Re-posted with permission from M2SYS and edited.
With the growing number of remote and mobile workforce, time theft has become a much bigger issue for employers. In fact, it has become so big, millions of dollars are being lost every year in productivity. This puts a dent in cash flow by paying for work that was not completed.
There are many ways time theft can occur in your office space, and your outdated time and attendance system doesn’t help your situation. Below are some techniques your employees use for time theft.
5 Ways Employees Steal Time
1) Friend or “Buddy” Punching
Employees have created a buddy system where one ‘friend’ or employee clocks in for another one when they are late or absent. This costs you money for employees who aren’t even at work or on the job site.
2) Beat the Clock
It is not uncommon for staff and employees in the workplace to ‘fudge’ the number of hours they work. This often occurs when paper sheets are used to keep track of employees’ hours.
3) Goofing Around
There is a range of temptations that employees face on a daily basis. These temptations can result in decreased efficiency and productivity. Not only can ‘horsing around’ lead to unintended consequences, it can also be a huge timesuck during otherwise productive hours.
4) Internet Activities
Social media is considered the most significant contributor to time theft in the workplace. Studies have shown that productivity in an office drops almost 20% when the employees are able to have Facebook access. This can be even worse if they have access to YouTube, Hulu or Netflix while on the clock.
5) Extended Lunches
Taking advantage of breaks and meal times by extending them without authorization is another form of time theft. Again, this means you are paying for employee time that isn’t generating income for your business.
Below is an infographic that might better explain the above scenarios:
Learn More About RightPunch Solutions from the ISG
Talk to your local ISG dealer about time and attendance solutions that can help you accurately track your staff and help you avoid instances of employee time theft. You can talk to us about your specific needs and we can help you find the right solution, even if it requires managing multiple locations, commuters or integration with other systems, like HR, access control and more.
Original article written by Fredric Hoffman for M2SYS.
