Do you have trouble getting your employees to do their time sheets? Do you get invoices from vendors months after the job is complete? You would think people who want to get paid would rush to turn in the one document needed to cash in. But as a business owner, I hear often that complicated timesheet software or poor time tracking makes turning in time sheets a chore for so many employees.
If you’re an attorney, who has associates with billable hours, accurate timekeeping is important to your revenue stream. So what’s a small business owner or an employer to do? I’ve been looking into new technology and ways to provide incentives to employees to help them keep track of their hours. So here are some ways to make it easier for your employees to turn in their time sheets:
- USE EASY TIME TRACKING TOOLS – There are so many new software programs and even apps these days to help your employees accurately keep track of their hours. It should take just minutes to fill out a time sheet. If it takes longer and seems like a chore, why not give a new timesheet process a try? Some useful mobile apps out there for time tracking include: Android Time Card, Clock.In, Timewerks and ClockShark. Search your app store and try a couple to see what works for you and your employees.
- LINK TIMESHEETS TO PAYDAY – Everyone looks forward to payday, but if you’re having trouble collecting time sheets, why not give a set day of the week for timesheet turn in? Let an employee know if they don’t do it by that date and they may not get their paycheck for that week or until the next payday. Make sure to check with your legal department or state attorney general first, since this practice may not be allowed in some states. By linking the two, you will have a procedure in place for timesheet collection and payday.
- USE REMINDERS – Set a system in place that automatically reminds employees to turn in their timesheets. It sounds so easy, but a lot of employers don’t implement it.
- COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES – Open a line of communication between your human resources or payroll department and your staff. Your staff might be under the impression that a time sheet isn’t necessary (especially if they’re salaried employees.) If you let your employees know it’s important to the process, they might understand the urgency and turn those time sheets in on time.
Turning in time sheets doesn’t have to be a burden. In fact, employees should want to turn in their hours and employers should make it as easy as possible. As an accountant, who happens to be a bookkeeper, and a small business owner, I’ve tried many timekeeping methods. Feel free to reach out to me or anyone here at Brigade Bookkeeping for more information about effective timekeeping. In the meantime, make the most of your time by enjoying and cherishing every bit of it!
