When it comes to payroll, the method doesn\u2019t matter as much as the impact. Time theft \u2014 whether intentional or not \u2014 can quickly affect your bottom line.<\/p>\n
Employers have a responsibility to monitor working hours accurately. Without proper oversight, budget overruns and inefficiencies can build up fast.<\/p>\n
In this article, we look at ways to monitor and fine tune your time tracking<\/a>. Here\u2019s how to avoid common problems with employee time keeping<\/a>.<\/p>\n First, let\u2019s take a closer look at how time theft occurs.<\/p>\n What is time theft? It\u2019s when your employees cash a paycheck that includes hours they didn\u2019t actually work.<\/p>\n It\u2019s widely accepted that one-third of your employees have stolen time at one time or another. And, just one of your employees who steals or wastes just 15 minutes each day costs you a week\u2019s pay each year.<\/p>\n Add that up for each of your employees, and the number is staggering.<\/p>\n For companies still using paper time sheets, detecting time theft is often difficult. Employees who log their own hours on a time sheet often round up or don\u2019t take off the time they spend gabbing with co-workers.<\/p>\n The most common type of time theft comes during break times. For example, you offer one 15-minute break per day, but your employee takes two. Or, your employee spends 10 minutes each day gossiping with the co-worker in the next cubicle.<\/p>\n Another common type of type theft comes when your employees<\/a> text, take phone calls, surf the web or use social media. They are using your time for their personal business.<\/p>\n Now, here\u2019s how to avoid common problems with employee time keeping.<\/p>\n It seems like you should be able to trust your employees, right? It also seems like your employees would know that their time costs you money. Often times neither of these scenarios is true.<\/p>\n When it comes to avoiding time theft, one way is with communication. Perhaps that employee who gossips each morning for 10 minutes doesn\u2019t realize she\u2019s costing you money.<\/p>\n You want to let your employees know through your employee manual, onboarding and ongoing training what your expectations are.<\/p>\n Lay out a plan for personal time that includes phone calls<\/a>, text and Internet usage. Acknowledge that time spent chatting with fellow employees can be good for team building (in moderation), but let your employees know when it\u2019s acceptable and when it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n When it comes to communication, you want to be very specific about what\u2019s allowable. Be sure to let your employees know the repercussions if they don\u2019t comply.<\/p>\n Another way to encourage proper time keeping is with employee incentive or reward programs.<\/p>\n Create time-based goals for your employees. Monitor their progress and reward accurate, on-time work.<\/p>\n This creates accountability on their part that they know has consequences.<\/p>\n This can go a long way toward preventing time theft.<\/p>\n Do you waste time at work?<\/p>\n Ensure that you\u2019re being a good steward of your time. Keep personal calls to a minimum and avoid extended breaks.<\/p>\n Set the example for your employees. This helps your employees know what\u2019s expected. If they constantly see you shirking your duties, they\u2019ll feel like it\u2019s okay for them.<\/p>\n ZoomShift<\/a> is time tracking software that can help your company prevent time theft.<\/p>\n Our time clock software not only tracks employee time, but with it, you can compare scheduled time to actual worked time and export it to your payroll system.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll instantly know which of your employees are milking the clock and stealing time. With ZoomShift, you\u2019ll also know who isn\u2019t working a full shift.<\/p>\n This is all done electronically, so you don\u2019t have to waste your own time comparing scheduled shifts against actual hours worked.<\/p>\n ZoomShift works with your employees<\/a>. They can download the app to their computer, tablet or phone, so they have their own time clock right in their pocket.<\/p>\n Plus, the ZoomShift time clock sees the schedule. It knows if an employee is clocking in when they\u2019re supposed to and warms employees if they clock in and aren\u2019t scheduled.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, with ZoomShift, you can whitelist IP addresses. This lets you know if employees are clocking in at the location they\u2019re working. This keeps employees from clocking in on the bus while they\u2019re\u2019 running late for work.<\/p>\n Using time keeping software like ZoomShift takes the guesswork out of employee time theft. It eliminates the hassles and lets you and your employees focus on getting the work done.<\/p>\n Most businesses can expect some level of time theft<\/a> \u2014 but there are practical ways to reduce it and even eliminate it altogether.<\/p>\n Time theft impacts both productivity and profitability. While some employees may do it intentionally, others may not even realize it\u2019s happening \u2014 but the outcome is the same.<\/p>\n Stealing time is no different than stealing a product. Use the tips outlined above to help prevent it within your team.<\/p>\n An employee management<\/a> tool like ZoomShift<\/a> helps you stay on top of time tracking. It supports your business by minimizing budget overruns and reducing time theft.<\/p>\n The bottom line: implement a reliable timekeeping system to protect your business and improve productivity.<\/p>\nWays Employees Steal Your Company\u2019s Time<\/h3>\n
Avoid Time Theft with Communication<\/h3>\n
Avoid Time Theft with Accountability<\/h3>\n
Avoid Time Theft by Leading<\/h3>\n
![\"employee-time-keeping\"](\"https:\/\/zoomshift.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/employee-time-keeping.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAvoid Time Theft with Software<\/h3>\n
Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n