As part of any modern workplace, tracking employee time and attendance solution is paramount to effective operations. Businesses need to monitor employee presence for accurate payroll records, correctly compute benefits, and meet labor law compliance obligations concerning work-from-home policies that are pervasive today.
As employers and employees struggle to track attendance accurately, time theft has increased substantially while "buddy punching" through punch cards (unauthorized timecard use) has also become familiar with traditional time and attendance systems. Due to these problems, more businesses use biometric time clocks as part of their attendance tracking strategy, and payroll calculations are simplified. In contrast, employee attendance can be tracked extremely accurately with biometric systems.
What Is Biometric Information?
So, here we will discuss What is a biometric system? Biometric information refers to data or measurements gathered from physical characteristics or behavioral characteristics/behavioral traits through behavioral biometrics like a person's voice, eyesight, facial features or fingerprint scanner, or fingerprint recognition such as their voice, fingerprints, or face.
Because individual traits such as these cannot easily be reproduced by anyone else, biometrics is frequently used for two-factor authentication - for instance, with voiceprints, fingerprints, and facial recognition system characteristics, which have strong connections with their identity, proving reliable identification of another individual.
How Does A Biometric System Work?
Fingerprints have long been used as the go-to standard for personal identification; modern biometric methods extend this tradition. Timekeeping systems utilize biometric information; however, safes, digital accounts, and criminal activity can all benefit from its tracking capability. With digital technology advancing quickly, biometric system authentication has grown more advanced. Biometric systems require three features to work effectively:
- Biometric information that needs to be authenticated is captured using an input device that is physically located on-premise, typically an imaging scanner or camera.
- Software designed specifically to translate biometric data and verify it against individual records can quickly and reliably. Algorithms explicitly intended to process images have proven themselves invaluable here.
- Building a database to validate biometric data requires creating and populating it before any biometric system becomes operational while attuning each person's biometric details with database records for verification purposes.
Airports and other high-security areas already rely heavily on biometric attendance system software; however, biometric data also has many uses beyond security - it dramatically enhances people's lives and improves efficiency. Most smartphones now include facial recognition technology or utilize it extensively; even so, you can now use your fingerprint to open car doors - so there is no chance of accidentally leaving yourself at home without unlocking.
What Is A Biometric Time Clock?
Employers can securely track the hours and shifts their employees work by employing biometric time clocks. Employees clock in/out using biometric identifiers like fingerprints instead of keycards/pin codes to clock in/out. Because biometric time clocks run on this same system as described previously, biometric clocks require input devices, software systems, and verified databases - just like traditional time clocks do.
Installing scanners or cameras at every entry and exit used by employees at work is necessary to start operations smoothly and avoid delays during busy shifts. A sufficient proportion of scanners or cameras must be deployed to reduce bottlenecks during busy shift times and prevent delays or blockages in service delivery.
The following steps are installing and integrating the necessary software system with the employee database. Once connected, image recognition algorithms quickly process scanner input before comparing biometric information stored with each employee file to check biometric similarities, all while rapidly recording employees' shift times for payroll systems.
Integrating biometric time clock systems is straightforward for larger organizations; the only difficulty may be gathering all employee biometrics simultaneously. Keep employee privacy in mind during system setup, informing them about data protection measures and involving them with onboarding procedures for new hires who log biometric information as part of a standard onboarding procedure.
Related article - Revolutionize Your Attendance Management with These Must-Have Features and Unlock the Benefits!
Power Of A Biometric Attendance System
After exploring the basic functioning and advantages of biometric time clocks and attendance systems, let us focus on their benefits.
Eliminate Buddy Punching and Time Fraud
Traditional time and attendance systems that rely on cards or pin codes contain serious flaws; coworkers could easily clock in for each other or increase the hours worked during shifts - known as buddy punching - which significantly increases potential time fraud risks. Biometric systems offer far better security by authenticating employees as they pass in and out, since employees must physically access it themselves for authentication purposes.
Save Time Usually Spent on Manual Data Entry
Traditional attendance tracking methods present their share of challenges for HR and payroll teams when processing all time stamp records to match against employee records to distribute appropriate pay and benefits, which can take time-consuming manual work to do correctly. With biometric attendance systems, this procedure can be automated so most work is finished instantly in real-time, allowing administrative staff more freedom from tedious data entry tasks and allowing more critical projects to get accomplished without unnecessary administrative duties like this one being required of them.
Quickly Authorize Employees Across Distributed Locations
Tracking attendance can be especially tricky for businesses operating multiple locations or constantly changing sites like construction sites. With biometric data, however, monitoring workers in various locations becomes much more straightforward, providing security personnel a means of verifying newcomers quickly.
Utilizing biometric time clocks allows organizations to customize attendance procedures under state and local privacy laws protecting personal information. TR500 biometric time clock supports manual pin entry and biometric logins, allowing it to be implemented nationwide with state-specific check-in procedures modified as necessary.
Streamline Shift Handovers
Shift-based jobs often require a rush to clock in and out as workers begin and end their shifts, creating bottlenecks due to too many employees who must swipe ID cards or insert pins for processing. Biometric attendance systems help speed up processes and avoid long lines by processing employee information within seconds - our fingerprint sensors can even process an employee in less than a second.
Guaranteed Accuracy of Your Records
Biometric time clocks offer several distinct advantages over manual watches for timekeeping: fraud reduction, reduced likelihood of human error, and data silos can all help ensure accurate records; real-time sharing of attendance records allows dependable information throughout an organization for each department to access attendance details at their convenience.
You are undoubtedly aware that labor laws and various visa restrictions limit how long an employee can work per week; social security benefits also depend on income level. Biometric attendance systems allow your business to run more smoothly by maintaining up-to-date records. Correct records can make running your business smoother than ever.
Protect Workers From COVID-19 and Improve Health & Safety
There's no disputing COVID-19's high rate of transmission. Employers, therefore, seek ways to lessen the chance of spreading among employees on the job site; contactless biometric attendance systems offer one effective method. Switching over from manual attendance records could eliminate an infection source in an office environment.
With TR1000 time clock, for instance, you can use germ-free attendance records thanks to facial recognition technology and COVID-19 symptom screening platform if necessary - providing close monitoring of any indications of infection among employees.
Conclusion
As technology becomes more integrated into our personal and professional lives, adopting effective digital systems and biometric features will become more widespread. Companies that must adapt risk losing their competitive edge and alienating of remote employees through tedious manual labor. Biometric time clocks offer an efficient means for controlling employee attendance, automating payroll processing,
Accurate time, biological characteristics, biometric authentication, fingerprint reader, proxy attendance , fingerprint biometric, key features, and cutting ongoing expenses--although managing biometric data might seem complex to those unfamiliar with its uses. Before installing a biometric time and attendance management system, you must familiarize yourself with biometric laws to maximize its advantages.
Once implemented, however, keeping open communication channels with wide range staff members to ensure this doesn't negatively impact morale is also paramount to its success. However, using a biometric time clock as part of your employee attendance tracking solution should be smooth as long as all matters surrounding its implementation are managed legally and professionally.
