The problem of time theft has become quite common among organizations these days.
Average employers find it often very confusing. They mind end up getting nothing even after struggling for years. At the same time, most of the companies often overlook this issue in the hope of improving the outcome further.
But, sometimes a minor employee time theft can lead to serious consequences, including high productivity loss and time management frauds. The scenario is worth comparing to the little leak in a boat that makes it sink due to over-filling of water.
Through this post, we aim to nurture small, medium, and big-sized businesses on the meaning, consequences, and continuously evolving challenges in the firms worldwide. Time to get started...
Meaning Of Time Theft?
Time theft is an act of manipulating the organizational system in order to receive payments for non-productive hours. Although, questioning the ethics of overall employees can't be justified. There are numerous reasons behind employees’ time stealing action, and all come down to individuals asking for salary without working according to appropriate working hour distribution.
How Do Employees Steal time?
Kinds of time theft is various, but we have broken down some top hacks used by employees.
Buddy Punching
No doubt a large number of companies have successfully jumped on the bandwagon of technologies and advancement, some firms still believe in traditional clocking in approach for recording attendance. As a result, employees request co-worker or office staff to punch in on their behalf.
That feels like a blessing for careless employees who reach the office late, but want to get paid in full. To combat buddy punching, companies must use thumb print-based biometrics.
Taking Advantage of Breaks
Having breaks in between work proves a lot beneficial for workers' mental health and also makes them more competent to perform better.
And, for a remote team, it’s obvious to handle a few household chores. Keeping these things in mind, companies arrange short breaks of 10-15 minutes, but the same also provokes time stealing proceedings.
Fraud In Timesheet
Falsifying and modification in timesheets is termed of timesheet fraud. However, authorized person handling timesheets may unwillingly do wrong entries, which doesn’t fall under the category of dishonest activities.
These kinds of frauds won’t happen until management takes time to review the timesheet thoroughly at least twice in a week. Also, best timesheet management software is available out there to help employers.
Tips to tackle time theft situation in any firm
- Formulate clear policies regarding time theft: Make sure not to keep anything confined about time stealing. Here, you want a policy that determines:
- Behavior that comes under the suspicious & time stealing category.
- Activities that will eventually provoke employee time theft
- The legal actions that employers may take if employees violate the policy.
Before formulating any policies, take time to discuss things with employees so that no room left for conflicts
- Improve company’s culture: A healthy work environment develops when managers focus on eliminating discrimination among employees, consider treating all fairly and recognize the talents. The more your workforce feels undervalued, the worst outcome you will have. You can also cut off toxicity by conducting a meeting to discuss controversial topics related to employee-employer relationships.
- Leverage sound time & attendance software: The use of an ideal attendance and time tracking software narrow down the entire employee surveillance method. Its advanced feature offers a comprehensive timesheet to avoid past time-taking and lengthy examinations. In case, some of your employees deny working together with employee management software, then use stealth mode monitoring available in top software such as EmpMonitor.
- Track, but don’t interrupt employees often: Monitoring employees or time management is not about oppressing them. Consider interrupting if there is some serious issue that arises. Furthermore, transparency in communication is indeed crucial to escape from stressful scenarios. Whether you have a big or small organization, try removing barriers in conversation at any cost.
End Line: Can You Sue Any Employee Concerning Time Stealing?
Yes, employees keep the right to take necessary action against those who indulge in time stealing activities. But, on the other hand, recovering loss due to them is almost impossible. Employee time theft must be pointed out and solved on time. Otherwise, the situation will turn worse.
