These concerns, although they may not be true, may be exacerbated if managers, HR leaders, and business owners make the following mistakes when introducing time monitoring for the first time to their team:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Not Explaining the \u201cWhy\u201d Behind Time Tracking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Project manager Michal Bielak<\/a> explains it perfectly: \u201cDon\u2019t just gather your team members in a room one day and say, \u2018From now on, we\u2019ll be using this IT time tracking software to see how your work\u2019s going. Click here, now click there, perfect, thanks, the meeting\u2019s over\u2019 \u2014 that is, unless you want to bump into a group of gossipers every time you go to the kitchen. People want to be treated fairly: if you introduce some changes, explain the rationale behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Introducing time tracking out of the blue can be a shock to your team and the knee jerk reaction is to push back. To prevent this from happening, one time tracking best practice is to get your employees\u2019 buy-in beforehand. You can do this by highlighting the biggest time tracking benefits such as improved productivity, accurate estimates of resources needed for projects, and minimization of non-essential activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many ways time tracking increases productivity, ultimately leading to a more focused and accountable workplace (<\/em>Image Source<\/em><\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It also wouldn\u2019t hurt to frontload employee-specific time tracking benefits such as timely and error-free payroll, accurate record-keeping for PTO accrual, better work-life balance<\/a> by preventing work overload, and more flexible work arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only thing worse than not tracking your employees\u2019 time is doing it the wrong way. A 2017 survey<\/a> revealed that approximately 38% of organizations still rely on manual methods of workplace time tracking such as spreadsheets, punch cards, and SMS\/email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using outdated time tracking methods and tools can be worse than not tracking time at all (<\/em>Image Source<\/em><\/a>).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n These manual and dated time tracking methods create two major issues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where time tracking software<\/a> comes in. Automated time tracking<\/a> allows your employees to track and monitor their hours without tedious manual data entry. Automated time tracking is also faster and easier to implement as long as the software you choose is intuitive, user-friendly, and fits your business requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Famed physician and philosopher Albert Schweitzer once said: \u201cExample is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n You cannot expect your employees to embrace productivity tracking if you don\u2019t track your own time. It creates the impression that you\u2019re using time monitoring as a tool to impose your authority over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For time tracking to be 100% effective, no one should be exempted, except perhaps your C-executives if you\u2019re working in a big enterprise. However, for small businesses and startups, it\u2019s a time tracking best practice for all members of the organization to follow the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/zNy04IDHO5fO5RTHrY4BBr4aMXW-zpvtsx97Hbr1S7vweTBMXWsbbFjBwm9lnI2RcHfD4tKjqG51s4kwMLDspW1gROOIRYkA3Gsqru7MGZRSabePVZ1xxrPm9Q812F-nJOB65sml\")
2. Using the Wrong Time Tracking Method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/j7uQ6Ob7UAawiI-v5CHJCjHdqI0STB6vtdhUlNe2knQ8W4Urp4ry1MXT3cNRWDQ9XdQ5kLxQ5jpi45Eu4s0Qd9c6mrifCU7p3rE7HF44FHIgIvyrp9wITHvGCJuhCm-t7ZBcAn4C\")
3. Refusing to Track Your Own Time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n