Different sites, employee groups and operations can require different rules. Useful workforce software must accommodate that complexity while keeping the resulting information consistent enough to manage.

What should businesses ask of their workforce software?

As you review your priorities for 2027, consider whether your current systems can answer five questions:

Where are paid hours being spent, and how do they compare with the plan?
Can managers investigate the reasons behind labour and production variance?
Can HR identify skills gaps and expiring qualifications alongside workforce availability?
Do employees, managers, payroll and operations work from consistent information?
Can the software reflect your actual working rules and operational calculations?

These questions connect workforce management with the decisions that affect service, delivery and profitability.

Ceequel brings together the depth of configurable Time and Attendance, the employee and skills information within HR Pro, and the activity and cost analysis of Operational Intelligence. Organisations can address their immediate requirements while building a more connected view of their workforce and operations.

Your workforce data should help you understand what happened, what it cost and where to act next.

Arrange a Ceequel demonstration to explore how your employee information, working time and operational performance could work together.

Defensibility starts with the records you create every day

When a question arises about working hours, pay, absence or timekeeping, an organisation needs more than a confident recollection. It needs a clear record of what happened, how a decision was reached and whether the same approach was applied consistently.

That is the practical value of defensibility. It is the ability to explain and support a decision using reliable information and a fair process.

Workforce records are created for practical reasons: to calculate pay, manage shifts, approve overtime and understand absence. But they can also become relevant when an employee raises a concern, a manager investigates an incident or the business needs to review how a policy was applied.

ACAS guidance says workplace investigations should be fair and objective, gather information from both sides and avoid starting from the assumption that someone is at fault. It also identifies attendance records and computer records as possible evidence in an investigation.

That makes the quality of routine records important. If information is scattered across paper timesheets, spreadsheets, emails and separate systems, it can take time to build an accurate picture. Gaps and inconsistencies can make it harder to explain what happened.

Everyday records can become important evidence

Accurate time data supports better conversations

A clocking record on its own may not tell the whole story. Managers may also need to understand the shift that was scheduled, any authorised changes, approved overtime, an absence or a correction made to a record.

Bringing this information together helps managers ask better questions and respond to issues promptly. It can also help identify patterns in lateness or absence, while giving managers a clearer basis for a supportive conversation. ACAS recommends recording unauthorised absence and lateness, while also reminding employers to consider confidentiality, data protection and discrimination.

The aim is not to turn every minor discrepancy into a formal issue. It is to give managers dependable information so they can understand the circumstances and respond appropriately.

Records matter when pay is questioned

Working time records can also help explain how pay has been calculated. Government guidance on National Minimum Wage record keeping says employers need sufficient records to demonstrate that workers have been paid correctly. It recommends clear, consistent records that show working time and associated pay rates, and explains that the required detail can vary by worker and situation.

For organisations managing different shifts, overtime rates, allowances or working arrangements, it is useful to be able to see how recorded time connects to the rules used to calculate pay. That visibility can support internal checks and help the business respond to a query with relevant information to hand.

Consistency is part of a fair process

Good records are only one part of defensibility. Policies need to be clear, managers need to apply them consistently, and employees need an opportunity to explain their circumstances. Where a concern is investigated, relevant evidence should be reviewed fairly and kept confidential.

A system can help make information easier to find and apply. It cannot make a decision fair on its own. The process still depends on people using the information thoughtfully and following the organisation’s procedures.

Building a clearer workforce record

Ceequel Time & Attendance brings together clockings, shift information, absence and overtime within a configurable workforce system. Managers can review exceptions and approvals through Ceequel Hub, helping them see relevant information in one place and deal with issues in a more timely way.

For organisations, that can mean less time piecing together records and more confidence in the information behind workforce decisions.

Defensibility is not created when a problem appears. It is built through accurate records, clear policies and consistent decisions made every day.

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.

The Buffet Is Open….

With public transport still considered to be ‘persona non grata’ if you want to avoid people not up to speed on the ‘benefits’ of hand washing the added extra responsibility of commuting to work for those who don’t own or have access to a car is proving to be a challenge.

Use public transport if you REALLY have to but DON’T use public transport AT ALL if you can avoid it. If you can avoid it then do so, if you can’t then……. use it???

Anyone Confused.com?

As we navigate through the mixed messages that have come out of Dominic, sorry ‘Downing’ Street the Chancellor has thrown a lifeline at failing hospitality businesses…… #eatouttohelpout

The buffet is open, the buffet IS OPEN and it’s all on Rishi……for now.

In order to throw off the ‘outside bad, inside good’ mentality and to give the economy a kick where it hurts, we now get to enjoy the Covid version of that old faithful, better known as ‘BOGOF’ during August, with Rishi picking up the tab.

And if that’s not enough excitement, it comes with the added benefit that employers will receive a bonus to bring back furloughed staff and retain them until 2021.

But how do staff mentally prepare to return to their current employer after being locked down for three months, much less a new boss?

As the recession starts to bite, people who started the lockdown on furlough are now facing the very real prospect of having to begin all over again.

“What’s your name and where do you come from?” No, not the immortal words of Cilla but your potential new HR team leader.

Employers have a duty of care to employees both old and new, particularly those who will essentially have to travel on public transport and who will require support to even walk through the door.

HR must recognise that ALL aspects of recruiting and working have changed and more than ever, place importance on employees’ wellbeing and mental health both in AND out of the workplace.

With the UK now tentatively unlocking all its doors and with Facial Recognition units and Key Fob/Proximity cards available as standard options, at ELF Productivity Ltd we are confident that with Ceequel® Time and Attendance Human Resources software and Ceequel Access Control, we can assist in helping you to re-open your business this summer and navigate you through the challenging times ahead.

We are positive that whatever path you and your HR department embark on this year, ELF Productivity Ltd can be there to both guide and advise.

ELF Productivity Ltd and Ceequel®software, assisting, supporting and maintaining all our clients during the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak.

If you are interested in a Biometric Time and Attendance Management system for your business, please contact ELF Productivity Ltd today on 01257 256000.

Alternatively, our brochure catalogue can be downloaded here.

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.

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.

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.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Proximity Clocking Terminals

Proximity clocking terminal may sound complex, but they’re actually very common, and it’s highly likely that you’ve come across several in your lifetime. In reality, this term describes a system where swipe cards or fobs can be used to record what time a staff member enters or exits a building or an area of their company’s premises. So, is this system the best way to record time and attendance and grant employees access? Here are a few of the pros and cons of proximity clocking terminals, as determined by ELF Productivity Limited.

Disadvantages of Proximity Clocking Terminals

Forgettable and Transferrable

The main problem with having a physical card, badge or fob for each employee that is authorised to use a time and attendance terminal is the fact that each one is relatively easy to remove from its assigned member of staff. Whether accidentally or by design, workers are able to swap passes (leading to inevitable “buddy clocking”, where one staff member clocks in or out at a terminal on behalf of another, meaning the second employee will be registered as being “present” when they are not), or put theirs down and lose it (which could easily lead to a security breach or theft). These items can also prove expensive to replace or maintain if multiple staff members continue to lose and damage theirs.

Advantages of Proximity Clocking Terminals

Familiar

As proximity clocking systems have been around and in use for many years, the basic process of clocking in and out using a swipe card, fob or badge is one that many workers will be used to. However, the very basic mechanism that was first used by forward thinking companies decades ago has now been replaced by a system that takes multiple actions at once, storing useful employee data and updating clockings in real time, meaning there is no downloading or transferring of information required. It’s a well-known approach, but one that produces brand new results.

Quick

Newer systems have now come into use whereby staff members may use fingerprint scanners or facial recognition to clock in and out of their places of work. However, a queue of individuals waiting to start their working day at nine o’clock in the morning or to head home at five in the afternoon can prove quite slow to process in this way, particularly if a company has very few terminals and employs a large quantity of individuals who all work a typical eight-hour day, and all arrive and leave at around the same time. While these biometric scanners may function extremely well for shift-based work, proximity clocking systems tend to be the preference of many traditional offices.

Trusted

While biometric systems are completely secure, many employees find themselves slightly uneasy when adjusting to their use. There is often a fear for the safety of personal data that retinal, facial or fingerprint scanning seems to exacerbate – due to the direct physical interaction required and the natural connotation of fingerprints with unique personal and biological information. In reality, no fingerprints or facial or retinal imagery or data is retained. The system maps certain points within these particular features and creates a code that is unique to each individual employee. All traces of fingerprints and facial features are then completely wiped from the system. Be that as it may, however, it’s likely that – as an employer – you will come up against far lower resistance when implementing a fob-based system than you might if you were to install fingerprint scanners in the workplace.

Easy

Because they’ve been around for so long, proximity clocking terminals tend to be easier to maintain than many more complex alternatives, and mistakes are often slightly more straightforward to remedy. A missing card can easily be replaced, whereas if there is an issue with a biometric system, resolving it is likely to prove a little harder.

Find Out More About Available Types of Time and Attendance System

Whether you’ve decided to install a proximity clocking system in your office or you’d prefer to opt for biometric options such as finger, facial or retinal scanning terminals, your next step is to shop around for a product that best suits your needs. ELF Productivity Limited is a great place to start, boasting a wide range of systems that can help to reduce the time and effort spent on management administration and HR paperwork, allowing you more time to develop your company and its products. For further information, get in touch today via 01257 256000 or email sales@elf.uk.com to discuss your requirements with their knowledgeable team.

Clock Software improvements overtime

Overtime more and more organisations have turned to a time and attendance system as a means to monitor their employees. Advancing technology now also means that the systems available come with a greater range of capabilities making them even more appealing to business.

Clock Software

Many businesses are already familiar with the term time and attendance. Most employees have either used a time and attendance system in the past or understand the concept of one. After all recording employee clocking data for time and attendance purposes isn’t anything new. Businesses have been using these types of systems to monitor employees since the twentieth century. Employees previously used card based systems that required them to manually write down all clocking occasions. The problem with using a card based system is that the data collected wasn’t always correct. Employees couldn’t always remember the exact time they clocked and some would often manipulate their times, if they had perhaps taken a longer lunch or arrived late. Employees in organisations that paid overtime would often award themselves extra hours on top of their contracted. Paper based cards were not only inaccurate but played havoc with organisational payroll as employees were often over paid costing businesses thousands and in some cases millions per annum.

As technology advanced so did the type of systems organisations began using for their time and attendance needs. New modern day systems accurately track and record all employee clocking data drastically simplifying the time and attendance process. There are now a number of different types of clock software available to business all with different capabilities.

Proximity clock software

Proximity software allow employees to register clocking’s by using either a fob or a proximity card. An employee simply needs to hold up their given card to the time and attendance system which will then instantly identify them and clock them in/out. A back up method of clocking can also be configured in case the first means fails or for when an employee has forgotten their proximity card/fob.

Biometric clock software

Biometric clock software are available with fingerprint and facial recognition capabilities. Employees are required to enrol their fingerprint or face onto the main clocking station. This information is then passed through to all other clocks (subject to permissions) within an organisation meaning employees can clock from anywhere within the building or even at other geographical locations for multi-site companies.

Modern day work place security

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

Access Control

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

The benefits of an access control System

Customisable

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

History logging

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

Keyless

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

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