Why timesheets are key to success when employees are working remotely

Hybrid working has taken off post pandemic, and a new survey of office workers by Advanced Workplace Associates reveals UK workers are going into the office an average of just 1.5 days a week, compared to 3.8 days a week pre Covid[i].

To ensure productivity doesn’t fall and businesses accurately know how much time employees spend on each project or task, Adrian Lewis, Director at Activ People HR says that timesheets are even more vital in the post pandemic workplace.

Adrian says, “Timesheets have always been an essential business tool, but with more people working away from the office and not visible to their manager timesheets are important for keeping track of what employees are working on and the time taken.

“Businesses can only ensure they stick to budgets, meet deadlines and be successful when employees are using their time effectively. Accurate records need to be kept and employees should be encouraged to keep timesheets.

“However, some firms are still using paper based systems or an excel spreadsheet, which can make the whole process admin heavy and laborious, especially with employees working away from the office. HR departments then have to rely on employees submitting these and then collate the information.

“Our recommendation is to use software which makes it easy for employees to input their hours, no matter where they are working and for managers to have instant access to real-time data.  This can ensure employees are paid accurately and that the business can monitor how much time projects are taking which helps with future planning.”

Five key business benefits of using digital timesheets:

Saving managers time – software enables managers to collate timesheet approvals in one, easy to navigate, place. Managers can then report on employee work hours, approve/revoke timesheets at the click of a button, view and track the status of their department’s timesheet submission and receive email notifications when an employee submits a timesheet.

Access anytime on any device – Employees can access their timesheet on their PC, laptop or mobile device, updating and submitting their hours anytime, anywhere.  This ensures they can be paid accurately based on all the time worked. Timesheets can also track planned leave and absences to teams always know where people are.

Customise the configuration – HR departments can customise the software to suit their unique business needs so they can record time against specific cost centres. They can keep accurate records of hours worked, travel time, accruals and adjustments, and automatically add planned leave to the timesheet.

Accurately monitor productivity – The business can accurately monitor employee productivity across the organisation and increase efficiency by comparing recorded timesheets vs actual output.  This can help identify areas within the business that could be made more cost effective.  Also, they can encourage employee ownership of the process, which can cut down on HR admin time.

Planning for the future – By tracking performance and output businesses can better plan for future projects. It can help them budget better and calculate future project costs, as well as analyse the productivity of employees to help work out who performs best on specific tasks. This can enable them allocate employee resources more effectively.

Activ People HR features Activ Timesheets as part of their suite of HR tools.

For more information on Activ People HR visit: www.activpeoplehr.co.uk

[i] https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/workers-going-into-office-1-5-days-a-week-survey-suggests/