Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software

Scanning Your Hand Is Coming To A Whole Foods Store Near You

Tracking employee time with biometrics is nothing new. In fact, it has becoming ubiquitous with many companies adopting the technology as a way to streamline payroll costs and increase workforce productive. And since biometric technology, can be used for different purposes, Amazon will soon add it to their Whole Foods grocery chain as a way for customers to pay.

In a recent article by Courtney Linder for Popular Mechanics titled Why Amazon Wants to Scan Your Hands’. Here is an excerpt from the article:

https://youtu.be/-kpwiTZr53Y

“Amazon is testing out a new payment method at its New York offices: hand scanning.

Here’s how it works: Users hold their hands over a special scanner that uses computer vision and depth geometry to identify each hand’s unique shape and size, per the report. Amazon Prime customers must go into stores for their hands to be captured and linked to their account before they can begin using the payment method.

The new payment method will also help to process transactions more quickly. While a typical card transaction takes three or four seconds, Amazon’s new tech can process the charge in less than 300 milliseconds, says the report.

It’s not a new concept by any means. Hand geometry, as the biometric is called, was used to protect access to the residential Olympic Village at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

The concept of hand geometry was developed and patented in 1985, according to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. The first commercial product using the tech came out the following year, but it wasn’t widely adopted. However, many companies do use hand geometry for time and attendance purposes. Walt Disney World has used “finger geometry” for years to expedite entrance to parks, for example.

Systems that measure hand geometry use a digital camera and light to take a scan. When you use one, you simply place your hand on a flat surface and line your fingers up for an accurate reading. A camera takes several photos of your hand and the shadows that it casts. That data is used to determine the length, width, thickness, and curvature of your fingers and hand. Then, it’s translated into a numerical template through an algorithm.”

ATS biometric clocks are used in a variety of companies and industries from healthcare to food manufacturing, grocery retail, shipping & logistics, government entities and construction. With ATS biometric time clocks, employees can clock in with a quick scan of their hand, and are instantly verified for accuracy. And, with biometric identification capabilities, “buddy punching” can be prevented to help control labour costs associated with inflated payroll.

To view a demonstration of ATS biometric time clocks or cloud computing time and attendance application, go to our website.

Amazon, Biometric Time Clocks, Fingerprint Geometry, Payroll, Retail, Walt Disney World, Whole Foods

ATS HCM Implementation Process. What Is It Exactly?

ATS HCM Solution Implementation is a multi-step process. Many of the steps may vary depending on the size of the organization, type of business, hosted versus on-premise to name a few. It does, in general, involves installing the software, moving your existing data such as employee names, departments and/or some HR related information, over to the new system, to ensure the software fits your unique business needs, and then training managers and supervisors alike on the ATS HCM application.

When organizations attempt an HCM implementation on their own, and even with the best of intentions, the project can be rife with problems. It’s important that organizations maintain clear communication and follow best-practices throughout the implementation, while at the same time, still find time to perform their daily task. They must also satisfy both functional and technical requirements. In short, this is a tall order that many companies struggle to meet, resulting in budget overrun and delays and overworked resources. ATS Implementation Analysts helps mitigate the risk throughout the deployment process and help you reap a rapid return on your investment.

Curious? Here is how we do it:

Project Methodology: ATS Solution Process is our proven methodology for HCM Workforce Management projects. This methodology is designed to adhere to best-practices and uphold communication throughout every step of your implementation.
Business Process Modeling: We take aligning ATSTimeWorkOnDemand with your business requirements very seriously. Thus, we go through a rigorous scoping and process modeling, with the intent of uncovering any current obstacles and determining how to use the applications to increase workforce productivity and streamline business operations.
Training: Based on our experience some managers might not be so open to change, especially when we are installing our cloud computing application ATSTimeWorkOnDemand. And, so that’s why we provide comprehensive across the board, to help you achieve widespread user adoption.
Ongoing Support: Even after the go-live date, our Implementation Analyst will continue to follow-up thus, protecting your investment. We aim to work with you and, any third-party application providers of; Talent Management, Payroll, HRIS and CRM as needed, for software integration and provide support to help your business thrive.

Bottom-line

There is a clear and concise method to implementing ATS HCM application and its complementary cloud computing solutions. To take a test drive go to our website. You can also register one of our bi-weekly webinars or call an account executive at 866.294.2467.

Cloud Computing, HCM, HRIS, Payroll, Talent Management

Biometric Face Technology Might Soon Will Replace Passports

Employees using their face to record their hours of work is becoming quite common in time and attendance world. And, now it appears that the use of this technology, albeit slowing, is also being adopted at some airports according to a recent article, by Stuart Emmrich titled Will Your Face Be Enough to Get You on a Plane? for The New York Times, and reads in part;

“Earlier this week, the Transportation Security Administration released a 23-page report outlining changes it is proposing on how passengers are screened before boarding their flights. Key among those changes is the proposal that passports and other forms of identification will eventually be replaced by biometric technology.

Early this year, the agency began testing facial recognition technology for international travelers at Los Angeles International Airport. The biometric technology matches facial images to photos in government databases, such as photos obtained from passports or visa applications.

And in 2017, the T.S.A. tested fingerprint technology at the T.S.A. PreCheck lanes at the Atlanta and Denver airports. The technology matches passenger fingerprints provided at the checkpoint to those provided to the T.S.A. by travelers who have enrolled in the PreCheck program.

Biometric technology is also being evaluated by individual airlines. Delta Air Lines announced in September that it is building a dedicated biometric terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The technology, to be installed at Terminal F, would allow passengers to check-in at the self-service kiosks, drop off their checked baggage at the counter and then be used as identification at the terminal’s T.S.A. checkpoint”.

If you are unfamiliar with ATS biometric time clocks, these data collectors includes the latest in technology and works, in tandem with our time and attendance application, to deliver exceptional value – helping organizations control labour costs, minimize compliance risk, and improve workforce productivity.

Using ATS biometric technology, your organization can expect:

Options
A variety of biometric data collectors to choose from that include: fingerprint, hand geometric face recognition and a variety of biometric features, and mobile capabilities. ATS biometric data collectors, offers enhanced technology, thus allowing employees to easily and more accurately enroll on the time clock’s controlled finger, hand geometry or face recognition template– which reduces, read error rates for a more accurate biometric enrollment, and protect employees’ personal information and eliminate costly buddy punching.

Peace of Mind
Backup battery protects employee information against power outages and flash memory backs up data. And, with open standards, field upgradeability and keypad functions, these time and attendance biometric time clocks are —ideal blend of performance, function, style, and affordability designed for essential workforce management functionality.

Accuracy and Productivity
No more manual data entry which is always prone to errors and, instead can look forward to a best-of-breed application that will enforce pay and attendance policies at the time of an employee recorded hours. An application that will improve workforce productivity by giving employees intuitive self-service access to scheduled hours and time-off balances from any device, from anywhere.

ATS advance biometric time clocks are designed for today’s advanced cloud computing workforce and provides state-of-art, touch-screen functionality and accurate, up-to-the-minute analytics data your company can rely on.

To learn more, register for one of our weekly webinars, or download brochures or a pre-recorded demonstration go to our website. And, to speak to an account executive, call 866.294.2468.

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Analytics, Biometric Time Clocks, Cloud Computing, Facial Recognition, Hand Geometry, The New York Time, Time and Attendance

Is It Time To Abolish Daylight Savings Time?

Finding any benefit to daylight savings time is like searching for a needle in a haystack. The growing body of evidence that highlights its detrimental effects on human beings and their productivity far outweighs the incoherent argument for those who are in favour of keeping this ineffective ritual.

Is It Time To Abolish Daylight Savings Time?

An article written by Erik Sherman (which cites various studies) for Fortune, titled ‘How Daylight Saving Time Affects Your Health and Productivity’ reads in part;

“There is a productivity loss, according to David Wagner and Christopher Barnes, professors of management at the University of Oregon and University of Washington. Their studies found “workers tend to ‘cyberloaf,'” using computers for non-work purposes, on Mondays after a shift to Daylight Saving. One study, sponsored by a foam and cushion manufacturer, estimated a national productivity loss of nearly $434 million — about $1.65 per person. Wagner and Barnes say we don’t regain lost productivity in the fall when time shifts back. It takes up to 3 weeks for some to hit a normal rhythm, according to a study in the journal Sleep Medicine.”

Getting the general public to embrace and reap the benefits of the digital era and cloud computing was hard but, not as hard as trying to convince those still clinging to the outdated practice of daylight savings time. Change after all, is hard for some but given the fact that the data consistently points to an increase in; car accidents, strokes and loss of productivity-after switching the clocks for daylight savings time — it is only a matter of time before the general public, start to apply pressure to policy makers to eradicate this bi-annual tradition.

So, on Monday morning, if you feel grumpy, groggy and tired, (and with good reason) blame daylight savings time for your woes and take solace in the fact that you are not alone.

Cloud Computing, Daylight Savings Time, Productivity

5 Signs You Are Frustrated With Your Current Time And Attendance

Every business wants to achieve maximum productivity, streamline cost and improve its bottom-line. If your business is not using the right time and attendance solution, that can not only prevent it from achieving its operational goals, but lead to frustration by the people who are using the system.

Here are five signs that points to the frustration your company has with its current time and attendance system and some tools to help you figure out how to obtain the right system for your business:

5 Signs You Are Frustrated With Your Current Time And Attendance

Real-Time Data

If you are pulling employee information from paper time sheets or an antiquated punch clock that resides on a wall, there is nothing real about this. It simply means, you are getting the information after it happens. What you need is a system that shows employee information as soon as they occur- in other words, a system that can provide you with real time analytics as you need it.

Your System Lacks Integration Capabilities

This is tops the list of frustration for many companies. If your company’s current time and attendance system does not have the ability to interface to your other applications you need to rethink your strategy. No company should be stuck using outdated applications, the sole reason for deploying an automated time and attendance is to make your life easier.

Basic Features Should be Included

Calculation of overtime and statutory holidays across various jurisdictions should be part of the everyday basic functions of the system. If these necessary features for your company’s day-to-day life do not exist, you are using the wrong system and filled with frustration.

Streamline Costs and Improve Productivity

If your company wishes to improve efficiency, you need a time and attendance solution that has this embedded into it-otherwise, the frustration of your HR or payroll practitioner will continue.

Point the Blame at the Software

If your business executives are getting inaccurate data, it’s clear you have the wrong solution. And, if your employees pay are missing hours they worked, because the software cannot adjust to your business requirements, you should starting exploring for better option.

Bottom-Line: instead of asking your current provider to make customization changes that would simply add to the complexity—of an already ineffective solution, make the switch to an ATS time attendance solution. With ATS TimeWork OnDemand 21^st century cloud computing technology gives you the agility to respond to changing business needs rapidly, improve productivity, streamline payroll costs and can adjust to the ebbs and flows of an organization.

To download a demonstration or attend one of our bi-weekly webinars go to our website. To speak to an account representative call: 866.294.2467.

Analytics, ATS Time and Attendance, ATS TimeWork OnDemand, Overtime, Statutory Holidays

Using An Effective Scheduling Solution Will Improve Employee Engagement

The latest brouhaha over employees being scheduled for on-call shifts hit a crescendo, a few days ago, revealing a practice that is frowned upon my many workers, many of whom, have cited the effects these on-call shifts are having on workers ability to plan activities outside of work. It’s possible that some of these companies are using a variety of spreadsheets and other manual methods to schedule employees.

If your organization is using an outdated scheduling system, chances are, you could be wasting valuable time and money. ATS Workforce Scheduling system is powerful and robust software that provides broad-based capabilities to help companies better manage their business and their labour force. The ATS Workforce Employee Scheduling targets small, mid-size and large-scale operations in retail, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing and services.

Using An Effective Scheduling Solution Will Improve Employee Engagement

ATS Workforce Scheduler Includes:

Budgeting and Forecasting
ATS budgeting and forecasting module features an independent, definable structure that supports the creation, editing and reporting of business volume and workforce forecasts. With a wide variety of options for defining productivity tasks, standards, drivers and parameters, ATS Budgeting and Forecasting tool provides unprecedented detail and accuracy of workforce requirements.

Eradication of Scheduling Conflicts
ATS Workforce Scheduler allows managers to see details of how a team of workers is scheduled through the day, coupled by the use of an advanced heuristic algorithm that enables companies to meet forecast needs by developing an optimized schedule of employee work assignments. ATS Workforce Scheduler has the distinction of being able to build individual employee shift and job preferences into weekly work schedules. ATS Workforce Scheduler provides real-time employee availability, thus, allowing managers to immediately correct any necessary conflicts, due to overlapping shifts, and overtime. With this unique feature, the software will reduce workforce turnover and increase employee satisfaction.

Ability to Schedule Employees in Real-Time
ATS Workforce Scheduler provides updates in real-time. For example, once a manager has completed their staff schedulers they can send it to their employees through mass updates. Employees, in turn, can view their schedules online from any device that’s connected to the Internet.

Easy to Use Tools
Get the peace of mind you deserve by making sure you have the right people scheduled at the right time and place. With ATS Workforce Scheduler, you can schedule employees by department, shift, or multiple sites. ATS Workforce Scheduler automatically calculates the number of hours each employee is scheduled to work and compares it to the number of hours they wish to work each week.

Reporting Capabilities
ATS Workforce Scheduler creates intuitive analytics that are based on your business and workforce requirements, relevant work and shift rules, and individual employee information.

In conclusion, with a growing number of regional, state and provincial governments clamping down on on-calls shifts, manual spreadsheets will not help your organization. What you need is a robust solution that will reduce time spent on scheduling, save costs, increase productivity and employee engagement.

To see a demonstration of ATS Workforce Scheduling Solution, go to our website. You can also join the conversation on: LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ or Pinterest.

Budgeting, Employee Scheduling, Forecasting, Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, On-Call Shifts, Overtime, Retail

Why Do We Overwork Ourselves So Much?

Conventional wisdom says that hard work always pays off in the end but when does hardware become overworking? Clinical physiologist have long lamented that our desire to overwork is counterproductive which lends itself to some of the following:

1. Lack of sleep, anxiety and depression which creates a higher chance of a heart attack
2. Constant state of impatience and irritability most of the time
3. Huge amounts of stress which can be addicting

An article by Minda Zetlin Co-author for the ‘The Geek Gap’ published an article on Inc.com titled “10 Reasons to Stop Working So Hard” In no particular order we selected three of the most impactful reasons in the article:

“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.”

You’re setting a bad example-The work schedule and tone you set for yourself will likely be mirrored by the smartest and most ambitious of your employees. What kind of leaders and bosses do you want them to be? Do you want the benefit of their brightest ideas and best judgment? Then don’t create an environment where everyone vies to see how many hours they can work without falling over.”

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.”

At various points in our lives we all fall victim to working overtime, to complete a project with very little sleep. And while some of us can get away with it in the short run, it’s the long term health effect that catches up to us when we continue on this path.

Here are some tips for taking control of your time which can, eventually lead, to a less stressful workload by Sarah Brooks of sheknows.com:

Work smarter
When working, get rid of all distractions. This includes phones, social media apps, random internet browsing and even interruptions from coworkers.

Take breaks
Follow Martin’s advice and take 8 minutes per day for yourself, preferably more if you have time.

Be aware of how you spend your “off” time
Find ways to unwind that don’t involve watching television or surfing the net. Get outside, go for walks and get some fresh air.

To learn about ATS go to our website. You can also follow us on Twitter, Linked or Pinterest to join the conversation.

Why Do We Overwork Ourselves So Much?

ATS Cloud Time and Attendance, Employee Time Tracking, Payroll

How is the Manufacturing Sector Adapting to the New Economy?

The 2008 recession decimated a large part of the manufacturing industry in Ontario, other areas in Canada and the United States. Some economic pundits have asserted that the industry is on a rebounded citing the North American and Japanese big three auto sales. However, it is important to note that many of the jobs that were lost during the bleak years of the recession are returning at a snails’ pace increasing the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector. This competitiveness challenges the companies that are using a manual processes with their organizations. A modern time and attendance solution can help these organizations keep pace with today’s challenges, achieve profit and retain customers in the following three ways:

Improve Business Process
Manufacturers could be missing opportunities to reduce labour costs when using manual time tracking processes. Our time and attendance software can help you streamline business processes, provide greater visibility and control over labour costs more effectively, manage compliance risk and improve workforce productivity.

Increase Visibility of your Operations
As manufacturing companies expand into global markets their need to improve business productivity becomes even more important. ATS attendance system delivers critical advantages for employees, managers and administrators. The application improves employee performance and enables you to spend more time focusing on strategic business activities. Business analytics tools give managers real-time visibility into ways to reduce costs and optimize attendance control processes.

Innovation in the Digital Age
As the pace of the digital age increases, manufacturing companies need to leverage tools that can help them adapt. A fully automated cloud-based, solution boosts workforce productivity so your employees can maximize the workday. Many of today’s business leaders are seeing workforce management as a strategic business driver that can increase the profit margins of their organizations.

The constant change of today’s business environment challenges companies to keep up. A modern workforce management software can help manufacturers prepare for growth and increase collaboration across the organization. For more information on how business management software can help meet these challenges go to our website.

Attendance System, Business Management Software, Labour Cost, Manufacturing, Workforce Management Software

Labour analytics can improve business productivity

As companies become overburden with finding the correct data to analyze their workforce they are shifting their focus to deploying tools that can help them achieve these objectives in a timely manner. Business executives therefore, need to ensure they get the best possible return on their investment when selecting a time and attendance solution that aligns with their goals.

ATS TimeWork Time and Attendance provides companies with an intuitive dashboard that allows them to view employee data that’s in keeping with their business requirements. ATS TimeWork Time and Attendance labour analytics enables companies to capture complete and accurate snapshots of their employee labour activities through various workflow alerts.

TimeWork provides companies with a comprehensive view of their employee workforce activities with the strength to handle sophisticated pay rules and scheduling practices. When combined with the forecasting and budgeting tool, ATS TimeWork time and attendance labour analytics applies overtime based on configured workrules.

ATS TimeWork best-in-class Time and Attendance solution helps companies replace their manual and excel spreadsheet data into a real-time workforce management system. Having the right information at the right time helps organizations be proactive and improve productivity. ATS workforce labour analytics helps achieve your goals of outlining financial objectives, decreasing labour costs, improving workforce efficiency and effectively managing talent. This is easily obtained by simply automating the processes allowing the system to do it for you.

To learn more go to our website. To view a demonstration contact an ATS representative at 866.294.2467

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Are Austerity Measures Working?

Today the words “austerity measures” have become ubiquitious with most economists and it appears the words are becoming part of their vernacular when trying to explain how theUSand other world economies have gotten themselves in financial trouble. Automatic spending cuts and tax increases (which is essentially the basis of the “austerity measures”) have become the norm for governments around the world. Some have blamed this approach on the “recession of 2008”. Whether you are for or against government spending cuts and taxes increases, one thing is clear, since 2008, the world has changed and so, has the way in which businesses compete for customers.

For many of today’s companies, reducing costs is paramount and they see value in adopting a time management solution that can help them to achieve that goal. On the other hand, a small minority of businesses continue to hang on to the old way of tracking employee time manually. Competitive businesses know that to compete in today’s global economy they must adopt a time and attendance solution that improves productivity and increase profits, while maintaining customer satisfaction.

Most companies strive to find a balance between risk reduction and accessibility of information. Implementing an ATS time and attendance solution can manage risk and replace outdated manual systems, making employee data transfer and access to information easier.

Many of ATS’s customers use our employee payroll time tracking software to solve the day to day challenges of departmental managers, HR and payroll personnel. For example, employees can access their schedules through the online portal to add vacation blocks, check their overtime hour status and update benefit accruals. With the use of our time and labour solution, business executives can take comfort in the knowledge that ATS time and attendance system can help their company find a rapid return on investment and increase profits.

To learn more or to download one of our time and attendance brochures, go to our website.

Benefit Accruals, Employee Self Service, Overtime, Payroll, Time and Attendance Solution

Scanning Your Hand Is Coming To A Whole Foods Store Near You

5 Signs You Are Frustrated With Your Current Time And Attendance

Using An Effective Scheduling Solution Will Improve Employee Engagement

Why Do We Overwork Ourselves So Much?

How is the Manufacturing Sector Adapting to the New Economy?

Labour analytics can improve business productivity

Are Austerity Measures Working?

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