Proximity
It's no secret that payroll is the largest expense for most businesses and that trying to manually manage a workforce can be incredibly time consuming. With the economy still trying to climb out of the slump its been in over the last couple years, effectively managing your organization's employee time and attendance has never been more important to your bottom line. Enter automated time and attendance management and, more specifically, proximity attendance systems.
Proximity systems have rapidly been replacing magnetic stripe and barcode badge systems because they are, well, better. Magnetic and barcode badges have a tendency to wear out, are less secure as they can be duplication and require exposed electronics to be read successfully. With the exposed electronics, vandalism, dirt and grime are just a few of the things these units are vulnerable to.
How are proximity attendance systems different? Badges do not wear out and are not able to be duplicated. Moreover, proximity systems use internal (unexposed) electronics to read employee badges with some systems not even requiring employees to take their card out of their wallet or purse to clock in (resulting in fewer lost badges).Before we get too carried away singing praises of proximity badge reader systems, there are definitely some drawbacks.
For starters, what if an employee leaves their wallet, purse or proximity badge at home? As with any automated attendance solution, the make or break feature of any system is in its programming and software. While some proximity units allow employees to clock in using a PIN, other systems only allow an employee to be clocked in with manager approval at a computer. If your software does not support PC clock in, then you're stuck and the employee won't be able to log in. Not exactly handy.
What if your company runs out of badges? Again, looking at the features, programming and software capability of an attendance system are key here. Selecting a system that allows a manager to assign a unique ID code prior to receiving a card is important for minimizing this pitfall.
Finally, how does the proximity system stack up against the biometric attendance alternatives on the market? They each have their own place and you need to evaluate the needs of your business before opting for one or the other. Proximity readers are excellent multi-taskers (access control, ID cards, etc) while there isn't a system out there (yet) that beats the security features of the biometric attendance system. To best identify the right attendance solution for your company, contact a time and attendance expert. They'll have the knowledge and expertise to accurately diagnose the needs of your business and provide your company with the right attendance solution.