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Author Archives: Apex Time Solutions

Has The Annual Performance Review Past It’s Best Before Date?

December 19th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Absence Management | Benefit Accruals | Employee Self Service | Leave Management | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on Has The Annual Performance Review Past It’s Best Before Date?)

Some have argued that the annual performance review should have been ditched ages ago. After all performance reviews are taking into account what employees did 12 months ago and it’s a process that most managers and employees alike detest. According to a recent Washington Post article, consulting firm Accenture along with several other fortune 500 companies, including Microsoft and Adobe have decided, to do away with performance reviews and/or replace it with a easier process.

Has The Annual Performance Review Past It’s Best Before Date?

But how did a process that was so beloved by so many companies, and used as a barometer to; gauge performance, enhance benefits and employee pay premiums and bonuses elicit so much hate in recent years? Times have changed and, in most cases, the annual performance process has not. And, according to an article by Ratan Tavawala for Eremedia here are three reasons why:

Work is different-Work moves at a much faster pace today, with goals and projects measured in days and weeks instead of months and quarters. Performance reviews traditionally occur on a twelve-month cycle — which means they’re not keeping pace with production. In addition, companies are putting greater focus on team success over individual outcomes. At an organization where global teams are connected by virtual technology and work outcomes are a shared experience, individual yearly performance appraisals do not reflect the reality of how work is accomplished.

Ties to compensation– Historically, pay raises and bonuses have been directly tied to performance appraisals. This sets up a skewed power dynamic that can hinder the type of candid conversation that leads to real improvement. Separating employee performance discussions from raises allows for more focused, coaching conversation about day-to-day job performance, areas for improvement, professional development resources, and opportunities for growth.

Lack of honest dialogue-The power dynamic at play in traditional performance appraisals is top-down, with few companies focusing on assessing the supervisory and leadership skills of managers. Allowing employees to provide feedback to (or even formally evaluate) their managers not only improves efficacy, but leads to better employee engagement and empowerment.”

Traditional performance reviews have been, for many years, anxiety inducing, and have been reduced to an awkward for managers. Employees, in turn, cringe at the notion of having to sit in front of their manager to go through this process, which from their viewpoint is an exercise filled with criticism.

So, what’s the answer? Why not look at changing it. As some have suggested, instead of doing an annual review, reduce it to once a month or better yet, spend a day with your employee while they are performing their tasks and offer feedback. Whichever method you choose, one thing is for certain the old way of doing performance reviews are out of step with today’s workforce.

The Data Shows Employees Go To Work Even When They Know They Are Sick

December 15th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Benefit Accruals | Cloud Computing | Telecommuting Employees | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance On-Demand - (Comments Off on The Data Shows Employees Go To Work Even When They Know They Are Sick)

Have you ever wonder why your sick coworker chose to come to work? This behaviour continues to confound experts who lament that employees would do well to stay away from work when they are sick. Most of us know when we are too sick to work, yet we push ourselves and end up working too much and, by doing so, we may in fact, be prolonging our recovery time. And, to top it off studies have shown that a lack of sleep can weaken our immune system and make us more susceptible to colds.

The Data Shows Employees Go To Work Even When They Know They Are Sick

According to a recent survey by Monster, and highlighted in an article by Lily Martis,  a whopping 75% of employees chose to go to work despite being sick. The article reads in part; “In the survey, conducted globally, we found 20% of respondents said they always go to work when they’re ill, and 55% of respondents said they’d only take a sick day if their symptoms are severe. Just one-quarter of the respondents said they’d stay home and either work from home (10%) or take the day off (15%)”.

Most experts agree that if you work for an unreasonable boss or and have to go in to work, try to keep your distance from others, wash or sanitize your hands often, and cover coughs and sneezes with a sleeve or elbow. You can also cover with a tissue but be sure to throw it away immediately and then wash your hands. You can also suggest telecommuting to your manager, for a short period so your co workers are not subjected to your constant sneezing. And, if your manager is concerned about tracking your time while you are working from home, there are a few modern tools including; video conferencing and cloud computing time tracking methodologies. Emailing your manager every hour or so, with an update on projects you are working on, while telecommuting should put her mind at ease.

 

5 Tips For Selecting The Right Time And Attendance Partner

December 13th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Payroll | SmartPhones | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Canada | Workforce Analytics | Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on 5 Tips For Selecting The Right Time And Attendance Partner)

You’ve just about had it with that antiquated time and attendance solution that’s producing unreliable reports and driving everyone, from: the HR manager, CFO and CEO up the walls. So, what’s the solution? Move to something else. Using a software solution that’s not working for your company, can detrimental to its financial health. The selection of a new system also comes with its own set of challenge which will include: the Internet search, selecting an internal project lead, the demos… and the list goes on.

So how should you go about selecting a new time and attendance solution? Here are 5 tips:

1) Document your business requirements
Before scouring the Internet and evaluating prospective vendors, you should identify your requirements and underline potential “showstoppers”. It’s very easy to get enamored with fancy software features and lose sight of your requirements. For example, how easy is the product going to be for users? Can the solution interface to your current ERP, HR and Payroll software? Is the solution robust and flexible enough to grow with your business? Make a comprehensive list and divided them into categories to include; functionality, vendor experience, deployment timelines, age of product, yearly updates etc. And, don’t forget to choose a time and attendance solution, that has employee self-service capabilities. After all, who wants to manage employee vacation and other personal time off (PTO) requests with spreadsheets?

5 Tips For Selecting The Right Time And Attendance Partner

2) Adaptability to regulatory rules in your jurisdiction
Workforce compliance and regulations differs depending on the jurisdiction in which your company operates, and so, your time and attendance solution should readily adapt. If you are in manufacturing, healthcare or transportation industry, you may have compliance requirements that are specific to your industry. And, since your company has to adhere to those requirements, so should your time and attendance.

3) Embrace the world of analytics
Analytics and Big Data should be included in your list of requirements. Translation, your time and attendance system has to be in lockstep with the realities of the way in which today’s businesses operate and should-encompass, The Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and real-time analytic reporting. These types of capabilities have become critical business components that 21st century time and attendance solutions must possess.

4) Forget what the ‘Jones’ are using
It is very easy to assume that what your competitors are using will work for your organization because you want to keep up with them. Your focus should be on your company’s business requirements, instead of installing the same features as your competitors. How do you know they are happy with the flashy “bells and whistles” they paid for? When deciding to make a change, do it for the benefit of your organization.

5) Don’t rush the implementation and invest in training
When implemented properly and, if updates are maintained on a yearly basis the shelf life of a good time and attendance should exceed 7 years. So, why not take time to make sure it is implemented properly. Unrealistic expectations can leave everyone frustrated. For example, if your project is conservatively slated to be completed in seven weeks, add an additional 2-3 weeks to it. Some companies will overlook the importance of training in enabling the success of implementation. Training should be delivered in stages. At first, project leaders (HR, Payroll and Finance) should be trained during different stages of the implementation. It should follow a methodical approach which maps the company’s way of doing business, using your data. The second and third phase (if applicable) of training should be rolled out and populated to the rest of the users ahead of the system “going live.”

Finally, when it comes to comparing time and attendance options, make sure you are comparing apples to apples. If you only focus on the price and not the actual functionality, you will likely get what you pay for. Also keep in mind the cost of doing nothing can also be detrimental to your business operations as well.

In conclusion, growing companies like yours need a robust time and attendance solution that works, well. Your workforce management solution needs to be user-friendly, flexible, and powerful. As you grow, your business demands a wider range of capabilities—without adding unnecessary maintenance, deployment time, and cost.

ATS provides a variety of implementation and business process improvement services. Our business and consulting arm employs highly skilled and tenured employees, with unmatched experience in the world of workforce management that spans every vertical industry.

To learn more, go to our website, where you can download pre-recorded demonstrations or register for one of our monthly webinars.

 

3 Tips To Keep Your Employees Engaged During The Holiday Season

December 12th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Absence Management | Employee Scheduling | Employee Time and Attendance | Forecasting | Leave Management | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on 3 Tips To Keep Your Employees Engaged During The Holiday Season)

The Christmas Holiday season is here, which often means, your employees are fully engaged in preparing and maybe dreading for their family and other social events with friends. This is also the time of year when many companies take time to assess their sales figures of the past year and also prepare their budgets and financial goals for the New Year.

While employers expect their employees to be fully engaged at work, this can be difficult during the Holiday season since many are likely lost in the business of their lives outside of work, and will perhaps, lack proper motivation and energy to perform their best work. This is a natural and happens in many other organizations and thus, should not, however, be cause for alarm but rather seen as a way to keep your employees motivated.

3 Tips To Keep Your Employees Engaged During The Holiday Season

Here are 3 tips to help you keep your employees motivated during the holiday season:

Create a wow factor in the office– Bring some Holiday cheer to the office! Once a week during the holiday season, setup a table in the company’s cafeteria with free hot beverages and some light snacks. Everyone loves cookies and other holiday treats this time of the year. Hang up some garlands around the office and tune your radio/stereo system to a station that plays holiday music. In short, create a festive environment that your employees will look forward to each day.

Don’t be a scrooge- This is a time to embody compassion. Be cognizant that your employees will understandably be stressed during the holiday season and, for various reasons. To that end, make your employees schedules a bit friendlier, by offering flextime or and giving them an opportunity to work from home for a couple of days during the week. You will be viewed a wonderful boss and your company will reap the benefits of a happier workforce place and productive employees.

 Highlight your company’s year-end results and New Years goals- Did your company meet or exceed its financial goals of the past twelve months? If so, share the news with the employees whether your met those goals or not. Do not use this time to point out under-performers at your company. If you have an underachieving sales person, have a private conversation with them. You should however, focus on what the company’s goals were for the past year and where you fell short if, in fact, you did. Conversely share the good news if you beat expectations and discuss the targets for the New Year.

Bottom-line- This holiday, aim to create an atmosphere of acceptance, camaraderie and unity, and you can bet your employees will feel more motivated to complete their work. Remember, your employees are your greatest asset and no company can be viable without a happy and productive workforce.

 

How To Effectively Manage Paid Time Off And Increase Employee Morale

December 7th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Absence Management | Benefit Accruals | Employee Self Service | ERP | Leave Management | Payroll | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Canada - (Comments Off on How To Effectively Manage Paid Time Off And Increase Employee Morale)

Managing paid time off can be a difficult undertaking, for companies who are tracking it the old fashion way through; a variety of spreadsheets and disparate systems used by different supervisors who each have their own method of tracking time off.

But this type of tracking can only take you so far. Because when it comes to proper compliance of labour laws in many jurisdictions, those spreadsheets and the archaic methods of tracking paid time off (PTO) won’t help. Why? Because many provinces and states throughout Canada and the US have stepped up their compliance investigations and, as such, many organizations have found themselves facing increased risk of scrutiny and financial fallout.

how-to-effectively-manage-paid-time-off-and-increase-employee-morale

Here are three ways to effectively track and manage your workforce paid time off policies:

 Automate the Process
Instead of manually tracking employee time off requests through spreadsheets and other outdated processes, you should think about deploying a time and attendance solution. ATS time and attendance will become an important part of protecting your business from penalties. ATS TimeWork will help your company stay on track, and stores the documentation you will need in case of a payroll or attendance audit.

Intuitive Absence Tracking
ATS Absence Request is fully configurable tool accompanied by full complement of analytic reporting that can be assigned to any type of absence including; family leave, (maternity and paternity) long and short term disability, jury duty, sick days, vacation and unlimited flexibility and code options that can be tailored to any company regardless of industry. And best of all your employees can punch in and out through a mobile device, kiosk/touch screens and/or biometric time clocks.

 Integrate to Payroll, Human Resources or Enterprise Resource Planning
ATS Absence Request can be easily exported and imported into many existing management systems. Data can be imported into payroll to ensure proper payroll tracking for personal time off (PTO) days are taken in accordance with correct payouts for those days. By deploying ATS Time and Attendance and taking advantage of the Absence Request module, you immediately eliminate human error that comes with tracking employee absence manually.

With ATS Absence Request you can transform tedious, time consuming everyday tasks into intelligent, efficient processes that drive business insight.

To learn more go to our website and download a demonstration. To reach an account executive by phone, call: 866.294.2467.

You Better Watch Out, Useful Tips For The Annual Office Christmas Party

December 5th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Absence Management | Benefit Accruals | Employee Self Service | Leave Management | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on You Better Watch Out, Useful Tips For The Annual Office Christmas Party)

It’s that time of year when you can safely pull out that ugly Christmas sweater and not have to worry about wearing it since there will be others like you, who will be wearing one. And, like years past, you and your colleagues have been invited to the company’s annual office Christmas party. And, according to many experts, unless you have a legitimate excuse you had better attend, because not only will your absence be noticed but you could be also limiting your career prospects.

You Better Watch Out, Useful Tips For The Annual Office Christmas Party

Here are a few common sense tips from Dr. Patty Ann Tublin from an article written for The Huffington Post titled ‘Do’s and Don’ts for the Office Holiday Party’ and in no particular order here are a few of these tips.

Tip Number One

“GO! Don’t even think about blowing this party off. Love em or hate em, it will serve you well to be seen at them. Even if this party is touted as being optional – that doesn’t really mean it is. Your absence may very well be noticed. Worse – it may be prone to misinterpretation (he/she is not a team player, is aloof, is a snob, etc.).

Tip Number Two

It’s not good enough to just show up. Since you’re already there – you might as well make the most of it. This is a great opportunity to network with the movers and shakers of your company (i.e., upper management and executives) whom you would normally not have access to. If you’ve never met them before, make it your business to introduce yourself with a brief introduction and non-work related conversation.

Tip Number Three

Dress Appropriately. The office holiday party is not the time to come slinking in with a way too high mini-skirt or stained T-shirt. Rule of thumb: the venue dictates the dress code. If you are in doubt as to how formal or casual the party will be, ask someone whom you believe will know. Every office has that someone who seems to know this stuff!”

These annual Christmas office parties should be seen as fun event and a chance to celebrate, and get to know your co-workers and boss on a personal level. They are not created so, you can “Party like it’s 1999.” After all, who wants to end up being (well, maybe some people) tagged in photos and videos; Snap Chat, Face Book or YouTube, dancing, while seeming incoherent of their surroundings? It could end up being a painful conversation with HR department days later, perhaps resulting in a permanent leave of absence for the party-goer/s.

 

You Are About To Start That New Job, But Those Jitters Just Won’t Go Away

December 1st, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Absence Management | Benefit Accruals | Employee Self Service | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Workforce Management Solutions - (Comments Off on You Are About To Start That New Job, But Those Jitters Just Won’t Go Away)

Feeling nervous before starting that new job is common. It happens to people of all ages. But how do you combat this anxiety that’s eating away at you, and is rendering you seemingly helpless, before your big day? In addition, to making sure you get sufficient sleep the night before your event, psychologists Jamie Long, suggests some strategies to “Reduce Stress and Stop Anxiety.”  Jacquelyn Smith of Forbes penned a wonderful piece titled ‘7 Tips For Young Professionals Starting A New Job’ In no particular order here are some excerpts from the article.

You Are About To Start That New Job, But Those Jitters Just Won’t Go Away

Dress for success
Start by recreating your wardrobe and sprucing up your appearance. Dress appropriately for the job you’ve landed. Remember that first impressions can be lasting. If you’re dressed to impress, you probably will.

Be confident
Don’t be narcissistic, but show your colleagues that you deserve to be there. Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts, and believe in your ability to succeed in your new position. One way to exhibit confidence: invite your colleagues to lunch.

 Separate your personal and professional lives
Once you’re settled in, avoid making personal calls, sending personal emails or taking long lunch breaks. Show that you are dedicated to your new job and that you want to be there. If you have nothing to do, offer to take on another task or help a colleague who looks overloaded. Not only will you impress the boss, but the days will fly by.

Wheter you are a young person, entering the workforce for the first time, or just moving from one job to another, we all experience jitters. Moving to a new job or travelling to a new country are both unknowns, and is partly the cause of those jitters.

 

Technology Will Continue To Dominate The Future Of Work

November 29th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Biometric FaceScan | Biometric Time and Attendance Facial Recognition System | Cloud Computing | Cloud Time and Attendance | Time and Attendance On-Demand - (Comments Off on Technology Will Continue To Dominate The Future Of Work)

The continued rise of technology including; Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, cloud-computing technologies, and artificial intelligence has made the seemingly impossible from years ago now possible. An article by Charles Krome for TLNT HR titled ‘What Happens When Employees Work Out of Their Car?’ raise the eye browse, rightfully so, of many safety experts.

The article reads in part, “It was bound to happen, leveraging the Microsoft Exchange mail and calendar services, In Car Office “knows” about upcoming conference calls, for example, and if you’re in the vehicle, it can automatically dial you in at the appropriate time. Similarly, if other calls are on your calendar, the system also can recognize this and remind you a few minutes before. Or if you’re headed for a face-to-face meeting, the system can automatically set the destination in the car’s navigation system.”

Technology Will Continue To Dominate The Future Of Work

Chances are we are not too far away from this type of technology being deployed by some companies, and of importance is the safety, liability and work-life-balance comes that will feature into this type of technology. The article addresses those concerns with this:

“First off, helping to maintain a safe workplace can be a vital role for HR professionals, so if your employees’ vehicles become part of that workplace, they could become part of your responsibilities, too. Expecting people to be on the clock when they’re in their cars, however, would require resetting that balance — and perhaps rebalancing the company’s books. While it’s too early to know how this would play out, if the time folks spend in their in-car offices is considered “work time,” it could have a financial impact for employers who pay on an hourly basis.”

Will the in-car office ever come to fruition? Only time will tell. The introduction of biometrics some years ago at airports, and in workplaces, coupled with cloud computing technologies were seen as an intrusive tools that did not belong. Today, many companies are deploying cloud-based time and attendance solutions, in large part, to the inherent benefits of boosting workplace productivity and streamlining payroll costs. And, as for biometrics, at airports, they have become so common that consumers go through them without thinking twice.

Wouldn’t It Be Wonderful If We All Had Great Bosses?

November 28th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Absence Management | Benefit Accruals | Employee Scheduling | Employee Self Service - (Comments Off on Wouldn’t It Be Wonderful If We All Had Great Bosses?)

Since the world is not perfect and that includes human beings, it is highly unlikely we are all going to have great bosses. After all, bosses human and like us, have their own share of flaws. There is no denying there are some individuals who serve, in a role as a boss and are horrible at it. The flip side to that are bosses, who are compassionate, take care of their employees and can be a dream to work with.

Wouldn’t It Be Wonderful If We All Had Great Bosses?

In a recent blog post titled ‘5 Traits Employees Want In a Boss’ and based on a study by the Dale Carnegie Training  Business News Daily Senior Writer Chad Brooks lays out five qualities that employees look for in a boss:

  1. “Encourages improvement: Nearly 80 percent of the employees surveyed said inspiring leaders encourage and help employees improve.
  2. Gives praise and appreciation: Nearly three-quarters of the workers surveyed said great bosses praise and express appreciation for employees’ work.
  3. Recognizes improvement: More than 70 percent of employees said one of the most important traits of a boss is acknowledging when workers’ performance has improved.
  4. Acknowledges own shortfalls before criticizing: The study found that 68 percent of employees are motivated by bosses who, rather than criticizing others, recognize their own shortcomings.
  5. Allow employees to save face: 60 percent of workers said they appreciate a boss who gives them a chance to make up for their errors, instead of embarrassing employees when they have made mistakes.”

We all know that not every boss posses these five qualities. Sometimes, we might find a boss with some or more of these qualities either in our first job or several jobs later in life. But for many people, having a great boss is the exception, and not the rule.

To learn about ATS product offerings including our time and attendance solutions, go to our website.

Working Long Hours Every Day, But Is It Worth It?

November 24th, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Absence Management | Benefit Accruals | Forecasting | Overtime | Retail | Scheduling | Telecommuting Employees - (Comments Off on Working Long Hours Every Day, But Is It Worth It?)

Every boss appreciates a hard working employee, especially one who will volunteer to stay at work longer to complete that project and meet a deadline. And, in the world of retail and hospitality it’s almost become the norm that employees are expected to work long hours and some split shifts-especially during busy periods Christmas holidays included. But, if all your company’s projects have tight deadlines, does that mean you have to work overtime every week? As an employee in retail, does your schedule include a lot of spilt-shifts? Sooner or later, working these long hours will eventually take its toll.

We all understand that from time to time extra hours are required to get the job done. But, when does all this extra hours you are putting in start to affect your health and, more importantly starts alienating you from your loved ones?

Working Long Hours Every Day, But Is It Worth It?

In an article Minda Zetlin for Inc.com titled ‘10 Reasons to Stop Working So Hard’ she eloquently describes some of the drawbacks of working crazy hours. In no particular order, we selected five reasons out her list that clearly makes a case for why should not be working long hours every time:

“Most of the work is less important than you think-A few years ago, hospice worker Bronnie Ware famously published the top five regrets she heard from her dying patients. Those who’d had careers all regretted the number of hours they spent at work. But many of her patients also spoke of dreams they wished they’d fulfilled.

Your mood is a buzzkill-The kind of irritability and impatience that goes with being overworked and behind schedule will cast a black cloud over the people around you both at work and at home. If you’re an employee, it will damage your career. If you’re a small business owner, it will harm your business.

Sleep matters-“The way to a more productive, more inspired, more joyful life is getting enough sleep,” Arianna Huffington said in a 2011 TED talk. She would know. She fainted from exhaustion and broke her cheekbone and is now something of a sleep evangelist. “I was recently having dinner with a guy who bragged that he’d gotten only four hours’ sleep the night before,” she continued. She considered retorting: “If you had gotten five, this dinner would have been a lot more interesting.”

Your judgment is impaired-The research is conclusive: sleep deprivation impairs decision-making. As a leader, poor judgment is something you can’t afford. Crossing some tasks off your to-do list, handing them to someone else, or finishing some things late is well worth it if it means you bring your full concentration and intelligence to the tough decisions your job requires

You suck when it counts-I can tell you from experience that going into a meeting tired and distracted means you will suck in that meeting. You’ll be bad at generating new ideas, finding creative solutions to problems, and worst of all you’ll suck at listening attentively to the people around you. That disrespects them and wastes their time as well as yours.”

Bottom line: Spending long hours at work might help you meet deadlines, but those long hours, especially when they are done over a long period of time, can affect both your physical and, yes mental state. When you spend a significant part of your day working, there is not enough time to rest and recharge.