According to rulings at both German and European level, all employers in Germany are obliged to record their employees’ working hours. The best ways to record time are many and varied. There are numerous systems for recording working time. From digital systems to analog clocks, there is everything 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 method is still reliable. The timesheet contains all the important information required for recording working hours. However, 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. It already contains all the important information 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. As a result, time recording methods are more accurate than ever before. With the latest software, these systems take over almost all tasks automatically.
One of the most reliable methods of time recording is the automatically filled duty roster. Employees are assigned to the relevant shifts in the duty roster in advance. As a result, the working hours are automatically transferred 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. The time recording runs 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 later instead of letting them run “live”, so to speak. However, you must always 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. And, of course, monitoring is also a little difficult. Trust in the employees is therefore essential.
All of this is also available as an app for mobile devices, which makes access even easier. Above all, because you can access it at any time, no matter where you are. This can be very useful in the field, but also for employees who work hybrid – 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. A card is inserted into a machine and punched or marked. The start and end of the shift can then be checked on the card.
This system still exists today. True to the motto “Never change a winning system”, it has been slightly adapted 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 fingerprints 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 different options for time recording. 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 they can comply with the time recording obligation.
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.
