First published on Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Last updated on Wednesday, October 2, 2024
More and more businesses are realising the importance of automated time tracking and its impact on compliance, payroll accuracy, resource allocation, and more.
Tracking employee hours provides crucial insights into how resources are being allocated within your organisation and also highlights any potential inefficiencies that are draining both your productivity and your profitability.
However, manual time tracking can be time-consuming, a drain on resources, and leave you at risk of costly errors. Luckily, there is another way—apps for timesheets and time tracking. Making data-driven decisions, creating a better work-life balance, and enhanced accountability are just a few of the advantages of using these apps.
But is a timesheet app right for your business? Read on to discover more.
What is a timesheet app?
Before we delve into the various benefits, let’s take a look at what exactly a timesheet app is.
A timesheet app is a digital tool that allows businesses to track their staff’s working hours with ease. It allows employees to log their time quickly and easily and helps managers monitor workforce productivity in real time.
Typically, they can be accessed via both web browsers and mobile devices making it convenient for both office-based and remote employees. Some may even argue that they are foundational to effective business operations.
Utilising an app for your timesheets and time tracking can improve your financial management, enhance project oversight, and create a more productive workforce. Especially if you have remote and hybrid workers.
The biggest benefit of implementing a timesheet app is that it streamlines the process of tracking and managing employee work hours and gives you valuable insight into workplace activity.
They make it simple to manage multiple projects, monitor productivity across teams, and facilitate compliance with Australian employment laws. Having access to precise data is an extremely valuable asset and these apps can allow you to optimise workflow.
Key features and functionalities of timesheet apps that benefit your business
Timesheet apps play a key role in automating time tracking and minimising errors. By eliminating manual calculations, you can dramatically reduce human errors.
With key time-tracking features such as real-time updates, alerts, and accurate timesheet reporting, timekeeping has never been easier. Every business is different, and it is essential to consider the features that will enhance the functionality of your organisation.
Here are the key features that timesheet apps can offer:
Clock in and out functions
This is the core feature of any timesheet app, it allows users to log hours worked. Employees can log their own work hours manually or to track time spent on various activities and projects. This makes it simple to track time spent on specific projects or billable hours.
Some apps even use handy QR codes so employees can clock in and out by simply scanning the code or with a click of a button on the app interface once they enter their work site.
Mobile accessibility
Being an app, your employees can download it on their mobiles for logging hours on the go. It also serves as a self-service portal, so employees can see their own hours and other relevant information.
Plus, it allows you to check that your staff are working when they are meant to be—no matter where you are.
Automated and custom reporting
You can generate custom or automated reports and timesheets that provide insights into hours worked and overtime hours to help you keep an accurate payroll. It also saves you time when you’ve got a system that auto generates your timesheets.
Integrations with HR software
Often you can integrate your time-tracking functionalities with other tools like your HR software including shift and holiday planning.
Overtime and leave tracking
Timesheet apps have features that allow you to track employee leave and monitor overtime which helps you manage employee availability and entitlements with ease.
Geolocation tracking
More advanced timesheet apps will have this feature. Geolocation tracking is beneficial if you have a lot of remote workers. It allows you to see exactly your employees are when they clock in and out of work.
Some apps even let you set up geofences around your worksites, so your employees can clock in and out from their location of the day.
These are just a few of the innovative key features that help businesses add value to their time management and tracking processes.
Benefits of timesheet apps for management processes
Timesheet apps offer a range of management benefits that can significantly improve the efficiency of your business operations.
Here is a rundown of the key benefits for management processes:
Gives you the ability to monitor in real-time, allowing for quick adjustments and enhanced visibility of your whole team.
You can generate detailed reports on time allocation, which helps identify trends.
With accurate data, you can identify issues quickly and find a data-driven solution.
You can keep track of staff hours and make sure they’re getting necessary breaks, so you meet legal obligations.
Cost-saving advantages of a timesheet app
Let’s move on to the cost-saving aspects of timesheet apps, because they can lead to significant cost savings in both the short and long term.
Here are some of the cost-saving aspects:
Reduced administrative costs: Eliminates the need for manual time-tracking, which frees up a significant amount of in-house resources.
Minimising payroll errors: Payroll miscalculations can result in costly disputes and timesheet apps can minimise potential errors.
Accountability: Makes employees accountable and increases the chance of employees recording time accurately.
Reduced training costs: User-friendly and easy to implement, helping you save on in-house training.
Scalability: Designed to grow with your business. So, as you expand you can accommodate more users and more projects without a significant cost increase.
Timesheet apps can save you money regardless of the size of your company and are a wise investment for businesses looking to grow and future-proof their operations. By enhancing accuracy, the tools within a timesheet app help businesses optimise their operations and reduce unnecessary expenses.
Impact on employee accountability and work transparency
The implementation of timesheet apps creates a workplace environment that is open, honest, and inclusive which has benefits for employees and employers alike.
Features such as real-time tracking and monitoring mean that employees have full visibility and can view their productivity and progress continuously. This helps hold employees accountable and fosters a culture of responsibility and transparency as a result.
Employees are responsible for logging their own hours and this creates a sense of ownership of their work. The overall result is reduced errors, enhanced productivity and a more engaged workforce.
When time tracking is seamless, it reduces frustrations and allows employees to focus on their work rather than administrative duties, which can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction. This, in turn, means lower employee turnover rates.
Get Blip—the best app for timesheets in Australia
Are you ready to tap into the multitude of benefits that a timesheet app can offer your business?
The Blip staff clocking in and out app by BrightHR is one of the simplest and most effective tools that comes complete with a plethora of features designed to make time management a breeze.
You can streamline your administrative processes and improve accuracy in payroll while creating a culture of accountability and transparency.
Tools like this eliminate the common pitfalls associated with manual time tracking such as inconsistencies and human error. If you have remote employees, timesheet apps give you the flexibility to manage a diverse team and help them gain better control over their time management practices.
That’s why BrightHR clients unlock access to Blip for free to transform their people management processes from every angle.
The bottom line is–leveraging an easy-to-use timesheet app can bring countless cost and time-saving benefits for you and your employees. To learn more about how Blip can benefit you and your organisation, book a free demo with our software experts today.
