With the use of time tracking programs, you can improve your bids and labor estimates for different projects by tracking time. At the same time, you can learn which tasks should be automated and how to make your team more productive.
However, employee resistance can be a key barrier to tracking time efficiently. When this happens, you’ll have to figure out ways around this resistance if you want to use these tools in your office.
Reasons Employees Don’t Like Tracking Time
Sometimes, employees feel like time tracking software is unnecessary surveillance. They may be afraid of being judged for their productivity and how they use their time at work. Because of this, you may need to overcome employee resistance if you plan on incorporating time tracking tools into your workplace.
They Don’t Want to Be Micromanaged
Even good employees don’t want someone looking over their shoulder as they do their work. Initially, a time tracker can feel intrusive. For some employees, it can feel like you don’t trust them to do their job properly or like they need to be micromanaged.
It’s Difficult to Use Remotely
Many employees have to complete their work at home or while traveling. Depending on the tracking system, it can be challenging to track time while employees are on the go.
They Forget to Use It
It takes time to create a new habit. Many employees forget to track their time, which makes it impossible to get accurate data. Constant reminders to track time can also become annoying for team members.
The App Isn’t User Friendly
For employees to use a time tracking app, the app has to have an intuitive design. While modern employees tend to be fairly good with technology, this isn’t always the case. If an employee can’t figure out how to use the app, they may hide their embarrassment by resisting the app’s adoption entirely.
They Don’t Want to Watch a Clock
Workdays are already long enough. Some employees don’t want to track their time because they have to look at the clock frequently, which can make the workday feel like it is trudging along.
They Want to Do Their Jobs
Some employees don’t want to track their time because they want to focus on their real work. Even though it takes only a few seconds to do, they may feel annoyed about having to switch gears. Many see time tracking as a distraction from getting real work accomplished.
How to Motivate Employees to Track Their Time
Fortunately, there are ways you can make time tracking easier for your employees. By having an open-ended conversation about tracking time, you can encourage employees to use the app and enjoy the many benefits of time trackers.
1. Explain the Purpose
Children can be told what to do, but adults always want to know why. If you want to get your team’s buy-in, you should start by explaining to them how the tracking system will be used and why it is important.
For instance, many organizations track time to help them with project scoping and creating future bids. Additionally, tracking time is a great way to find automation opportunities.
2. Organize a Team Meeting
If you simply require employees to use time tracking software, you may encounter a significant amount of resistance. Give your employees a chance to air their concerns. In a team meeting, you can discuss the reasons why you want to use tracking software and how the entire system will work.
3. Send Out Reminders
It takes time to make a new habit. For many employees, the key source of resistance is forgetfulness. Even though they know they are supposed to track their time, they may forget to do it.
To overcome this kind of resistance, you can start by sending out email reminders. A good time tracking app will even let you set up automated email reminders, so your employees will automatically be reminded to complete and turn in their timesheets. Because of this, you don’t have to personally worry about nagging employees to get their timesheets approved.
4. Incorporate It Into Your Onboarding
Training employees to do something is always easier than retraining them to change their habits. While your current employees will have to be retrained, your new employees can begin tracking their time from the moment they begin the onboarding process. By incorporating this into onboarding, you can make time tracking an automatic habit.
During the onboarding process, you can give a presentation about why you want to track time and how it works. Then, you can demonstrate how it works before letting everyone try it out.
To help reduce stress, you should pick a day when everyone needs to submit their timesheets. Then, remember to send out an automatic email reminder before the due date.
5. Offer Incentives
Bonuses and other incentives can encourage team members to track their time properly. For competitive employees, any competition will get them to immediately adopt the new tracking software. If you have employees who are motivated by collaboration, you can always create a team competition and let peer pressure encourage them to adopt the new measures.
These incentives can be handed out to people who turn in every timesheet for an entire quarter. You can also reward team members for completing their timesheets without any errors. Depending on your budget and organizational goals, these awards can consist of free lunches, gift cards, or points on their year-end review.
6. Avoid Negativity
If people feel like time tracking is a negative experience, they won’t want to do it. Instead of getting after people for not tracking their time, use rewards and positive reinforcement instead. People resent being punished and forced to do something, so you should always start by using incentives and gentle reminders instead.
Effective Time Tracking Software Can Reshape Your Workplace
Tracking time can help you run a more productive, efficient workplace. To enjoy the benefits of a time tracker, you have to help your employees overcome resistance to tracking time. To learn more about the ways time trackers can help your organization, try our 14-day free trial today!