Why Your Business Needs a TimeclockHow a timeclock helps managers and employees alike

According to a report by the TUC, 3.8 million British workers did unpaid overtime in 2021, putting in an average of 7.6 hours a week without taking home any extra income.

A separate study found that the total of unpaid overtime carried out by UK workers is an hour more than the European average of 6.7—and that’s worth around £8,000 per employee each year.

And while employers may reasonably expect staff to work beyond their hours without extra pay on occasion, excessive overtime is likely to affect team morale. It could even lead to staff seeking work elsewhere.

So how should managers navigate this? One way is to encourage staff to clock in and out using an employee timeclock.

What is an employee timeclock?

In its most simple form, a timeclock is a tool that businesses use to accurately measure when staff start and finish their shifts. In the old days, it involved workers manually ‘punching in and out’ using a hole punch and a piece of paper. But in 2022, timeclocks are far more sophisticated.

Software such as Findmyshift automates the whole timesheet process so it’s easier for staff—all they need to log their attendance is their own individual pin code. It makes a manager’s life more straightforward too. In short, it’s time and attendance made simple.

Why your business needs an employee timeclock

There are several reasons why a timeclock can work for your business. As a manager, you may feel that introducing one will receive a lukewarm reception from your staff. But there are advantages for them too.

Accurate payroll

One of the most important benefits of a timeclock is that it helps you store the actual hours your staff work. This delivers a much more accurate picture when it’s time to calculate payroll. And for staff, that means an end to excessive unpaid overtime.

Financial reports made simple

As a manager, being able to compare the hours worked vs. the hours scheduled simplifies the process of pulling together complicated financial reports. It also ensures forecasts are more accurate—which means fewer unforeseen staff expenses in future.

Monitor the need for new hires

When you have a more accurate picture of the hours your staff are working, it’s easier to see which areas of the team need help. That means you can act quickly to hire new employees and limit the pain points of being understaffed.

Health and safety

With timesheet software such as Findmyshift, managers get notified when staff don't show up to work or aren’t where they’re meant to be. For businesses operating in industries with a high number of occupational hazards—construction or security, for example—this can alert managers to potential incidents so they can check on team members’ safety.

Speed up the approval process

As Findmyshift stores all data in one place, it gives managers full oversight of timesheets so it’s quicker and easier for them to approve.

Create a culture of trust

Far from being a way to micromanage staff, a timeclock actually puts the responsibility for logging hours in their hands and encourages fairness.

For example, if a colleague clocks in late, leaves early or takes extra-long lunch breaks while the rest of the team is hard at work, this will automatically be flagged to the manager. No one is left feeling cheated, which helps to cultivate a culture of trust.

Tips on implementing a timeclock

As we’ve seen, a timeclock can have benefits at every level of a business. Here’s how to make integrating it into your day-to-day routine easy.

Explain why it’s necessary

When your team members realise that introducing a timeclock such as Findmyshift is in the interests of fairness and saving time, it’s unlikely you’ll meet any resistance.

Demonstrate how easy it is to use

Clocking in and out is no longer a manual process. With Findmyshift, for instance, it’s really easy for staff. They can log their attendance using the app, mobile site, website or using a dedicated time clock station. And there’s no need to fill out separate timesheets; these are automatically completed using the staff time clock.

Set expectations

As long as staff know what is expected from them up front and understand that clocking in and out is as simple as entering a PIN or password, onboarding should be free of hassle or confusion.

Want to know more about how Findmyshift can simplify your business’s out-of-hours messaging? Check out our video guides and webinars.


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