Running a small business comes with many challenges – one of the biggest being a smaller budget than large corporations typically have. This means every purchase has to promise a return on investment, from a new printer to snazzy new software.
You’ve probably heard of time and attendance systems, but you’re wondering whether or not they offer bang for your buck. After all, when small businesses don’t have the cash to spare, anything you invest in should save you money, make you money, or both.
So, are time and attendance systems worth it? Let’s explore.
What is Time and Attendance Software?
Time and attendance software encompasses multiple HR software and systems, but here are the basics. The software is designed to automate the tracking of employee work hours, breaks, holidays and absences. Instead of relying on paper timesheets or manual input, businesses can monitor attendance through digital tools, such as digital and remote clock-ins.
Time and attendance software was created as a way to boost productivity, reduce the manual work of an HR team, and reduce the costs that come as a result of absenteeism and poor productivity.
Why They Work (Even for Your Small Business)
Let’s break down how time and attendance systems can help your business.
Accuracy that Saves Money
Human error in tracking hours can be costly. If you or your employees overestimate how many hours they’ve worked for, this can lead to overpaying. Plus, mistakes are costly to fix – your HR team will have to take time away from other precious tasks to rectify them.
Time and attendance software reduces these errors by automating calculations and removing guesswork, helping you pay employees accurately and fairly, every time.
By keeping track of absences with HR software, you’ll spot patterns with your employees and be able to reduce excessive absences.
Likewise, by knowing what your staff are working on and when, you’ll be able to spot tasks or projects that are taking too long, therefore boosting company-wide productivity. Expenses are made simpler, too, so you won’t end up overspending by miscalculating expenses. While time and attendance software is associated with upfront costs, you’ll more than reap the financial rewards in the long run.
Improved Compliance
UK businesses must comply with various employment laws, including the Working Time Regulations. Time and attendance software ensures that work limits, breaks, and rest periods are properly documented, reducing the risk of legal penalties and ensuring there’s a paper (or digital!) trail to prove it.
Using these digital systems also makes auditing and reporting much easier, especially for businesses undergoing inspections or dealing with grievances.
Save Time on Manual Tasks
Your HR team should be able to focus its time on employee retention, team-building exercises, and payroll. An effective time and attendance software automates the majority of the team’s admin tasks, from timesheets to holiday requests and expenses. Rather than your HR team wasting their time doing stuff the old-fashioned way, they can automate the bulk of their workload and free up time to focus on long-term strategising.
As well as reducing the pressure on your HR team to keep track of working hours, the employee self-service portal gives employees a sense of autonomy, allowing them to track their own hours and easily put in holiday requests.
Simple Scalability
Most software solutions are built to grow with your business. That means you don’t need to overhaul your systems when you hire more staff or expand locations. What starts as a simple tool for 5–10 employees can scale effortlessly to 50 or more – all you need to do is increase the number of users on your time and attendance systems.
Adaptable to Remote Working
Many small businesses don’t have the cash to spend on a full-time office or workspace, meaning employees either hot-desk or work from home. One aspect of home working that makes employers reluctant is the perception that they won’t know what their team is working on.
One of the benefits of HR software like Computime is the ability to have your workers not only clock in remotely, but also to track the projects they’re working on, meaning even when you’re not with your workers in person, you’ll know where they’re up to with projects and tasks.
The HR Software Small Business Love
Computime is a time and attendance software perfect for small and large businesses alike. With clocking-in systems that allow you to accurately track employees’ hours and move into digital timesheets, your HR team will save more time than ever.
With remote app clocking in, you can see when your employees start and end work, even when they’re not in the office. Computime’s absence management software helps you keep on top of absenteeism, while the ability for employees to track the projects they’re working on helps you boost productivity.
