I was recently giving the quick overview of Meritrick, our automatic time tracking software, to a stranger… my 20 second elevator pitch if you will.
It automatically keeps track of employees hours and productivity – tracking everything they do throughout the day so you get complete visibility.
His immediate response was, “What manager wouldn’t want that?”
I know! Right?!
Looking at the issue purely from a business lens, it’s a no brainer. But on the other side of the coin, employee morale may suffer, and getting buy-in from employees can be more trouble than it’s worth. My own father’s initial reaction was, “I hope my work doesn’t get that”.
Before taking a plunge and committing to time tracking software, consider the many benefits of time tracking software, and the ways you can avoid alienating your most important asset (human capital).
Time Tracking Software Can Increase Productivity
When your employees track their time on a daily basis, it is easier to analyze their productivity, figuring out which areas are time drains and which areas make a difference to your business performance.
By eliminating distractions, you minimize the productivity effects of multitasking. Studies have shown that productivity increases by as much as 40% due to multitasking.
Besides eliminating distractions, time tracking software can pinpoint activities that are too time consuming. Separating the time-wasters from the valuable uses of time maximizes productivity and creates an overall highly-efficient organization.
Time Tracking Software Can Improve Accountability
Using time tracking software allows you to improve the accountability of your employees. In the white-collar world, with so many moving parts, it can be difficult to determine the actual completion time of a task.
With time tracking software, task completion time is better documented. With our software, you can figure out who completed a task, when they completed the task, the amount of time it took to complete.
While employees may not like you having a 20/20 view of task completion time, setting high accountability expectations makes for a better workplace. Employees who meet high accountability standards assume a greater role of responsibility in the workplace.
Employees become more invested when it is spelled out their impact on project completion. Increased knowledge of one’s contributions will improve employee engagement, a strong contributor to productivity and an enhancement to your bottom line.
Time Tracking Software Brings Clarity To Your Work Processes
A common issue managers face is being left in the dark with regards to the processes of their direct reports. Being a manager requires keeping eyes on multiple players, reducing your ability to get a clear picture of an employee’s activities.
In order to analyze task completion time, and determine methods to improve/streamline the process, time tracking software is required to get the transparency that is sometimes hard to get from employees.
Transparency will also improve employee morale: manager assessment of employee performance can sometimes be made on subjective assumptions. A time tracking software program will give them the cold hard facts, making performance review time a objective affair.
A majority of telecommuters fear that their lack of “face time” in the office results in a negative perception of their work habits. A transparent time tracking system will convey to stakeholders and managers the value remote workers bring to the table.
Time Tracking Software Streamlines The Time Recording Process
Traditional time sheet systems are inefficient and time consuming. A lot of productivity is lost from employees filling out timesheets, managers filling out timesheets, and payroll support reconciling timesheet approvals.
Time tracking systems minimize this administrative tedium. A time tracking system can also minimize the administrative costs (both financial and time) of overseeing independent contractors.
Time Tracking Systems Minimize Costs
A lot of employee time is wasted on low priority tasks such as meetings or checking email. A time tracking system such as Meritrick will spell out how employees hours are split between high priority and low priority tasks, and the steps needed to minimize this waste of human capital.
Time tracking software allows employers to efficiently hire and retain staff as needed, minimizing the need for extra staff that may not be utilized 100%.
Overcoming Time Tracking Software’s Impact on Employee Morale
Based on the pros mentioned above, selecting a time tracking system seems like an easy decision. But the flip side to the plethora of advantages brought by this innovation is the impact such software has employee morale.
It is easy to understand why time tracking software has a negative effect. Nobody likes the idea they are being spied on. The implications to one’s personal privacy are understandable.
The key to overcome this reluctance is to be open with your employees. Communication of a positive rationale is key; instead of disclosing the use of time tracking software as a form of “employer espionage”, frame it as a positive development, as a better means of employee performance improvement, as well as a means of minimize the prevalence of “micromanagement” supervisors can commonly rely on to get things done.
Is Employee Tracking Software Worth The Cost?
Sometimes a cost saving strategy can be cost-intensive itself, calling into question the effectiveness of the strategy.
Time tracking systems will cost money, but unlike other software systems, time tracking can be scalable to the needs of your business.
To start things off, you can consider purchasing just a few licenses, allowing you to test it out on a few employees. If the results of the software result in positive returns to the top and bottom line, it may indicate company-wide use of time tracking could be a benefit.
Meritrick Can Drive Productivity in Your Business
While there are a few concerns about impact on employee morale, as well as cost, time tracking software as a whole can be a valuable tool to drive productivity.
Meritrick could save your business tens of thousands of dollars a year through improvements in transparency, and productivity, as well as through reductions in low priority activities.
Time tracking systems are also a cost-efficient alternative to traditional timesheet systems. Why deal with the administrative hassle of timesheets when time tracking can reduce the time and financial costs of timekeeping?
Getting started will require a transition from your staff, but once implemented, a time tracking system will produce a more efficient, more productive, and better maintained workplace.
