Debunking the myths: exploring the real benefits of attendance systems | weBlog

Attendance management, like any bureaucratic task, often leads employers to commit the mistake of playing it safe. This tendency fosters beliefs and myths about attendance systems that can complicate the work of both HR departments and employees. For businesses, especially those in the financial sector, public sector, and other similar areas where there are strict attendance requirements, it is crucial to avoid these myths. Simplifying processes will help avoid unnecessary complications.

Biometric attendance system is the most reliable

If your workplace requires you to clock in using a card or fingerprint, your employer might be overly cautious. Fingerprint data falls under the category of biometric data, and its processing, when linked to your identity or other personal information, is subject to stringent regulations outlined in personal data legislation. Processing such data is generally prohibited*, and employers can only access it under specific exceptions, with a clear justification for its necessity. Thus, the idea that biometric data scanning as the attendance system is the most reliable method of preventing manipulation of employee attendance is a myth and could potentially lead to significant legal complications for the company.

Card terminals provide efficiency

Opting out of biometrics, you might resort to using cards for attendance tracking. However, is it truly effective? Why would a bank or consulting firm require employees to clock in? Surely, in such environments, the absence of an accountant would be quickly noticed without the need for formal clocking.

Today, technology-driven companies often offer employees the flexibility to work remotely, enabled by various mobile or cloud applications for attendance logging. As long as employees have unique login credentials and fulfil their duties, employers comply with legal requirements. So, physical clocking at the premises isn’t mandatory. Yet, for companies that require a physical presence in the office, there may be logistical problems, such as managing physical terminals or losing cards.

To clarify, an attendance system differs from a monitoring or access control system. While you can integrate both options, make sure your access system supports absence reporting, overtime tracking, and other attendance-related requests. Otherwise, relying on Excel to keep records is ineffective, which means that the attendance system is not implemented properly.

Attendance systems are expensive and complex

It is a common misconception that small companies with limited budgets can properly manage their attendance needs with Excel or a traditional attendance book, while only large, wealthy companies can afford sophisticated attendance systems. However, even public, and non-profit sector organizations have no problem working with modern cloud-based platforms where, for a nominal monthly fee, they track attendance, absences, and projects, easily exporting data for payroll. The days of manual monthly data entry and verification are over; everything is automated in the system as employees submit their data themselves.

Contrary to popular belief, time and attendance management doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Modern attendance systems are user-friendly programs with prompt support and minimal costs. In addition, there is virtually no risk of damage to cables, cards, or readers.

Attendance systems require separate installation

If you are in need of an attendance management system, you should first check with your IT service providers. You may be surprised to find out that they offer such a tool. You may already be using a platform for tasks such as payroll distribution, travel accounting or company benefits management, or even a project or CRM system, without realising that attendance tracking can be integrated into the same software. Software companies often offer a range of solutions, with multiple areas or modules that can be linked together, allowing employees to manage different tasks in a single online interface.

Consolidating services not only simplifies work, but also benefits your IT department, vendors, and employees by reducing the need for separate services for each task.

Our time and attendance system is designed to meet the needs of various industries. While manufacturing companies typically lean towards hardware solutions due to their operational nature, our tool offers flexibility for optimizing attendance management in their administrative departments. In addition, we serve a wide range of clients including IT companies, traditional offices, government agencies, non-profits, and retailers. Specifically for the latter, we customise our system to handle complex schedules and seasonal staffing, ensuring a tailored solution for their unique requirements.

(*The legislation varies depending on the jurisdiction.)