Time and attendance software is handy at assisting employees electronically clock in and out through telephones, internet connected computers, time clocks and mobile devices. In addition to that, the systems monitor mobile employees through geofencing and geolocation. They also manage PTO (paid time off), create employee schedules, and provide business owners or managers with detailed labor data. To ensure you get the most from your software, you must know how to best use it.
An effectively implemented time and attendance software requires meticulous planning as well as communication. It also needs thorough project management and communication with personnel.
Worried about how best to use your time and attendance software? Here are 6 quick and effective tips to help you out:
#1: Communicate procedure changes
Following the investment and installation of the system, attitudes towards how time is spent in the organization might change. Chances are high that modifications to internal procedures and policies will come about. To increase the success in use of the software, you must ensure everyone understands why the organization has introduced a new system, how it’ll affect them, and how it’ll benefit them.
#2: Have a project team in place
Having a project team in place with representatives from different departments to train employees on the use of the software is paramount. They’ll be handy at making sure there’s successful implementation of the system. while putting a project team in place, include personnel from the following department depending on your organization’s structure:
- Finance – Payroll
- HR
- IT
- Customer community
- User community
#3: Nominate a project champion
Of great importance to note is the fact that for you to successfully implement your system, you need buy in from the entire organization. It should be from the down to top. Nominating a project champion is certainly a huge step in the right direction. He or she will be:
- Able to undertake corrective action as well as make necessary decisions
- In a position to allot necessary resources
- Informed of crucial stages of the whole project
#4: Build in ‘’testing time’’
One area that most organizations fail on when implementing a new system is the lack of ample time to thoroughly test the system. You need to test the software from a ‘’Systems’’ and ‘’Users’’ point of view before rolling it out and going live. It’s prudent to flag any issues and get them right in advance prior to presenting your system to a wider user community. Simply put, you must build in the time and utilize it for both ‘System’ and ‘User Acceptance’ testing.
#5: Continuously manage expectations and measure success
For you to measure and report back your project’s success, you need to define the performance and goal indicators of the organization. When setting goals, you must be realistic from the start. To help you do that, you need to measure organizational goals against areas like functionality required and baseline absence statistics.
#6: Avoid common pitfalls
The following are the common pitfalls that you must avoid:
- Incomplete or inaccurate information in the company rules/policies definition document
- Failure to provide adequate training to staff
- Staff turnover during project implementation
- Failure to allocate appropriate experienced or senior resources to the project
Proper use of time and attendance software might seem like a daunting task. However, that shouldn’t be the case. By choosing the right system, having the right team and with the right planning, using the software can be not only smooth but also rewarding.