According to rulings at both German and European level, all employers in Germany are obliged to record the working hours of their employees. The best options for time recording are many and varied. There are numerous systems for recording working time. From digital systems to analog clocks, everything is included that can be installed both online and stationary. In this article, we present the best options for time recording.
The still popular classic
Timesheets are still very popular. Although in this digital age, it makes sense to use an automatic form of time recording.
There is a reason for this, because the classic time recording system is still reliable. The timesheet contains all the important information required for recording working hours. But the timesheet has another advantage: it offers complete transparency. Time recording is not about control, but about transparently recording the time worked by employees.
The easiest way to use the timesheet is to use a template. All the important information is already provided and the timesheet only needs to be filled in. The timesheet saves you time, as long explanations in the form of a completion aid are hardly necessary.
Digitalization on the rise
Working time recording is also constantly being modernized through digitalization. This makes time recording methods more accurate than ever before. With the latest software, these systems perform almost all tasks automatically.
One of the most secure methods of time recording is the automatically filled duty roster. The employees are assigned to the respective shifts in the duty roster in advance. This automatically transfers the working hours to the time accounts.
This turns the planned time directly into billable working time. Previously specified break times are also taken into account. In general, this system is very secure, but also quite inflexible. Subsequent changes are possible, but should not be necessary with good advance planning.
Probably the simplest method of time recording is a solution via an app. Time and attendance is recorded very simply via a system on the Internet. All employees are given their own access, which they can use to record their time themselves.
It is also possible to enter the working times manually at a later date instead of letting them run “live”, so to speak. However, you always have to remember exactly when the shift started, when the breaks were taken and when the shift ended.
These solutions are particularly useful in times of working from home. However, they have the disadvantage that all employees must have access and an end device with which they can access the time recording system. And of course the control is also a little difficult. Trust in the employees must therefore be right.
All of this is also available as an app for mobile devices, which makes access even easier. Especially since you can access it at any time, no matter where you are. This can be very useful for field staff, but also for employees who work in a hybrid manner – i.e. sometimes on site and sometimes at home.
Turning old methods into new ones
One of the great classics of working time recording is the time clock. This involves inserting a card into a machine and punching a hole in it or marking it. This means that the start and end of the shift can be checked on the card.
This system still exists today. True to the motto “Never change a winning system”, it has been adapted a little to modern technical possibilities.
Instead of a time card, for example, you can simply use a fingerprint to communicate that you are just starting your shift. Of course, the finger is not marked and certainly not pricked. This makes it very easy to assign the hours to the respective employees, as the fingerprint cannot be confused by the system.
An alternative are the so-called chip systems, where time recording is carried out via a chip card or a chip on a key fob. The only disadvantage compared to the fingerprint is that you can lose a chip, but not your finger at best.
Of course, these systems are only suitable if time recording is to be carried out exclusively on a stationary basis. Employees in the field or working from home cannot use this method.
Stationary systems can therefore be perfectly combined with access control.
Conclusion
There are many ways to record time. Which system is right for your company also depends on the working model. Employers should consider the advantages and disadvantages in advance. According to labor law, all systems are equally permissible, but they must make sense for the employer so that he can comply with the obligation to record time.
If the work takes place exclusively on site, such as in industry, a stationary system including access control may be the right choice. If employees are spread across several locations, a system that can be accessed by everyone via a mobile device makes more sense.
With the timeCard you will always find the right system for your time recording.
