What’s In A Name?

“Say my name, say my name” Have a read of our latest blog post on recruiting and retaining the best staff for your workforce.

“So, your name is Molly, why?”

Taken aback by that question? Struggling to think of a suitable answer? In fact, what sort of a reply can you possibly give or be expected to give when faced with that question?

Reported recently by a leading HR magazine, that question was actually put to a potential employee during the interview process.

But it doesn’t end there.

Another question was asked, this time to a different candidate;

“What space phenomenon do you relate to?”

This time around however, the quick witted candidate was faster off the mark and fired back with the response;

“A black hole, because I suck all the energy out of the room”

Very clever!

Let’s be honest, we have all experienced the odd interview/interviewee and here at ELF Productivity we are not immune to it.

Several years ago, we experienced what can only be described as a severe case of emotional attachment and/or trust issues, which involved “the girlfriend” wanting and actually attempting to sit in and attend “the boyfriend’s” interview!

All joking apart, let’s be honest, over the years both employees and Human Resource departments have seen it all during the recruitment process, for further clarification, please refer to our previous blog post; “A Horse Fell On Me – Timewasters vs the Real Deal”

With Brexit now on the horizon and as the country manoeuvres and weaves its way through this complex transitional time, the recruitment process is now no longer about candidates fighting for that key placement. As we inch ever closer to leaving our grouchy European cousins behind, a skills shortage is now emerging as a real possibility.

Candidates leaving the UK for the foreseeable future, have left the door wide open for others to step in and reap the opportunities that are now on offer. Training, flexible/remote working, study support/leave and attractive remuneration packages are now dangled enticingly under potential employees noses.

Where once a replacement could easily be found, companies now need to re-think their whole recruitment strategy and offer flexible working and in-house training as standard options. Throw into the mix the ever increasing retirement age, advancements in digital development, employees having to work until they “drop”; that was a joke by the way, companies have little option but to market their particular brand with a lot more skill, knack and aptitude in what is now, a very competitive market.

But how would you make a good impression? What options would you need to offer, what changes would you have to make with regards to your own processes and procedures, in order to have the best workforce possible?

Let’s go back to the original question, “What’s in a name?”

Say the name ELF Productivity Limited or to its software peers, CEEQUEL® and you have an instantly recognisable brand.

That’s because CEEQUEL® is a name that you can trust.

ELF Productivity Limited has been at the forefront of Biometric Time and Attendance Management systems since 1982.

Where others have failed, CEEQUEL® has prevailed.

Without wishing to sound arrogant, you have to hold a very good deck of cards in your hands to put your head above the parapet and be able to withstand the competition in the Time and Attendance market for over 35 years.

As we progress into another new phase of development, ELF Productivity Ltd remains at the cutting edge, not only in terms of in-house talent but in the sheer vast knowledge of Biometric Time Management solutions that comes only from experience.

With an all-encompassing, fully integrated software solution such as Human Resource Management, your entire workforce can be managed from one central kiosk. This fully integrated CEEQUEL® module can co-exist on the same Time Attendance database or as a standalone HR Management solution.

Employee Self Service,Web-Manager and Shop Floor Data Capture; all come under ELF’s very impressive belt. CEEQUEL® mobile apps for Android, Apple and Windows devices are an added benefit for those employees that prefer to be a little more remote and flexible.

Biometric Access Control with fingerprint and facial recognition will help you monitor and track your entire workforce; whilst Shop Floor Data Capture will help you convert operator performance into performance related pay and bonuses.

CEEQUEL® Time and Attendance software suite has it all.

So what are you waiting for, isn’t it time you became acquainted with a name you can depend on, a Time and Attendance Management solution that continues to live up to its name, time and time again?

If you would like to learn more about the incomparable software suite that is CEEQUEL® Contact ELF Productivity Ltd today today for a free demonstration and no obligation quotation.

For a closer look at CEEQUEL®, our range of brochures can be downloaded here here

ELF Productivity Limited and CEEQUEL® names you can rely on, names you can trust.

I Think I Wanna Marry You

Booked yourself twice? Read our latest blog post on how to effectively and remotely manage more than one engagement….

“Get me to the Church on Time” ….

The marriage of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle is now just weeks away.  The nation’s, if not the world’s favourite Prince has found “The One” in Meghan and has decided, at the grand old age of 33, it’s now finally time to produce the “Band of Gold”  and “Kiss the Bride”.  The man of the moment is ready to settle down and experience both “Love AND Marriage”.

On Saturday 19th May 2018, all eyes will be on St George’s Chapel in Windsor, as Harry and his glamourous American fiancé say “I Do”.  This union will be cause for much celebration.  Ever since actress Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier of Monaco, the world has loved a good old fashioned “The Prince and The Showgirl” love story.

A  Royal Wedding bash or “knees-up” is something else, unless of course you are soccer fan.

In what has turned out to be the only real sting in this “fairy-tale”, the wedding of the year will clash with the ultimate football match …….the annual FA Cup Final!

HM Queen along with the rest of the Royal family, the movers and shakers of Hollywood will all be in attendance but what of Prince William; as President of the FA, where will he be spending his time?

If a new baby isn’t going to be enough for him to deal with, see previous blog post; The Pitter-Patter of Tiny Royal Feet, he now has to decide where to be on his little brother’s special day.

Football, Wedding, Football, Wedding……hmmm which do you choose?

Here at ELF Productivity Limited authors of CEEQUEL® Time and Attendance System, we have all the bases covered when it comes to remote working and flexible shift patterns.  No more worrying about getting to the office (or church) on time to “clock in”, it can all be done remotely via an Android, Apple or Windows device – you really can be in two places at once!

“Going to the Chapel” AND the match will not be an issue with ELF Productivity’s CEEQUEL® Mobile Apps and Employee Self Service software, as these applications have been designed with “on the go” employees in mind.  Every remote clocking is recorded in real-time; therefore giving you an instant and exact overview of your employees’ location.

But it doesn’t stop there. Employees have access to all their personal data whilst on the go, thus allowing for absence requests, such as holiday (or honeymoon) requirements, dentists, doctors and hospital appointments etc. CEEQUEL® Mobile Apps and Employee Self Service are just two of the modules that ELF Productivity’s Ceequel® software suite encompasses; our knowledge and expertise are unequalled.

With that in mind, is your Human Resources department in need of some “Time, Love and Tenderness this year?  Would you like ELF Productivity Limited to come alongside and become that “Perfect” partner for you?

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

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

Your company and ELF Productivity Limited the “Perfect” marriage.

Modern day Time and Attendance solutions

Time and attendance solutions have drastically changed over the years thanks to the help of modern day technology. Paper based card systems are now rendered useless as companies choose to adopt electronic clocking systems. These modern systems come with many added benefits.

time and attendance

Time and attendance systems have been around for many years.  Employees were once expected to clock in using paper based time sheets or with a punch to clock system.  With the use of modern day technology employees are now able to clock using much easier methods.  Almost all modern day systems record data in real time onto a web based time and attendance solution, making it easier for businesses to accurately track each individual employee.

Keeping track of employee time and attendance data is imperative to the survival of any company.  Time and attendance systems allow mangers to easily know exactly how many holidays each employee has taken.  They also track all employee absences providing mangers with the means to identify any absences patterns at the earliest of stages.

Web based time and attendance

A web based time and attendance system records accurate employee data in real time.  This data can then be accessed on any device anywhere using an internet connection.  Data is collected using a networked data capture terminal with either biometric or proximity technologies.  This means employees are able to clock using a proximity fob/card or by finger or even facial recognition.

Different specifications can be setup within the system to incorporate flexitime, shifts, attendance requirements and public holidays or any other requirements specific to your business needs.  Employees can access their individual attendance data by logging onto employee self service.  From there they can see how many holidays they have left, request any future time they would like off and employees who work shifts are able to check and request shift changes.

The main benefit of having a web based system over any other time and attendance solution is that it always remains accurate.  As all records are stored online employees can be provided with permissions, to gain access to their time and attendance data, providing transparency to the employee, ensuring any queries are dealt with in a timely fashion.   Having an automated online system also saves Human Resource and Payroll department’s time.  They no longer need to spend hours working out attendance rates and pay premiums as the process is now automated. Web based attendance systems also make it easier for mangers to plan rotas as shift patterns and rosters can be predefined within the system.

A web based time and attendance system can benefit organisations of all sizes.  It saves time by simplifying your payroll processes, allowing human resources to deal with more pressing tasks.  An automated system can also save your organisation money, as not only does it make the calculation of wages a simple process thus saving valuable resource but all the data collected is accurate, meaning every employee is paid the correct wage at the correct time.

For more information on a web based time and attendance system contact us today!

 

The Latest Advancement in Keeping Time and Attendance

For many years Employers have been trying to find a way in which they can accurately record and track their employees time and attendance data. Old fashion methods such as mechanical punch cards were often time consuming and resulted in the loss of money for many organisations. Modern day technology has revitalised the way in which companies can now track and record their employees time and attendance data.

Ever since hourly wage was invented, employers have been looking for a reliable, tamper-free way to keep track of what hours each employee worked. Originally, there were simple write-in time cards, and in time those were replaced by mechanical punch cards. These cards made it impossible to simply alter your time, but they also take valuable minutes off of workers’ productivity as one shift lines up to clock out, and the other lines up to clock in. The bigger the crowd, the more minutes are wasted on time clock rigmarole. While technology has advanced, and many businesses have adopted ID cards with swipe-in features, those cards are little more than a computerised version of the punch clock.

Elf Productivity Ltd. has decided to offer businesses a different option, one that’s simple, effective, and which eliminates the shift change bottleneck that older methods create.

Time and Attendance Software

The way our time and attendance software works is that employees log in to your business’ network, and sign in from their own devices. This means that any connection capable device, from a workstation to a smartphone, will allow an employee to clock in. There’s no wasted time standing around a clock, and even better, there’s no need to buy a peripheral device for employees to “clock in” with at all. Not only that, but this software makes it possible for employees to work from home or in the field without losing track of how many hours they’ve been on the clock.

It’s simple, straightforward, and best of all, it’s only one of dozens of features that will help streamline your business’ network. If you’d like to know more about the features we offer, simply contact us today!

Employee Self-Service puts the Power back in your Employees’ hands

For many years now the updating of employee data has been a task for your human recourse department. Modern day software such as employee self-service now makes it possible for your employees to manage and update their own personal data. It’s simplistic to use and works by providing each individual employee with their own web based profile that they can sign into.

The more people you employ, the harder it is to keep track of everyone; even a mid-sized enterprise of a hundred people or so is going to experience constant change as people get married, divorced, change banks, move to new addresses, and make a thousand other little adjustments from one year to the next. In the past, keeping up on all these changes was the Human Resources department’s job. Thanks to advances in software, though, you can implement employee self-service.

What is Employee Self-Service?

Employee self-service is when you put the responsibility of tracking employee information back in the hands of your employees. Rather than filling out forms, handing those forms to Human Resources, and then having them input the changes, why not cut out the middle man and let your employees fix their own details?

It sounds like a revolutionary idea, but in a world where Facebook is old hat, and social media has altered the way software works forever, it’s actually quite simple. Every employee has his or her own company profile, and when that information is changed it goes right into the system. There’s no need to fill out any paperwork, and no need to waste time by stacking a task onto someone else’s shoulders (especially a task that can be completed in minutes).

Employee self-service does more than save time and money, though. It lets employees take control of their own information, and it gives them the ability to do tasks for themselves. This simplifies your infrastructure, and it means that more people can spend more energy on the job at hand instead of on making sure you have their updated direct deposit, married name, new address, or any other details.

For more information on how we can help your business, simply contact us today!

Employee Self Service saves Time, Money, and Frustration

Your businesses Human Resources department often wastes a significant amount of time each month updating individual employee information. Not only is this time better spent elsewhere, it is also costing your business money. By implementing an employee self service system you can transfer the task of updating employee data over to your employees.

We’ve all heard the old saw about how the Human Resources Department moves as fast as an arthritic tortoise in a school zone. You got a new apartment last month, you got married, you opened a different bank account, and even though you submitted the forms as required, it still took more than a month for HR to get around to correcting your details. Maybe you missed a pay cheque, had an important work correspondence sent to the wrong address, or you just had the wrong name on your taxes, but while details change, the story stays the same; if there was a faster way to alter your personal information, neither you nor your company would be inconvenienced.

Fortunately there is a way you can sidestep HR entirely, it’s called Employee Self Service.

How Does Employee Self Service Work?

The concept is pretty simple: under a more traditional system you would fill out a form detailing your personal information changes, along with any necessary proofs, and you’d give those forms to the HR department. HR’s personnel would put those forms on a big stack, and eventually work its way to making your updates. This might take days if you’re lucky, weeks on average, or more than a month if there’s a big backup of work.

Employee Self Service, on the other hand, allows you to skip the middle man. You simply log into your business’ network, go to your profile, and change the information to reflect what it is now, you save the change, and then go back to doing your job.

It’s That Simple?

It is, actually. While there are still a lot of tasks that require HR personnel, technology has put the power to control personal information into the hands of employees. The changes can be done in mere moments, ensuring that all information is current and up-to-date without getting bogged down in an inbox somewhere.

For more information on Employee Self Service, and how it can change the way you do business, simply contact us today!

Elf Productivity Helps Balance Human Resource Needs In Your Business

Behind every successful business is a fully functioning human resource department. Organising your staff is a key part of this and implementing a human resource system will simplify the process by allowing you to easily view all information about any member of staff on one easy to use platform. Our system cuts out the middleman making everything easier for both HR and other departments.

Every business needs people in order to function: without staff nothing gets done. Even if you have the most competent people working for you, you’ll never achieve your goals without some way to arrange and organise your staff. That’s where Human Resources comes in: this department’s job is to make sure that workers have all their information in the system, that hours are clocked properly, that checks are issued on time, and all the other necessary tasks that keep the work force running. With that said though, it’s very possible for HR to get weighed down, backlogged, and clogged up. That’s where Elf Productivity Ltd. comes into the picture.

What Elf Productivity Ltd. Does For Human Resources

We understand how important smooth traffic is for any business when it comes to human resources: you put in a request on Monday and expect it to be handled in a timely fashion, but if everyone else in the company puts in the same request, it’s going to take time to get that done, especially if someone in HR has to take the form you filled out, go into the system, and plug in all your details before doing the exact same thing for the next person in line.

What we did was create a software that cuts out the middleman and makes everything easier both for those in HR, as well as those outside of the department. Our software suite acts like a fast-track for your business’ needs; it’s an accurate time clock that automatically updates when someone clocks in or out, it also lets people outside of HR make appropriate changes, which means average workers can keep track of their hours more accurately without the need to bother HR. If a worker moves, changes a name, or switches banks, it’s also possible for them to log in and alter their information instead of filling out a form and waiting for HR to get around to it. We combined employee self-service with an accurate time clock, as well as all the access control you need to make sure that truly sensitive information is still only available to those who need it, the result is a system that is smoother, faster, which does more of the work for you, and which you can implement quickly and easily.

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

Is Employee Self Service the wave of the Future?

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

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

That’s the goal, at least.

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

The Flexibility of Employee Self Service

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

Elf Productivity Ltd. Is Here To Help

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

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

Cut through Red Tape with Employee Self Service

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

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

By letting the employees do it themselves.

Employee Self Service

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

Elf Productivity Ltd. Can Help

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

What Else Does This Software Do?

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

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

Employee Self Service is the way to do more with less

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

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

What Is Employee Self Service?

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

What Are The Advantages?

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

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

Elf Productivity Ltd. Is Here To Help

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

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

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