What comes to mind when you hear the label “one size fits all?” It’s usually something you’d see on clothing. It certainly takes the guesswork out of sizing. You just grab your item and go. 

Quite a few of those labels should probably say, “One size fits some people really well” or “One size fits women taller than 5’8”.” Those are the things you take home to try on and realize they most certainly do not “fit all” because you look like E.T. in his Halloween costume.

There are time tracking apps that can feel just like that E.T. costume, they just don’t work for you. But, when you get a time tracking app that works for your business, it fits like a glove. That software just makes life better. 

And you know what? That’s how good time tracking apps are supposed to work. They are supposed to fit seamlessly into your business and help reduce stress, improve communication, help with project management, and keep your team on task. There are several ways that good time tracking apps can help any business — including yours.

How can time tracking benefit business owners?

Time tracking benefits business owners by ensuring that payroll accuracy is maintained and that employees are paid what they are due. Accurate payroll not only helps to save money but also keeps a business compliant with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This makes it easier to avoid costly wage and hour lawsuits that could threaten your bottom line.

Time tracking also allows you to keep closer tabs on employee performance. By seeing how much time is allocated to certain tasks or projects, employers can make decisions about which team members should be assigned certain tasks in order to maximize their efficiency. 

Time tracking also creates an objective record of the amount of time each employee spends working on specific elements of the project and allows for greater oversight. It can therefore act as an important tool for determining staff efficiency and productivity.

How can employee time tracking help your business?

As a business owner, it’s important to track not just your financials but also employee time. Knowing how effectively and efficiently time is being utilized can help you better manage resources and maximize productivity. By tracking employee time, your business can calculate the exact cost of projects, determine labor costs associated with different tasks, and review hours worked to ensure productivity is in line with expectations. Having insight into employee time allows for informed decisions about where to allocate resources for optimal results. 

Time tracking beyond isolated project costs also helps businesses identify areas of waste or bottlenecks that increase costs and diminish efficiency. Trends in employee output can be monitored over time to determine what strategies optimize performance and maximize value. 

Rather than relying on manual forms of tracking employees’ hours, apps can proactively set up systems that automate the process as much as possible Tracking employee time will allow your business to make smarter decisions aligned with its financial goals while ensuring that every minute worked is used efficiently and productively aiding towards creating success for your business.

How can time tracking benefit your employees?

Time tracking is an invaluable tool for employees, in addition to its well-known benefits for business owners. It ensures that all employees are being paid for every second worked and rewarded for extra work such as overtime pay or additional paid time off or sick leave. The ability to accurately track their hours also provides a sense of control over their schedule and workload, allowing them to hold their employers accountable if expectations become too demanding.

For many employees, time tracking is also beneficial when it comes to resource management and burnout prevention. As they are able to accurately measure the time they spend on a job or project, it gives them more insight into managing the balance between their work life and other commitments.

 This cannot only prevent mental exhaustion but encourage goal-setting and long-term development too. Addressing working hours with real data from trackers can give coworkers greater security around job responsibilities without overburdening them with unrealistic expectations.

How Can Time Tracking Apps Work for Any Business?

Time tracking apps have revolutionized the way businesses track their employees' hours and manage their workloads. With the help of these innovative tools, businesses can maximize productivity, optimize workflows, and improve profitability. 

  1. Automate Payroll: Payroll may be driving you batty. One of the most important advantages of using time tracking apps is that they allow you to automate payroll processing. By connecting your time tracking software to your payroll system, you can eliminate manual data entry and ensure employees are paid accurately and promptly.
  2. Monitor Labor Costs: By tracking employees' hours, you can get a better understanding of your labor costs and identify areas where you may be able to save money. You can also use this data to plan for future staffing needs and optimize your budget.
  3. Improve Communication: Stay on the same page with your people. Time tracking apps can help businesses improve communication between employees and managers, as well as between departments. By providing a comprehensive view of working hours, you can ensure everyone is on the same page and knows when tasks are due or deadlines are approaching.
  4. Streamline Scheduling Processes: Time tracking apps allow you to easily manage and adjust employee schedules by providing a comprehensive view of their availability and workloads. This allows you to quickly find the best fit for each task, reducing the amount of time spent on scheduling and maximizing employee productivity. And when it’s an app, you can access the schedule through your phone. 
  5. Reduce Labor Costs: By analyzing labor costs, businesses can identify areas of potential savings and optimize their budget. Time tracking apps can help businesses reduce labor costs by ensuring employees are paid for the hours they work and not for any extra time they may have taken. This helps when it comes to billable hours for your clients, as well.
  6. Analyze Productivity Levels: Time tracking apps provide comprehensive data on how much time each employee spends on tasks and projects. With this data, you can identify areas for improvement in your workflows and gauge which employees are most efficient. This can clarify who works quickly and accurately, who is slower but meticulous, who is fast and inaccurate, and who is slow and still inaccurate. 
  7. Integrate with Other Systems: Time tracking apps can be integrated with other software, such as project management or customer relationship management (CRM) systems. This allows you to monitor progress on projects in real-time, while also providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions.
  8. Monitor Project Progress: Tracking software allows businesses to monitor the progress of projects in real time and make adjustments as needed. This helps businesses stay on track with their goals and ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. This is like two benefits in one. 

To sum it up 

Time tracking apps can provide a range of benefits for your business, from automating payroll processes to enhancing employee engagement. By leveraging the power of these tools, you can increase accuracy, integrate with other systems, reduce labor costs, and gain insight into productivity levels. 

In addition, time tracking apps can improve communication, enhance security, ensure compliance with labor laws, and monitor project progress. Taking advantage of these capabilities can help your business maximize efficiency and optimize its workflow process.

Choosing a time tracking app that fits your business will make the work lives of you and your employees much smoother. Why not try one on for size? Harvest offers a free trial. It allows you to try us out at no charge.

Get in touch. We would love to discuss all the ways Harvest can help your business run more efficiently.