I have managed a business for several years, and the first few years, I struggled with my team. I was responsible for sales goals, getting them in on time, tracking their sick days, and making sure they completed their projects. I cannot tell you how hard it was to track all of this by hand. It made my daily and weekly life as a manager stressful because I was so consumed by tedious tasks that could have been avoided had I adopted a time attendance clock sooner.

The owner was against using any modern technology. Unfortunately, they’d adopted the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. Needless to say, I had a hard time convincing them this tool was a necessity. Luckily for me, a new owner came in and listened to me, my concerns, and understood how employee time clock software could help with day to day operations.

Through my last few years of managing a small business, I have learned some crucial lessons that will help me run my own business one day. If you are a new manager struggling to keep up with administrative tasks, or an exhausted owner with no time, this software can be a lifesaver.

Five Of The Biggest Lessons Learned

Here are some of the most significant lessons I have learned from implementing employee time clock software. Hopefully, you can take these lessons and grow from them as I did.

Online Time Clocks Make Far Fewer Mistakes But Still Need To Be Checked

When my company switched to using employee time clock software, it allowed me and those I manage to see work hours and schedules in one convenient location. Having access to this information resulted in fewer scheduling mistakes, fewer no-call no-shows, and far lower turnover rates. Learning that automated time clock solutions resulted in far fewer time tracking and scheduling errors was one of the biggest lessons.

However, nothing is perfect, so you must have a review process in place. Most employee time clock software has a time card approval process available. This allows employees to review and confirm their work hours. Once the employee has reviewed their time card, it can then be sent to their manager for final approval before moving onto payroll processing.

Getting Everyone Onboard Can Be Challenging

As mentioned earlier, the previous business owner firmly rejected using modern technology, as did most of their hired employees. When the new owner came in and gave the go-ahead to invest in employee time clock software, the next challenge was getting employees on board.

I quickly found that most employees were adamant about using modern employee time clock software because of all the unknowns. How would this impact their time tracking process? Will they be monitored all day? What do they do if they have questions? The best way to address this is by having an open forum with your workers. Outline the benefits of using an online time card system, and most importantly, let them know they aren’t going to be left to fend for themselves.

You Don’t Need To Micromanage Anymore.

Every day I would walk into work and continuously feel the need to remind my team what they were supposed to be working on. I was always watching them and correcting them, which took away time from what I was supposed to be doing and negatively impacted our work relationship.

By implementing a timekeeper app, I gave my team more freedom and promoted workplace autonomy. I no longer had to remind employees about upcoming projects or let them know their schedule has changed because automatic reminders took care of that for me. I quickly found that employees appreciated having more control over their time tracking process, which increased productivity.

Advanced Time Tracking Features Can Be Expensive

Many time tracking systems come with all features included. However, others charge for access to more advanced features. This was a huge lesson that I learned very quickly after getting the new system in place.

Before you implement online time clock software, you need to determine your business needs. Do you have employees out in the field? Then perhaps GPS tracking is a requirement. Is your business reliant on job costing? Then being able to track time per job is essential. Though more advanced features may add to your expenses, the return on investment will far outweigh those costs.

Implementing employee time clock software was one of the most significant changes I made as a manager. It allowed me to focus my focus on essential duties and give employees more control over their time tracking process. Hopefully, the insight I’ve gained through this tool can help you make an informed decision when choosing a solution.