The Basics and Benefits of a Time Clock App for Business

Time Clock App January 10, 2023

Mary Kate Morrow

Writer

What is a Time Clock App?

A time clock app is a great tool for both large and small business owners in the restaurant industry. Previously, employers had to track employee hours using a punch clock and paper time cards. Then, employers and team members utilized timesheet templates and basic online time tools. Now, large and small business owners alike can use employee time tools that offer state of the art technologies.

Digital time clock apps allow employees to seamlessly clock in and out of their shifts. Businesses with multiple job sites or remote workers can use online time tracking tools accessible via mobile device or desktop. Employee time technology incorporates everything from facial recognition to GPS location tracking.

Advances in employee time technology benefit both team members and restaurant business owners. Decreased labor costs and human errors are among the top benefits that both large and small business team members experience. Everything from employee scheduling to payroll processes is simplified and streamlined with the best time tools.

The Value of a Mobile Time Clock App

Accountants estimate that 92% of their clients experience time theft problems. Time theft costs an average of $11 billion each year for employers in the United States. The buddy punching phenomenon, where one employee clocks in or out for another, is a top culprit. Although a buddy punch may seem like an innocent and rare occurrence, time theft labor costs add up. In fact, buddy punching costs United States employers $373 million annually.

A significant way that employee time tools decrease labor costs and increase accountability is through time theft protection. A mobile time clock app can protect against time theft through various technologies. Technologies mobile time clock apps offer to counter time theft and buddy punching include GPS location and facial recognition software.

Employee productivity rates are often considered a top business priority. Studies show that 89% of team members waste time with 57% wasting an hour of paid time per day. Mobile time clock apps are a great solution to employee productivity issues. A mobile time clock allows employees to clock in and out seamlessly with an easy use interface. Ultimately, employee time tools like a clock app and time tracking software save businesses both time and money.

Who Benefits from Time Clock Apps?

Contrary to popular belief, not only management benefits from employee time clock apps and time tracking software. Yes, small business owners and chain restaurant owners value the control that employee time clock and time tracking tools supply. However, with the best time software in place, team members themselves also benefit from time clock apps! People that benefit from time clock apps especially include-

1. Financial Employees

Large and small businesses often have dedicated financial employees in their human resources or accounting department. Team members who run payroll greatly benefit from employee time tools. Anyone that has run payroll before can attest to its difficulties. Calculating payroll properly requires employee hours worked to be accurate. If time clock data is lost or compromised it is impossible to run payroll accurately. From incorrect labor costs to paper time cards gone missing, small issues can turn into huge problems.

Due to these issues, many businesses have turned away from paper time cards and punch clock applications. Even spreadsheets for time cards and timesheet templates are becoming less popular. Alternatively, mobile time clock apps and online time clock solutions are increasing in popularity. In fact, over 42% of businesses report that they use time clock apps already!

2. Small Business Owners

A small business may not yet have the resources available to hire team members to do specific functions. These small businesses require business owners to cover everything from employee scheduling to tracking time worked. Free time tools may be tempting, but more comprehensive paid time tools can save labor costs in the long run.

An online time clock and time tracking software allow business owners to make sure employees are on task. The ability for a small business owner to see everything in real time and in one place is incredibly beneficial. Employee time tools are valuable for a small business or restaurant owner that is not on the job site consistently. A mobile app can be opened on a mobile device with an internet connection or from different job site desktops. With excellent employee time tools, business owners have more free time to focus on what they care about the most.

3. Team Members

Online time tools and mobile apps are great resources for large and small business team members alike. Easy use mobile time tools make sure that team members can enter clock ins and outs seamlessly. Team members can see everything from real time hours worked to an upcoming free day off in one place instantly.

Team members that keep track of paper time cards or track time on their personal mobile device can become disorganized. Instead, businesses should make sure to invest in an employee time tool that allows employees easy use capabilities and functionality. Ultimately, a clock app and time tracking solution should always benefit team members directly.

Top Features of Time Clock Apps

There are various features that different time clock apps offer restaurant business employees. Similarly, different restaurant businesses will necessarily have different time clock software requirements and desires. For example, a small business may not have multiple job site locations and therefore may not need GPS location tracking. Alternatively, a large restaurant business may need a mobile time clock application that will keep track of labor costs incurred. There are time clock app top features that large and small businesses agree on including-

1. User Friendly

Interface navigation should be a top priority when team members discuss which time tracking and time clock app to implement. An online time clock app should have a friendly interface that supplies users with easy use navigation. Tools like time cards and timesheet templates in the mobile app should be easy to find and utilize.

Obviously, team members need to be able to actually interact with clock apps to evaluate easy use capabilities. Many online time software providers offer large and small businesses free time tools trials. If free time tools trials are not offered, restaurants can request a free day trial from customer support directly.

2. Advanced Features

A small business and large company will likely have different time tracking and time clock feature needs. The same principle applies to employee time software desired features. For example, a small business may not need or want facial recognition or GPS time tracking tools. Alternatively, a large company may not be satisfied with the basic tracking software free time software offers.

Before implementing paid or free time tools, team members should discuss time clock and time tracking software wants and needs. Team members should also know which basic features are expected in free time clock tools. Free time clock and time card tools typically offer paid time off and overtime employee hours calculations. Alternatively, more advanced features like labor costs calculations and buddy punch monitoring are not typically included in free time tools.

3. Integration Capabilities

The ability for time clock and time tracking software to integrate outside software and tools is important. An online time clock and time tracker should integrate to run payroll and employee scheduling processes most effectively. The ability to run payroll and scheduling time processes in one place is much easier.

5 Top Time Clock Apps for 2021

ZipSchedules is the best time clock app of 2021 by a landslide. Team members are more accountable and absenteeism more scarce when provided time clock mobile app and multi platform accessibility. In fact, both employee accountability and productivity are boosted with ZipSchedules employee time tools!

ZipSchedules is great for a small business or restaurant with team members that are on the job site and remote. Instead of paper time cards, employees clock in and out using the internet connection on their mobile device or desktop. Team members appreciate the easy use interface and assurance that the app works well on a mobile device and desktop.

ZipSchedules employee time tools keep track of labor costs to make sure large and small businesses are covered. Employers can view in from real time everything from hours worked to employee time off requests. ZipSchedules hosts forecasting tools that make sure businesses are well prepared to run payroll and scheduling time processes. With labor costs under control, large and small businesses alike save employee time and money using ZipSchedules.

2. Replicon

Small businesses and larger restaurant businesses that need to run payroll and reimburse expenses in one place may consider Replicon. Replicon is an online time and attendance tool that uses internet connection to function on a mobile device or desktop. However, Replicon does not have the functionality of ZipSchedules.

3. ezClocker

Both job site and remote team members use the mobile time clock app ezClocker. Alike ZipSchedules, team members do not need a punch clock or paper time card to use ezClocker. Notably, ezClocker is relatively basic with ZipSchedules boasting more advanced features.

4. Boomr

Some businesses find that every time they go to run payroll they have to deal with disorganized paper time cards. The digital employee time app Boomr avoids the need for businesses to have to run payroll corrections. Importantly, Boomr lacks the employee scheduling capabilities that ZipSchedules offers.

5. Timesheet

The Timesheet mobile time clock app helps businesses keep track of employees. GPS location tracking instantly notifies management when employees leave the job site location. Timesheet also prompts team members to make sure they enter clock ins and outs. However, like Boomr, Timesheet lacks the employee scheduling abilities of ZipSchedules.

Conclusion for Time Clock App

A time clock app is a great investment for both large and small business owners. There are various paid and free employee time tools available for purchase.
ZipSchedules is the top 2021 employee time clock app for restaurant business team members and small business owners!