Here are some of the small business security lessons that the past few years have taught us. First, companies of all sizes are open to crippling cyber attacks. Furthermore, cybercriminals have actually begun to focus on small to medium-sized companies with increasing frequency. Broadly speaking, there are two reasons for this alarming uptick:

• Criminal hackers tend to think that small businesses are easier to target than large corporations. This view stems from their belief that small business cyber security is much less sophisticated and easier to breach.
• Cybercriminals often use attacks on small to mid-sized companies as blueprints for large-scale campaigns.

If you’re a small business owner, we hope we’ve already gotten your attention. But if you need more proof, just take a look at the following numbers.

The Impacts of Cyber Attacks on Small Businesses

We’ll start with a jarring contrast between perception and reality. According to one survey, only about 13% of small business owners think that cybercrimes are an actual threat to their companies’ well-being. That means that 87% of small business don’t think cybercriminals will come after them. But however comforting this belief might be, it’s still incredibly dangerous. It’s dangerous because reality paints a very different (and uglier) picture of the cybersecurity landscape.

And what does this uglier picture look like? To begin with, 61% of small businesses were victimized by cyber attacks in 2017. And while the 2018 numbers aren’t out yet, they’re likely to be significantly worse than what companies have previously reported. For a closer look at this dismal picture, consider the following statistics:

• In 2017, the average cost a small to mid-sized company paid to recover from a cyber attack was approximately $500,000
• Recovery from 20% of these 2017 breaches cost small to medium-sized companies between $1 and $2.5 million
• Over 50% of North American small business owners believed that their company would be unprofitable within a month after a serious cyber attack

These numbers are troubling enough all by themselves, right? But let’s throw one more at you, just to be sure– approximately 60% of small businesses fail completely within about six months after a serious cyber attack. If that doesn’t convince you how dangerous malware attacks can be, then nothing will. Now let’s have a look at the top five types of cyber threats your small business should watch out for as the new year begins.

The Top Five Types of Cyber Threats for 2019

1. Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks have been around for several years, but they didn’t get much attention until May 2017. That’s when the WannaCry series of cyber attacks stalled over 200,000 computers by encrypting organizational data and demanding a Bitcoin ransom before unblocking the affected users. Security experts put a stop to most of the attacks within a matter of days, but not before victims paid over $130 million dollars for the release of their data. Worse still, analysts suspect that the WannaCry attack lies dormant in thousands of computers worldwide.

Despite the (partial) defeat of the WannaCry attacks, Ransomware continues to be one of the most damaging types of cyber threats your small company will face in 2019. Due to the sheer volume of Ransomware attacks, small businesses should prioritize building up an effective defense against them. There are essentially three ways a small business can build this necessary defense.

First, you and your employees must understand the nature of Ransomware attacks. Unlike phishing and other types of cyber threats, Ransomware attacks encrypt critical company data and ‘hold it hostage.’ In other words, these attacks are more like extortion than actual theft. This is why traditional anti-virus software isn’t effective against them.

Instead of anti-virus systems, small businesses should use a combination of employee training and something called ‘endpoint protection.’  Additionally, many smart companies have begun to store critical data in multiple locations. Lastly, it’s imperative that you have a recovery strategy in place before a Ransomware attack can occur.

2. Software Update Attacks

Commonly known as software update supply chain attacks, these computer assaults insert malware code into otherwise safe software at various distribution points. The damage of supply chain attacks occurs because of the huge amounts of sensitive information companies share with their suppliers. And because these malware attacks occur at production and distribution points, they can be difficult to prevent without adequate preparation and knowledge.

Supply chain attacks rose sharply in 2018 and promise to threaten small business well into the future. Therefore, it’s imperative to take certain steps before updating software on a grand scale. The key here is ‘cordoning off’ the damage. Here are three preventative measures you should take to protect yourself from supply chain attacks:

1. Do a small scale test of any new software updates before applying across your entire system.
2. Monitor your system closely to pinpoint suspicious behavior patterns. That way, you can block the dangerous application before it damages your system.
3. Always inspect the software provider’s website before updating their products. If a given site isn’t up-to-date, contact them prior to making any changes.

3. Phishing Types of Cyber Attacks

Phishing attacks are one of the best-known threats to small business cybersecurity. These intrusions are carried out by cybercriminals who impersonate institutional websites that companies consider reliable. Typically, phishing succeeds when users enter sensitive information into a phony website. This information can include things like credit card numbers, passwords, and usernames.

Once the attackers obtain this sensitive information, they’re free to roam the organizational system. The devastation that can ensue should be obvious to small business owners. Successful phishing expeditions can cause havoc in the lives of your customers through identity theft, credit card scams, and other fraudulent schemes. In addition to settling the inevitable class action lawsuits, your company will also have to repair any damage your network has incurred.

Organizations can guard against phishing attacks through several different means. User training is probably the most effective way to avoid falling prey to phishing attacks, but companies can employ technical approaches as well.

4. Denial-of-Service Attacks (DoS and DDoS)

A denial-of-service (DoS) attack happens when a cybercriminal makes a network inaccessible to its authorized users. It accomplishes this by blocking the network’s internet connection with a flood of superfluous or trivial requests. As a result, the system becomes overloaded and becomes unable to fulfill some portion of legitimate user requests. When the flood of requests comes from multiple sources, it’s known as a distributed denial-of-service attack or DDoS.

Protection from these types of cyber attacks typically requires a combination of tools. These tools include detection applications, traffic classification, and blocking mechanisms. For many small businesses, it’s a good idea to utilize dedicated DDoS solutions.

5. Advanced Persistent Threats

An Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) occurs when malicious code is inserted into a company network and steals data over a long period of time. This data can include things like passwords, business procedure information, trade secrets, and financial information. The slow rate at which an APT steals this valuable data makes them difficult to detect. As the code sinks deeper into the network, the attackers can eventually gain entry to a number of other company networks as well.

Traditional measures like firewalls and anti-virus protection won’t protect you from APT attacks. For adequate protection, you should use a two-pronged approach. First, you should divide your network into segments. This will contain the damage an APT can cause and keep it from spreading. Additionally, there are Advanced Persistent Threat Protection suites available. Advance Persistent Threats are some of the most pernicious types of cyber threats your company will face in the coming months, so it’s imperative that you use both of these measures.

Small Business Cybersecurity Now and Going Forward

Companies can no longer ignore the possibility of cyber attacks. Hackers are smarter and more creative today than they’ve ever been before. They’re also better equipped and possess an incredible cache of technical knowledge. Clearly, small businesses have to keep up with the efforts of cybercriminals. Otherwise, the results can be disastrous.

We mentioned a few ways to guard against specific attacks in the preceding sections, but you’ll have to do more to stay truly protected. Some small businesses choose to outsource their cybersecurity work, while others develop an in-house cybersecurity plan. We’ll finish up with a quick list of eight components that every cybersecurity plan should contain:

1. A formal list of cybersecurity protocols, along with a specific set of best security practices
2. Strong passwords and two-factor authentication requirements
3. Updated versions of anti-malware and anti-virus software packages
4. Effective firewalls
5. Network monitoring systems
6. Careful software update policies
7. Recurring user training
8. An attack response plan

Small business cybersecurity is an absolute necessity today. In fact, it’s best viewed as an essential part of doing business. Your company deserves protection and so do your clients. Make the necessary investments before the inevitable attacks occur. You’ll definitely be glad you did. Read more about today’s tax apps that are building better businesses.

The post Five Types of Cyber Threats Small Business Should Watch Out for in 2019 appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

That’s why all HR personnel need to understand what goes into a record keeping system. First, they need to understand the most general characteristics of good record keeping. After that, they need to apply this general knowledge to their company’s specific documentation needs. Once this happens, they’ll have the knowledge and practice that’s required to stay compliant with local, state, and federal laws.

We’ll be taking an analogous tack in the following sections. First, we’ll discuss the elements of effective record keeping. Then, we’ll go over the rules that govern the management of employee information. Lastly, we’ll present some additional reasons that good record keeping is so important.

The Fundamentals of a Good Record System

A record keeping system refers to the methods a business uses to gather, manage, and grant access to essential company information.  The way these systems function varies from company to company, but the most effective usually have the following five things in common:

1. They’re designed and maintained by a select group of HR personnel.
2. This same group updates the system as need be and does regular audits.
3. The system is designed around a sound record-keeping strategy.
4. The record keeping strategy is simple to follow and easily duplicated by new personnel.
5. The strategy includes protocols for security, access, and retention.

These guidelines are important to the design of a good system. But you’ll have to go further to keep it effective over the long term.

Eight Ways to Take Your Record Keeping to the Next Level

The above guidelines represent the first few steps of your record keeping solutions.  Now we’re ready to take things even further. Here are eight more qualities your record keeping system must have to maximize the value of the data it’s designed to preserve:

1. A good record keeping system should be able to capture all the information that’s relevant to a company’s business activity. 
2. It should also have the ability to organize this information in ways that align with the company’s business procedures.
3. The records it manages cannot be changed, transferred, or damaged without authorization.
4. Relevant company personnel must be able to use the system as their main source of company information.
5. The system must allow for easy auditing by leaving a clear trail of everyone who’s viewed or altered a given record.
6. It must also give authorized personnel easy access to all pertinent records.
7. An effective record keeping system must function under a pre-established set of policies.
8. These policies must cover the various responsibilities for the system’s maintenance, as well as the formal techniques for properly managing it.

Follow these ‘next-level’ guidelines to create the ideal record keeping system for your company. Next, we’ll have at a look at the complexities of record retention requirements.

Record Retention Requirements for Businesses

Employee record laws exist at the local, state, and federal levels. These laws are in place to protect employers and employees from improper practices in the workplace. Failure to follow these regulations can result in a number of negative outcomes. Employers expose themselves to penalties, fines, and wrongful termination lawsuits if they fail to meet these regulations.

As HR personnel, you’re responsible for ensuring company compliance with these laws. In fact, compliance should be a focal point of both your record keeping system and its underlying strategy. If not, take action right away to weave compliance protocols into your system. In order to help you do that, we’ll answer X key questions on the subject of record retention requirements.

What kind of employee records do you have to keep?

This depends on the status of a given employee. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) divides employees into two categories– nonexempt and exempt. Several different things factor into an employee’s nonexempt or exempt status, but here are the rules that govern both groups.

Nonexempt employee records

Record retention requirements mandate that employers keep records of the following employee information:

• The full name of the employee, as well as their social security number
• The employee’s gender and occupation
• For employees under 19 years of age, employers must record their birth date
• How the employee is paid (weekly, bi-weekly, etc)
• Workweek information: the day and time when it begins
• The total number of hours an employee works each day
• The exact number of hours worked each week
• Employee’s rate of pay
• The total weekly or daily non-overtime pay the employee receives
• The amount of overtime pay an employee earns during the workweek
• Employers must record any additional pay an employee receives, as well as any deductions
• The total amount of wages earned during every pay period
• Payment date and the exact pay period it covers

Exempt employee records

For exempt employees, you only have to keep these records:

• Employee’s full name
• Employee address
• Occupation and gender
• Day and time when the workweek begins
• The total wages earned for every pay period
• Payment date and the covered pay period

How long do you have to keep employee records?

Here’s where things get a little more complicated. The length of time you’re required to keep a given record depends on the type of information it contains.  Here are the rules that govern ten different types of employee information:

1. Federal law requires employees to keep all hiring records for one year. This includes employee applications, resumes, and any other documents related to the hiring process.
2. Employers must keep I-9 Forms for three years after hiring an employee or for one year after their termination– whichever date falls later.
3. The minimum requirement for payroll information is three years. But many companies keep payroll information for as long as five years.
4. Separation records must be kept for at least five years after an employee is terminated. This is to help you deal with any wrongful termination concerns that arise.
5. Employers should keep retirement benefits records for six years after an employee leaves.
6. Family Medical Leave Act Records: When an employee requests any amount of FMLA leave time, the employer must keep the relevant paperwork for three years after termination.
7. OSHA rules dictate that employers must retain employee injury records for five years after termination.
8. Tax Records: The Internal Revenue Service suggests that employers keep employee tax records on file for four years. This includes W-2 and W-4 forms, as well as total wages.
9. Drug Testing Records: Typically, drug testing records are included as part of the hiring process and should be retained for at least one year. Extend this to five years for any job that’s related to the transportation industry.
10. Independent Contractors: Depending on what state you do business in, third party contracts should be kept for between 3-5 years.

Even a quick look at these compliance laws will show why your record keeping system is so important. Only an accurate, efficient, and accessible system could handle so many variables. Additionally, the risks of poor record keeping are just too high to settle for anything less.  In the next section, we’ll look at other reasons that quality record should always be an HR priority.

The Importance of Record Keeping

Obviously, the compliance issues alone are enough to show why good record keeping matters. But there are several other reasons it’s important as well. We’ll finish up by discussing a few of the most significant ones.

The added significance of record keeping stems largely from the power of information. For most companies, information is one of their most critical assets. Each day you’re in business, you accumulate an incredible about of data. This data comes every area of your business, but it’s only through accurate records that you can leverage it to your advantage. 

First, accurate historical data helps you make sound business decisions. It helps you compare current projects to work you’ve done in the past, for instance. With the right information in hand, cost-benefit analyses are that much more accurate. As a result, you’ll have a better idea of how profitable a given project will be.

With the right record keeping system, you can store accurate procedural information as well. This allows you to reflect on ways to lower costs and allocate resources more efficiently. The information in these records can also provide a boost to creativity and innovation.

Lastly, the power of information builds on itself over time. It can help you configure and alter a variety of important business systems. These improved business systems will generate a bounty of additional information. Once this begins to happen, your company efficiency will improve in leaps and bounds.

Great Record Keeping and a Better Future

Far too many companies fail to understand the value of keeping accurate records. You’ll automatically get a let up on these companies with good record keeping. As we’ve already seen, the benefits of historical company data increase over time. The same holds true of the damage poor record keeping can do.

You can probably see where this is going. Accurate record keeping can put a huge distance between and your competitors. Assess your record keeping system as soon as you can to start outpacing the competition.

The post Compliance and the Power of Information: Why a Good Record Keeping System Matters appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

If owning a business that employs remote workers from all over the world, it is essential to get everyone on the same page using collaboration software. How else would these remote workers collaborate? Every worker in a team should have the latest updates of projects. This is a challenge for both business owners and workers—without collaboration software; it is difficult for workers to keep pace with upcoming assignments. Managing in-house or remote businesses is made more efficient and productive thanks to online collaboration software.

There are many collaboration utilities in today’s market—they are not specific to remote location workers. These are valuable collaborative platforms for all businesses that wish to better time management and efficiency. Online collaboration software allow teams in businesses to take full advantage of the resources provided to them when implementing projects, and promotes clear communication with the utmost collaboration.

How Can Online Collaboration Help Business?

Remote work has become increasingly popular—employees situated in different places globally work together and collaborate on a single project. This increasingly scattered workforce is becoming a vogue, making online collaboration all the more necessary. Online collaboration eliminates the gap between employees due to remoteness by serving as a communication outlet to run virtual meetings and ensure that everyone can work together at a preferred time, and, on the same page.

An online collaboration tool for business is helpful in collaborating because of the features it offers to employees. These features include uploading and posting of documents, communication between employees, e-mail and pop-up notifications, and calendar. Collaboration software are usually secure and business owners can  choose the right software to fit the businesses’ needs and purposes.

This communication platform can be a useful component of technologies such as meeting software, collaborative education technology, and video conferencing. There no longer a need for physical media—with online collaboration software, viewers can display screens to several others and provide interactive displays from a remote location.

Collaboration solutions provide managers the capability to monitor employee work ethic by access to employee time tracking and GPS tracking features. Employers can observe who is doing what, how long it takes he or she to do it, and where this assignment is being produced. This, especially, ensures accountability within a workplace. Integrity is essential– when there is one central system in which everyone can communicate fluently and freely with one another regarding messages and updates, everyone is on the same page. This, ultimately, ensures consistency and reliability. Knowing who of your employees actually cares about work and values the company by being able to monitor the employees through a system.

Choosing a Collaboration Solution in the Digital Workplace?

The best collaboration applications do not come with one specific standout feature, but are flexible and act as a number of different tools for employers. When an employer signs up for an account, he or she can customize the account with specifications that would be appropriate for his or her business, specifically. These can be decided from a menu of options and filtrations. Discussion boards, private messaging, time tracking, and even scheduling are examples of features that collaboration software may include.

Collaborative platforms are vital for proper communication. However, choosing the right collaboration tool specific to the team’s needs is even more important. Companies must choose a software which is appropriate for the business’ needs and which can serve the team properly. Here are some considerations business owners’ so take into when choosing a collaboration software:

• User- Friendliness

Who likes complications? No one wants to finagle a complex structure, especially at work. The software utility implemented should deliver services that do not take much time to adapt and get used to. Look for a software which is intuitive, acts as a digital worker, and is easy to navigate through.

• The Features Offered

Different online collaboration softwares offer outstanding services with many features. Choosing a software that is simple to navigate and maneuver and still has many features will improve efficiency. Digital work is usually more accurate and productive than work assembled by a human employee.

• Cloud-Based Technology

Collaboration software, which operates by saving information and data to a central cloud, will save business owners the headache of version controls. Information is less likely to get lost. Everything is stored online and easily accessible by employees situated anywhere.

• Check for Integration

Tools that seamlessly integrate and are compatible with various devices are key to convenient work. These important collaborative platforms emphasize a central form of communication. So, it is essential to pick the software that is best for your team.

List of Online Collaboration Tools Free

1. Project Management Tools

ProofHub

For project management, ProofHub is an advanced online task collaboration. It allows business owners to run their business, forecast future projects and become increasingly productive at work. Collaborate with teams and clients and use this tool to deliver projects in a timely manner. Assigning different roles and tasks to employees is made easy. Plan project activities easily by setting dependencies on assignments and proofreading of documents.

2. Communication Tools

Skype

Skype is a virtual instant messaging and calling application that can be integrated on any digital device that can connect to the internet. Audio and video calls between multiple users and devices makes Skype a popular communication tool. One employee can be chatting on his or her computer with another employee using a mobile device. Unify your team through group video calls and share your screens with each other to give a detailed presentation. This tool also acts as a phone number and allows users to make free calls locally and internationally.

3. Design Tools

Adobe

Adobe is a UX/UI solution for designing websites, mobile apps and much more– on both Mac and Windows devices. All information is saved as a part of a creative cloud. Designers using Adobe can connect it with their favorite collaborative platforms including Dropbox and Avocode. Designers can switch from interactive to static prototypes at the tip of their fingers.

4. Documentation Tools and File Sharing Tools

Google Docs

Google docs is one of the most popular collaborative platforms. It encourages organization within a team allowing members to share, edit and publish documents, spreadsheets or presentations. Document creation and collaboration here is free and easy to use. Internet connection is not necessary. Enable the offline edit more to use or edit documents that are being shared.

Digital Whiteboard

Digital whiteboards are collaborative platforms that are presented in a two-dimensional display. The purpose of a digital whiteboard is to serve as a central visual that all employees have access to and serves as a collaborative system. Using a digital design, these are not the traditional whiteboards. Digital whiteboards involve the use of a stylus or other tool to create drawings, designs and even writing. These act as electronic whiteboards.

Digital displays connected to a computer are replacing the traditional office whiteboard. This allows people to make notes and display their screen. Rather than having a projector or a dry-erase board, anyone can “walk up” to the board and make notes using a computer or tablet and adding visuals. Latest innovations in the field require a single stylus and you can change the color and tip size of the “pen” to serve as different writing or editing utilities. These boards can be mounted on the wall or put on a mobile stand, just as a traditional whiteboard.

Microsoft Surface Hub

• Surface Hub acts as a super-sized computer in an office. The touchscreen comes with Windows 10 and Office Suite, as well as the whiteboard application.
• Equipped with Microsoft applications for business collaboration such as Skype for Business and Office 365.
• Its whiteboard allows users to draw, add and manipulate visuals freely in an infinitely expandable canvas.
• If the price of Surface Hub is not within the budget, the whiteboard application is now available for all Windows 10 devices. This allows users to turn their laptops or tablets into a miniature whiteboard.

Google Jamboard

• Integrate easily with all of Google’s G-Suite features and applications, such as Docs, Drive and Hangouts.
• Built-in with all the capabilities made available by G-Suite, which includes instantaneous sharing of documents, images and videos.
• This cloud-based platform saves drawings and notes to Google Drive, immediately.
• Tools provided allow users to maneuver drawings with your stylus, laser pointer, or even, a finger.
• These are the “jams,” which Google allows you to save and share with anyone.
• The app is available for both iOS and Android.

To find the perfect collaboration software for a business, first, it is key to identify the team’s distinctive collaboration needs. This can be according to the industry or type of business. Understanding the technological needs of an organization and streamlining communication can better facilitate teamwork. The perfect collaboration software offers features amplify your project management capabilities.

Collaboration is not a process, but the action carried out with the use of technology. With increased digitization, in today’s world, to communicate fluently with optimal collaboration is almost impossible without the appropriate collaboration solution.

The post Sharing A Vision: Collaborative Platforms appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

The Most Important thing

Before we dive in and take a look at how to make a schedule for employees, let’s clarify what an effective time management strategy is all about. A common mistake is a focus on the activity rather than the outcome of a certain task. Many managers try to focus on optimizing time in the greatest detail as opposed to focusing on having a clear set of goals and priorities. While most certainly optimizing time and action is important it must be done in a way that propels higher productivity rather than higher stress levels for employees.

What happens without an effective time management strategy

There are some common symptoms of the bad time management plan to look out for when managing employees. These include:

Lack of clarity regarding priorities within the organization

• This results in confusion or prioritizing less important tasks which decrease overall productivity.

Employees exhibiting a reactive state rather than a proactive one

• An employee lacks knowledge of the expectations of them without defining goals clearly. This results in the need to be told what to do, more or less, and blocks further productivity which could be achieved if the opposite was the case.

Overwhelming feeling

• Too many tasks presented in an unorganized way will put off any employee and possibly create stress.

Lack of an ability to say NO when needed

• When there is a lack of clearly set priorities, an employee will not know when they are supposed to decline to do a certain task.

Signs of stress or burnout

An effective time management strategy should resolve these issues. When applied successfully, those symptoms should transform into:

• A feeling of satisfaction upon achieving certain goals.
• Having a strong sense of purpose in employees. When they know the reason behind their tasks and their importance, motivation should rise accordingly. Providing them with a strong sense of responsibility means higher morale which will boost productivity as well.
• Awareness and having an action plan. Defining priorities clearly, setting goals and having a detailed action plan empower employees rather than overwhelm them.

How to make a schedule for employees

While it may look simple initially, setting a schedule for employees is a hard task. One has to determine their own needs and carefully plan the resources for each role, plan for future events ahead of time, define any required qualifications for each shift and determine the allocation of shift types. Planning a schedule for employees is connected to the hiring process of a company and thus maintaining an effective time management strategy also means planning ahead of time prior to hiring a future employee.

To maintain a good schedule for employees you should be aware of any non-personnel resources as well. For example, if you are providing transportation for your employees via a third party, that information should be taken into account when creating a schedule and a plan B must be a part of the equation. Creating a schedule is not just about allocating shifts to employees but also about analyzing resources and using them in the most effective way.

There are a few types of shifts or schedule models which depend on the nature of your business. If you have remote employees, maintaining high productivity can be achieved without allocating specific shifts but rather by allowing employees to create their own shift as long as they meet certain goals. If you are following the standard model for shifts, it still might prove beneficial to allow employees to take part in the process of allocating their own shifts as that will not only increase their understanding of the difficulty of this task but also eliminate future road bumps due to lack of communication regarding availability.

Define scheduling rules

1.  The first things you need to do is define scheduling rules. Having a policy about prioritizing swapping shifts, working overtime and qualifications required for a shift will solve potential favoritism misunderstandings. These rules might include:

• Company policies and regulations
• Seniority
• Overtime Status
• Qualification and Certification

Having defined those early on will prevent confusion when a request for a shift swap arises or another similar issue.

Think about all the factors of a good schedule

• Method. Are you using a manager to allocate shifts or employees do it themselves?
• Training. Do the employees connected to the specific shift need any further training and meet all the necessary qualifications?
• All of the above-mentioned scheduling rules.
• Availability. Knowing your staff well is important and knowing when they are available is even more important. While this is rather obvious, sometimes employees feel reluctant to provide information about their personal life to the point where it is hard to predict if they would be available at a certain date or not and it is not always easy to ask absolutely everyone and receive an answer quickly.
• Expenses. Managing resources effectively is very important and sometimes when overtime is taken into account the actual costs might exceed your forecast.
• Productivity. Having a way to track performance levels for different employees on different shifts is crucial and will play a role in maintaining an effective time management strategy.

Prepare for potential pitfalls

Then you also need to make sure you prepare for potential pitfalls:

•  Change in demand. Depending on your business this will vary but calculating the potential change in demand is important. Managing a decline in labour needs is more tricky to deal with and having flexible staff members who have initially agreed to slightly different conditions can resolve this issue.
• Change in availability. Often employees will need to swap a shift and this is best dealt with by a shift-swapping software which allows employees to switch shifts with each other and also makes communicating any information regarding shifts much easier.
• No-shows. Sometimes an employee will unexpectedly miss a shift. In those occasions finding a substitute might be hard. Having a small part of the team ready to take such shifts can solve this issue as well. Those are the first steps to take when creating a schedule for employees. Addressing most potential issues at the beginning of the process prevents them from happening.

Create shifts

Now you have to create the shifts themselves.

One can use a piece of paper or excel or word documents. However, even if you do that there is a chance to miss some of the factors from the first few steps. Probably the best way to go about it would be to use a scheduling app such as Time Clock Wizard as such software usually has integrated all these factors in itself and is the fastest way.

Execution – the best way to ensure an effective time management strategy

You know what an effective time management strategy should achieve, you have a good schedule, now what? Well, sometimes having good time management techniques can be tricky. A good example of this is communication. Clear communication will solve many issues for your company and back-and-forth feedback will increase productivity in general. To ensure employees are as productive as they can be, a company could have a time management training policy which would also gather information from employees by asking questions such as:

• How well do you manage your time regarding most important tasks?

• Is there anything that gets in your way while working?

• What were the most time-consuming activities?

• Which were the least time-consuming ones?

• Do you prefer working in small chunks of time with more breaks or for longer periods of time with longer breaks?

Collecting this information from employees will ensure that any potential pitfalls will be prevented in the beginning and will allow for a better understanding of the employee’s preferences. These questions should be presented as a way to allow for the improvement of the workplace and it must be made clear that the employee‘s position is not in danger in any shape or form whatsoever. Conversations such as these will unveil potential problems and help to see the perception of new employees regarding priorities and other task-related factors.

This, in turn, will help to improve the time management plan. Also, undertaking training to clarify priorities, goals, deadlines and set clear expectations from an employee will solve many of the above-mentioned symptoms of a bad time management plan. However, overly focusing on communication might start to have a more detrimental effect, especially in big meetings. While company culture is important, a healthy balance should be maintained and many managers make the mistake of having too frequent unnecessary meetings.

Some other time management techniques

Use different units of time

• The common way to approach time is by measuring it in hours. However, for most creative workers, one hour is enough to barely start. Simply shifting the perception of time in regards to the actual amount of time that they need to get a good amount of work done would be more beneficial. Just thinking in this way will help you see through some of the pitfalls of your time management plan. Maybe you are allocating 6 hours in the morning for work in the IT department followed by a meeting and leaving out just 2 hours at the end of the day which might not bring out the most out of a creative person. Placing the meeting in the middle after 4 hours of work though might not result in a drop in productivity.

Be wary of the planning fallacy

• It is a proven human bias to set less than the necessary amount of time needed for the completion of a task. You might end up doing this for your employees or they might do that to themselves and feel disappointment in the end. To avoid this simply measure initially, without any expectations, the realistic amount of time a certain task takes and then set any deadlines. More accurate knowledge equals more productivity.

Make sure you are not getting in the way of your employees

• Sometimes simply letting them work, even if they aren’t doing as well as expected might be better than trying to help them. New employees need time to adopt a new setting and get the hang out of things. Instead, ensure that you are very open to communication and more than willing to help them whenever they ask you to. It’s easier to tell someone that they should be more self-reliable than to make them ask for help more frequently.

Using Time Planning Tools and a Time Tracking App

A good way to ensure that everyone is as productive as they can be is to use a time tracking app. Especially for remote workers, this is a must as a sense of responsibility needs to be present to retain good morale. Knowing how your employees spend their time with high accuracy will increase trust and also allow them to make the necessary adjustments themselves.

Time tracking isn’t just a way to simply make sure your employees are doing the actual work but also as a channel for feedback allowing them to see their week points. A good time tracking app should cover multiple platforms (Windows, Android, etc.) and allow adjustments after the fact in case one forgets to turn off the clock.

Having an effective time management strategy also means using quality time planning tools. Some of these might include:

Priority Tools

• Using a tool that takes one glance to get back on track ensures all employees understand the key priorities of their task. (Focus Booster, for example, is an app the applies the Pomodoro principle to keep your focused on what matters.)

Due Date Tools

• Being able to see deadlines will prevent failing to meet some goals and keep employees mindful of their tasks.

Progress Tools

• In the same fashion as with deadline tools, progress tools provide an interesting perspective for those working in close flexible teams and can increase productivity as swapping tasks between different employees to have them work on fresh assignments can sometimes increase performance levels.

Online Cloud

• Obviously, many businesses still run without having everything of importance located in one place and available to everyone at the same time. Simply using something like OneDrive can do the job.

Note-taking Tools

• Some time tracking tools provide you with the ability to take notes as well. Nevertheless, sometimes it is beneficial to use a separate note-taking platform to enable more fluid back-and-forth feedback. Evernote is a great note-taking application.

Online Calendar

• If you are already using a shift making software you probably won’t need a separate calendar. But if you are not, having one to ensure you are on top of everyone’s plans would be beneficial.

There are also other tools that can set reminders for you. Tools that can post social media content for you and compare productivity among employees. However, their usefulness will vary depending on your niche. In the foreseeable future, Artificial intelligence will also play a big role as it analytical perspective might further illuminate weak points in employees and provide insight that the human eye could have missed. Businesses that implement it in the early stages might benefit a slight boost compared to the competition in terms of overall productivity.

An effective time management strategy will make the difference between a business meeting with roaring success and one meeting with a bankruptcy lawyer. Without being extreme, this is the importance of an effective time management strategy. In the short term, there might not be a great difference between you and the competition. But in the long term, lacking efficiency almost always proves detrimental.

There are plenty of time planning tools and you can easily pick the right time tracking app for yourself. Defining a strong time management plan is easier than before as well as maintaining a good schedule for employees. Communication and feedback from employees remain key to productivity as always. Preventing some of the pitfalls that hide behind a lack of focus on priorities and deadlines, any company can elevate performance levels easily.

The post Why Your Business Needs an Effective Time Management Strategy appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

Let’s take a glance at some of the key benefits that come along with such a system and why it is imperative for a business to have it in place as soon as possible.

Some schools are using Time Clock Wizard’s online app to teach kids about clocking in and out for work or projects. One of the amazing benefits to Time Clock Wizard is to make sure that kids are where they are supposed to be for school outings or conferences.

If a student or employee does not check in, then an alert can go out about the missing person.

No Errors

The main benefit of this system would come in the form of the elimination of errors. Most businesses do attempt to keep track of attendance numbers by way of spreadsheet or template. However, most are not able to eliminate those pesky errors that keep on coming.

Errors from humans are a part of life and when the tracking is being done manually, there are going to be loopholes and/or kinks. This system ensures there are no errors along the way as everything is automated.

It simply cannot get easier and better than that for those who want perfection.

Tangible Analytics

Every business is looking to gain access to numbers that are going to improve their bottom line. Yet, there are some numbers that end up becoming elusive because they are either difficult to accumulate or tedious.

When a proper system is put in place which takes care of the accumulation of numbers, it is better for the business. Because the reports are going to be created on their own, the management team is able to simply read these tangible numbers and act on them.

For #ThrowbackThursday, here is the original video made about this subject: 

Attendance Tracking – Less Work Keeping Track

The goal for any business is to have almost everything as systematic and automated as possible. A system of this nature ensures all of the tracking that is being done is accurate and easier to access. It is important to have the best time keeping software features.

When things are being done manually, it can lead to countless man hours being spent on such tasks. That can dry up financial resources in a hurry. Rather than wasting money and/or time on such tasks, why not let a system take care of it?

This is the beauty of tracking with an automated system.

These are just some of the essential benefits that come along with attendance tracking. Businesses that use such systems to keep track of their attendance numbers are always able to progress faster.

When employees are not being kept track of, it can lead to inefficiencies appearing in the business. This can lead to significant losses that could have easily been avoided.

Shift Planning and Attendance Tracking with Time Clock Wizard

With this management option in place, businesses are able to remain on top of any inefficiencies that develop and correct them effectively and immediately. Have a quality tracking system in place.

TimeClockWizard.com can ensure better monetary results and greater production success.

You are able to try Time Clock Wizard for free right now.

The post Using Time Clock Wizard for Attendance Tracking appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

Customers will quite often request products or services to companies that they respect. The goal of any business is to be the best value for each customer. One of the ways to do this is to appropriately manage budgets to avoid cost over-runs.

In the last article, we covered how to schedule staff using Time Clock Wizard. In this article, we will cover project planning. Knowing what to do for scheduling will help your business become more organized.

What is Project Scheduling?

Project scheduling is a part of total project management. This is a detailed list of a particular project’s activities, deliverables and milestones.

It is a good idea to have a start and end date for each project; with that in mind remember that bottlenecks happen, so be flexible with date allocations.

What is a Plan Schedule Management Process?

In order to bring innovative ideas into reality, there is a process that you should follow. There are many ways to get to your end goals depending on the size, technical difficulty, resources available and willing employees for each project.

Here are different types of project management systems:

• PM Methodologies
• Agile
• Waterfall
• Scrum
• Rapid Applications Development
• New Product Introduction
• Get Things Done
• 5s Methodology
• Packaged Enable Re-Engineering
• Bullet Method
• PRINCE2
• Kanban
• Kondo Method
• Six Sigma
• DMAIC
• Outcome Mapping

A lot of managers have not taken the time to research these various kinds of systems. There are some systems that just use paper and pencil while other methods are software-driven. Find out how to create a schedule online with Time Clock Wizard.

If you want a simple system, then Kanban is the winner. If you have a lot of projects to do at once, then the Scrum method might work better for your team. When your goal is improving customer satisfaction, then six sigma is your best project plan.

What is a Project Schedule Good for?

The project schedule helps managers organize resource allocation (including having enough employees to do the tasks), budget (avoiding overages and overtime), duration of tasks, specific events (pre-launch) and all dependencies.

Another key factor for creating a project schedule is to communicate the chain of command for every given project. This ability to delegate tasks to middle management will free up time for upper management to pursue strategic partnerships.

Project Planning and Scheduling with Time Clock Wizard

One of the really nice features of Time Clock Wizard is that you can easily move employee schedules as needed for your projects. The scheduler within Time Clock Wizard allows you to email your employees about schedule changes.

Employees will be able to easily look online at their schedule the night before a shift. This will free up time for both employees and managers. Employees will also be able to switch shifts with each other so there is no confusion who is supposed to work.

Another feature is the forecasting section. This will allow you to see if your proposed schedule is under- or over-staffed. It is good to know when to avoid overtime charges.

Shift Planning for Projects

When a plan is put to a schedule, the task become manageable in sections. It is important to point out that planning for extra shifts in the beginning of the project will give wiggle-room toward the end of the project.

No matter the method of task planning and schedule management you choose, Time Clock Wizard makes shift planning changes easier than traditional workload management. In fact, workload management software is becoming as much of a staple to business as staplers.

Right now, you can try out Time Clock Wizard for free.

The post What is an Efficient Plan Schedule Management Process? appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

It makes sense to get organize a schedule that works well for both management and staff. The easier the schedule is to create and use, the better for everyone and the why standard operating procedures are important.

How to Schedule Staff Effectively?

At one time, creating schedules by hand was the preferred method. Then, scheduling moved to database spreadsheets, which was more efficient yet still hard to work with.

Smartphone apps gained popularity in use. With the ability of online apps, the scheduling process has become more interactive and intuitive.

Employees should be able to access and view their schedule online at any time and make requests for changes.

Did you know this? 

Time Clock Wizard is workload management software that handles employee scheduling, virtual time clock, hours reporting plus payroll.

Here is an example of one way TCW will immediately save your business:

When employees call into the place of business to ask for verbal confirmation of their schedule or to request changes, so much time is wasted. The time wasted on the phone does not benefit the company.

With the app for TCW, employees can just log onto their account and see their information. This takes the strain off management. Small, non-efficient interruptions add up throughout the day.

What is an Efficient Plan Schedule Management Process?

Employee time is an important aspect of plan schedule management. In order to get the product or service to your customers on time, your labor force needs to meet the demands of the project at hand.

As companies get away from doing punch cards and paper schedules, workload management software takes it place. It is great to be able to create your schedule online.

Time Clock Wizard is available via a free trial. There are tutorial videos available for you as well to teach you how to schedule employees.

How to Schedule Employees

You can input the schedule the first time with our intuitive software. Easily copy schedules week to week. Utilize employee check boxes for individuals.

Also…

You can also move schedules around to help cover for mistakes, vacation time or other necessary changes. Managers love this feature!

You can email the schedule directly to an employee. This is convenient because it prevents employees from calling excessively or creating a bottleneck around a physical schedule. Employees will be able to request time off within this same app.

Use the payment graph to stay within budget. The forecasting option to meet scheduling goals. You will be surprised with the results. Data that emerges from scheduling stats is like gold. Over time, you’ll be able to shift employees to cover high production times.

And…

The data you can collect from Time Clock Wizard is really beneficial. Executives who are working on six sigma projects or other efficiency testing models get a good value for Time Clock Wizard.

Sign up for a free trial today.

The post How to Schedule Employees using Time Clock Wizard appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

It’s a completely reliable and free resource with a wide range of features for easy employee scheduling. All you need to do is create an account, log in and take advantage of Time Clock Wizard’s functions.

It utilizes some of the most advanced technology out there for the collection, tracking and management of employee attendance, time, payroll and more.

It is exceptionally user-friendly, engineered from the ground up to suit the exact requirements of structured organizations.

Here is one of our original videos for #throwbackthursday:

Time Clock Wizard starts with a dashboard where you access all information and view data at a glance. Here you will find pay period information, scheduling, payroll and settings.

Get alerts, visit the Help desk or view the user manual. Time Clock Wizard lets employees clock in and out, and put in requests to managers for time corrections.

Support for Management

With its advanced functionality, Time Clock Wizard gives management plenty of support. Managers can quickly see where and when employees are clocked in.

The platform allows the modification of employee schedules on a week-to-week basis and has features for absence requests and approval, which is added to the schedule automatically.

The software also allows for submission of reimbursement requests with an image receipt.

Accounting for Absences

Time Clock Wizard wouldn’t be the best web based time clock if it didn’t address absences.

Employees put in request and, upon approval, they are automatically added to the schedule with hours deducted from any sick or vacation time the employee is due.

The software also accrues absences and employee unavailability. This is done through a simple process of entering any time frame from hours to days into the system.

Easier Scheduling

Time Clock Wizard will update its system and will not let managers schedule employees when they are not available.

This is an exceptional tool that ensures management and employees are always on the same page when it comes to effective utilization of man power.

The Best Part of The Best Web Based Time Clock

To complement all features, Time Clock Wizard has an exemplary notification system. Managers can notify employees about schedules and schedule changes via email or text. Employees can use the system for switching shifts with one another.

Once both parties agree on the switch, Time Clock Wizard updates the schedule, ensuring effective communication across the board and avoiding confusion.

For payroll generation, expense notification security, auditing and time management, the best web based time clock is Time Clock Wizard. And, remember, it’s free to try. Sign up now.

The post The Best Web Based Time Clock For You? appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

You should consider utilizing our cutting edge technology in order to keep up with all of your payroll needs.

You are certain to appreciate everything that this fine system has to offer. Just one of the benefits that multiple employees have favored is the ease with which they can use the system.

It accurately records the hours a person is logged in, including making certain that the appropriate department or job number is billed for the hours.

At, TCW, we are happy to showcase videos from the past for #ThrowbackThrusday, like this one:

Efficient Employee Tracking

The system that we offer is designed to minimize the amount of work that you will need to do in order to keep all of your payroll systems operating properly.

Our software is able to track everything that you need it to, including breaks, overtime and mileage. You can rest assured, knowing that you can sort out your results to look at each department or the workforce as a whole.

One Place For It All

When you or one of your employees logs in, the first thing you will see is the dashboard. This screen is easy to use and you can readily locate all of the information you require at a glance.

It will show your schedule, what hours you have worked during this pay period, and any requests that you have made.

Additionally it will alert you of upcoming birthdays and you can see where to actually clock in and out on this page.

Centralized Employee Requests Handled

You can also locate a time sheet request through Time Clock Wizard. Although nobody wants to make the mistake of forgetting to clock in or out, it does occur from time to time.

In the digital age, it requires a slightly different solution than the days gone by. If an employee discovers an error on their digital time sheet display, they can easily submit a correction request, including the reasoning for it.

A manager will review it and determine if it should be approved.

Time-Saving

Those in managerial positions can easily use the software in order to find out who is on the clock and where they are supposed to be stationed. This can be a real time saver when an employee is needed quickly.

Clocking In and Out Accurately

There are times when an employee will need time off for various personal reasons. This software allows them to easily make the request and they will be provided with any managerial messages regarding the request.

Additionally, Time Clock Wizard can accrue absence time for employees based upon individual parameters or one that has been established for an entire group.

If you have employees that are not regularly available at certain times, for example while they are in school, you can ensure they are never scheduled during those times. Find out the best web time clock for you and the 8 best features of the best time keeping software!

Clocking in and out along with general scheduling requirements is simplified dramatically with Time Clock Wizard. You should consider using this incredible free solution for your business today with this trial!

The post Clocking In and Out with Time Clock Wizard appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.

In the past, many small businesses who pay employees by the hour could not afford a sophisticated timekeeping system and had to keep time and report payroll manually.

Now, there is a free* clock in system for employees from Time Clock Wizard that automates this process to use on a trial basis. Why should a company use this system?

(Update: Due to the popularity of the software, TCW has a free trial with very competitive rates for this service.)

From One Location, See All Time Records

For one thing, using a system like this will verify that your employees are at work when they are supposed to be. If your employees clock in or out outside of the normal time, the system can notify you by email or by text.

If you cannot be at the work premises yourself, you can verify through the system if your employees were at work on time. The system from Time Clock Wizard has a way to make sure that employees only punch in and out from their authorized work location or job sites.

You can match IP addresses and verify where the employees had clocked in. This is another safeguard to prevent employees from trying to trick the timekeeping system.

Here is a video of our clock in system for #ThrowbackThusday:

(Tomorrow, for Video Fridays, the video tutorial and transcription will be about how to generate payroll.)

Manual Timesheets Give Opportunity For Fraud

Manual sign-in sheets can be inaccurate and abused. If employees are claiming to be at work when they are actually not, this can result in a loss in your business income. This loss can add up over time.

When an accurate timekeeping system is in place, you can easily keep track of how much time your employees are actually spending on a project.

This can tell you a lot about their efficiency and can help you determine if any improvements need to be made in the processes.

Clock In System For Employees That Is Down To Earth

Using an automated timekeeping system minimizes discrepancies. The record is the proof of attendance. There is no need to rely on anyone’s word for it.

When you use the automated timekeeping system, it can generate a report on the how many hours were worked by each employee and how much in wages is payable to each person. Any overtime, time-off, breaks and other payroll-related expenses can be factored in.

Human errors are removed from the calculations because payroll is done automatically. It makes work lives easier for the employees and for the payroll department.

Human Use Errors Easily Fixed

If one of your employees forgets to clock in, there is a way for him to input the correct time and notify you through the system so that you can review and approve the change. When small errors like this are fixed right away, it prevents any conflict when the paycheck is issued.

Tax Compliance

An accurate clock in system for employees helps you stay in compliance with tax reporting. This will prevent any overpayment or underpayment of payroll taxes due to inaccurate records.

Better Budgeting Through Forecasting

The tool can even help you forecast payroll so you can budget accurately. This will help prevent any budget overruns in employee compensation.

Because Time Clock Wizard is free* (update: with a free trial), there is no reason why any business should still manually keep track of employee hours. The robust tools provided by this system will improve efficiency in timekeeping and payroll processes for any business.

Sign up now for Time Clock Wizard here.

The post A Free And Accurate Clock In System For Employees Update appeared first on Time Clock Wizard.