A Guide on Tracking Employee Hours Using Biometrics

A Guide on Tracking Employee Hours Using Biometrics

Biometric time tracking systems are becoming more popular with companies as they ensure team members are clocking in as themselves. As a result, they help prevent employee time theft while ensuring workforce compliance. Companies also find biometric time tracking can reduce human error in collecting accurate time and attendance information. 

All of these components work together to reduce manual tasks involved in employee tracking for payroll and HR professionals.

If you are considering a biometric time tracking system for your company, here is a basic guide to using biometrics.

What are Biometric Time Clocks?

The biometric time tracking system uses a sophisticated machine that utilizes finger scans to record employee time. Finger scans are compared to determine identification by analyzing the unique patterns on the fingertip.  

Each employee will have their finger scans stored in your time and attendance system. When their fingers are scanned, the system will measure and compare the pattern to confirm it is stored in your system. It is a fast process allowing employees to press their fingertip against the time clock screen to clock in or out.

By using finger scans, buddy punching is eliminated because an employee must be present to clock in and out. The clocks also reduce issues such as lost timecards, forgotten passwords, and similar problems of other systems.

Employee time tracking software biometrics stop employees who might try to punch from outside locations by logging onto your system. Again, with biometrics, the person must be physically present in order to clock in or out.

When you adapt employee time tracking software biometrics, it can be integrated with your existing security system to protect your business from unauthorized outside access.

Other Types of Biometrics

There are other types of biometric systems, including hand recognition. This is one of the most common employee biometric time clocks which uses 3D analysis of the hand. This is popular for high-security organizations.

Facial recognition is also used which scans algorithms to analyze features. However, because of the complexity of facial features, this system can run into issues with authentication based on the original image used for comparison.

Voice authentication is also a form of biometric technology. It analyzes vocal behavior and matches it to a previously recorded voice template.

How to Select an Employee Time Clock System

When considering a new time clock for your business, you should consider the following:

• What are the biggest issues with your current system?
• Does your company have any unique needs?
• Are there any specific features that would be best for your organization?
• Would your workers need an app, or would an onsite biometric hand scanner make more sense?
• What would your employees want from the system?

You can also conduct an internal survey to help pinpoint common issues and important features that will improve efficiencies. There is no point investing in a new system that doesn’t address all of your current issues. By considering these factors, you can determine if employee time tracking software biometrics is right for you.

Benefits of Biometrics for Employee Tracking

There are many benefits to employee time tracking software biometrics including:

• Stop Buddy Punching: Buddy punching can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions depending on the size of your company and the number of employees. It is also an illegal act that is automatically prevented with a biometric time clock.
• No More Time Theft: Time theft is easy with antiquated tracking systems. If you use manual tracking, employees can easily make slight changes of even 20 minutes per day, which really adds up over a year. Biometric tracking ends this.
• Remote Job Monitoring: Remote employees can also be monitored more effectively using biometrics with the integration of internet or mobile devices.
• Improved Productivity: By eliminating time theft and human error, productivity is improved in two ways. First, you get the full workday out of your employees and second, your HR team is not wasting time correcting errors and checking for discrepancies.
• Accuracy: The authentication cannot be duplicated which ensures every employee is being tracked accurately.
  
• Enhanced Privacy: Biometric finger scanning does not produce or store fingerprint images. Instead, the scans are converted into a mathematical representation, which is stored in an encoded format which is impossible to reproduce. 
• Streamlines the In/Out Process: A biometric time clock makes it easy for employees to easily clock in and out from breaks which can significantly reduce missed punches.
• Manages Discrepancies: Manual systems are infamous for causing discrepancies that then have to be tracked. This can cause conflict amongst workers while also taking up tons of time for HR or payroll staff.
• Improved Labor Coverage. A modern tracking system provides you with analytics so you can more accurately predict staffing. You can avoid under-scheduling and over-scheduling while always having enough coverage. You will also keep on top of labor costs.