Time tracking

How to Track Time for Remote Workers

Remote working is on the rise, which has many benefits for both employees and employers. But when it comes to remote working and time tracking, how can employers ensure that remote workers track time?

Find out how your business can track time for remote workers and monitor remote employees to ensure efficiency and productivity.

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What is Remote Work?

Remote work is a working style that allows employees to work outside of a traditional office environment. Remote workers generally perform their duties from a static office at home, occasionally choosing to work from a café or other public space.

Remote working should not be confused with mobile work, as they are two different working styles. Remote workers’ core job takes place outside of the office, meaning they are required to travel from one location to another as part of their role.

The digitization of many office-based roles and the widespread availability of internet access in recent years means that it’s now not only possible to work remotely but, in some cases (and especially since COVID-19) preferable to working full-time in an office environment.

Before the pandemic, remote working was not widespread. But COVID-19 forced millions of office workers across the globe to transfer to remote working overnight. Since then, employees and employers alike have learned that it is possible to work effectively and efficiently outside of the traditional office environment.

Many have enjoyed additional free time without the stresses of commuting, and the flexibility that working from home brings. However, many employers are struggling with the “new normal,” wondering how they can successfully pull off this switch to time tracking and managing remote workers.

Can You Track Time For Remote Workers?

You’ll be pleased to know that it is possible to track time for remote workers – either by having remote employees track their time manually or by using time tracking software. In fact, out-of-office work and time tracking go well together when software is thrown into the mix.

There are various advantages and disadvantages attached to manual tracking compared to its more modern and successful counterpart, automatic tracking tools.

Manual time tracking

Whilst asking employees to track time manually might seem like a simpler and cheaper option, this method is often riddled with issues. Manual tracking depends on each employee monitoring and keeping accurate records of how they spend each working day. These details are all too easy to slip up on, especially when they spread their time across projects and clients. Manual time tracking also runs the risk of workers overspending on some projects and overlooking others if they are unaware of budgets or time limitations.

Many managers are wary of entrusting their timesheets to remote employees, logging their time accurately and honestly. This can be especially hard if out-of-office employees work flexible hours or juggle other responsibilities like child care. It can be stressful for home workers to feel they must account for every minute of the day to manage their daily responsibilities.

Automatic tracking software

Time tracker software is a perfect solution to remote working and time tracking. Such remote employee time tracking software has evolved beyond complex spreadsheets – today, mobile timesheet apps enable workers to track and submit their time directly from an app.

At the same time, managers can approve time, manage multiple timesheets for remote workers and their schedules, and use smart reporting features to interpret labour data. QuickBooks Workforce has everything you need to track your employees’ hours wherever they work. Such tracking tools and employee monitoring tools provide you with the features and skills you need to manage your team accordingly.

Building Trust with Remote Workers

Building trust is important when managing anybody, but particularly with remote teams. It is more vital than ever for your workforce to feel accountable, motivated, and supported in these uncertain times. Without the office’s traditional structure, home workers could lose motivation or feel isolated from their co-workers.

Giving your remote employees the tools to manage their time effectively and keep track of progress is an effective way to encourage accountability and build mutual trust. Let your workers know you are implementing and using remote employee monitoring software to keep this trust going.

How to Monitor Remote Employees

Keeping track of your remote employees and the hours they have worked can be a breeze when your business uses QuickBooks Time GPS tracking software. QuickBooks time tracking features offer companies the ability to monitor their remote teams to ensure the best use of everyone’s time. But how does this time tracking app work?

Using GPS tracking

Our GPS time tracking app for your mobile workforce means whether they’re in the office or out in the field, you can schedule new jobs, manage employees and deploy your workforce for maximum efficiency. GPS time tracking helps to log the location of your employees and updates it throughout the workday. Once clocked out, QuickBooks Time stops logging employees’ locations.

Using Mobile Apps

Tracking tools like QuickBooks Time offer businesses and employees multiple ways remote workers can track time. Download the mobile app, which works for Android and iPhone, and easily clock in and out from a remote location with a click of a button. Both employees and managers can access online time cards to ensure all hours are logged and timesheets for remote workers are correct.

Using QuickBooks Time

Take advantage of these quality time tracking features when you opt for a free trial of QuickBooks Time software today. Millions of employees across the world have been using this software for tracking time and recording work hours to help businesses streamline the payroll process.

Sign up for a free trial of QuickBooks Time tracking tool today and get your whole remote team on board in no time!

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