How to get employees to track time?
Time tracking is an essential part of any business. It doesn’t matter if you’re running a global company, managing a project, or being a small business owner.
Accurate time tracking helps you keep track of how much time is being spent on each task. It allows you to bill your clients accurately. There will be no more unpaid working hours.
Despite its importance, many businesses still struggle with getting their employees to track their time. If you’re a business owner, a project manager, or a team leader who’s not finding an answer to the question “How to get employees to track time?”, we’ve got your back.
In this blog, we discuss 7 steps that will help you get your employees to track their time!
How to get employees to track time in 7 steps
1. Explain the benefits
The first step in getting your employees to track their time is to explain what time tracking is and its benefits
Time tracking helps businesses save money, increase productivity, and improve the accuracy of billing hours.
First, explain how time tracking will help the company as a whole. Then make sure your team understands how it will benefit specifically them.
2. Make time tracking easy
If you want your employees to track their time, you need to make it easy for them to do so.
There are several ways to do this, such as using an online timesheet template or investing in a time-tracking software like Timeular.
With Timeular time tracking software, you don’t need to switch between apps to change your logs; you just have to flip the dice. Yes, Timeular has a time tracker cube that makes everything easier. The best thing is that the app works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
Make sure that whatever system you use is user-friendly and easy to understand. Otherwise, time tracking will be both a bottleneck and a headache.
Effortlessly track time with your entire team. With Timeular, your employees finally enjoy tracking time!
“We all love using Timeular. It’s really easy to use and straightforward, especially if you haven’t done time tracking before. We actually enjoy using it and it’s so helpful.” – Eva Lightfoot, Senior Account Executive, Harpswood
3. Explain to employees what’s in it for them
Many employees are hesitant to track their time because they feel like it’s a way for the company to keep tabs on them. They are often concerned about micromanagement.
Explain to employees how tracking their time can benefit them. For example, let them know that they will be able to see how much time they spend on each task and project.
This information can help them manage their time more efficiently. For example, this technique may help your employees, especially remote workers, to live a more balanced life
At the same time, this kind of data analysis might help to justify the need to add new members to a team or to buy a tool that automates a task.
4. Lead by example
If you want your employees to start tracking their time, lead by example and start tracking your own time first.
This will show your employees that you’re serious about the importance of time tracking and will help them understand how it works.
Once you’ve started tracking your own time, hold a team meeting to explain the system to everyone. Give employees a chance to ask questions and address any concerns they might have.
Make sure that everyone is on board with the system before moving forward. Once everyone understands how time tracking works, it’s crucial to set up some guidelines and expectations:
- How often do you want employees to track their time?
- What are the main goals: increase productivity? Finding bottlenecks? Accurate billing?
5. Reward your employees
A little incentive can go a long way in getting employees to track their time.
For example, you could offer a bonus for employees who track their time every day for a month. This will show your employees that you’re committed to the system and encourage them to use it more often.
You could also give out prizes for the employee with the most accurate time tracking.
These incentives will help your employees see how important time tracking is, and it will motivate them to use the system regularly.
When we talk about bonuses or prizes, it doesn’t need to be money. If you think about this, you’ll find several alternatives, such as team recognition, Spotify or Netflix subscriptions, reduced Friday working hours, gym subscriptions, etc.
6. Celebrate team achievements
When your team starts tracking their time, you’ll start to see some amazing results.
For example, you might find that your team is more productive than you thought. Or, you might find that certain projects are taking longer than expected.
You could hold a team meeting to discuss time tracking results so that your employees see how important time tracking is.
It’s vital to celebrate these achievements as a team. This will demonstrate that you’re dedicated to the system and encourage them to use it more frequently.
7. Ask for feedback
Before implementing a time-tracking system, listen to their thoughts, ideas, and concerns.
This feedback should continue after you’ve implemented a time-tracking system. Find out how your employees feel about time tracking, and what they like and don’t like about the system.
Use this feedback to improve the process and make it more enjoyable for everyone. Be flexible with time tracking methods because there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to time tracking.
What works for one business might not work for another. And what works for one team might not work for another team within the same company. That’s why it is important to be flexible.
Find the best time tracking apps out there.
Why do employees resist time tracking?
There are a few reasons why employees might resist time tracking:
- They feel like they’re being micromanaged.
- They don’t understand how time tracking can benefit them.
- They think it’s a waste of time.
- Logging hours is a drag
So, if you’re wondering how to get employees to track time, you need to address these concerns head-on.
As we mentioned, explain to them how important time tracking can be and how it benefits them, and the company as well. And make sure that the system you use is user-friendly.
Conclusion
If you want to know how to get employees to track time, follow these seven steps.
Lead by example, set up guidelines, ask for feedback, and make it a rewarding experience. It will help you convince your employees to start tracking their time.
In the end, everyone will win a lot with the time tracking implementation because you and your employee will be more productive all stay on top of things.
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