Messy timesheets created by an employee
Timesheets created by an employee are not a reliable source because it is created by the person who is benefiting from it. Discrepancies between actual and logged arrival time are one of the most common issue in payroll. These inaccuracy creates confusion between the employee and employer. Calculating these hours are time consuming, expensive, and the result is not reliable. During any legal disputes, this document is inadmissible in the court of law when presented by an employer. However, an employee can submit this document in court and place an employer at a disadvantage. For record keeping, this document should be kept for at least three(3) years in case of any disagreements.
PUNCH Machine
The most common misuse of this machine is where an employee asks another colleague to clock in for them. This method works but it is inaccurate, expensive, and time consuming. There is no way an employer can validate that the employee clocked in or out on their own. Also, these machines can be very expensive, they have to be maintained annually, and supplies have to be purchased for these machines. Normally, the purchase of the equipment and supplies, such as time cards and ink ribbons, is a large expense for the company. Lost or misplaced time cards can create problems to the employee and employer. These machines are convenient but it is also outdated. Power outages can cause this machine to stop working.
Biometric Time and Attendance Machine
This technology allows employees to track their work hours accurately with the touch of a finger. However, these machines can be expensive. Equipment and software is needed in order to utilize this technology. The purchased software must be installed in a computer, which makes this method susceptible to power outages and other computer issues. The purchased software also requires frequent updates with additional cost.
Online Time Tracking System
This method is reliable for some companies but it is time-consuming, inaccurate, and expensive. Employee information has to be entered into a database and this can take up an employee’s time. There is no way for an employer to validate what an employee inputs as their hours worked. As mentioned before, A common problem in payroll is where an employee asks another colleague to clock in/out on their behalf.