Due to the recent pandemic, workplaces have had to transition to a remote working structure. Although it is the need of the hour, it presents quite a few challenges. Most businesses aren't equipped to handle business operations remotely, especially on short notice. With the pandemic lasting for more than a year, businesses need to take steps to increase efficiency, even when employees are working from home.
ContentsWhat is time theft?Is time theft dangerous?Prevent time theft:what can you do?Set rules and expectationsImplementing tracking softwareChecking in with employeesShow your appreciationCommunicate, don't askTools such as a web-based time clock can help employers address the biggest challenge of remote work, such as time theft.
For most companies, employees are paid based on the number of hours worked. However, with remote work, it has become more difficult to track employee hours. Time theft is not similar to a break. While most employers schedule their employees to take breaks, time theft occurs when employees take longer breaks, start late, or finish early.
When employees can pay for the time they haven't spent at work. With remote work, employees can log on to work but spend their time doing other things. Therefore, companies need to ensure that they accurately track the working time of their employees.
Understanding how harmful time theft can be is key to establishing appropriate strategies to prevent it. Although time theft may seem like a minor issue at first, it can turn out to be a big one. While a few missed minutes of work isn't a big deal, it can add up to 6 weeks of stolen time.
Employers are not only scammed of time but also of productivity, they can spend time online watching movies or series on Dramacool. employee productivity can drop so low that low productivity can become the new norm for your team.
Even if you have a few hard-working members, they may feel demotivated when they see other employees getting the same pay for less important work. This can make them feel undervalued and cause them to lose focus on the job at hand.
Therefore, in addition to paying for work you did not receive, you are also paying for reduced productivity. For employers, it therefore becomes imperative to find advantageous solutions to prevent time theft.
From the context, it is easy to understand that time theft is a serious concern for companies. It poses a threat to the overall operation and performance of the business. To avoid a drop in productivity, team morale and financial loss, it is crucial to establish preventive measures against time theft.
As an employer, you need to be clear about your expectations of your employees. You need to set some ground rules to make sure the whole team knows how they should operate during office hours. Defining appropriate behavior and consequences to meet expectations helps ensure that productivity does not suffer.
Emphasize the importance of time tracking policies and how important they are. If your company is working remotely for the first time, you should discuss time tracking policies in detail with your employees.
With the help of time tracking software such as an online clock, employers can accurately track working times. When using this software, make sure that the employer's work can be tracked accurately, with no way to cheat the system. While employees should log their hours, there's no way to know if they're correct without accurate time tracking software.
Working during a pandemic is stressful, especially when you don't have the opportunity to engage with others. Along with monitoring their progress by checking in with them regularly, be sure to ask them how they're feeling. When you can accurately track their progress, it gives you an idea of how much time they were able to put in and track hours worked.
Be sure to recognize employees who have worked hard and gone the extra mile. Praising your employees helps motivate them and encourages them to work harder and be diligent in their work.
While time theft is frustrating, employees may not be doing it with malicious intent. Maybe they had to leave for an important phone call or miscalculated their hours by a few minutes.
When you find evidence of time theft, it's essential to be patient with your employee and talk to them about the importance of accurate time tracking. If you find that time theft seems like a deep-rooted problem, it might be time to speak up and learn how you can help.
Companies should establish strict time tracking policies that employees must follow. With accurate time tracking, you can increase productivity levels and ensure smooth operations even when working remotely.
