How to Encourage Employees to Use Time Clocks

Introduction

You’re thinking about implementing a team time and attendance software, but you’re worried about employee uptake, so the tools impact the business.

We’ll review the common but persistent challenges that businesses face with time clock implementation across the organization. There are several strategies on how to overcome these challenges to allow your software investments to have considerable positive impact.

By the end of this article, you’ll have confidence in how to move forward to engage your workforce with using a time and attendance app for clock-ins and clock-outs.

 

Table of Contents

• Challenges of Getting Staff to Use Time Clocks;
• 9 Strategies to Motivate Employees;
• Final Thoughts;

 

The Challenges of Getting Staff to Use Time Clocks

It’s important to understand some of the substantial challenges when it comes to encouraging employees to use time and attendance software or mobile time clock apps. By exploring these challenges, you’ll have a thorough understanding of how these problems can persist and how to address core issues.

Lack of Trust

When time clocks are implemented in a business, some staff may feel like this is because there is a lack of trust and a tracking program needs to be put in place. They’re not sure how managers or leadership will use the data, and may fear that there will be negative repercussions in the future for small time discrepancies. 

Typically, it’s usually the opposite, where HR teams and managers want their team’s hours recorded properly and paid out on time. Keeping teams happy with consistently accurate payroll.

Tracking and Privacy Issues

Another challenge that centres around a lack of trust is the fear of being tracked by any mobile GPS time clock system. With that, is also the fear of having to download work apps on a personal device for convenience of the company.

Both of these points became a boiling point of contention for the construction industry in Quebec, because it was not properly incorporated into the union bargaining agreement. Ultimately, there are restrictions on what data can be collected and the use of mobile time clocks on job sites, like location tracking or requirements on personal phones.

Efficiency of the Current or New Process

The current process of writing in timesheets or logging time clock data could be easy and efficient for your employees. 

Why would they want to change a process that is easy for them? If it involves a new piece of technology that they are unfamiliar with, it can be a disruption that doesn’t ‘beat’ the current process, in their view.

Recommended Reading: How to Elevate your Organization with HR Workforce Management Software

 

 

7 Strategies to Motivate Employees to Punch In & Punch Out

Ready to easily overcome those challenges and get employees onboard with your time clock software? Here are 7 strategies that you can plan and implement to get the buy-in you need from employees. 

1. Make it easy for staff to use a time clock

While in some provinces like Quebec, where you cannot mandate the use of time clock apps or mobile punch apps, it’s important to make it easy for staff to use.

Station a tablet or central time clock where workers come in for their shift, so it’s easy to use. If they are using a time and attendance app like Evolia, they can easily access it from a tablet, phone, or desktop device. 

Give them options, too. Allow staff to use a mobile app that uses limited GPS collection data. Or if picture clock-ins are enabled, make it optional for those that feel uncomfortable.

If you have the financial capacity, consider providing work phones for employees who need it most, where a mobile time clock app can be easily accessed wherever they are. Employees will feel more comfortable with a dedicated device with better privacy for work.

Provide options and accommodations to make it easier to get employee uptake.

2. Communicate the importance of time tracking for the employees’ benefit

Be open and upfront with employees from the beginning. Before software is even introduced to employees, begin communicating the benefits that they’ll see.

One of the main benefits for staff is the near zero chance of future payroll issues for missed hours and timesheets. Employees can also ditch the manual timesheets and annoying paper collection, just to keep track of their working hours. Another plus. 

If time tracking is going to help the business in certain operational aspects, like better accuracy for future job quotes to win new business, communicate that. Employees like to be onboard towards an end goal and will see the transparency coming from a good place.

Don’t forget these union considerations. If there is a union, work with them ahead of the implementation of any software or platform. That way, its usage can be negotiated into an agreement that makes sense for employees and the businesses investment in technology. Once the specifics are detailed, training programs and roadmaps can be easily put in place to get employees using the software faster, than if this wasn’t scoped out with the union.

3. Address the elephant in the room – you’re not looking to monitor your staff’s every move

It’s important to address what employees are thinking but not necessarily speaking up about, the use of data from time clocking apps.

Make sure you communicate to your staff that you won’t be tracking their every move if they have a mobile time clock app on their phone. And that you’re not looking to provide disciplinary action for small discrepancies with clock-in or clock-out times versus scheduled times. 

They can rest assured that the GPS will only be used during the time of punch in and punch out. Again, remind them that this is to help operations and not be a tool for discipline or spying on employees.

4. Properly onboard staff to the software or platform

Getting employees to use a time clock app is more than getting them to download it on their phones. Take the time to provide proper onboarding and staff training. Your software vendor should be able to help rollout training and implementation in a way that works best for you and your staff. 

If you have a large organization or need to incremental change, consider segmenting the roll out of the software and training. This will help transition the company’s processes and employees into the new technology. Whether you segment by department or region, change management doesn’t need to be all at once. 

5. Update any workforce processes to help your staff

Make sure to incorporate any process updates to make this as efficient for staff as possible. For example, if staff are currently recording their hours at the end of the day, make sure it’s a seamless change should they have to use a time clock before they start their shift. Make sure the time clock can be easily accessed on location.

It’s important to ensure that there is a reduction in overall administrative tasks and not an increase or shift of tasks to other workers.

6. Reward those that follow

Sweeten the deal and motivate your employees by making it fun. Provide incentives for those that follow. This could include things like:

• Time bank increases – Offer time off for using time off software! 
• Employee rewards programs – Employees could earn points by using the new system for a set number of days or a period.
• Recognize employees – Provide company or departmental wide recognition of their dedication to learning and using the new system.
• Make a challenge – Organize a friendly competition to make it more fun among certain departments that like to compete. 

The point here, provide an incentive to encourage employees.

7. Set incremental goals that you can track towards

While it’s important to put in place strategies that will encourage employees, it’s also important to set incremental goals, so you know if you’re on the right track.

Some common goals include:

• % of staff using the time clock software;
• Time saved by payroll staff from implementation;
• Department roll-out and training progress;
• Reduction in payroll or timesheet errors.

 

Final Thoughts

Having the right technology in place for your business is a must. You want to make the most of your investment in a workforce management software, and to help your employees clock in and out easier. 

With a better understanding of the main barriers to employee buy-in and with actionable strategies to move forward, you’re well equipped to encourage employees to use your new time clock system.