Managing on site FMs and using Time and Attendance technology
The larger cleaning contractors employ large numbers of site-based workers – sometimes thousands of remote working staff. Nowadays they have a need to provide proof of service provision to their own clients. There is a need for attendance verification and actual evidence of time spent at a client’s premises providing contracted cleaning services.
The sector is under increasing pressure to provide accountability for, and safeguard remote workers. This, coupled with tighter service level agreements, means that ensuring that cleaning staff are on-site as planned is critical. Modern time and attendance software technology enables operations managers to verify attendance in real-time, and eliminates the need for paper timesheets thereby streamlining payroll reporting. A massive reduction in the administrative burden of paper timesheets can result in substantial savings in payroll processing including the elimination of time sheet fraud, reduction in payroll overpayments, discrepancies, disputes and time spent on supervision.
Having full, real-time visibility of staff attendance and punctuality is key. Time and attendance data can be captured using either a landline / mobile telephone or another workforce monitoring device. The data is then sent in real-time, so Managers can get a clear picture of what staff are where, and when, receive immediate alerts for late arrivals, no-shows, and early leavers, and act fast to minimise service disruption.
A number of devices are available to manage remote worker time and attendance. Our Smartphone module EziMobile is a great solution for site workers who do not have access to a fixed line telephone to log their time and attendance. Staff simply log in and out of the client’s site by scanning a unique coded site tag, or QR code (permanently fixed at the client site) using their mobile or smartphone. Time and attendance information is sent instantly a monitoring system via the mobile network and automatically synchronises each time it’s connected. Staff can access their rosters, send additional information and receive notifications of roster changes while they are out on site. It’s ideal for workers with frequently changing schedules or for those who need to record extra information about their site visits. If a mobile connection isn’t available, staff can still log in and out and view their schedules; and synchronisation and automatic updates will just start again as soon as the connection is restored.
Remote worker technology helps with many health and safety and compliance issues; including Working Time Directive compliance, ensuring remote workers are kept safe and evidence that Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are being met. The technology significantly reduces the potential for fraud and time-keeping disputes as it enables Payroll Managers to compare actual hours worked against planned hours, therefore significantly reducing the chance of over-payments.
An integrated Workforce Management System will include scheduling, payroll, and invoice reporting so you can allocate employees, assign pay rates, produce payroll extracts, and report results quickly. It should integrate easily and seamlessly with existing rostering and payroll systems. Most will allow tailored reports to be created quickly and easily.
The cleaning and FM environment is highly competitive. Decreasing margins has meant that service providers have had to adapt their proposition to deliver enhanced efficiencies as clients seek cleaning contractors that offer better value for money, digital innovations and accurate management information and analytics. The evolving demands of customers continues to motivate cleaning providers to evaluate, adapt and improve their proposition to meet new procurement criteria.
Progression in technology is facilitating a shift for cleaning providers to deliver better value by managing contracts and mobile workforces more efficiently. The prevalence of new, cloud-based technologies has made it significantly easier for cleaning service providers to manage teams of staff across multiple sites remotely whilst bringing cost savings, and adding to the bottom line. These, coupled with smartphone and mobile technology are delivering added value. With more and more in-app communication tools becoming available for mobile workforces to log completed tasks, contract compliance checks can happen in real-time, remotely. Clients are benefiting from real-time analytics which provides vital contract compliance verification.
