In a world of Blackberrys, iPads and laptops, communication from managers to employees has become easier than ever. It is almost safe to say that businesspeople are never really “away” from work – managers can reach them simply with a phone call, text message, or email. That being said, this increased communication has made the business world even faster paced and much busier.

This has led to the automation of numerous business processes, largely to save time spent on administrative tasks. Many companies have started to invest in systems that automatically track time and attendance, using advanced biometric technology to identify employees by their fingerprint or hand geometry.

These high-tech solutions, although very useful, are not always the right fit for companies. For some organizations, simply using an online portal to track time and attendance can be sufficient. Having an online system provides employees and managers with access to attendance information, allowing for fast and easy communication.

Online time and attendance capabilities allow employees to:

  • Request vacation days through the system
  • Fill in their timecards online
  • Easily change personal data and view benefit schedules or paycheques
  • Update information without going through a middleman (usually the HR department)

Online capabilities allow organizations to:

  • Operate seamlessly across geographic borders
  • Reduce administrative errors – the employees are responsible for correctly entering information
  • Easily approve vacation time or hours worked
  • Decrease time and effort spend on updating and maintaining employee records
  • Improve communication by distributing information online – for example, company handbooks can be posted for all employees to view
  • Channel all the employee information into one portal
  • Give employees more freedom and access to data, empowering workers
  • As mentioned above, eliminate the middleman, reducing confusion (this ultimately gives more time for the HR department to focus on more important tasks such as hiring, employee retention and training)
  • Reduce costs by storing information online instead of on paper

Above all, the information is easily accessible, on a 24/7 basis, and therefore up-to-date; using an employee and manager self-service system allows for quick data transfer.

Utilizing an online solution for time, attendance and scheduling purposes is the perfect fit for many companies. To find out more about Synerion’s online solution (iBrowse), click here. Visit our website for information on other workforce management alternatives, to find the best option for your organization.