Top 6 Tips to Integrate Time-Tracking Into Your Work Flow Successfully

Photo of author

(Newswire.net — March 11, 2020) — In most cases, employees have a negative perception of time tracking. And this is understandable.Some workers don’t understand how some time tracking tools such as Outlook Timesheet work, and others feel like you are being too strict. However, time tracking concept is meant to help workers save time. And it helps them to handle a certain task within the right period and become more productive. 

When you follow up on work flow activities using a time tracking software, you are calculating the time taken to complete each activity relating to the total number of hours worked. With the right integration strategy, you can obtain more details, such as productivity and efficiency. Time tracking encourages and improves productivity.

In this guide, we will look at ways of integrating time tracking software into your work flow successfully.

Explain the Reasons for Integration to your Employees

The element of trust between you and your team should not change during integration. Highlight the benefits of integration in terms of getting accurate results, time, and cost management leading to better planning and profitability. Bring in the aspect of task delegation where you distribute work that match capability and available skills. 

Choose the Best Time Tracking Software 

Using the best application gives team members a lot of flexibility. Employees can login on to the system and work from any location. Having a complicated platform means your works will have to jump through hoops to get what they need, and that’s quite annoying. Choosing a time tracker that best suits your needs within the work flow is a crucial element while on boarding staff. 

Show Team Members How to Use Time Tracker

Employees do not need to log or track every aspect of the work flow. Activities such as responding to mails, reading news, etc. should be the managers’ responsibilities. Give them some breathing space and they will appreciate the time tracking system. 

Show them activities that you will track within the work flow to make it easier for them to understand the system. Be ready to have the initial set up tension that needs your assurances to them. During the first few weeks, you may need to have a written document showing the tasks that must be tracked, particularly if that list is long. 

Create a Reward System 

Make the time tracking activity more appealing by giving incentives to those who show consistency and deliver accurate results. Rewarding employees encourage them to work within the task because they have been motivated to perform better. Everyone loves rewards and when working towards a certain goal (to get the reward), employees tend to be more motivated. 

Encourage Feedback from Employees 

After implementation, ask those who use the system for their views. Views gives an insight into system features that enable better performance and the ones that hinder work flow. Call for a meeting to brainstorm on the tracking software in a bid to streamline task procedures. Such sessions help discover solutions and how to avoid future hurdles. 

Team Leaders Should Create and Assign Tasks 

Let a leader in charge of a given number of employees create and assign tasks. The same person can be in charge of time tracking daily. Leaving one or a few individuals in charge creates a seamless operation throughout the whole project. Remember, workers tend to establish some kind of a bond with their team leaders. Having the team leaders create and assign relevant tasks will ensure proper work flow. 

Project expectations may change over time. This gives more reason to implement constant analysis, measurements, and interpretation of every outcome until you get a satisfactory output.