To optimize productivity and ensure your workforce achieves their full potential, it is important to understand and manage idle time throughout your company. That involves a clear view of how your employees are spending their time and where idle time might be lurking unproductively in the shadows.

What Is Idle Time?

Idle time is time that an employee is not working because something has stopped them. Often, idle time occurs when employees must wait for something they need to resume working. Broken equipment, late shipments, or overscheduling are all common causes of idle time in which your workforce is present but underutilized.

Idle time is productive time that is lost to inefficiency. The key element of idle time is that it could be resolved or prevented by improved strategy. Understanding the source of the idle time can empower a company to minimize lost time and boost productivity.

Idle Time vs Downtime

There is an important distinction between idle time and downtime. Downtime is typically planned time when the resources to work will be unavailable. This includes scheduled maintenance, training days, and other predicted interruptions in workforce productivity. Downtime may also refer to unplanned outages like power or internet where the company is not in control of whether the employees are able to work.

In contrast, idle time is lost time that is within the company’s control. Broken equipment can be fixed, shifts can be rescheduled, and projects better planned to ensure all on-duty employees are achieving their optimal capabilities.

Tracking Idle Time

Tracking idle time is the key to resolving it. Most companies are not aware of where idle time is occurring in the workforce. This is because it usually requires detailed task management and time tracking to identify where time is being lost. This is especially true because employees often seek ways to keep busy, even if their tasks are not directly useful or productive. 

Tracking idle time allows companies to identify the missing resources or mismanagement that has resulted in underutilized employee time.

Common Causes of Idle Time

Idle time is caused by anything that interrupts an employee’s productivity and causes them to wait. However, not all idle time is due to breakages or mistakes. There are two types of idle time which represent the many possible causes in your workforce: planned idle time and unplanned idle time.

Planned vs. Unplanned Idle Time

Planned idle time is a natural point in the workflow where an employee may find themselves waiting. The company is aware of it, and they have worked it into the schedule. Unplanned idle time involves breakages, interruptions, or inefficient planning that results in an employee waiting when it is not in the schedule.

Causes of Planned Idle Time

• Shift changes
• Setup or teardown
• Machine cooldown mid-shift
• Scheduled employee breaks
• Waiting for vendor shipment arrival

Causes of Unplanned Idle Time

• Broken or missing equipment
• Unscheduled maintenance
• Not enough equipment available
• Too many people / not enough work
• Untrained employees
• Delayed delivery of supplies or materials
• Approval delays
• Quiet quitting

Idle Time in Various Work Environments

Idle time has a different meaning and impact based on your business and work environment.  Each industry faces different challenges related to idle time risks and possible solutions.

Manufacturing

• Maintenance
• Broken machinery
• Supply chain issues

Idle time is a common challenge in manufacturing due to the reliance on materials and working machinery to achieve optimal workforce efficiency. Maintenance and broken machinery regularly cause both planned and unplanned idle time. Unplanned idle time may also result from supply chain delays while downtime may come from unplanned power outages and natural disasters.

Office Environments

• Software failures
• Malfunctioning computers
• Approval delays

In an office environment, idle time is related to desk work and computer usage. Employees rely on the ability to access their workstation and company software to do their jobs. Any problems with computers, equipment, or software can cause unplanned idle time. Approval delays are also an inherent problem in office environments that can be fixed with better planning and time management.

Logistics Operations

• Supply chain issues
• Carrier delays
• Equipment failures

In the logistics industry, efficiency relies on the supply chain in both directions. Employees not only need their own equipment, but they also need deliveries and pick-ups to happen on time or unplanned idle time is the result.

Service Trades

• Parts delivery delays
• Bad weather
• Subcontractor delays

In the trades, idle time is often caused by delays outside the team but could be solved with better planning. Waiting on parts deliveries or subcontractors is a common source of unplanned idle time, while bad weather can delay a project for days.

Should You Track Idle Time?

Tracking idle time offers several advantages for your company and your teams. Idle time is often a failure to plan for possible delays caused either by predictable setbacks or a systemic problem that causes delays without consideration. The first step to restoring your workforce to their full potential is to identify where idle time has occurred.

The rewards of idle time tracking include greater productivity, resources allocation, and employee accountability. By identifying the root cause of idle time, it is possible to make plans that prevent delays and allow each team member to achieve their full capabilities each day.

1. Improved Productivity

Tracking idle time is essential to spot and highlight inefficiencies in your workflow. Idle time may indicate opportunities to improve scheduling, provide better training, or secure more equipment for your workforce. When employees are idle, they are losing productivity. However, most employees do not choose idleness, it is the effect of inefficient planning and avoidable delays.

Idle time can be used as a red flag where productivity can be restored if the cause of the idleness is resolved.

2. Better Resource Allocation

Idle time can help you achieve better resource management. In manufacturing, idle time can highlight the need for preventative maintenance on the machinery. In the office, idle time caused by software may indicate the need for updates, or stack repairs. Idle time can help you balance the distribution of work and supplies or address broken equipment that had previously gone unrepaired.

In this way, idle time tracking provides data-driven decision-making for resource management.

3. Enhanced Employee Accountability

With idle time tracking, you can also reintroduce the responsibility of employees to efficiently use their time. Employees adapt to their work environment. If idle time had become normal, employees will be able to become more accountable for their work when they have all the resources and opportunities they need to exercise their skills on the job without interruption.

Tracking idle time allows you to create a culture of accountability and performance where employees are proud of the work they accomplish each day.

How To Track Idle Time

There are several ways to detect idle time so that you can resolve it. You can track equipment utilization, the achievement of productivity goals, and the total amount of hours worked by each member of your team. Equipment that is stopped is often a sign of idle time, whether it is unused or being maintained. A low productivity workday may also indicate idle time and there may be a cause that can be found.

Automated Time Tracking Tools

The best place to start in tracking idle time is time tracking tools. Software to track time makes it possible to create a baseline for the hours being worked by your team members and even the tasks they are completing.

Automatic time capture makes it easy to determine when employees are on the job and create more accurate timesheet records. Idle time alerts might be issued by software that monitors productivity of either specific machinery and workstations or software task completion.

Calculating Idle Time

Once you are tracking employee time, calculating idle time is simple using the idle time formula.

Idle Time Formula

X (expected productivity) – Y (achieved productivity) = Idle time

By subtracting the total expected amount of work from the amount of work achieved, it is possible to derive the likely amount of time spent idle by your workforce for any given shift. 

For example, if one team completes X amount of work in 8 hours and then completes less work the next day, the difference can be identified as potential idle time.

Baseline Data

Of course, this requires a baseline – an accurate expectation of work. It is easiest to understand in manufacturing, where a certain number of units can be processed at maximum efficiency, and fewer units are processed if a machine is down.

Other forms of productivity may be more difficult to apply the idle time formula unless you have a good, realistic baseline for how much work your team can perform in an hour.

This can be achieved by measuring your team at full performance over time, carefully managed to prevent idle time.

Strategies To Minimize Idle Time

Idle time is a preventable problem once it is detected. How can your company reduce idle time and minimize the productivity loss that it represents? The answer lies in the root cause of each instance of idle time. However, there are several steps you can take that will universally reduce the risk of idle time by addressing the most common causes of systemic idle time in any company.

Streamline Workflows and Processes

Start by addressing any inefficiencies in your workflows and processes. Look for times when employees are expected to wait without the opportunity to be productive such as waiting for approval, machine maintenance, or resource deliveries. Plan to minimize these wait times and ensure that work can be done if certain delays are unavoidable.

Preventive Maintenance for Equipment

Prevent delays due to equipment repairs by planning preventative maintenance. By planning, you can ensure all your company equipment and technology is in good condition by the time an employee needs to use it. You can plan preventative maintenance when the equipment isn’t scheduled to be in use or plan to reassign team members whose equipment is being maintained.

Employee Training and Engagement

Lastly, make sure your employees are fully trained to perform their roles and engaged as members of the team. Training programs ensure employees can perform at their best capabilities. Employee engagement keeps your team invested in pursuing productive workdays and efficient work practices. Cultivating a positive work culture is an important way to not only empower your employees to do their best but also open the channels so they feel comfortable reporting idle time risks like maintenance or management concerns.

How eBillity’s Time Tracker Can Help

Tracking time is a core part of identifying idle time so it can be solved. Time Tracker by eBillity has everything your business needs to begin gathering a clear picture of how and when your employees are at work. Time Tracker’s easy time tracking for both shift work and task management can give you a picture of employee efficiency and allow you to calculate the idle time formula.

With Time Tracker’s integrated time tracking features, you can help employees achieve their optimal success, get paid accurately for the time they work, and help you pursue setbacks like idle time on the job. Time Tracker will remind employees when to take and return from their breaks, when to switch tasks and make the timeclock interaction both easy and accountable.

If you are ready to start tracking idle time and pursue optimal workforce efficiency, Time Tracker is a great tool to help you get a clear view of employee time and idle time start our 14-day free trial today.

The post Understanding Idle Time and Its Impact on Business Productivity appeared first on eBillity.

Automated time tracking is the natural solution to ensure that your people are accurately paid, and any billable hours are precisely recorded. Of course, making the leap from a manual to automated time tracking system is something your workforce must do as a team. As time tracking experts, Time Tracker by eBillity can help you build the foundations of automated time tracking and usher in a smooth transition to help your workforce begin tracking time in an efficient, transparent, and easy-to-manage automated system.

These helpful tips will make your planning and transition experience easier for the whole team.

1) Identify Your Time Tracking Needs

The first step in updating your company’s time tracking system is to identify your specific business needs. These needs are likely what has led you to consider an automated time system, from handling a large workforce to preparing precise invoices.

Here are some of the most common priorities for time tracking software:

• Shift work time tracking
• Flexible hours’ time tracking
• Project time allocation and efficiency
• Billable hours tracking and transparency
• Scalability and adaptive functionality
• Quick and easy time clocking
• Simple record adjustments
• Integration with payroll and billing software

Time tracking might be universal to all businesses, but it fits into the workflow in very different ways. Some companies need to track shift work, some need to track flexible hours, and some need to track individual project productivity. You might require scalability, using a time tracking system that can grow with your company and maintain clean records across multiple locations. Your company may need to track both employee working hours and specific billable hours for clients.

Existing challenges might also factor in. Struggling with a manual time tracking system can give you a very good idea of the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility you’d like to see in an automated time system. Knowing how the current process is impacting internal performance paints a clear picture of what you could achieve if the hurdles of manual time tracking were removed.

2) Research and Compare Your Software Options

Automated time tracking is a digital solution that tracks how much time is spent on tasks while minimizing manual input. There are several ways to automate time tracking to reduce the risk of missing records, inaccurate entries, and time tracking mistakes.

When searching for the right automated time tracking software, it’s important to do your research. Explore the pros and cons of the available solutions and make sure your chosen solution has all the features you need.

Make a List of Candidates

Explore several time tracking software solutions that might suit your company’s needs. Make a list of three to five automated time trackers and begin your research project.

Explore Reviews and Previews

For each solution on your list, read detailed user reviews and explore available previews of the software. Take note of what people like best and what features seem to be apparent. Remember that not every claimed feature works in the dreamy way it is advertised, so it’s best to get real user feedback and see the app in action to get a good idea of how each automated time tracking solution might work for your company.

Determine Pros and Cons

Make a list of pros and cons for each solution that you research. Each one will have a different balance of features and downsides. It’s important to find the right balance. The solution you choose should have the time tracking features, convenience, and integration you need with downsides that have a minimal effect on your intended workflow.

Common Pros of Time Trackers include:

• Digital time entries
• Dashboards and reports
• Calendars and widgets

Common Cons of Time Trackers include:

• Clunky interfaces
• Manual data correction
• Manual payroll/billing exports

Time Tracker makes your research phase easy by offering a comprehensive free trial. You don’t have to guess the features or rely solely on third-party reviews. You can explore the app for yourself to discover if the features, integrations, and automatic time tracking capabilities are right for your company workflow.

3) Define Your Upgrade Budget

When investing in a new software solution for your business, budget is an important consideration. Now that you have a clear idea of what current automated time tracking software has to offer, you are in position to determine an appropriate budget for the project.

Scalable Seat Budgeting

Your budget will determine which software options are within your price range. Most business solution software like time tracking is offered by the “seat” or the number of employees who will be using the system. This allows you to easily scale your solution and your budget to match the size of your company. 

Transition Investment

Don’t forget to calculate for your transition process, as well as the software itself. Device setup and training have a calculable cost in time and materials. A successful budget for any upgrade project is a budget that comprehensively includes all related costs.

Calculating for ROI

Consider how to calculate the return-on-investment (ROI) that would come from transitioning to automated time tracking software. You may be able to calculate the time saved waiting at the punch clock, correct records, and manually enter data into payroll each week. Consider the money saved from accurate time tracking or the additional revenue you can make with more accurate and transparent billable hours records. These savings and earning opportunities will eventually ROI the cost of your time tracking upgrade.

4) Consider New Data Collection Methods

An essential part of efficient time tracking is how your time data is collected. Automated time tracking minimizes the need for manual entries with a combination of schedules, detection, and streamlined interactions. Every workforce is different. Highlight how different types of workforces may track time differently. For example, some companies exist entirely of remote employees requiring a web-based time and attendance solution, while others want employee time clock hardware for their office.

Adaptive time tracking software makes it possible to shape your data collection to the structure and flow of your workforce. Backed with security measures like identity detection and location tracking, it is possible to ensure both easy and accurate time tracking data.

There are many potential data collection methods with a solution like Time Tracker.

Digital Time Clock Kiosk

If your workplace functions best with an on-site time clock, trade out the clunky old device for a streamlined kiosk with a touch-screen interface. You can invest in a dedicated device or mount a tablet loaded with your time tracking software.

This makes it possible for your team to clock in as they arrive, clock out at the end of their shift, and quickly tap the screen when it’s time for a break. On-site kiosks work best for companies where the work is based on your company’s physical location.

Mobile App Flexible Time Tracking

Time Tracker is also available through a mobile app. This makes it possible for employees to clock themselves in whenever and wherever they begin work. Remote workers, hybrid schedules, or simply dodging the line at the kiosk, employees can make sure their day starts exactly on time – or whenever they put in a few extra hours.

Mobile app data collection is paired with GPS location tracking so you can confirm the employee is at work, with a client, or in a known office location when they clock in. This method of time tracking is also extremely useful when your clients travel, work a few hours during vacation, or build their own schedules.

Schedule-Building and Keeping

Many companies benefit from the ability to build a schedule that helps employees clock in and out on time. Reminders are used to ping employees when it’s time to take a break or wrap up at the end of the day. Employees can use the time tracking app to check when they are scheduled to be at work and clock in when they arrive or begin working at home.

Schedule building and keeping is ideal for any team with a schedule that can change and if your team has struggled with consistent manual time entries in the past. Employees can, instead, respond to the schedule reminder to clock in and out at the right times.

Task-Based Time Tracking

Time tracking isn’t just for clocking payroll hours. It can also be used to track progress on specific tasks and projects. Task-based time tracking can help you measure efficiency and insightfully allocate your employee’s time. It is also essential for businesses that bill clients based on billable hours. Task-based time tracking creates a transparent record of the exact hours worked on each client’s project.

5) Conduct a Trail Run

One of the best ways to discover how a new time tracking system works for your business is to conduct a trial run.  A free trial or temporary subscription can allow you to implement the new time tracking system with a few select team members. You can set up a kiosk or connect teams through their workstations and mobile devices using each time tracking app that you wish to explore.

A trial run can help you discover whether a system’s set of features are suitable to your business needs and if the design fits efficiently into your workflow. Feedback from your teams may also be useful. Feedback offers direct insights into the benefits your team members enjoy when tracking their time in comparison to your existing manual time tracking procedure.

6) Training for Employees

Once the decision has been made to switch to an automated time tracking software, it will be important to introduce employees to the new software and train them on how to use it. 

Employee Introduction and Training

Start by implementing the new software and integrating it with your payroll and billing systems. Then, initiate training for your employees who will be using the new software. Give them a tour of the features and then walk them through the procedures that go into time tracking for each role and routine. With a diverse automated time tracking system, different departments can even track their time with a variety of data collection methods best suited to their separate routines.

Manager Time Software Training

Managers should also go through training on how to use the new time software to streamline insights and performance. Managers will need to know how to audit time tracking records, build schedules, set reminders, and approve requests for time off.

Each team manager may also want to focus on the specific methods and workflows of time tracking that apply to their team’s style.

Develop New Time Tracking Best Practices

One of the most important steps for employees and managers is creating a new list of time tracking best practices that align with the automated system you’ve chosen to implement. 

Give helpful tips on how to make time tracking easy and accurate. Provide guidelines on data entry, timely arrival, and identity confirmation. Share the best procedure on how to build a framework of tasks that employees can track time on individually, how to take breaks, and how to clock in from home for remote work, if relevant.

7) Monitor Progress

The final stage of any major business upgrade is to monitor the changes. Very soon, you will see the difference made by accurate, complete, and automated time tracking and the progress your workforce is making toward a completely integrated system.

You may notice more accurate payroll, deeper insights on productivity, better client invoicing. You may also notice that grumbling around the timesheet or machine around clock-in and clock-out times has become a thing of the past. Any new frustration is likely the simple result of unfamiliarity. Proper training can help to smooth your entire team’s transition process for a more enjoyable and efficient time tracking experience.

Explore Time Tracker with a Free Trial

If you are looking for an automated time tracking solution for your business, eBillity makes it easy to explore our Time Tracker app before you commit. Explore our 14-day free trial to discover if our versatile time tracking app is the right fit for your business. Contact us today to schedule a demo, consult on your time tracking needs, or simply begin your free trial to learn more. 

The post 7 Tips for Transitioning from a Manual to Automated Time Tracking System appeared first on eBillity.

Most of us experience time a little differently over the holiday season. The time for chores and preparation just fly by while those cozy evenings with your loved ones seem to stretch on forever. If you want to get everything done before the winter break deadlines and holiday events, you’ll need to plan ahead. Fortunately, we have some tips and tools to help you stay on time this holiday season.

Create Your Holiday Task List

Start with a list of everything you need to do this season. This will become your master checklist and you’ll feel good crossing items off the list as you go along.

Sort your list first by category. For example, some tasks will be work tasks to finish before the holiday break. Others will be party planning, holiday shopping, or preparing for family visits. Then be sure to mark the deadline for each task, as the holidays are a cascading schedule of last-minute to-do’s.

Build a Schedule

From your task list, you can build a schedule to help you ensure everything gets done on time. Work tasks often come first, but you can usually slip in some timely holiday shopping and event prep at home even before your holiday break begins. You can use your schedule to make sure you’re ready for every holiday party, that all the gifts are bought and wrapped on time, and your home is ready for visitors before they arrive – or you’re all packed and ready for travel if you are doing the visiting.

Set Your Top Priorities

Priorities can help you make sure the most important things are done first or are given the most time for completion. The right priorities will guide your task list completion, so you don’t accidentally finish all the little unimportant tasks while leaving the big important items undone. This is a common outcome of chaotic holiday activities because it’s so tough to focus when you’re busy whistling carols and looking forward to your family celebrations.

Use Technology to Your Advantage

Of course, you don’t have to do all this planning and tracking with a pen and paper. Use technology! There are some useful time tracking, scheduling, and reminder apps that can help you stick to your schedule once you put it together. Time Tracker by eBillity can even help you track how long each task takes you and send reminders so that you don’t forget things like after-work shopping trips or that all-important downtime to unwind between parties.

Delegate Responsibilities at Work and at Home

Many hands make light work. Why stretch yourself thin trying to get everything done when others can help you? Both at work and at home, you can delegate some of your tasks to people who have the time and ability to help.

Ask your team members to help you tie up loose ends with end-of-year tasks at work. Get your kids and relatives involved in decorating the home and getting ready for family holiday time. When done with good cheer, everyone will enjoy the teamwork experience and being part of holiday activities.

Plan Buffer Time

Give yourself some margins, as well. Buffer time allows you to fall behind or deal with unexpected delays here and there without throwing off your entire schedule. It is always important to plan for buffer time, especially around the holidays when you should be finding time to relax and enjoy yourself.

Be sure to create extra space in your schedule to relax, enjoy good company, and to rest between hustling to get everything done. This will also give you time in case of delays and setbacks, so you don’t have to stress.

Avoid Overcommitting

Speaking of stress, take care not to over commit yourself to your holiday planning. Keeping a schedule and task list is not just useful for staying organized and on time. It can also tell you when your resources are tapped, and you can’t commit to any more responsibilities. It’s okay, even during the holiday season, to say “no”.

Let some people know that you can’t attend every party or plan every event on your own. Being open and honest about the fact that you’re overbooked is one of the best ways to explain. People who care about you and don’t want you to get overstressed will understand. Those just looking to spend time with you may even change their plans to share a quiet dinner instead of planning something big.

Shop Strategically

Instead of going all-out with your shopping, shop strategically. Use a combination of in-person and online shopping. Plan your shopping days to avoid the crowds and catch the best deals. You can also keep a checklist of presents and people you are shopping for so that you can also know when your shopping is complete.

Make Time for Self-Care

Last but never least, be sure to take time for self-care. Set aside time just to unwind at the end of each day or after the completion of each big project. Eat healthy between holiday treats and get plenty of rest so that you can wake up energized to face the day each morning. If you start to feel over-stressed, take an afternoon off just to sip cocoa and enjoy pleasant company.

Stay Organized and On Time This Holiday Season with Time Tracker

One of the best ways to keep yourself on track for the holidays and still remember time for yourself is to track your time. The many features you’ll find in Time Tracker can help you build your holiday schedule and keep your priorities in line. Try it today for free for 14-days and enjoy a stress-free holiday season.

The post 9 Tips for Staying on Time this Holiday Season appeared first on eBillity.

1. Budget Variance

Budget variance (BV) is a vital KPI that measures the difference between the estimated budget and the actual incurred expenses during a project. It helps project managers identify cost overruns and decide how to best allocate resources for optimal performance.

A positive BV means that the project is below the estimated budget, while a negative one means the project is above its budget. For a project that’s within its budget, the BV must be equal to zero. You can use this formula to calculate your BV.

BV= Projected value – Actual value

2. Number of Budget Iterations

This metric identifies the number of times that a project’s budget was revised before the final approval. A higher number means more iterations before finalizing a budget. It also indicates that the project manager carefully examined the budget, making it more likely to succeed. Implementing this KPI in project management improves the budget proposal development and approval process.

3. On-time Completion Percentage

This invaluable KPI tracks the number of projects completed on time. Project managers can use it to track efficiency and make the necessary improvements. A good completion metric helps businesses understand what makes finalizing each project difficult within the estimated time.

For instance, most projects run behind, and the team members underestimate the time needed to complete them. The goal of every project manager should be to achieve a 100% on-time completion percentage or a value very close to that.

(On-time project completion percentage equals the number of projects completed on time divided by the total projects number x 100)

4. Billable Utilization

Billable utilization refers to the ratio of hours billable to clients against the overall available hours. It measures how much time your team spends working on activities the client pays for compared to the time spent on non-billable activities. High billable utilization indicates that your team effectively uses its time to generate revenue.

Nonetheless, too high utilization rates can lead to decreased work quality, burnout, stress, and a negative impact on the client’s satisfaction. It’s vital to strike a balance between maximizing billable utilization and offering enough time for non-billable activities such as administrative tasks, client relationship building, and professional development. You can calculate billable utilization with this formula.

Billable utilization = (Number of billable hours/Overall available hours) x 100

5. Percentage of Cancelled Projects

Businesses that frequently take up new projects may cancel some due to inefficiencies or reasons best known to them. The number of canceled projects reflects a company’s sustainability of business decisions and capability to plan ahead.

If the percentage of canceled projects is higher than that of successfully completed ones, you should go back to the drawing board and find out where you’re going wrong.

6. Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

SPI measures a project’s completion progress against the schedule. This KPI enables project managers to provide timely improvements to increase efficiency while eliminating guesswork. To calculate SPI, you need to divide the earned value by the planned value. If it’s greater than one, it means you are ahead of your project schedule. Similarly, a value less than one indicates that your project is running behind the planned schedule.

7. Resource Capacity

Tracking a project’s resource capacity helps managers derive maximum value by allocating resources where they are most needed. It also aids in:

• Preventing double allocation of a single resource to different activities taking place at the same time
• Eliminating under skilled resources
• Allowing resource rotation in different activities for optimal input
• Identifying skill gaps, planning for recruitment, and upskilling ahead of time

8. Return on Investment

Running profitable projects is the key to the long-term success of your business. Return on Investment (ROI) is the perfect KPI to monitor and measure the profits of your projects. To calculate ROI, you need to subtract the actual project costs from the earned value. A profitable project will have a higher earned value than the amount put in.

While this metric is essential at the end of a project, it doesn’t mean it can’t be measured along the way. Tracking ROI at the end of each project phase helps managers make worthwhile adjustments where some initiatives cost more than they should.

9. Employee Churn Rate

This metric tracks the percentage of employees who have left the company during a project. A high employee churn rate can negatively affect the efficiency of a project. For example, if half of the team members leave, you will likely experience unexpected expenses, delays, and lower customer satisfaction. While having a 0% churn rate is close to impossible, your ideal target should be below 15%.

Employee Churn Rate = (Number of team members who left/ Total number of team members) x 100

10. Stakeholder Satisfaction

Stakeholder satisfaction is a worthwhile KPI that tracks the satisfaction levels of stakeholders, including team members, sponsors, and clients. It reflects the project’s success in meeting stakeholders’ expectations and building strong relationships. A higher satisfaction rate is vital for project support, retention, and securing future opportunities.

Get a Time Tracker for Detailed Business Insight and More Efficient Projects

Time is an invaluable factor in project management and among the leading determinants of success. Tracking time helps managers make more intelligent decisions about scheduling, client billing, future projects, and team capacity. With good software like Time Tracker by eBillity, you can be sure to increase your business profitability through accurate monitoring of project budgets, billing, and increasing employees’ accountability. Try it free for 14-days and see how accurate time tracking and tracking KPIs can improve project success.

The post 10 Top Project Management KPIs to Help Grow Your Business appeared first on eBillity.

In this blog, we’ll take you through the essential steps on how to discuss raises with your employees. From preparation to follow-up, we’ve got you covered. So, let’s dive into this important managerial skill.

Setting the Stage

Preparation is key. Before you initiate the raise conversation, it is vital that you are well-prepared. Note that this involves more than just having the budget in place. You need to have a clear understanding of your employee’s performance, their contributions to the company, and the market standards for their position. Thus, beforehand, gather this data, conduct performance reviews, and ensure you have all the necessary information.

In addition, you need to create an environment in which the employee feels valued, heard, and motivated. This means seeking open communication and fostering an atmosphere of mutual respect and recognition, among others.

Timing is Everything

An often-overlooked factor in the raise conversation is timing. This is detrimental given that a poorly timed conversation can turn a positive experience into an awkward one. Therefore, it is best that you choose the right moment, ideally during performance reviews or work anniversaries. It is essential to mention that if you are discussing this matter outside these milestones, ensure that it’s a time when both you and your employee can fully focus without distractions.

Transparency and Trust

Transparency is a cornerstone in today’s workforce. Employees appreciate honesty and straightforwardness. As such, let them know from the outset that you intend to discuss their compensation. What’s more, explain why their contributions matter to the organization and that you value the work they put in.

Initiate the Conversation

It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to equate starting the raise conversation with setting the tone for a symphony. You want to do so in a comfortable, private setting where your employee feels at ease. You’ll then start the said conversation by expressing your appreciation for their dedication, thus setting a positive atmosphere from the onset.

Recognizing Achievements

A pivotal aspect of discussing raises is acknowledging your employee’s achievements. This avails the opportunity to give credit where it’s due and makes the conversation more impactful. It would be best that you paint a vivid picture of your employee’s contributions, backed by specific examples, and demonstrate how their work has positively influenced projects, teams, or the company. Taking this route and offering concrete evidence of their value reinforces the reasons behind the raise discussion, instilling a deeper sense of accomplishment and purpose.

Presenting the Raise Offer

The heart of the entire conversation is presenting the raise offer. It’s the climax that your employee has been waiting for. When you present the offer, it is best that you be unequivocal about the raise’s amount or percentage. You’ll also need to back this up with a clear explanation for the decision.

In retrospect, your employee needs to grasp why you’ve offered the raise. This enhances their sense of worth and appreciation. As such, consider presenting the raise offer without ambiguity with greater focus on open and transparent exchange.

Addressing Questions and Concerns

At this point, you’ve presented the offer to your employee. You need to then wait for their feedback which will often be voiced as questions. As such, you need to provide room for said questions and for the employee to raise any concerns that they might have.

For this to be successful, consider fostering open dialogue. In doing so, you make sure that both parties are on the same page and that any doubts are clarified. Consider providing a platform through which your employees can voice their queries and worries as this helps in building both trust and understanding.

The Art of Negotiation

It’s important to note that there are instances where negotiations will come into play. Specifically, there are situations in which your employee will seek to negotiate the raise offer that you’ve made. Think of this as a demonstration of their commitment to achieve a fair and mutually beneficial outcome.

To navigate this vital phase, start by listening actively to the points that the employee raises. Listen to their rationale as this will inform your response.

Going into the negotiation it is best that you are open to compromise. Specifically, consider being open to the idea of adjusting your terms to ensure that any concessions are fair and reasonable, both for the employee and the organization. The idea is to achieve a balance that maintains equity.

Overall, keep in mind that negotiation is not a zero-sum game. It is, in retrospect, an opportunity to strengthen the employment relationship. As such, it is best that you embrace it as a chance to demonstrate your commitment to a fair and equitable compensation package without compromise to the company’s fiscal standing.

Documenting the Discussion

Meticulously documenting the discussion is paramount as it safeguards the agreements made during the discussions and helps prevent potential future misunderstandings. Said documentation provides legal and ethical protection for both you and the employee. What’s more, it eliminates any ambiguity about the raise details. Further, it allows you to track your employee’s progress and performance creating a basis for future evaluations. Finally, documentation helps maintain consistency and equity in your organization’s compensation structure. The latter helps ensure that future raises are equitable and aligned with company standards.

Granted, documentation might seem like a procedural task. Still, it is a vital step in the management process and requires that you approach it with diligence and attention to detail. Keep in mind that the document you create not only protects you and your employee but also makes their entire raise discussion more transparent and harmonious.

Navigate Raise Discussions Like a Pro with Time Tracker

In the dynamic landscape that is management, the discussion about raises stands as a pivotal moment, a juncture where leadership, motivation, and aspiration converge. This conversation needs to hinge on transparency, empathy, and clear communication.

Fortunately, with the right insights and strategy, you can navigate this conversation ensuring that you fuel the fires of ambition and leave no room for uncertainty.

One such strategy is leveraging Time Tracker’s comprehensive reports. The latter enables you to showcase your employee’s successes by tracking the time spent on projects and tasks. This can come in handy when settling on a raise amount or percentage or during the negotiations. Try Time Tracker free for 14 days and see how easy it is to run reports that will help you in your pay raise discussions.

The post How to Discuss Raises with Your Employees appeared first on eBillity.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover key stats on remote worker productivity, common struggles managers face, and actionable solutions to boost productivity for distributed teams.

The Productivity Problem: Stats and Struggles

Recent data reveals the complexities of optimizing productivity for remote employees:

• 22% of companies say measuring remote employee productivity is their biggest struggle.
• 65% of remote workers struggle with collaboration and communication.
• 69% of employees admit to wasting time while working remotely.
• 87% of remote workers feel more productive at home. But only 47% of managers agree.

Why do remote workers struggle to remain productive? Here are some of the most common issues managers’ report:

• Lack of oversight – Without being able to physically monitor employees in an office, it’s much harder for managers to prevent distractions and ensure work gets done efficiently.
• Isolation – Remote workers often feel disconnected from their team and company culture. This lack of socialization and collaboration can negatively impact motivation.
• Communication barriers – Technical issues, time zone differences, and lack of face-to-face interaction make it harder to collaborate effectively. Miscommunications happen more frequently.
• Distractions at home – Remote workers must resist distraction from kids, pets, chores, and more. Self-discipline is required to stay on task.
• No separation between work and life – Remote workers struggle to set firm boundaries between their professional and personal lives. Working from home blurs the lines, leading to burnout.
• Measuring meaningful output – Managers tend to rely on simple metrics like hours logged and tasks completed rather than evaluating work quality. This fails to provide a complete picture.
• Lack of technical support – Remote workers often lose productivity waiting on IT support and troubleshooting technical problems on their own. Having reliable tools is critical.
• Employee monitoring concerns – While oversight is needed, workers may resent strict monitoring like screenshot captures or video surveillance. Managers must find a comfortable balance.

Tracking Productivity: Tactics and Technology

Boosting remote worker productivity requires a multifaceted approach. Below we outline actionable strategies and tools managers can implement:

1. Set Clear Goals and Expectations

Remote workers need clarity on what they should be achieving. Set SMART goals that align to business objectives and key results. Define quantitative and qualitative success metrics for goals. Communicate availability expectations and response time requirements.

2. Foster Communication and Collaboration

Actively work to prevent remote teams from feeling disconnected. Encourage employees to overcommunicate progress and seek clarification, especially when collaborating on projects. Make use of digital tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Asana, and Zoom to enable real-time discussion. Host regular video calls for social facetime.

3. Track Time and Progress

Gain visibility into how remote teams spend their time. Use time tracking software like Time Tracker to have your team track their hours remotely. Review reports regularly to verify time investments and identify efficiency opportunities.

4. Prioritize Wellbeing

Prevent burnout by encouraging remote employees to take breaks, unplug after hours, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Consider providing wellness benefits like gym memberships, meditation apps, or mental health counseling. Emphasize work output over hours logged.

5. Leverage Asynchronous Communication

Accommodate remote workers across different time zones. Utilize tools like Slack, Trello, and Asana to facilitate communication that doesn’t require real-time discussion. Empower employees to work when they are most focused and productive.

6. Automate Repetitive Processes

Look for ways to automate repetitive tasks like data entry, documentation, and reporting. Tools like Zapier, IFTTT, and Integromat can connect apps to streamline workflows. Evaluate processes that can be optimized or eliminated altogether.

7. Conduct Regular Check-ins

Don’t just rely on progress reports. Schedule weekly or bi-weekly one-on-one meetings with remote employees to provide feedback, recognition, and guidance. Ask about any roadblocks or issues impacting their work. Check-ins help build trust and keep teams feeling motivated.

8. Encourage Peer Learning Opportunities

Capitalize on the diversity of skills across remote teams. Enable employees to share expertise through mentoring programs, lunch-and-learns, documentation, and more. Dedicate time for peer knowledge transfer during meetings.

9. Monitor and Refine Processes

Continuously assess what’s working and what’s not. Encourage remote workers to share feedback on their biggest productivity challenges. Use tools like surveys and focus groups to identify areas for improvement. Refine processes frequently based on learnings.

10. Set Up Proper Equipment

Provide remote employees with essential hardware like laptops, monitors, headsets, and keyboards. Offer tech support and equip workers to troubleshoot basic issues on their own. Proper tools and infrastructure prevent productivity lags.

11. Recognize and Reward Success

Motivate remote teams by calling out great work. Highlight productivity gains publicly. Incentivize goals through rewards like gift cards, additional PTO, or company swag. Celebrate wins virtually.

12. Lead by Example

Managers set the tone for productivity expectations. Be available when expected. Meet deadlines consistently. Don’t burn out your team with unrealistic demands. Set up your own home office properly. Learn productivity best practices yourself first.

Manage Remote Teams with Time Tracker

Time Tracker can optimize productivity for remote teams by allowing teams to track their hours spent on projects and tasks. This will provide visibility into how remote teams spend their time with automated time logs. Our comprehensive time tracking platform gives managers the oversight required to keep remote teams productive. Become the leader your distributed team needs to thrive in the future of remote work and try Time Tracker’s free 14-day trial.

The post Here’s How to Track Productivity of Remote Workers appeared first on eBillity.

In this blog, we’ll explore various solutions to improve team building for remote workers, with a special focus on the transformative potential of digital tools.

Craft a Team Building Action Plan

If you are to successfully improve team building for your remote team, you’ve got to start with crafting a team-building action plan.

Start by defining the specific goals for your remote team-building efforts. Here, you’ll need to consider what you want to achieve, whether it’s improved communication, better trust, increased morale, or enhanced problem-solving skills.

It’s best to mention that for this first step to be successful, you’ve got to inspect the current dynamics and challenges of your remote team. You might need to conduct surveys or in-person meetings to gather feedback from your team.

Having determined the objectives and understood current dynamics, you can now select appropriate activities.

Virtual Team Building Activities

There are team-building activities that you can weave in to bring a bit of fun into your remote employees’ day. These include:

1. Scheduling Weekly Virtual Chats

Consider scheduling weekly virtual meetings for remote teams as these provide opportunities for team members to connect, communicate, and build stronger bonds, despite the physical distance.

To successfully implement this strategy, start by setting clear objectives for the virtual chats. This could be, for instance, team building, project updates, or simply social interactions. Starting with a clear objective means that you can successfully guide the content and structure of said meetings.

Further, when scheduling weekly virtual chats, you need to choose a suitable time and duration. Here, you ought to keep in mind the time zones and availability of the different team members. An insider tip would be to aim for a consistent day and time each week and keep the meetings reasonably short.

For these weekly virtual chats, make sure you select the right video conferencing tools that support interactive features like screen sharing, chat, and breakout rooms.

Once set up, start each meeting with a brief icebreaker or team-building activity. This should create a positive and interactive atmosphere. Go further and encourage open discussion by encouraging the members to share their thoughts, ask questions, and seek input from other members.

Regular weekly virtual chats are a powerful tool for remote teams to stay connected and build strong working relationships. Remember to start with clear objectives, and structure, and emphasize open communications.

2. Create Separate Channels for Team Building

An insider tip is to create a separate channel or space for team building within your remote team’s communication platform or tool. In doing so, you ensure that team-building activities and discussions aren’t drowned out by work-related conversations. What’s more, these dedicated channels ensure that all team members are aware of team-building activities and events. The outcome is streamlined event planning.

Additional benefits to having a separate channel for team building include:

• Clear communication
• Greater sense of community
• Greater participation
• Positive team culture

3. Inject the Right Games into Workdays

Introduce some levity into your workdays with a few games. These games can build camaraderie, strengthen communication, and boost team morale. Some of the games you could play with your remote team include:

• Virtual Trivia
• Online Escape Rooms
• Virtual Scavenger Hunt
• Pictionary or Charades
• 30-Second Pitch
• Virtual Poker Night
• Collaborative Online Games like Among Us, Minecraft, or Fortnight

Offer Peer-to-Peer Learning Opportunities

A great way to improve team building for your remote teams is to offer peer-to-peer learning opportunities. The latter has a host of benefits including:

• Knowledge sharing and skill development
• Enhanced problem-solving
• Improved collaboration
• Increased engagement
• Customized learning

To achieve peer-to-peer learning, start by identifying areas of peer learning. This could include skills related to the job, soft skills, tools, and software, or even personal development. Thereafter, create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their expertise. You should then consider creating a peer learning framework which could include regular peer-led training sessions, knowledge-sharing forums, or mentorship programs.

Budget for Occasional In-Person Meetings

To complement your virtual team-building efforts, consider making plans for occasional in-person meetings. Specifically, consider allocating some resources for in-person meetings as part of your team building for remote workers’ strategy. With face-to-face interactions, team members can build stronger personal relationships, foster trust, and camaraderie, and overall, enhanced cohesion.

Besides, these meetings create an opportunity for team bonding through shared experiences. When the teams engage in team-building exercises, share group meals, or go on a recreational outing, there’s a possibility that they can build lasting connections.

Consider including some training or development activities at these in-person meetings, such as hands-on workshops or team-building exercises. When conducted in person, these have been proven to be more impactful.

Additionally, consider celebrating milestones at these in-person meetings. The shared celebration of success boosts morale and reinforces a sense of accomplishment.

Finally, occasional in-person meetings bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds. This provides the opportunity for cultural exchange. Oftentimes, the outcome is a deeper understanding of each other’s perspective.

Time Tracker: Your Teamwork Accelerator for Remote Success!

In the remote work ecosystem, team building for remote workers is paramount to success. Time Tracker by eBillity offers a powerful solution that not only enhances team scheduling and notifications, but also significantly improves teamwork among remote teams. By simplifying the coordination of team meetings, project deadlines, and training sessions, Time Tracker ensures that the team operates seamlessly. The real-time notifications provided by Time Tracker keep team members informed and connected, encouraging effective communication and collaboration. Whether you’re coordinating virtual team-building activities, sharing project updates, or scheduling training sessions, Time Tracker is the linchpin in enhancing teamwork and building stronger connections within your remote team. Embrace this opportunity to streamline your remote team’s communication and collaboration by starting your 14-day free trial today!

The post How to Improve Team Building for Remote Workers appeared first on eBillity.

Challenges in Hiring Good Employees

1. Talent Shortage

Navigating the dearth of skills is the foremost challenge that you’ll likely have to confront in your pursuit of effective hiring. This drought of qualified candidates makes identifying skilled workers a mounting challenge.

2. High Competition

A defining obstacle in the race for top-tier talent is fierce competition. Oftentimes, the most sought-after candidates will be courted by multiple companies simultaneously. The result is intense rivalry which is particularly impeding for smaller enterprises.

3. Cultural Fit

Balancing skills and synergy are a multifaceted challenge for most employers. While skills and qualifications are undoubtedly vital, you’ve got to ensure that a hired candidate seamlessly aligns with your organization’s values and work culture.

4. Time and Resource Constraints

Effective hiring is often a resource-intensive endeavor. It especially places a substantial burden on small and medium-sized businesses without dedicated HR teams. What often happens is that this meticulous process will lead to a diversion of precious resources from core operations.

Read on for actionable insights and strategies to navigate each of these challenges effectively.

Tips for Finding Good Employees

1. Clearly Define Your Needs

Consider starting the hiring process by crafting the ideal profile. Meticulously define your organization’s needs. Thereafter, develop a comprehensive profile that outlines the specific skills, qualifications, experience, and cultural alignment that your ideal candidate should possess.

2. Utilize Multiple Sourcing Channels

In your quest for skilled workers, consider casting a wide net. Specifically, embrace the diversity of sourcing channels at your disposal. This means looking beyond traditional job boards to channels like social media platforms, industry-specific websites, and invaluable resources for employee referrals.

3. Create a Strong Employer Brand

To attract skilled workers, you’ve got to leverage your employer brand. This means elevating your company’s mission, values, and culture on digital platforms to create a compelling narrative. The idea is to become the organization that candidates are drawn to.

4. Consider Remote and Flexible Work

To attract top-tier talent, consider modernizing your approach by offering remote work options or flexible schedules. In doing so, you get to accommodate the growing trend of work-life balance. What’s more, you open doors to a geographically diverse talent pool.

5. Implement a Structured Screening Process

A rigorous screening process is the best way to build a solid foundation. Consider a systematic approach that includes resume reviews, phone interviews, skills assessments, and comprehensive reference checks. What’s more, consider adhering to a consistent methodology as this ensures a fair and thorough evaluation of all candidates.

6. Leverage Behavioral Interviewing

A new technique that you should leverage is behavioral interviewing. This means you intentionally delve into a candidate’s past experiences and behaviors. The idea is to investigate the candidate’s problem-solving abilities, adaptability, and teamwork skills.

7. Test for Technical Skills

Suppose you are looking to hire for a position that requires specialized technical skills. For this, you will need to implement skills tests or assessments to validate the candidate’s proficiency. These tests are meant to provide tangible evidence of the candidate’s capabilities. Think of it to transcend mere claims made during the interview process.

8. Assess Soft Skills

An insider tip is to prioritize soft skills evaluation. Essentially, you will be looking for the human element beyond just the technical prowess. You should devote careful attention to soft skills such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership.

9. Conduct Thorough Reference Checks

Consider validating the journey of the candidate before you. Meticulously contact the candidate’s former employers and colleagues. Here, you’ll be looking to uncover the candidate’s work history, reliability, and character. During the checks, consider posing open-ended questions that encourage the referee to provide detailed feedback.

10. Promote Diversity and Inclusion

As an employer, you want to broaden your horizons, which means actively promoting diversity and inclusion. You should consider blind hiring practices to mitigate unconscious biases. The outcome is a greater employee pool with enhanced creativity and innovation.

11. Offer Competitive Compensation

Research shows that securing and retaining skilled workers often hinges on offering competitive compensation packages. This means looking beyond a competitive salary. You want to also offer comprehensive benefits, performance-related bonuses, and opportunities for professional development. In doing so, you demonstrate that you value excellence which in effect is a powerful magnet for top-tier talent.

12. Provide Growth Opportunities

A great way to showcase your commitment to employee growth and development during the recruitment process is to point out that you encourage professional advancements. Doing so makes your organization an attractive prospect for skilled workers.

The Role of Time Tracker in Employee Management

Having successfully navigated the terrain of effective hiring and secured skilled workers, the next crucial step is efficient employee management.

Time Tracker by eBillity is a robust time tracking software solution designed to streamline the management of your workforce, optimize productivity, and ensure accurate compensation.

Key benefits of using Time Tracker include:

• Precise Time Tracking: With Time Tracker, you can empower your employees to accurately log their working hours and reduce errors and potential disputes.
• Efficient Payroll Processing: Having accurate time records simplifies the payroll process, reduces errors, and ensures timely compensation for your skilled workers.
• Effective Project Management: With Time Tracker, you can allocate your employee hours to specific projects with precision, optimize resource utilization, and track project progress.
• Insightful Reporting: Time Tracker generates detailed reports on employee hours enabling you to identify productivity trends and areas for improvement in your workforce management.
• Compliance Assurance: Ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations by accurately tracking employee hours and overtime. This way, you should be able to avoid legal complications.

The journey to effective hiring is an intricate one. Fortunately, with a meticulous approach where you define your needs, utilize diverse sourcing channels, and prioritize cultural alignment, you can attract and retain top-tier talent.

Incorporate Time Tracker by eBillity into your employee management processes to ensure efficient workforce management and maximize the productivity of your skilled workers. We invite you to take advantage of a 14-day free trial of Time Tracker and embark on a journey toward more effective hiring and employee management today.

The post How to Hire Good Employees: What Employers Should Know appeared first on eBillity.

Yet, a pervasive problem afflicts most businesses – employees not submitting their timesheets on time. Before we delve into this ubiquitous problem, you might well ask, “Why does this matter so much?”.

The Cascading Impacts of Missed Timesheets

The path of late timesheet submissions is littered with dominoes waiting to fall. First to tumble is the planning: when time records are inaccurate or incomplete, planning and tracking projects becomes akin to navigating a labyrinth blindfolded.

Next, productivity takes the hit: the time that should be spent on completing the actual tasks gets diverted to chasing down and completing late timesheets. Following closely on productivity’s tail is payroll accuracy. Incorrect timesheets, or those submitted at the eleventh hour, often induce errors in payroll processing, at times leading to underpayment or overpayment of employees.

Considering the disruption it causes, addressing the issue of late timesheet submissions seems non-negotiable. Yet, how can this be accomplished efficiently and effectively?

Bringing Time Tracker into the Equation

If there was a knight in shining armor to tackle this problem, it would be personified by Time Tracker. An efficient tool that almost takes on a life of its own in the realm of tracking and managing employee timesheets. It heralds an era where time management is no longer a chore but a valuable part of the work process itself.

The secret ingredient in Time Tracker’s success recipe is its automated reminders for timesheet submissions. A seemingly simple solution, automated reminders, can greatly reduce the instances of late timesheet submissions. Now, you’re likely wondering, “Does this system involve a steep learning curve?” The answer gleams in bright neon lights, ‘Absolutely not!’.

Making Time Tracker Work for You

The beauty of Time Tracker lies not only in its effectiveness but also in its ease of use. To set up reminder notifications, you go through a series of user-friendly steps:

1. Log into your Time Tracker account.
2. Navigate to the ‘Reminder Notifications’ section.
3. Decide on your preferred notification frequency and timings.
4. Customize the message content.

Et voila! You’ve set up a system that proactively takes charge of nudging employees to submit their timesheets timely.

Crafting Effective Reminder Notifications

However, merely setting a reminder is not enough. To have the desired impact, these reminders need to be effective and must spur your employees into action. Here are a few tips to make your notifications more impactful:

1. Conciseness is key: Ensure the message is concise and clear.
2. Draw them in: Make use of friendly, encouraging language.
3. Highlight benefits: Explain the advantages of timely submissions for employees.

Unveiling the Impacts

We’ve spoken about the challenges of missed timesheet submissions and introduced you to the time tracking solution in the form of Time Tracker. But the proof of the pudding is in the tasting. So, let’s look at the impacts this tool has on timesheet management.

Companies using Time Tracker have experienced a significant improvement in their timesheet submission rates. Simultaneously, they have noted a noticeable increase in employee productivity levels. The tool’s most resounding endorsement, however, comes from the reduction in payroll errors.

Delving Deeper: Understanding the Issue

Late timesheets, like any business problem, can be best resolved through a thorough understanding of the roots of the issue. When asked the reasons behind their tardy submissions, employees cite forgetfulness and being too busy as the most common factors. Other employees confess that they hold off on filling out their timesheets due to the tedious nature of the task, and some simply don’t see its relevance in their scope of work.

These varying reasons underscore the need for a solution that is not only effective but also attentive to the diverse needs and attitudes of employees toward time tracking. A successful solution must provide gentle and persistent reminders, streamline the process of timesheet submission, connect the task with its broader organizational implications, and, most importantly, simplify the task so it’s not viewed as an addition to the employees’ workload.

Beyond Reminders: Comprehensive Time Management

Time Tracker’s automated reminders are just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond it, Time Tracker also offers a plethora of features that transform it from just a reminder tool to a comprehensive time management tool. It allows for easy time entry and real-time tracking, provides detailed reporting features, allows for seamless integrations with other workplace tools, and is easily accessible across devices. By making the process of time tracking easy and personalized, Time Tracker reduces the chances of late submissions and makes it more likely for employees to regularly submit their timesheets.

Personalization: The Key to Engagement

One of the key features of Time Tracker is its ability to be personalized according to the needs of the organization and its employees. This personalization extends beyond the nature and frequency of the reminders. It allows organizations to set their own timesheet approval workflows, creating a sense of ownership and engagement amongst employees. Employees can also customize the tool to best match their working style. This flexibility makes the process of time tracking more engaging and less like drudgery.

Building a Time-Conscious Culture

Vital as Time Tracker is as a time management tool, its full potency is realized when it operates in an environment that values time. This involves fostering a time-conscious culture within the organization. Efforts could range from workshops on time management to rewarding employees for consistent on-time timesheet submissions. Time-consciousness should be woven into the very fabric of the organization and should be a core part of its value system. Reminders from Time Tracker would then operate within a receptive cultural environment and will be more effective.

Envisioning the Future

With Time Tracker, the once herculean task of managing employee timesheets becomes a much simpler process. Its reminders ensure that employees consistently submit timesheets, while other features aid in the broader process of time management. The tool’s convenient and easy-to-use nature induces a positive attitude toward time tracking among employees.

When complemented with a time-conscious culture within the organization, Time Tracker can lead to significant improvements in productivity and overall organizational success. Efficient time tracking and management can then stop being a goal and start being a reality.

To conclude, it’s apparent that late timesheet submission is an issue of significance. However, Time Tracker brings to the table a simple yet effective solution. With its easy-to-use features and persistent reminders, organizations can look forward to a future where late timesheet submissions are an anomaly, not the norm. Don’t just take our word for it. Try it and experience the difference yourself!

Time to Act

Are you now keen to experience these benefits firsthand? Time Tracker offers a free 14-day trial, providing a commitment-free way to test the system. Gear up to witness increased efficiency and productivity levels within your organization.

The post A Widespread Challenge: Employees Not Submitting Timesheets appeared first on eBillity.

Accurate timekeeping is even more important when it comes to remote work, as it can be challenging to accurately monitor employee hours. While manual methods such as timecards and spreadsheets have been used in the past, they can be cumbersome, error-prone, and time-consuming. Remote work is on the rise, and with it comes the need for efficient time-tracking methods. According to a 2022 report, 54% of companies allow remote work, and the number of people working remotely at least once a week has increased by 400% since 2010. In a remote work setting, manual methods can lead to missed or inaccurate entries, leading to difficulties in calculating hours, pay, and taxes. That’s why mobile timekeeper apps like Time Tracker are becoming an increasingly popular solution for remote work time tracking.

To make sure you stay compliant with labor laws and to ensure accurate pay for your employees, it is important to have an efficient and flexible timekeeping solution in place. A mobile timekeeper app like Time Tracker can help simplify and streamline this process for you, offering an accurate and reliable way to track your employee hours.

Importance of Time Tracking Remote Working Hours

Remote work has become a popular option for many professionals. However, without proper time tracking methods, it can be challenging to ensure that employees are productive and efficient. Here are some key reasons why tracking hours for remote work is essential:

• Accountability: When working from home, employees are more susceptible to distractions, which can affect their productivity. By tracking their hours, remote workers are held accountable for their time, making them more mindful of how they are using it.
• Compliance: Certain industries require employees to track their hours for compliance reasons, such as legal, consulting, and HR industries. By implementing time tracking software, companies can ensure that they are adhering to any regulatory requirements.
• Accuracy: Manual time tracking methods, such as paper timesheets or spreadsheets, can be prone to inaccuracies. With a mobile timekeeper app, such as Time Tracker, remote workers can log their time accurately, ensuring that they are being paid correctly.
• Project Management: When working on a team project, tracking hours can help keep everyone on the same page. Knowing how much time each team member has spent on a task or project can help with future planning and resource allocation.
• Invoicing: Accurate time tracking can be beneficial when invoicing clients or billing internally for services provided. By tracking hours, companies can ensure that they are invoicing the correct amount and avoiding any billing disputes.

Disadvantages of Manual Timekeeping Methods

Manual timekeeping used to be the main choice for keeping track of working hours, as no other options existed at the time. Yet, it had several disadvantages. This remains true with remote work being more prevalent, only the negative impacts have been amplified. Both scenarios, with and without remote work, include a range of issues.

Limitations of Manual Timekeeping

• Difficult to accurately track time: When employees are working from different locations, it can be hard to accurately track their hours using manual methods. Time may be under or over-reported, which can lead to payroll errors and discrepancies.
• Time-consuming: Collecting and organizing timesheets from remote workers can be time-consuming, especially if you must chase them down to submit their hours.
• Lack of transparency: With manual timekeeping methods, it can be difficult to ensure that employees are accurately reporting their hours. This can create a lack of transparency, which can be frustrating for employers who want to ensure that everyone is following the same rules and working the same amount of time.

Risks Created by Manual Timekeeping

• Payroll errors: When hours are manually recorded, there is a higher risk of errors. This can result in employees being paid incorrectly, which can lead to problems with compliance and labor laws.
• Lost or misplaced timesheets: When you’re relying on manual methods, there is a risk that timesheets can be lost or misplaced, which can create further confusion and inaccuracies.
• Security concerns: When you’re manually collecting and storing timesheets, there is a risk that sensitive information could be lost or stolen. This can create a potential security risk for your business.

By using a modern timekeeping solution, you can streamline your time-tracking process, ensure accuracy and transparency, and minimize the risk of payroll errors and security concerns.

Benefits of Mobile Timekeeping

Mobile timekeeper apps like Time Tracker provide many benefits to remote workers and their managers. Here are just a few:

• Real-time tracking: Mobile timekeeper apps allow remote workers to track their time in real-time, giving managers a clear view of how employees are spending their time and helping workers ensure that they are meeting their goals and deadlines.
• Accurate reporting: By automatically tracking time, mobile timekeeper apps provide accurate reports on employee hours, helping managers stay on top of project budgets and avoiding any billing or payroll errors.
• Increased efficiency: Using a mobile timekeeper app to track time eliminates the need for manual timesheets, saving time and reducing the risk of errors or fraudulent activity.
• Enhanced accountability: With real-time tracking and accurate reporting, remote workers are held accountable for their time, ensuring that they are productive and contributing to the success of the organization.
• Flexibility: Mobile timekeeper apps are accessible from anywhere, allowing remote workers to easily track their hours whether they are working from home, at a client site, or on the go.

How Time Tracker simplifies and streamlines remote work time tracking

Remote work time tracking can be a daunting task, especially when relying on manual methods. Thankfully, mobile timekeeper apps like Time Tracker provide a flexible solution that can make this process much simpler and more streamlined. Here are some of the ways Time Tracker can help:

Easy time tracking:

Time Tracker lets you track hours with just a few taps on your smartphone or tablet. This makes it easy to stay on top of your work hours even when you’re on the go.

Customizable settings:

Time Tracker allows you to set up multiple projects and tasks, and even customize billable rates. This way, you can track your hours accurately and ensure you’re charging the right amount for your work.

Seamless integration:

Time Tracker integrates with popular accounting tools like QuickBooks and Xero, allowing you to seamlessly sync your time data.

Comprehensive reporting:

With Time Tracker, you can generate detailed reports that show your hours worked, projects completed, and billable amounts. This helps track your productivity and make sure you’re meeting your goals.

Overall, Time Tracker is a comprehensive solution that makes remote work time tracking more efficient and less stressful. With its easy-to-use interface and powerful features, it’s no wonder why so many professionals in various industries are using it.

Free trial and sign-up instructions

Ready to try out Time Tracker for yourself? You can sign up for a 14-day free trial on our website, no credit card required.

During your trial, you’ll have access to all of Time Tracker’s features, as well as free integrations and support. And if you need help connecting Time Tracker to your favorite project management or accounting tools, our team can do it for you in less than five minutes.

If you have any questions or need help signing up for your free trial, contact us. We can’t wait to help you streamline your remote work time-tracking!

The post Streamline Remotely Worked Hours: Time Tracking with Mobile Timekeeper App appeared first on eBillity.