When you have a business with employees, things tend to get a whole lot more complicated, especially when tracking time for hourly employees. The sad fact is that some individuals are not going to invest their full effort into making sure they’re following operations and procedures as intended. This can bleed into your bottom line. What are you going to do to stop time theft?
Understanding Time Theft
In short, time theft is when an employee is paid for time they did not actually work, like if they are taking longer for lunch or breaks, running errands on company time, or spending a lot of time on non-work related activities like web browsing, socializing, or leaving for the day without notifying their direct supervisor.
With the recent surge in hybrid and remote work, time theft is at the top of many companies’ minds. One topic in question is whether or not it’s stealing if an employee completes their assigned tasks, then stays active on their computer without actually completing further tangible work. Remote workers tend to get things done in a shorter amount of time, but there are also many distractions to be had in the remote workplace that can contribute to time theft. You might need to change your perspective to ensure that you’re getting optimal value from each of your employees.
How Time Theft Harms Your Business
When your employees are not working, even after having completed their tasks, it puts your business in a difficult spot. No two workers are going to function the same, so it’s a good practice to engage your higher-performing employees beyond the tasks you give them and the quota you assign so they can reinvest their time back into the business.
Furthermore, if it looks like there are some employees who are simply always free, resentment from other diligent employees can creep up. This can create a toxic work environment and impact team morale. Finally, when employees use their company devices for personal or non-work-related Internet activities, you open the floodgates for potential cybersecurity incidents.
4 Measures to Combat Time Theft
If you want to make combating time theft a priority, you have several options to do so:
Define and Communicate Policies
A clear and well-communicated policy that dictates work hours, breaks, and how company property should be used can work wonders. You’ll always likely have a couple stragglers, but the more clear you articulate these policies (and the consequences for breaking them), the better off you’ll be.
Implement Time Tracking Software
Time tracking software can help ensure you’re keeping tabs on employee work hours so you know how much time is being spent on tasks and breaks. These types of solutions also give you insights into data that could address other issues, making them valuable from both a timekeeping lens as well as a diagnostic tool.
Lead By Example
If you expect certain behavior from employees, then make sure your business’ leaders are also demonstrating that behavior. Make sure a strong work ethic and respect for company time are at the top of any manager’s priority list, as it can set a positive example for the rest of your staff.
Build a Better Work Environment
If time theft is all over your business rather than an isolated incident, then it could mean that you have a disengaged workforce. Make efforts to build a more positive and engaging work culture while encouraging team members to seek out professional development. Employees also appreciate it when their hard work is recognized, so acknowledging this work goes a long way toward helping them remain engaged.
Does your business need more tools to better manage its workforce or technology? Trailblazers Tech Solutions can help. Learn more by calling us at (281) 916-1101 today.
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