By their very nature, managing any kind of remote workforce, whether it is field engineers through to cleaning operatives or maintenance teams, can be especially tricky.

Time and Attendance systems have come a long way and continue to play a key role in automating key workforce processes.

Today’s systems comprise of everything from hardware to data management and remote applications meaning that they have the flexibility to support fixed or remote workforces and the scalability to grow or shrink in line with employers’ requirements.

Whilst most businesses use time and attendance systems to support accurate payroll processes, there are a multitude of benefits that these employee time tracking apps can now bring to remote workforces as we explore here:

Why Use an Employee Time Tracking App? 

Mobile phone app’s such as TouchStar’s GeoConnectMe can track a multitude of clock in and clock out activity, but also integrate other clocking transactions, such as ‘taking lunch’, ‘travel’, ‘medical appointments’.

Asked “How Long Did It Take to Get from A to B?” these additional transactions provide this data in real time, with location verified through GPS technology, and GPRS data download capability into the back office.  

What are the Benefits of Remote Time and Attendance Systems?

• They Can Highlight Further Process Improvements

Clocking transactions are not only valuable for supporting accurate payroll processes, but from a productivity perspective, it plays an important role in highlighting in-efficient processes and areas for improvement.

Take travelling from A to B as an example, it may be that time taken to travel between jobs is longer than expected. With a system in place, the employer will be able to identify whether this is a one off or recurring issue and then take the appropriate corrective action, such as re-routing or adjusting job schedules and/or timings.

• They Help Support the Wellbeing of Employees

Ensuring that an employee is getting to a customer on time or optimising their time effectively can create big trust issues between an employer and employee.  The implementation of any form of system can often put a further strain on this relationship. However, there are many employee benefits which have meant that any implementation of remote time and attendance is often well received.

From an employee perspective, any form of system ensures accurate payroll which therefore results in accurate pay and increased satisfaction. For a remote worker, this may provide recognition of overtime which may not have been identified without a system in place.  

Identifying processes for improvement may also increase employee satisfaction. Again, taking recurring travel delays as an example. Ongoing issues such as these may lead to customer dissatisfaction but can also result in employee anxiety because of not being able to complete job schedules. Being able to flag these issues for improvement allows the employer to make an employee’s job easier and more efficient therefore reducing stress levels.

Employee wellbeing is a particularly important point, since remote working, especially over prolonged periods of time, can leave some workers feeling isolated. It can help to maintain as much working normality as possible, and the ability to clock in and out remotely ‘as usual’ can play a vital role in helping remote workers to continue to feel part of a wider, valued workforce.  

• They Prove Compliance with Legislative Requirements

Without a system in place, it is often hard for employers to prove compliance with legislation such as permitted working hours and compulsory break times, particularly for remote workers. By logging all the various clocking statuses, employee time clock apps such as GeoConnectMe, provide evidence that this legislation is being adhered to.

Transform Your Business Operations  

 If you want to find out more about how TouchStar’s remote time and attendance systems can transform your operations, please contact TouchStar today.

TouchStar provide the very best in robust, cutting-edge technology that can provide the real time visibility and control of your workforce management processes.