Why Tracking Time Matters?
Time tracking is one of the crucial aspects of time management. It is also essential when running a company or business. Tracking time helps in keeping a record of all the data on employees’ work as well as the organization status. Time tracking is becoming more and more popular and numerous companies decide to implement it into their structure.
Tracking time, especially in today’s fast-paced, busy world, is so helpful that many people praise its benefits. First and foremost, it saves time. Secondly, helps to properly allocate resources such as budget, people or tools of any type. Then, there are plenty of valuable features which, when aptly adjusted, can significantly boost productivity and improve employee’s work. Thus, time tracking matters because it strengthens the substantial processes taking place in an organization.
How does time tracking work? Find it out in the example of TimeCamp!
But… as mistakes happen in every aspect related to work, they also concern time tracking. Everybody knows that it’s not an art and it doesn’t require much knowledge. Yet sometimes things don’t work out as planned.
What Are The 3 Most Common Mistakes in Time Tracking?
It can be said that time tracking is one of the methods of time management. And sometimes even proven methods may cause problems. But in business, there is no room for mistakes. Even the slightest oversight may negatively influence your business. That’s why it’s important to make sure you track time properly.
Check out these 3 most common time tracking mistakes and find out how to avoid them!
1. Improper Implementation Process
When employees find out that they will have to use time tracking software, they often react reluctantly to such a news. In their minds, tracking their work is nothing but spying on them. For this reason, it is essential to take certain steps and create a plan of the proper implementation process. Here are the main points you should consider when you want your employees to track their time at work:
- Organize a kick-off meeting during which you will discuss the issue of time tracking in your organization.
- Inform that they will not be spied on but that it has to do with time organization, prioritization, increasing productivity, and team management.
- Guide them through the implementation process.
- Show how many advantages time tracking has.
- Let them use the software freely for a few weeks so that they can learn how it works.
- Be open for questions and feedback from your team or employees. Their insight can be valuable.
Remember that implementing time tracking software is a process which requires the engagement of both sides. But the result of work will pay off.
2. Choosing The Wrong Software
There are as many time tracking apps as leaves on a tree in the middle of the spring, and new ones still come out. That’s why so many people choose wrongly and then have to fix mistakes caused by this problem.
Make a research, ask support teams of the tool to explain how it works. You can compare reviews on Capterra or G2 Crowd and see what people from similar industries have to say about it. Also, most of the tools offer a free trial or a demo version for those who want to see how the software works.
Make sure the time tracking software corresponds to your company’s needs. Different tools work differently for freelancers, IT sector, contractors, etc. Check the features, sector for which the app was created, and whether you will be able to defray it.
Don’t make any more mistakes! Sign up for your free TimeCamp trial!
3. Tracking Chosen Activities
A study conducted by actiTime shows interesting results in tracking work-related activities:
- E-mails: “62% of employees don’t track time spent on emails or track it rarely.”
- Meetings: “60% always track time spent in them. However, still there are 9.1% who never track time spent on meetings and another 9.1% who track it rarely.”
- Communication with colleagues: “90% of the entire working time. 18.2% never track it and 23.6% only track it rarely. 10% of those who never track work time spent on communication with colleagues are managers.”
- Filling timesheets: “around 50% of employees record their time days and weeks after they actually spent hours on a task.”
To sum up, “up to 40% of working time is not being logged.” The number is frightening. Above all, 40% of working hours is nearly a half. No wonder time tracking doesn’t work for most of the people.
Tell your employees to track the four abovementioned activities and all then everything will be consistent. Even a small task is still a task. And when performed regularly, may make up quite a significant part of the untracked time.
How to Avoid Time Tracking Mistakes?
Each of these deadly time tracking mistakes can be avoided if properly taken care of. They may seem insignificant but in the long run, the harm they may bring to your company is beyond words.
Take care of proper time tracking and you will easily avoid mistakes. Moreover, you can make time tracking easy and enjoyable.