Features of Time and Attendance Software
As with any other enterprise solution, time and attendance systems can also vary in features. However, there are some salient capabilities all solutions offer. The following are the key features of a time and attendance software solution.
1. Payroll Integration
You have likely automated your payroll process to save time and resources. A time and attendance system integrated seamlessly with your payroll process to provide accurate attendance data. Your payroll system can then utilize this information to calculate salaries and other benefits accurately.
2. Biometric Attendance
In businesses with a large workforce, manually managing attendance and clock-in & clock-out times can be challenging. For instance, let’s say you’re a BPO with 500 employees working at three different shift timings.
Time and attendance software comes with the biometric attendance feature. The system processes the biometric input to identify the corresponding employee, thereby automating attendance and clock-in and clock-out times.
3. Calendar Integrations
Most organizations use digital calendars, including Microsoft Calendar, Google Calendar, etc. A time and attendance tool integrates with all major digital calendars. This allows you to track each employee’s shift timings, leave requests, and availability. This feature holds substantial significance for offshore or remote teams that work in different time zones.
4. Advanced Analytics
Time and attendance software provides tailored reports and analytics. It gives you various work and attendance-related reports like shift patterns, hours worked, break times, and more. This feature helps you identify and reward hard-working employees who work overtime. At the same time, it also enables you to catch unethical employee behaviors and take strict actions accordingly.
Things to Consider While Buying Attendance Management System
Attendance management solutions can vary in terms of features and functionality. Some may offer only the basic time and attendance tracking features, whereas some may be full-fledged HRMS systems. Therefore, it’s vital to determine your budget and requirements before beginning your search.
That said, here are a few things to consider when buying an attendance management system.
1. Ease of Use
The primary objective of attendance management software is to make attendance easier for employees. So, make sure the system is easy to operate such as making timesheet entry more efficient by streamlining the process of capturing data that you need. It should allow employees of all designations and technical proficiencies to access the necessary features without training.
2. Ease of Configuration
At the same time, your attendance software should also make life easier for your HR managers. It should be easy to configure and navigate. Besides, it should be flexible and customizable to ensure your HR department can conveniently analyze and monitor employee performance.
3. Overtime Calculation
Employees that work overtime play a crucial role in driving your business forward. As a business owner, you’re responsible for identifying and fairly rewarding employees that work overtime. Look for a time and attendance solution that automatically tracks and monitors regular and overtime hours.
4. Leave Time Tracking
Don’t settle for a system that only tracks leaves. Find a solution that tracks different leave times like sick leaves, annual leaves, parental leaves, etc. Precise leave management allows you to effectively reset and assign leaves to employees once you step into the next fiscal year.
5. Multiple Entry Points
With remote work becoming the new normal, you should opt for an attendance system that lets your employees clock-in from different devices and locations. Look for attendance software with mobile access that syncs automatically with your desktop version.
6. Easy approvals
Employees prefer getting to leave approvals instantly. But if you have a large workforce, leave approvals may take longer. Therefore, find an attendance system that allows you to review and approve leave requests easily. Additionally, look for software that enables time card approval, modification of employee work schedule, and access to delegation reports.
Latest Market Trends in Attendance Management System
The workforce dynamics have evolved over the past decade, with the newest chapter being the rise of remote work amid COVID-19. These changing workplace dynamics have also catalyzed a change in employee time and attendance management.
Let’s look at the latest market trends in attendance management systems.
- Automated Tracking: Automation has been one of the most notable time and attendance management trends. Employees no longer need to update timesheets manually. With cloud-based solutions, managing employee time has become easy and automated.
- Advanced Scheduling: Businesses operating in shifts are now using cloud-based systems to manage shifts and employees in real-time. This helps employers and managers reduce costs and streamline workflow.
- Biometric Attendance: Biometric attendance has now replaced card-based manual clocking. Employees no longer need to clock-in using employee cards or ID numbers. They can simply mark their clock-in with biometric capabilities.
- Mobile Timesheets: With remote work becoming the new normal, companies are increasingly inclining towards mobile functionality. Most time and attendance software vendors offer mobile capabilities to allow managers to monitor employee time and attendance anytime and from any device.
- Integration with Other Systems: Organizations are looking for full-fledged HRM systems that offer multiple HR functionalities like attendance management, payroll management, and performance management. Therefore, modern-day attendance management systems are coming with seamless integration capabilities with other HR and ERP systems.
