The history of attendance systems is well known, tracing when modern organisations first introduced employee time tracking to monitor productivity and performance. Every business needs to evaluate employees by ensuring work hours are properly recorded. Now, attendance tracking software is dominating the world of work for effective time tracking.
In the initial phases, clock-ins/outs was marked by pen and paper, after which tracking attendance using spreadsheets became normal. Excel sheets, WhatsApp groups, and other messengers were also used informally for attendance marking. In the fast-paced world, it is difficult to follow the same practices that were tagged along decades ago.
Also, the growth of small businesses into large corporates and people from across the world working under one organisation rule out the usage of traditional systems. The attendance systems have to be flexible, easy to use, and effective in tracking employee productivity. Manual systems have a lot of flaws that should be addressed for better tracking.
The Growing Challenges of Manual Attendance Systems
The following issues are becoming increasingly evident:
Time-Consuming for HR Professionals
A manual system drains several hours of HR professionals as they must track each employee’s clock-in and clock-out time. Manually recording each employee’s times can be manageable in smaller teams of about ten people, but as the number of employees increases, so does the complexity of managing them. HR teams are often burdened with manually collecting, validating, and organising this information, leading to time wastage. As organisations grow, this becomes more than a hassle—it is a drain on resources that could otherwise be better allocated to strategic tasks.
Prone to Human Error
Human errors can occur when the employees manually enter their information. Despite this, there may be complexities due to the inaccuracy of the data recorded, which can directly impact the payroll calculation.
Employees may input incorrect timings, either intentionally or unintentionally. This creates complexities when processing payroll, as the payroll system relies on accurate attendance data. Even a small discrepancy in can result in salary miscalculations, which further adds to the workload of HR teams, who then need to resolve these errors.
Difficulty in Data Analysis
Another major challenge is data analysis. When attendance data is disorganised, it becomes difficult for C-level executives or management teams to get clear insights into their workforce. For instance, managers who view the reports may be unable to track the exact clock-in/out time of a particular employee in the hundreds of columns filled by other employees. Manual systems lack real-time insights, which increases the difficulty level of extracting meaningful reports for organisations in decision-making.
Tracking for Lateness, Overtime, and Early Arrivals
The HR professional or other management team members might consider viewing the lateness, early arrivals,, and overtime workers for productivity analysis. However, manually reviewing attendance logs for each employee adds yet another layer of complexity to an already tedious process. Manually tracking down any employee is a work that will never be interesting to execute.
Risk of Data Manipulation and Time Theft
Data manipulation through buddy punching and time theft can easily happen with manual attendance systems in place. Employees can easily misuse the system by allowing colleagues to punch in for them or altering their own time entries to reflect longer work hours. This undermines the accuracy of attendance records and can lead to inflated payroll costs.
Dependency on a Single Individual
The manual system is managed by one person, most probably, an HR professional. If that person is not available, the system will stagnate and the data of that day will not be recorded. It adds more burden to the person responsible as they will have backlogs of data accumulation when returning to work. Gathering a large volume of data at one stretch can lead to the entry of inaccurate data.
Inefficient Payroll Processing
Once attendance is recorded manually, the data must be processed for payroll purposes. Different approaches to integrating and calculating the data will make it difficult for the management to run the payroll system without any issues. It is a labor-intensive process that leaves plenty of room for error, and in turn, can delay payroll generation.
Communication Challenges for Attendance Policies
Creating attendance policies and informing employees might be challenging. Mailing them about the timings, shifts, leave policies and other information is the only way to update the employees. And, it’s a hassle for them to open up the mail and check the necessary information. This lack of a centralized communication platform can result in confusion and miscommunication.
| Manual Attendance System | Attendance Tracking Software | |
|---|---|---|
| Usage | HR and employees manually enter attendance data | User-friendly, automated with minimal manual input |
| Time Efficiency | Drains HR time as they need to track every employee’s attendance | Saves time, with automatic tracking of clock-ins and clock-outs |
| Accuracy | Prone to human error (inaccurate time entries) | Accurate with real-time tracking, reducing human errors |
| Scalability | Difficult to manage as the workforce grows | Easily scalable, suitable for businesses of any size |
| Payroll Integration | Manual data input increases errors during payroll processing | Seamlessly integrated, reducing payroll calculation errors |
| Flexibility | Not flexible for remote or hybrid workforces | Centralised system that supports remote, hybrid, and global teams |
| Management Control | Limited control over attendance data | Provides real-time access to attendance data, enabling better control |
| Policy Enforcement | Difficult to inform employees of changes in attendance policies | Automated updates for shift timings, leave policies, etc. |
How does the Attendance Tracking Software differ?
As the challenges of manual systems are outlined above, it’s easier for the users to understand that automated attendance software is efficient. Check how attendance tracking software can elevate the efficiency of human resource management in every organisation.
Centralised Attendance
Cloud-based attendance software offers a centralised platform to manage attendance regardless of the multiple work locations employees clock-in from. As employees log in from a particular geo-location (on-field or work-from-home setup), the real-time data will be updated in the system. Employers managing remote and field workers will experience the convenience of going through employee attendance data from wherever they are.
Cost-effective
Automated systems are cost-effective when compared with the time and effort spent on manual processes. Human resource professionals will be investing their valuable time in just doing redundant and monotonous spreadsheet tasks. HR tools are a one-time investment with which organisations get the software vendor’s dedicated support team to assist whenever required.
Accurate Data for Better Decision-Making
Automated systems ensure that attendance records are accurate and free from human error. The data collected can be instantly analysed and used to generate real-time reports for better workforce management, payroll processing, and strategic planning.
Minimised Time Theft and Data Manipulation
Features like facial recognition, geo-fencing, and geo-tagging in automated systems ensure that employees are physically present when clocking in or out. This significantly reduces the risk of time theft or buddy punching, safeguarding the integrity of attendance records.
Wrapping Up
The limitations of manual attendance systems are evident. As organisations continue to grow and expand, it is imperative to adopt systems that save time and resources. Automated systems are the future, and businesses looking to streamline their operations should consider moving away from manual methods.
DigiSME Attendance Tracking Software includes advanced features like facial recognition, geo-fencing, and geo-tagging. It’s essential for the business owners to recognise the role of HR technology in helping organisations maintain productivity and accuracy, no matter the workforce size or the employees’ location.
