How can a good attendance management system improve punctuality?

As they strive to increase revenue, businesses may fall into the trap of looking outward rather than inward. Dealing with the problems that exist within their organisation (and particularly their workforce) first should be a priority and when businesses take the primary approach of finding solutions to remedy internal issues, they can achieve the ability to truly take charge of their performance.

Once this is done, operational processes that run smoother can facilitate proper expansion.

Excessive absenteeism or a lack of employee punctuality can wreak havoc on the growth of a business (especially a new one).

When employees don’t show up or show up very late for work, the businesses can suffer losses in productivity which can amount to millions (if not hundreds of millions) in lost revenue.

An even larger issue can arise when absenteeism becomes way too frequent to be ignored or when an epidemic of punctuality not being taken seriously begins to impact the bottom line.

Human resource management can prevent, eliminate or at the very least abate this potentially costly problem. But how?

Implementing an attendance management system and well-defined policies is a step in the right direction.

Attendance management is the art of tracking and managing employee attendance in order to cut back on issues related to productivity and employee absence.

It can be difficult to emphasise how vitally important this can be and how it can have a positive effect on the business.

If attendance is well managed, a business can flourish and conversely, if attendance is neglected, a business can grind to a halt. It really is that simple.

On the negative impact on the growth of the business if employee attendance is neglected, thanks to the technology available today, keeping track of employee attendance and punctuality is not as difficult as it was back in the days when technology was still very much in its infancy.

Attendance management does not have to be a tedious, time-consuming, manually driven process anymore. With automated attendance management systems, it can be more like having a two-way conversation with a trusted friend, providing clarity, motivation and eventually even handing over the reigns to the employee to let him/her manage his/her own time, knowing that the employee has become capable to do so.

Automation through technology helps ensure a reduction in errors made by manual systems and with an efficient attendance management system in place, along with reliable, accurate and actionable data, the employee as well as employers can be made to know exactly when he/she showed up for work, at which branch and how much time he/she spent being productive.

More than a simple 'prison system' tool, this can lead to a more transparent and open environment (if done right).

With a tech-driven attendance management system, this can be done in real-time with less chance for mistakes and in the event that there are any issues found in the attendance or punctuality of an employee, timely decisions can be made on the employer's part to address issues early.

Employees will also possibly find it harder to cheat you (if you find these kinds of employees, you should consider removing them from your organisation) and hide away the amount of time they've spent at work.

Productivity and efficiency can be nature or nurture and a possible way to think about attendance management systems is to help you build a rhythm, a routine and muscle memory in your employees with regards to attendance.

An attendance management system that is automated can get a lot of the tedious, time-consuming, laborious, manual processes out of the way, giving HR/business owners more time to spend on more important things (like automating and streamlining other processes as well).

The efficient tracking of employee attendance and punctuality is essential for the business’s reliability, reputation and profitability and its importance shouldn't be overlooked.

Absenteeism and punctuality play a part in business performance and neglecting them could cost a business dearly.

If you feel that human resource should become more human, technology may (ironically) provide the answer. Investing in a good attendance management system can be one of the best moves your business can make. Letting an intelligent machine handle the details/dirty work can open your eyes to possibilities you may not have even considered. There are, after all, simply things that we humans are incapable of despite there being at the same time, many things that are very much characteristically human.

Attendance is a good example of an area where the human and the machine can become complementary forces for good.

A smarter HR system for a smarter business: Carbonate helps you keep track of attendance and leaves in your company, and keeps you connected to your staff with its built-in broadcasting and promotion messaging tool. Its employee profiles and HR leave management system meet MOM 2016 Employment Act Amendment requirements.
Click here to find out more.