The main challenges of time tracking in construction
Tracking time in the construction industry comes with its fair share of challenges. Let's take a look at the most common obstacles you may face when striving to accurately track time in construction.
Inaccurate time reporting
Manual timekeeping methods, such as paper timesheets often contain errors.
These errors may be attributed to falsified work hours or mistakes made when managers record time entries. Either way, inaccurate time reporting carries significant consequences.
Additionally, time theft practices like “buddy punching,” where one employee clocks in or out on behalf of another, contributes to inflated work hours, impacting the reliability of time records.
Dispersed workforce
Your construction workers are usually dispersed throughout multiple areas in a typical workday. Keeping track of their hours worked can be a daunting task.
More than likely you’ll encounter several difficulties related to time tracking when teams are stationed in different locations. One of which is the difficulty of consolidating timekeeping records into one main system, especially if your team lacks a uniform method of tracking time.
Legal compliance
Remaining compliant with wage and hour regulations can be a challenge for construction managers. To avoid fines and legal repercussions, you must keep thorough records of employees’ hours worked, overtime, and breaks.
In some states, mainly California, there are strict break requirements for employees. To satisfy state laws, it’s important that you make an effort to consistently update records to reflect accurate time entries.
Failing to track time accurately can have severe consequences, some of which are listed below.
Labor cost overruns: Inaccurately tracking time can cause you to miscalculate labor hours, resulting in overpayments to employees. This directly impacts your project budget and can lead to significant cost overruns.
Delays in project delivery: Inaccurate time tracking records often make it difficult to identify and address delays in the early stages of a project. Delays can impact the overall project timeline, potentially causing missed deadlines.
Difficulty in making informed decisions: Without accurate time data, project managers may struggle to make informed decisions about how to use resources and schedule their workers.
Reduced client satisfaction: Delays and cost overruns caused by inaccurate time tracking can negatively impact client satisfaction. Clients may become frustrated with missed deadlines and increased project costs, which can damage your company’s reputation and reduce your likelihood of securing future business opportunities.
Benefits of using time tracking software in construction
When it comes to time tracking, turning to digital software solutions will provide you with the tools to overcome the challenges associated with inaccurate time tracking. If you’re not fully convinced time tracking apps are the right move for your construction business, take a look at some of the advantages they provide – we’ve listed several below.
Automated time tracking
By automating the process by which you record employee hours, you can significantly reduce your administrative overhead and increase the accuracy of your timesheets.
Time tracking software allows employees to clock in and out of projects using devices like smartphones or tablets. It eliminates the need for paper timesheets and manual data entry, saving time and reducing errors. Additionally, the software can be integrated with GPS tracking software to verify employee location and ensure accurate time allocation.
Simplified payroll process
With an automated time tracking system, you can expedite employee compensation and reduce the frequency of payroll errors.
Employees are more likely to experience job satisfaction when they are paid accurately and promptly for work performed. By using construction time tracking apps you can track employees’ hours and pay them strictly for the hours they worked.
If your company chooses to track time manually, be aware that some employees may falsify their work hours to inflate their wages. If your company continues to overcompensate employees,over time your business will more than likely experience significant financial loss.
Improved labor efficiency
Dependable time tracking methods give you access to insightful historical data. With construction time tracking apps, you can assess how productive your team has been based on the number of hours they have worked as well as any project activity that has been recorded within the app.
Not only is construction time tracking software beneficial for tracking hours worked, it is a helpful tool for identifying areas for improvement across your workforce.
Enhanced project management
Construction managers that use time tracking software are better able to monitor the progress of construction projects.
With the right time tracking technology, your employees should be able to record the time they spent working on specific tasks. Managers can then take that data and adjust schedules and assignments as necessary to meet project deadlines.
Audit trail
The audit trail generated by time tracking apps for contractors serves as irrefutable evidence to support your company's claims and protect its interests.
Construction time tracking apps provide a detailed, chronological record of all activities taken place within the system. This information includes time entries by employees, as well as any changes or deletions that have been made to these entries.
Managers can use time tracking software in construction, to track overtime hours as well as required breaks. Additionally, leading time tracking software generates detailed reports that can be used to demonstrate compliance during legal proceedings, reducing the risk of costly legal penalties.
Partner with Timeero for construction time tracking done right
With so many construction time tracking apps on the market today, it can be hard to know which software will best suit your business needs. Timeero is a powerful GPS time and mileage tracking app that amps up your construction company’s productivity and efficiency.
With Timeero you will experience:
Real-time GPS location tracking
Convenient mobile and offline accessibility
Integrations with popular payroll software
Customized reports
Detailed scheduling and shift assignments
Ready to give Timeero a try?
Experience the best time clock app for construction today.
Emily Maina is a tech-savvy writer with a passion for creating content. With years of experience in the industry, she is well-versed in the latest trends and developments in the tech industry. When she’s not working, Emily enjoys exploring the great outdoors or watching her favorite shows.
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