If you own a small business, you may still be relying on old school methods of keeping time and attendance like self-reporting, punch clocks, or spreadsheets that employees are expected to keep updated. While these methods may get the job done, they also have a number of drawbacks. In addition to being unreliable, they can also be a pain for employees who don’t come into the home office every day and can add additional tasks to your HR team.
Biometric time clocks feature the newest technology and make it possible for employees to clock in and out with their personal smart devices. By using personal recognition features like fingerprints, these time clocks eliminate many of the issues with older systems and can add to your business’s bottom line.
Why Are Biometric Time Clocks for Small Business Beneficial?
Biometric timekeeping systems are the next step in business innovation. When you start using them in your small business, you will see numerous benefits. Here are just a few.
Flexible Options for Employees
If you have employees who work from home, on remote work sites, or at satellite offices, biometric timekeeping will provide huge benefits for them. They no longer have to worry about trying to keep track of time on a spreadsheet or making it into the home office to use a time clock. They can simply clock in from their phone when they begin working and clock out when they’re done—no matter where they are located.
The new generation of millennial workers are making flexible options a necessity. These younger workers value working where and when they want. If you want to attract younger employees, you must offer flexible technology such as biometrics.
More Accurate Records
Self-reporting, spreadsheets, and other outdated methods of timekeeping are unreliable. Employees can misreport the hours they work on purpose or simply because they don’t remember. They can also take advantage of traditional punch clocks by clocking in or out for their coworkers, a practice known as buddy-punching. Biometric time clocks are very accurate, and HR departments will see mistakes and oversights decrease greatly.
Integration into Other Systems
Traditional methods of timekeeping are not compatible with payroll systems, making it necessary for your HR team to manually enter hours when they conduct payroll. Biometric timekeeping can be connected to your payroll system so that hours are automatically uploaded and calculated. This saves your HR team time and reduces the chance for mistakes.
Best Practices for Implementing Biometric Time Clocks for Small Business
Once you’ve decided to use biometric timekeeping in your business, you need to follow best practice for introducing it to your team. Here are some tips.
Talk to Your Team Before You Start Using It
Springing a brand new timekeeping system on your team without first talking to them is a mistake. Though this new system will benefit them as much as it will you, your employees could be confused about why they need to change their attendance methods. They may also see it as an attempt for leadership to micromanage them.
Talk to your team as a whole and tell them about the benefits of biometrics and why you will be using it. Walk through the system and how it works and encourage your team to ask questions or voice concerns.
Fully Train Your Staff on How to Use the System
Though biometric timekeeping is user-friendly, you should still conduct a full training for your team. This could be done by a member of your HR team or a representative from the company you get the service through. Training is especially helpful for older employees who are not as comfortable with technology as their younger colleagues.
Implement Other Technology at the Same Time
If you are upgrading one portion of your HR technology, it just makes sense to bring in other beneficial tech at the same time. Consider also implementing HR software that allows employees to remotely manage their schedules and request time off. You can also add benefits for the HR team by using a system that easily stores employee records and helps them with onboarding procedures.
When you upgrade all of your HR systems at the same time, you can schedule a complete training and the learning curve will be reduced. These systems work together, and using just one of them will not be as effective as incorporating the software as a whole.
Many small business owners think they can get away with outdated methods of timekeeping because of their size. However, even the smallest of businesses need to stay on the cutting edge of technology if they are going to remain competitive and grow.
Biometric timekeeping is an efficient and easy solution that will not only benefit the business owner, but will also provide flexible benefits for their entire team.
Related Article
Time & Attendance Tools for Small Business
