Tick Tock

The time clock is an important fixture in many workplaces. Some regard them as a necessary evil, while timekeepers regard them as absolutely crucial to keep their records in order. Their function has hardly been changed since their introduction: they allow employees to clock in and clock out with the aid of a machine, indicating how long they've been at work. This allows their employers to dole pay out accurately with respect to the hours worked. Small businesses and franchises can survive without time clock systems if there is an employee or manager on staff who can make note of the comings and goings of employees, but they're necessary when this isn't possible.

Biometric time clocks are a recent advent, and they're notable because they prevent many of the types of fraud made possible by non-biometric timeclocks. Originally, timeclocks used heavy punchcards to provide evidence of check-in and check-out. However, there was nothing that prevented dishonest employees from simply handing their card over to someone who was coming in and convincing them to punch them in and out. On a large factory floor, this could often constitute a full shift of timetheft with none the wiser, as the absence of a single worker wouldn't provide any major slowdown. A biometric time clock prevents this by demanding the physical presence of a worker.

They are also effective at combating ghost fraud, which occurs when a worker checks themselves in and proceeds to leave. Utilizing a biometric time clock requires more attention and time, which deters workers from leaving in much the same way a mirror deters theft: it forces them to consider what they're doing a little longer.

Biometric clocks also enhance accuracy. With a biometric clock, all data is logged digitally, and there's no room for error: erroneous results will be rejected, rather than filed erroneously, requiring a worker to try again if there's a problem. Ultimately, this means that a check-in or check-out can't happen partially or by accident, ensuring that you have an accurate count of hours worked. This means there's no ambiguity or room for error when timekeeping records are examined for payroll later.

A biometric time clock brings a lot of advantages with it into any modern office or factory setting. As long as a company can push through the overhead to have them installed, they'll make faithful tools for your company, and your timekeepers will thakn you.