Choosing the perfect time and attendance system for your company can be a complex process. To help you out, here are some main things to consider:
1. Number of employees
The number of employees and managers helps determine the complexity of the system. Organizations with more employees will have more information to keep track of, and different managers who need access to this information.
Like the number of employees, companies with more locations may require a more complex system. Different branches may have different time and attendance rules, and will most likely have numerous managers who will need access to only the information from their location. If organizations have locations across borders, local labour laws, as well as language barriers should all be considered.
3. Where to position time clocks
Placing time clocks at entry/exit doors is usually a good idea; employees will rarely forget to punch in or out. The positioning of clocks can also depend on if you need more than one for a single location – you may want to place a couple at different exits, especially if employees arrive and leave at the same time.
4. What kind of data collection system you need
Picking the best data collection system is essential. There are numerous options, each with their own benefits and downfalls. Here are a few common methods:
- Badge readers: each employee is given a unique swipe card with a barcode or magstripe for example, and they simply swipe in and out at the beginning and end of their shifts
- Biometrics: this system uses a unique characteristic of employees to identify their hours worked (for example, fingerprint scanning or hand reading)
- Online entry: hosted on the Internet or Intranet, employees can enter their hours (this is ideal for project-oriented companies or organizations that don’t have a central office)
5. Other workforce management add-ons
In addition to a basic time and attendance system, there a number of complimentary services. To install a holistic workforce management system, companies should consider various add-ons, such as:
6. Technology
Although many HR professionals who are responsible for choosing a time and attendance system are not very technical people, the software and hardware components to any time and attendance solution should be examined. Strong hardware, as well as user-friendly, customizable software is very important. Daily users of the system should be extremely familiar with it, so be sure to choose an intuitive system.
7. Providers
There are a number of companies in today’s market that specialize in time and attendance and other components of workforce management. Examine the basics – price, customer service, professionalism, but also be sure to look into how well the provider can customize, how creditable the business name is, how much training they will provide, and how much experience they have in your industry. Most importantly, ensure that the system is a good fit for your organization!
Visit our website for more information on Time & Attendance systems.