Workplace Big Brother?
A Time and Attendance System is often seen as Workplace Big Brother by staff and employees - learn how to help them embrace the change
The benefits of automated Time and Attendance software systems have been well documented; from payroll savings, improved productivity, greater management visibility, reduced absenteeism, and improvements to health and safety. However, while these benefits may be obvious to you and senior management, they are often less so to those working out on the coal face. For this reason, the successful implementation of an automated Time and Attendance system can prove to be a difficult task. And by implementation we don’t mean the physical installation process, rather convincing your employees and colleagues that such a system can help them too. It's understandable that your employees may feel that you are trying to create a “Big Brother” type organisation, especially since a Time and Attendance system can provide management with a clear record of lateness, length of lunchbreaks, as well as holidays and sick leave, and productivity. Even if you aren’t the person who initiated the project, as a HR Manager, your job would involve ‘selling’ the idea of an automated Time and Attendance system to your colleagues. So how do you achieve staff buy in? 1. Be a Time and Attendance Champion First things first, you need to be a clear supporter of the new Time and Attendance system in order to overcome potential employee obstacles, and have the confidence to answer difficult questions or arguments that may arise - getting rid of any doubts raised by your staff. Be prepared for some resistance, your Time and Attendance system provider will be able to assist and prepare you for potential objections you may encounter. You should also know that the employees who resist technology are likely to be the least productive workers! 2. Keep staff informed Effective communication is key. Share information about the new Time and Attendance system with employees and their representatives/union officials as soon as possible. Explain exactly how the change will impact them i.e.: will they need to use swipe cards, proximity fobs, or biometric scanners to register attendance. 3. Communication is a two way street Don’t just provide information to the employees, also give them an opportunity to express their concerns and ask questions. For example, with biometric Time and Attendance, employees might be concerned about the prospect of their fingerprint information being stored. You will need to assure them that this isn’t the case. Your Time and Attendance provider will have basic information (without getting too technical) on how their biometric systems work, which you can use to reassure employees that their personal data will not be compromised. 4. Explain employee benefits You need to make sure your employees understand how they will benefit from using a Time and Attendance system. Once they are convinced that more accurate data tracking will improve the accuracy of their wages and provide them with early notice of schedule changes that impact their working hours, they are more likely to buy-into the change. The ability to request holidays without having to ask their managers directly and amend their personal details, such as address, telephone number etc without contacting HR will also be welcomed. While, instant access to their absence profile or annual leave balance would enable them to manage their time more effectively. 5. Get Supervisors on side Involving supervisors and line managers in the change process, reduces the risk of them potentially sabotaging the system further down the track. When supervisors realise the importance of having accurate attendance data and that the system will help them minimise the time spent on tedious administration tasks, they will be more likely to embrace the idea and become Time and Attendance champions too! 6. Training Sufficient training time to understand the system would also be a valuable step towards better system implementation. 7. Keep an eye on proceedings It's important to realise that your job doesn’t end once the system is up and running - you need to continue to monitor the process well beyond implementation to ensure that you achieve the desired outcomes. Resistance to change may well create a barrier to entry when implementing an automated Time and Attendance system, but with a carefully planned awareness campaign and training it will be well worth the invested time and money! For more information on Choosing an effective Time and Attendance System download our FREE Guide.
Alternatively contact us today on 09 363 9557 or marketing@mitrefinch.co.nz for more information.
