As the first coronavirus wave peaked earlier this year, almost half of the Australian workforce was working from home. It created a real challenge for businesses – how to manage remote jobs and monitor their teams across days, shifts and locations. And, how to keep things running smoothly especially as traditional timesheet software and systems just can’t keep up with all the rapid changes.

Looking ahead, you’re likely wondering how to set up a simpler, permanent way to track time and flexible workdays across all your teams and sites.

A digital clocking system could be the answer. So we’ve put together this handy guide to help you weigh up all the options.

8 Common challenges with remote work

Without a streamlined system that supports your remote workforce, you might come up against challenges like these:

• A decline in staff performance and productivity
• Not knowing when and where your staff are working
• Lack of staff motivation and engagement
• Confusion around expectations: who does what and when?
• Inaccurate timesheets and payroll
• Home office designs don’t meet staff needs
• Wasting time and money keeping track of your team
• Existing timesheet and time tracking apps like Clockify not integrating with your rostering and payroll

By making it easier for your team to track when and where they work, you can ensure everyone is where they’re meant to be – and being paid the correct rate for their time.

Why consider clocking and timesheets apps?

Digital clocking devices make it easier to measure flexible workdays and shift changes in real time. So instead of manually calculating timesheets for people who work from home or across different worksites (and making manual adjustments as shifts change), clocking apps do it for you – while automatically connecting with your e-roster and payroll.

This means that not only do you save time and money, you also reduce the risk of human error and non-compliance.

And if you or your management team can’t make it in to work, you can have peace of mind that things will keep running smoothly without any downtime, hitches or headaches – as they can keep on top of it all from the home office or the road.

How do digital clocking devices work?

There are many different digital clocking devices and timesheets apps to choose from. And, the one you go with will depend on your specific needs, budget and workforce.

Let’s look at a few that might work for you:

• Fingerprint scanners: plug into your USB drive as a quick and inexpensive way to get up and running.
• Iris scanners and facial recognition: a great non-touch option for dirty or hazardous environments.
• Mobile clocking: an easy way to make sure that remote workers are in the right place at the right time.
• Pins and passcodes: a simple, secure option that can be implemented into most systems.

Choosing a clocking device for your remote workforce

It’s really important to make sure the system you choose is flexible enough to meet your needs now and in the future. That’s where Wageloch comes in to help you.

For instance, our mobile clocking devices are underpinned with GPS. It automatically pinpoints where people are and then checks it against your digital clocking records.

Another example is our facial recognition systems that don’t just take a photo when someone clocks in, but also use a unique ID to record and store their individual characteristics – and look for a match. This is a safe and secure way to make sure no-one falsely clocks in on their behalf. On top of that, the clocking is captured via our app and sent to our system for payroll and automatic time tracking.

Our facial recognition software is flexible, too. It can be used on its own or together with your LAN system, and you can pair it with pin, photo, face or card recognition.

So while it can be tempting to just pick an out-of-the box option that does the job for now, it could be a wasted expense if it can’t keep up with your ever-evolving workforce – or at the very least connect with your rostering and payroll systems.

Getting you ready for remote work

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that the world of work is changing. To keep up and keep your staff on task when they work from home or elsewhere, you’ll need a flexible solution.

We can help you choose the best system for your business – and our local support team is always on hand to get you up and running fast. Book a demo with us today.