It is called time control to the recording of employees' working hours. This control, in addition to being mandatory in some cases, is also a very useful tool that allows companies and workers to know the working hours actually worked, and not only those that are in accordance with the contract.
Timekeeping is the recording of hours worked in a company by an employee. These hours may be the hours during which the employee concerned is at his or her usual place of work (such as an office).
However, they can also be those which are part of their working day but which do not take place at their usual place of work. As in the case of employees teleworking due to restrictions and confinement because of positive coronavirus cases during the pandemic.
Also in the case of posted workers and work outside the office. See the example of hauliers or salesmen, to name but two.
It is a control that allows to know both the time of entry and exit of the worker, as well as the actual hours worked, This is not always in line with those stipulated in the employment contract.
In this way, both employer and employee can know the actual hours of work carried out, which will be particularly important when executing the payroll payments. To find out more on this point, in this article we give recommendations for the payroll management.
The main importance of timekeeping lies in the fact that it is the only way of to know the actual working hours the worker performs.
This allows know the overtime that the worker has carried out during the month. But it also makes it possible to know whether a worker has carried out fewer working hours than they are entitled to, It is therefore a very useful tool for both employees and the company itself.
In this way, by keeping a record that represents the actual hours of work performed, payments can be adjusted based on that record, taking into account both regular and overtime hours.
Broadly speaking, two types of systems can be distinguished: analogue and digital. The analogue control systems are destined to disappear, as they are not precise systems and allow the register to be altered very easily.
These systems usually consist of simply recording the employee's time of arrival and departure on a piece of paper, which, by doing so, can be used as a means of recording the employee's time of arrival and departure. usually with pen and paper, can be modified without any control real. This could lead to a high rate of absenteeism labour.
On the other hand, the so-called digital time and attendance systems are automated systems that make use of technology to determine the time of entry and exit of the worker.
There are a wide variety of systems, ranging from those activated by a non-transferable personal card those who make use of the fingerprint. Or, as the work clock, those that work logging in with a personal account (especially useful for time accounting when teleworking or commuting).
These systems, being connected to a digital platform, cannot be manipulated, so, besides being much more convenient and accurate, they are also the safest and most efficient way to carry out timekeeping in any company.
In addition, another important aspect to bear in mind with regard to digital systems is that there is a wide variety of them.
This also allows them to be systems that are very flexible and easy to adapt to any type of company who wants to keep track of hours: from a large multinational company based in an office building to a restaurant or small business with no more than 10 employees.
