If you’re a business owner still utilizing manual timesheets for your employees, consider updating your methods to keep pace with the modern world.
Small businesses, whether a mini-mart near your home or a quaint coffee shop at the corner of your street, significantly contribute to job creation and the world’s economy. As an owner, enhancing efficiency and productivity is always on your radar, and implementing a mobile GPS time clock could be your answer.
Lots of small businesses and startups pop up on a daily basis everywhere in the world. As a business owner, you are always looking for ways to improve efficiency and productivity. One viable solution to achieve this is by incorporating a mobile GPS time clock into your business operations. GPS time tracking refers to using a Global Positioning System (GPS) technology that tracks and records the location of employees.
The information generated can be used to track hours and productivity. Small businesses usually have a small headcount. It is important that every employee maximizes their shift.
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Challenges With Manual Timekeeping
1. Time-Consuming
Manual timekeeping is a tedious process. Even with just two employees, you may spend a significant portion of your day consolidating data.
2. Error-Prone
Employees can forget to log hours worked. It can also be incorrect. Consolidating the data can also lead to inaccurate summaries. This can lead to inaccurate payroll calculations – causing your business to lose profit.
3. Security
Manual timesheets are often stored in a physical location. Oftentimes it’s just in a desk drawer or a manager’s desk. This can be vulnerable to theft or loss. Sensitive employee data can be leaked.
Benefits of GPS Time Clock for Small Businesses
1. Accuracy and Efficiency
GPS time tracking eliminates the need for manual timekeeping. Employees can easily clock in and out of their shift with just a tap of a button or a scan of an ID. The data for that can be automatically uploaded online. This eliminates human-error logs and lost data. The tampering of records can even be prevented since everything is automated.
2. Productivity
GPS time trackers give flexibility on how an employee can log in. If your business offers work-from-home or field-work options, it would be a huge advantage to use a GPS time-tracking app. Using a reliable app with set guidelines can make attendance tracking a breeze.
3. Reduced Labor Costs
Employers can analyze their team’s productivity by tapping into their attendance records. You can pinpoint if an employee is frequently early or late. There are even apps nowadays that also provide your team’s location while they are working. Time theft can take 7% of your annual payroll. Tracking your employees’ shift time can significantly reduce any payroll errors too.
4. Compliance With Labor Laws
Businesses can ensure that they are compliant with labor laws with the use of mobile clocks. This can be helpful in making sure that employees are not working excessive hours. It can even help the team know that employees are not working in dangerous conditions.
5. Improved Customer Service
Time-tracking apps can provide business owners to see an employee’s availability in real-time. This can help a business ensure that customers are served and prevent being understaffed. GPS time clocks promote effective workload management based on data-driven decisions.
6. Enhanced Data Security
Employee location and information are confidential. GPS time clock apps ensure this data is securely stored. It will make it difficult for anyone without permission to access sensitive data.
7. Analytics
Making decisions for your business based on data is a sure way to let it thrive. With apps that provide reports, you can easily make changes and adjustments based on the generated report. You can track attendance performance. Understaffing is also avoidable since you can keep track of your employee’s availability.
Challenges With Implementing GPS Time Clocks
A lot of business problems are now solved with digital solutions. While using a GPS clock is a solution, there are also a couple of downsides.
1. Resistance and Privacy Concerns
Employees might not be too keen to use a tracker. They might have concerns about privacy, given that their locations are tracked through their personal devices. It is important to provide transparency on how their data will be used. The most important thing to note as a business owner is that their consent is a top priority.
2. Accuracy
Manual timesheets are error-prone. GPS tracking can also be inaccurate at times, especially with a poor connection. This can lead to scenarios where employees are compensated for unworked hours or aren’t paid for hours worked. Make sure to have clear guidelines to maximize the usage of the app.
3. Cost
Digital solutions often come with a steep price tag. It can be more expensive than just purchasing a traditional time punch system. However, the cost of timekeeping accuracy can often offset the initial cost. Consider it an investment for your small business.
Implementing GPS Time Clocks Successfully
- Get employee consent: Be sure to communicate the benefits of the app to your employees. Get their buy-in and their thoughts.
- Transparency and honesty: Employees have the right to know how their data is being collected and how it will be used.
- Set expectations: Provide clear guidelines on the usage of the GPS time clock.
- Provide training: This is essential in order to teach your employees how to use the tracker accurately. This results in valuable data that aids in better business management.
- Monitoring: The first few weeks will be a trial-and-error phase. Make sure to have milestones and check-ins on how everyone’s adjusting to the tracker.
Features to Look For in a Gps Time Clock App
With thousands of apps available online, selecting one that meets your business needs becomes critical.
- GPS tracking: This is the main feature you should look for in a GPS time clock app. It will allow you to track your employee’s location.
- Geofencing: This feature allows you to create a virtual boundary around locations. You can be notified when an employee leaves the premises.
- Time tracking: Logging hours is important, especially for hourly-rate business. Find an app that allows employees to track their hours easily.
- Reporting: A good app will provide your reports and analytics that will show you how employees use their time. This can be helpful in decision-making, scheduling, and productivity tracking.
- Integration: If you already have some systems in place, it should be wise to look for software that you can easily integrate into your process. This can save you time and hassle by eliminating the need to manually enter data into other systems.
Conclusion
Mobile GPS time clocks are a great way for small businesses to have a more accurate time-keeping solution. The benefits outweigh the cost of the initial investment of paying for an app:
- Increased employee accountability
- Transparency in attendance and workload
- Data-driven decision-making
- Security of data
- Reduction of administrative costs and time
Productivity and usage of hours are essential in small enterprises. Time clock apps can foster accountability within a small team. It is also important to pitch the idea of using GPS time clocks before implementing it.
This lets the employees know that their opinions and suggestions are also heard. Make sure to understand their perspectives and take into account any resistance. Come up with a plan to make sure the setup works to the advantage of everyone involved.
Take the time to do some research and find out which GPS time clocks work best for your business workflow. This small change of using a simple tool can produce significant results for your company if implemented wisely.
