Are you still tracking employee hours with spreadsheets and paper time cards? If so, you’re missing out on many benefits cloud-based time and attendance software can provide.
Here are five solid reasons to make the switch:
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- Optimize Employee & Managerial Productivity
- Improved Access & Efficiency
- Improves Business Communication
- Improved Legal Compliance
- Scheduling, HR, and Payroll Integration
Cloud-based time and attendance software is an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes because it is user-friendly and it helps save time, money and prevent stress. Switching to cloud-based time tracking is the way forward, let’s get started!
“When digital transformation is done right, it’s like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, but when done wrong, all you have is a really fast caterpillar.” — George Westerman
It’s Time to Modernize
In 2022, it may seem odd, but 25% of small-to-medium-sized businesses with wage earners still use pen and paper for their payroll records. In addition, a recent study by the American Payroll Association has found that 30% of companies use a payroll system that is ten years old or older.
I) Optimize Employee & Managerial Productivity
“Research shows that managers spend about 3.14 hours per week creating work schedules, which translates to about 20% of a manager’s time at work.” (Clockify, 2022)
Scheduling immensely impacts the personal and work lives of hourly employees, from income to daily routines and off-days; so, it is vital to get it right.
Typically, manual employee scheduling systems utilize spreadsheets to track and manage staff shifts. Spreadsheets are adequate when there are a small number of employees. However, the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming when the number of employees increases and spreads across several locations or branches.
In addition to scheduling complexity, manual staff scheduling and workforce management processes make it difficult to keep and maintain accurate records of employee hours and attendance. Inconsistencies and errors invariably place companies at risk of labor law violations, fines, and damaged reputations.
TimeWellScheduled time and attendance solution, for example, effectively executes standardized and repeatable administrative processes such as time tracking, employee attendance, shift scheduling, and payroll processing – seamlessly.
By reducing or eliminating the manually intensive tasks that are better handled with cloud-based time and attendance software, managers and employees can reallocate themselves to higher-priority responsibilities.
This produces savings directly on labor costs and indirectly on potential hiring and retention activities as voluntary turnover reduces
II) Improved Access & Efficiency
A Cloud-based time and attendance system allow employees to access their schedules using their mobile phones or employee portal via PC.
This feature provides employees the ease of viewing their schedule remotely 24/7. For instance, TimeWellScheduled cloud-based system allows employees to:
- check their schedule,
- pick up an open shift,
- request extra shifts,
- swap shifts with a coworker,
- request time off
Timewellscheduled self-serve system functions seamlessly and provides all parties with the confidence that request(s) will receive the proper managerial attention. What’s more, cloud-based scheduling solutions eliminate manual processes and streamline decision-making based on accurate and up-to-date data.
III) Improves Business Communication
Time and attendance software also improves workplace coordination and communication between managers and employees by providing two essential tools, the online portal and the Timewellscheduled app, available in the google play store and the iPhone app store.
For instance, each employee has access to their own individual employee portal. Employees can track, send and receive messages and information through the portal, checking their schedule, picking up open shifts, or requesting time off.
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- Send and receive comprehensive communication (including attachments)
- Provides user-friendly and convenient access
- Enhances employee engagement & synergy
- Respond to messages in real-time
- Allows for individual or team communication
Notifications are communicated through:
- SMS
- Slack
- Timewellscheduled App (Android & iOS)
It should also be remembered that online access through the app or employee portal allows managers to modify current or future schedules and quickly communicate them to the entire team.
Hence, a sudden unexpected schedule change does not mean a shift will go unfilled. What’s more, the communication system can be used to inform employees about store promotions, policy changes, company events, and announcements, information that will help prepare them for their next shift.
Note: Timewellscheduled communication tools can also be used to inform employees and managers regarding weekly team meetings, meeting agenda items, or meeting outcomes that require follow-up action.
IV) Improved Legal Compliance
Time tracking, payroll accuracy, and record keeping are essential components of human resources compliance management. Also, time and attendance software can safeguard against any labor law violations.
For example, employee scheduling software can help streamline a company’s scheduling by tracking employee shifts, time tracking, overtime pay, employee qualifications, and employee attendance, including gaps in shift coverage.
Furthermore, in combination with data analytics, companies are empowered to identify attendance trends, better manage labor costs, and comply with mandated holidays, fair scheduling legislation, and other legal compliance issues.
Lastly, Timewellscheduled cloud-based systems update when there are changes in legal requirements such as income tax laws, minimum wage increases, and anything HR-related that affects the business and its employees.
V) Scheduling, HR, and Payroll Integration
An integrated human resources and payroll system is a software solution that merges payroll and HR activities for maximum accessibility and efficiency. Integrated scheduling and payroll systems make sense for businesses utilizing multiple interdependent systems that do not communicate with each other.
Here are some important examples of benefits resulting from system integration:
Simplified Data Entry
Integrated scheduling and HR payroll system means you only enter employee information once. The integration ensures that the data is accessible and up-to-date when it is required.
Enhanced Organizational Communication
System integration means employee profiles, payroll, and HR data is stored and managed through a single interface and can be communicated more effectively throughout the organization.
For example, if a supervisor changes information at one location, notifications are generated and sent to affected employees and departments, alerting them of this change.
Generating Payroll Reports
Integrated HR payroll systems allow managers to generate payroll reports providing information regarding overtime trends, payroll accuracy, and hours scheduled versus hours worked-reconciliations.
Employee Self-Service
Integrated payroll software enables employees to view and verify payroll information from their mobile devices or pc. This allows them to check for accuracy before receiving their paychecks.
Increased Payroll Accuracy
The time and attendance systems automatically integrate scheduling information and updates into payroll, eliminating (manual input) errors and the possibility of duplicate data entry.
Note: integration also helps with legal compliance issues; for example, an integrated payroll system makes it easier to track changes in laws such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
“Data analytics drives better decision-making based on insights and behavior patterns rather than hunches or outdated data. This faster decision-making benefits multiple aspects related to business development” – Vice President, Swoon Consulting at Swoon
If you’re still using spreadsheets and paper time cards to track employee hours, it’s time to switch to cloud-based time and attendance software. You’ll see many benefits, including increased efficiency, accurate records, reduced costs, convenient access, enhanced security, global support, easy customization, automatic updates, and more. Plus, cloud-based time tracking is an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes because it’s so easy to use. So what are you waiting for? Make the switch today!
Thank you for reading our article!
TimeWellScheduled.com is a secure online time and attendance software that is 100% tailored to meet your scheduling needs! In addition, TimeWellScheduled facilitates employee attendance tracking & payroll tasks and enhances your staff management capabilities. Plus, our service is free for up to 10 employees!
Click: here to download our (Excel) employee scheduling template; IT’S FREE!
