How to Choose the Best Employee Time Clock App for Your Business

What is an Employee Time Clock App?

The origin story of objects like the computer and the airplane are the stuff of legends. These tales have grit, adventure and daring. The story of the humble employee time clock is no less riveting.

The Industrial Revolution was in full swing. Engines and people worked unceasingly to produce everything, from toothpaste to tramcars. What was needed though was a reliable mechanism to record output and calculate earnings -- a system to keep track of work hours and productivity. This mechanism, a time recording device, was invented by Willard Legrand Bundy.

Raised in Auburn, New York, Bundy experimented with many small businesses, from a grocery store to a jewelry store. Ever the tinkerer, he developed a fascinating 3100-piece clock called the Thousand Year Clock. However, his most famous invention was not this 'millennium clock', but the more practical employee time clock.

Patented in 1888, this device recorded the clock-in and clock-out time of workers. It proved to be so useful that Bundy and his brother founded the Bundy Manufacturing Recording Company (1890) in New York, producing about 9000 pieces of the Willard's Workman's Time Recorder. He later collaborated with establishments like the US Postal Service to popularize the time clock. In 1900, Bundy joined other companies manufacturing time recording devices to form the International Time Recorder Company (ITR). Over the years, ITR became Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and was finally rechristened IBM in 1911.

Early versions of the employee time clock were mechanical. But in 1979, Mark S Ain created a microprocessor time clock that automatically recorded and totalled employee hours, and in 1985, he introduced a computer-based product to the market.

Today's biometric and mobile time clocks can do more than simply track time. They cover workforce and task management as well, and help companies save money by making it easier to track employee work hours. On the other hand, they give employees the freedom to adjust their schedules according to their needs and develop a structured work routine.

Why are Time Tracking Apps Better Than Time Cards?

The traditional time-card system requires workers to manually insert a paper time card into a machine upon arrival and departure from the workplace. This method is not feasible for remote workers or work profiles that require people to work in the field.

There are several benefits to using Time Tracking apps over time cards-

• Time tracking apps allow employees to accurately track and record their time both, at work, and on particular projects.
  
• Time tracking apps provide detailed progress reports that help employers improve their businesses. For example, employers can use data from time tracking apps to know which employees are working overtime and who's slacking off.
  
• Time tracking apps make it easier for employers to pay employees for their work by linking with payroll software.
  

How Time Tracking Software Reduces Labor Costs

Employee time theft and buddy punching are two of the most common problems that affect work culture and increase labour costs. Consistent latecomers are also a problem, as is monitoring employee time when remote work has become standard practice.

Buddy punching happens when someone punches a colleague's time card for them. This may seem like a non-problem, but it is serious. According to the American Payroll Association, buddy punching may affect 75 per cent of businesses; another estimate says that buddy punching accounts for approximately 2.2 percent of the gross payroll.

A biometric time clock helps prevent buddy punching with its ability to verify a person's identity with fingerprints or facial recognition. A time clock that requires a password to clock in or out can also help reinforce a culture of accountability by discouraging buddy punching. Employees are often reluctant to share their passwords with their friends, because doing so gives others access to confidential information.

Using time-tracking software helps make your business transparent, as it offers insights into how employees spend their time doing their job. Besides, tracking software allows employees to understand their work patterns and optimize their productivity. As a result, it enables employees to be better focused and more productive, thus helping businesses cut down on overall losses incurred by non-performance.

What to Look for in a Time Clock App

When choosing a time clock app, ease of use is key. No employer wants its employees wasting time figuring out how to clock in and out. Ensure that the chosen app has a user-friendly interface that is easy to use, allowing anyone to navigate it.

Another key deciding factor is that the app should integrate seamlessly with the company's existing payroll system. This makes it easier to run reports and process payments. When evaluating different time clock apps, read user reviews. They'll help narrow down your choices and help you find the best solution for your needs.

Top 5 Employee Time Clock Apps

When integrating time clocks into your workforce management system, consider the convenience a particular solution will bring to the HR or payroll team. If they still have to spend time verifying timesheets, you may want to pass up on such a system.

For instance, an app without a GPS location tracker that cannot calculate the work hours of an on-field employee can put additional pressure on managers. It is therefore important to choose a solution that resolves such difficulties. Here are the five best time clocks you should consider if your objective is efficiency.

1. Zip Clock- An intuitive app, Zip Clock makes it easier than ever to track Employee Time punches and breaks. The app helps businesses track their employees' whereabouts in real time by using GPS tracking. It also ensures compliance with local labor laws, alerting managers about unauthorized overtime or unscheduled breaks. In addition, it eliminates time theft by comparing employee punches with performance metrics like performance reports and sales statistics. Zip Clock is available on the restaurant software solutions platform, HubWorks as a monthly subscription that costs between $90 and $995, depending on the size of your business.
2. Clockify- This free time clock and timesheet app tracks work hours across projects for unlimited users. It helps them track time spent on different activitiesincluding quantifying hours spent on ad-hoc work requeststhereby enabling them to improve their time management skills and concentrate on productive tasks.
   
3. Quickbooks Time- QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) is one of the best time-and-attendance systems for a mobile workforce because it provides managers with several tools for tracking employee work hours and approving time-off requests. Employees can clock in and out on several devices, including their mobile phones and desktop computers. Its premium package starts at $10 per month.
   
4. Homebase- It is a time-tracking app with which small businesses can manage their work schedules, payroll, HR, time clocks and more. It can be synced with any device to track work hours, breaks, and overtime. Plus, it makes payroll prep easy with no paper and no spreadsheets. The basic plan is free of cost. Its chargeable essential package starts at $14 per month per location and goes up to $70.
   
5. When I Work- When I Work is an employee scheduling and time tracking software for the modern workforce that reduces chaos, costs and turnover. It is accessible from both, desktop and mobile apps. Its one-click auto scheduling feature enables managers to build their entire work schedule in seconds. A leader in shift-based workforce management, this platform delivers a powerful, employee-first experience. It comes in three monthly price packages of $4, $6 and $8 per user.
   

Other WFM Software To Consider

Comparing workforce management systems can be difficult, as several factors need to be considered. In addition, each app has its unique features and price points that may or may not be a good fit for your business. To make sure you choose the best option for your company, do your research well. If you're not sure of the above five apps, here are some other Workforce Management (WFM) software options to consider-

Trello- This software helps team members move work forward by collaborating, managing projects, and reaching new productivity heights. Trello can be incorporated anywhere, from high-rises to the home office. Trello cards are a portal to more organized work, where every task can be managed, tracked, and shared with teammates. Open a card to discover checklists, attachments, due dates, conversations, and more.

Buddy Punch- This product simplifies team scheduling and payroll processes, while increasing employee accountability. Buddy Punch enables employees to clock in their attendance using facial recognition technology and IP address locking, allowing them to only punch in from certain locations.

Kronos Workforce Central- The Kronos's Workforce Central suite provides a full range of tools, from time and attendance, to scheduling and performance management. It helps increase productivity, control labor costs, minimize compliance risk, and engage employees for better business results. Its central, automated solution streamlines everything for better business results. In addition, its self-service capabilities enable PC or mobile access to real time information and personalized data, anytime, anywhere. This empowers managers and employees to make informed decisions for better outcomes.

Conclusion

A time clock application is an important part of any business and helps regulate a host of functions for employees and employers. When a good time clock system is implemented at a workplace, employees have a clearer sense of their workday and tasks. These clear demarcations provide workers with a transparent, error-free pay schedule that accounts for extra hours worked.

Cloud-based Time Tracking solutions also streamline reporting and invoicing, making it easier to organize and account for projects. It ensures workforce transparency by giving employees access to progress reports on their mobile devices or computer systems.

For managers, time tracking improves task management, increases efficiency and reduces errors. In addition, a time clock system makes sure goals are met within a stipulated timeframe, which increases the profitability of a company.