Based near London’s Heathrow Airport, Hawker is a leading aircraft parts and repair company multinational organisation, serving a diverse international customer base which includes commercial airlines, air cargo operators, domestic government agencies and aircraft parts manufacturers.
In 2008, the decision was made to roll out Mitrefinch's integrated Time and Attendance and Access Control system for their 300 strong workforce, to overcome problems associated with unplanned absence, lateness and ‘Ghost clocking’. In addition, managers and supervisors were been swamped with vast amounts of time-consuming, paper-based employee administration.
The Mitrefinch Time Management System proved instantly effective: ‘lateness was reduced in many areas’ and Hawker staff grew to appreciate the obvious benefits of the Employee Self Service functionality offered by the system. Hawker’s IT Manager Colin Booth also appreciated the ‘excellent’ Mitrefinch hardware installation and the ‘efficient, professional’ Mitrefinch Support Helpdesk.
Two years on from the installation of the Mitrefinch systems, Colin Booth enthuses, “We now have a system that is easy to use and more accurate. The reports we have set up run efficiently and are easily modified when needed. The diary function in the HR Manager Module is very effective as it helps us remember important events which we were easily missed before and sends prompt reminders by email to managers”.
Colin adds that the Mitrefinch Time Management System has proved a success for Hawker, “With TMS we can instantly see who is in the building and on shift and with our various complicated shift patterns, the system helps us identify who is doing what at any point in time, making our life easier when we are arranging appointments or training events for employees. The introduction of Employee Self Service has been a great success – the system is transparent to enable employees to see what hours or overtime they have worked and the booking and recording of holiday balances is much more accurate - all of which have helped to reduce the amount of time managers spend on clock card queries”.
“Overall, the system has been well received and is now being used effectively by all. It has definitely helped us improve our processes and save us time. The Helpdesk remains extremely efficient and the onsite visits from the Mitrefinch consultant who helped us customise our system were invaluable.”
For more information you can read the original case study online here.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
CTA evaluate Biometric Time and Attendance following an incident with an imposter
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) are currently evaluating long-term security solutions, which include implementing a biometric time and attendance system, following an incident at one of their garages on the Chicago South Side last week.
According to a release from the CTA, an impersonator wearing what appeared to be a CTA uniform, drove the bus out of the 103rd Street garage and was seen later that night by another employee. The bus he was driving struck another bus, and when the employee alerted a supervisor, the man fled.
The man is believed to be an acquaintance of a CTA bus driver and is suspected of stealing a uniform shirt from that employee. Security camera footage from the bus indicates that the suspect was familiar enough with CTA procedures to log in and start the bus, but he did not appear to be an expert driver, the release said.
“The CTA and the Chicago Police Department are working closely together to identify and quickly apprehend this individual,” CTA President Richard Rodriguez said in the release.
“The safeguards in place to keep our garages secure clearly were circumvented and that is not acceptable. Because this person was in a uniform and familiar with the CTA, we are tightening our check-in procedures.”
Bus operators are required to show their driver’s license to the garage clerk when reporting for their work assignment, at each CTA garage. It is mandatory for all employees to visibly display CTA identification at all times and they are disciplined if they fail to comply. In addition, all garage doors will be closed and locked overnight with the exception of those used to allow buses to exit and enter.
The CTA are in the early stages of implementing a biometric time and attendance system which will require employees to swipe in and out as they enter and exit garages.
For the complete story, please see the Sun-Times Media Wire or the CTA website.
Mitrefinch biometric time and attendance fingerprint readers and Access Control solutions harness the latest multispectral imaging technology, allowing organisations to tighten up security and help ensure that imposters are unable to force their way onsite.
Standard biometric readers can be circumvented, as they capture only the image of the fingerprint ridge surfaces that come into contact with the sensor. These ridges are easy to imitate using common household products and ingredients.
Mitrefinch readers on the other hand can differentiate between living flesh and non-living flesh or other synthetic materials, eliminating the threat of imposters and spoof fingerprints.
For more information contact us on 1300 884 831, email sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit us online at www.mitrefinch.com.au
According to a release from the CTA, an impersonator wearing what appeared to be a CTA uniform, drove the bus out of the 103rd Street garage and was seen later that night by another employee. The bus he was driving struck another bus, and when the employee alerted a supervisor, the man fled.
The man is believed to be an acquaintance of a CTA bus driver and is suspected of stealing a uniform shirt from that employee. Security camera footage from the bus indicates that the suspect was familiar enough with CTA procedures to log in and start the bus, but he did not appear to be an expert driver, the release said.
“The CTA and the Chicago Police Department are working closely together to identify and quickly apprehend this individual,” CTA President Richard Rodriguez said in the release.
“The safeguards in place to keep our garages secure clearly were circumvented and that is not acceptable. Because this person was in a uniform and familiar with the CTA, we are tightening our check-in procedures.”
Bus operators are required to show their driver’s license to the garage clerk when reporting for their work assignment, at each CTA garage. It is mandatory for all employees to visibly display CTA identification at all times and they are disciplined if they fail to comply. In addition, all garage doors will be closed and locked overnight with the exception of those used to allow buses to exit and enter.
The CTA are in the early stages of implementing a biometric time and attendance system which will require employees to swipe in and out as they enter and exit garages.
For the complete story, please see the Sun-Times Media Wire or the CTA website.
Mitrefinch biometric time and attendance fingerprint readers and Access Control solutions harness the latest multispectral imaging technology, allowing organisations to tighten up security and help ensure that imposters are unable to force their way onsite.
Standard biometric readers can be circumvented, as they capture only the image of the fingerprint ridge surfaces that come into contact with the sensor. These ridges are easy to imitate using common household products and ingredients.
Mitrefinch readers on the other hand can differentiate between living flesh and non-living flesh or other synthetic materials, eliminating the threat of imposters and spoof fingerprints.
For more information contact us on 1300 884 831, email sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit us online at www.mitrefinch.com.au
Thursday, September 16, 2010
New Coalition may result in an extension to the benefits offered by the Paid Parental Scheme
With the Labor Party back in power, they have renewed their commitment to complement benefit enhancements under the new Paid Parental Leave Act.
Sussan Ley, the Federal Coalition's new childcare spokeswoman, says she would like the party's 26-week paid parental leave scheme to remain part of its policy platform.
However, some Coalition MPs have expressed concern about the scheme's generosity, advising the Liberal Party that they prefer its more generous parental leave proposal to the Paid Parental Leave Act and will give it a majority on "any policies on which they agree.”
Ms. Ley says she will consider any changes proposed by her colleagues, but believes the general structure of the scheme is sound. She said, "I am extremely supportive of the current proposal and I know members of the Coalition are".
Sussan Ley, the Federal Coalition's new childcare spokeswoman, says she would like the party's 26-week paid parental leave scheme to remain part of its policy platform.
However, some Coalition MPs have expressed concern about the scheme's generosity, advising the Liberal Party that they prefer its more generous parental leave proposal to the Paid Parental Leave Act and will give it a majority on "any policies on which they agree.”
Ms. Ley says she will consider any changes proposed by her colleagues, but believes the general structure of the scheme is sound. She said, "I am extremely supportive of the current proposal and I know members of the Coalition are".
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Mitrefinch Workforce Management System invaluable to Scottish Government, 5 years on
Providing for the daily needs of up to 5.1 million individuals, whilst juggling the administration of 500,000 staff across 50 sites nationwide is a mammoth task by any standards.
Which is why, in 2005, the Scottish Government and its Agencies made the decision to invest in an integrated Flexitime and Access Control system from Mitrefinch. The Government required a complete system that could function smoothly across multiple sites, capture and store a wide range of employee data and ensure tight security throughout government buildings. According to the Scottish Government, “Mitrefinch ticked all the boxes.”
The installation across 10 sites was an understandably epic affair, but the Government was impressed by the willingness of the “excellent” Mitrefinch team to “go that extra mile to help deliver the project.”
Now, five years on, the Scottish Government remains a satisfied Mitrefinch customer. Mitrefinch hardware has been rolled out at a further 20 sites and a number of other organisations are networked to the system. The system has centralised Time and Attendance monitoring whereas before, the Government had many variations all requiring separate administration.
Since the installation of Mitrefinch’s application, the Government has realised the benefits of a central system in that it saves on costs and administration time. There is also greater flexibility in accessing information as and when required.
The Scottish Government's Physical Security Manager said, “I find the joined up aspect of the Time and Attendance, Access Control and Pass Imaging and production modules very easy to use and is able to cover all the areas I require. The network facility is especially good for accessing remote locations. I can basically monitor the whole estate from the comfort of my desk”.
Which is why, in 2005, the Scottish Government and its Agencies made the decision to invest in an integrated Flexitime and Access Control system from Mitrefinch. The Government required a complete system that could function smoothly across multiple sites, capture and store a wide range of employee data and ensure tight security throughout government buildings. According to the Scottish Government, “Mitrefinch ticked all the boxes.”
The installation across 10 sites was an understandably epic affair, but the Government was impressed by the willingness of the “excellent” Mitrefinch team to “go that extra mile to help deliver the project.”
Now, five years on, the Scottish Government remains a satisfied Mitrefinch customer. Mitrefinch hardware has been rolled out at a further 20 sites and a number of other organisations are networked to the system. The system has centralised Time and Attendance monitoring whereas before, the Government had many variations all requiring separate administration.
Since the installation of Mitrefinch’s application, the Government has realised the benefits of a central system in that it saves on costs and administration time. There is also greater flexibility in accessing information as and when required.
The Scottish Government's Physical Security Manager said, “I find the joined up aspect of the Time and Attendance, Access Control and Pass Imaging and production modules very easy to use and is able to cover all the areas I require. The network facility is especially good for accessing remote locations. I can basically monitor the whole estate from the comfort of my desk”.
Mitrefinch CEO, Debbie Guppy, adds that "In providing for the Scottish Government, Mitrefinch have shown ourselves to be invaluable to a large-scale, multi-site organisation".
Read the original Mitrefinch Scottish Government case study online.Mitrefinch is a leading provider of Time and Attendance systems and Access Control solutions. Contact Mitrefinch today on 1300 884 831, email sales@mitrefinch.com.au or visit our Web site at http://www.mitrefinch.com.au/ for more information.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Fair Work Australia issue first take-home pay order
Fair Work Australia, the national workplace relations tribunal, has made its first take-home pay order, ordering a women's fashion retailer to provide a female staff member with nine months of back pay.
This ruling serves as a warning to employers coming to grips with the Modern Awards process.
Susan Balog, a Victorian single mother, whose pay was cut by $6.72 an hour when her pay was shifted to a 'modern award' at the start of the year is the first person in Australia to get a “take home pay order”. Take-home pay orders were introduced as part of the Labor Government's Fair Work industrial relations regime.
While the Modern Awards, which came into effect on January 1, resulted in pay rates falling in some states, employers were not allowed to pay employees less than there were receiving under their previous award. If this occurred, Fair Work Australia could make a take-home pay order and effectively top-up the worker's pay.
Under the new Modern Award, Balog's hourly rate fell from $19.83 to $16.47. When a 200 per cent loading for Sunday work was taken into account, take-home hourly rate fell from $39.66 to $32.94.
While the employer said it was simply complying with the new Award, and had offered to give Balog more hours to make up for her lower pay, Senior Deputy President Kaufman stated in his judgement:
"While I accept that the employer did not wish to decrease the applicant's take-home pay, and thus offered her additional hours, I do not accept that the offer is acceptable as an alternative to a take-home pay order. The employer, in essence, is seeking that the employee work more hours for less pay."
While lower pay rates under the Modern Wards can be applied to new employees, existing employees must not be left worse off.
For more information on Modern Awards and Take Home Pay visit the Fair Work Australia site
To faciliate with the consistent application of an organisation's business rules and award payments, Mitrefinch's leading Time and Attendance System, TMS, comes with an extremely powerful “award interpreter”. To find out more contact Mitrefinch Sales on 1300 884 831 or email sales@mitrefinch.com.au
This ruling serves as a warning to employers coming to grips with the Modern Awards process.
Susan Balog, a Victorian single mother, whose pay was cut by $6.72 an hour when her pay was shifted to a 'modern award' at the start of the year is the first person in Australia to get a “take home pay order”. Take-home pay orders were introduced as part of the Labor Government's Fair Work industrial relations regime.
While the Modern Awards, which came into effect on January 1, resulted in pay rates falling in some states, employers were not allowed to pay employees less than there were receiving under their previous award. If this occurred, Fair Work Australia could make a take-home pay order and effectively top-up the worker's pay.
Under the new Modern Award, Balog's hourly rate fell from $19.83 to $16.47. When a 200 per cent loading for Sunday work was taken into account, take-home hourly rate fell from $39.66 to $32.94.
While the employer said it was simply complying with the new Award, and had offered to give Balog more hours to make up for her lower pay, Senior Deputy President Kaufman stated in his judgement:
"While I accept that the employer did not wish to decrease the applicant's take-home pay, and thus offered her additional hours, I do not accept that the offer is acceptable as an alternative to a take-home pay order. The employer, in essence, is seeking that the employee work more hours for less pay."
While lower pay rates under the Modern Wards can be applied to new employees, existing employees must not be left worse off.
For more information on Modern Awards and Take Home Pay visit the Fair Work Australia site
To faciliate with the consistent application of an organisation's business rules and award payments, Mitrefinch's leading Time and Attendance System, TMS, comes with an extremely powerful “award interpreter”. To find out more contact Mitrefinch Sales on 1300 884 831 or email sales@mitrefinch.com.au
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Australian employees say profit sharing would boost productivity
More than half of Australians surveyed in the 2010 Kelly Global Workforce Index believe they would be more productive if they were able to share in profits or have an ownership stake in their employer’s business.
The survey also found 30 per cent of workers currently have an arrangement whereby some of their pay is tied to performance targets. Gen Y (aged 18-29) and Gen X (aged 30-47) employees are much more likely to be on some form of performance-based pay than those in the Baby Boomer generation (aged 48-65).
However, of those not receiving performance pay, more than a third (37 per cent) say they would be more productive if they had their earnings linked to performance outcomes, with Gen Y the most attracted to it.
Many employees indicate that they would be quite comfortable with some element of their compensation being tied to their individual or group performance. This shows that most are confident in their ability to perform their jobs well and believe they can share in the rewards of improved workplace productivity.
Other results from the survey, with regards to employee benefits and perks, reveal that aside from salary, the benefit that rates most highly is training, followed by flexible hours, vacation or personal time-off, and health benefits.
The Kelly Global Workforce Survey obtains the views of approximately 134,000 people, including more than 20,000 in Australia.
Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance system, TMS, can take the stress out of employee management by easily managing performance related pay incentives. Real-time information and detailed reporting facilitates up-to-the-minute tracking and evaluation of the performance and work activities of employees against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
To find out more contact Mitrefinch Sales on 1300 884 831 or sales@mitrefinch.com.au
The survey also found 30 per cent of workers currently have an arrangement whereby some of their pay is tied to performance targets. Gen Y (aged 18-29) and Gen X (aged 30-47) employees are much more likely to be on some form of performance-based pay than those in the Baby Boomer generation (aged 48-65).
However, of those not receiving performance pay, more than a third (37 per cent) say they would be more productive if they had their earnings linked to performance outcomes, with Gen Y the most attracted to it.
Many employees indicate that they would be quite comfortable with some element of their compensation being tied to their individual or group performance. This shows that most are confident in their ability to perform their jobs well and believe they can share in the rewards of improved workplace productivity.
Other results from the survey, with regards to employee benefits and perks, reveal that aside from salary, the benefit that rates most highly is training, followed by flexible hours, vacation or personal time-off, and health benefits.
The Kelly Global Workforce Survey obtains the views of approximately 134,000 people, including more than 20,000 in Australia.
Mitrefinch’s Time and Attendance system, TMS, can take the stress out of employee management by easily managing performance related pay incentives. Real-time information and detailed reporting facilitates up-to-the-minute tracking and evaluation of the performance and work activities of employees against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
To find out more contact Mitrefinch Sales on 1300 884 831 or sales@mitrefinch.com.au
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