It's Go Home On Time Day!

Each year, Australians work more than 2 billion hours of unpaid overtime, which is the equivalent of $72 billion worth of foregone wages (See: Something for Nothing: Unpaid overtime in Australia).

Do you find yourself working back late? Never enough hours in the day to do all the things you need or want to do? Or with the emergence of Smart Phones and mobile applications are work calls or emails getting in the way of your free time?

Perhaps you are a manager who values your staff, do you want to show them how important they are?

Well, Go Home On Time Day on Wednesday November 30 is a great way to recognise that life doesn’t need to revolve around work - and here at Mitrefinch we are loving the idea!

To find out more or get involved see: http://www.gohomeontimeday.org.au/

As a provider of Time Management Systems, we are often asked about the value of having a Time and Attendance System when an organisation only has salaried staff on the books. 

In our opinion, if you don't measure it you can't manage it! 

By having all staff clock in/out, managers and supervisors can easily identify just how much unpaid overtime their employees are putting in and if there is a particular pattern forming - e.g. staff being forced to work overtime around the end of the month or busy trading periods. 

Armed with this information you may be able to justify hiring additional staff or bringing in contractors at times of increased activity, or at the very least acknowledge the effort being put in by your team - perhaps introducing a Time in Lieu scheme or incentives for those that put in the hard yards? In the long run, this ultimately benefits you as a motivated and happy workforce generally means increased productivity!

What's more, if your employees are having to frequently work extra hours without compensation you could have a potential lawsuit on your hands. (See blog Post: "Aussie Workers are being forced to work extra hours without compensation, how could a Time and Attendance System help you avoid a potential lawsuit")

There are many more benefits of using an automated time and attendance system, visit our website to find out more or feel free to contact us directly on +61 2 8762 7888 or sales@mitrefinch.com.au

Biometrics for Healthcare - Leading Technology captures Fingerprints through Gloves

In a recent article on Nextgov, Katherine McIntire Peters noted research firm Gartner’s report on 2011 Cool Vendors in IAM (Identity and Access Management). As part of the report, Gartner analysts flagged a handful of companies developing innovative identity management technologies.

Lumidigm Biometric Technology can capture fingerprint images through gloves

"These up-and-coming technology providers offer [identity and access management] products and services based on a broad range of technological approaches and delivery models. One trend clearly identifiable throughout their offerings is a serious attempt to deliver IAM components that enhance the user experience to support mission-critical business decisions," analysts wrote in an introduction to the firm's 2011 Cool Vendors in IAM. 

Mitrefinch’s biometric technology partner, Lumidigm, was listed as one of the most interesting companies having developed a new kind of fingerprint sensor that employs multispectral imaging. According to Lumidigm, unlike other common biometric sensors, performance isn't affected by moisture, dry or dirty skin, or bright ambient light. Multispectral imaging captures surface and subsurface ridge patterns, and analyses the spectroscopic characteristics of the surface, thereby making it less vulnerable to spoof fingerprints.

The report also mentions that, “a client told Gartner that one particular advantage of the Lumidigm technology is its ability to capture a fingerprint image through a medical glove. Ultrasound sensors can also do this, but they are far bulkier and more expensive, which should make Lumidigm sensors appealing to healthcare delivery organisations”. 

Other organisations in the market for fingerprint biometric devices can also benefit from Lumidigm's superior performance. Take for example; Meat Processors who operate in cold, refrigerated areas, or Construction workers with cuts and calluses on their hands, as well as dirt and dust.

In Australia, Mitrefinch is the only Time and Attendance system provider to integrate Lumidigm’s powerful multispectral imaging sensors into all their Biometric Time and Attendance units – from wall mounted clocking terminals to desktop USB devices.

For more information or to see the Lumidigm sensors is action contact Mitrefinch on +61 2 8762 7888 or sales@mitrefinch.com.au

Half of Australian workers admit to fleecing their employers with Buddy Punching and Time Theft

Australians are the third most likely worldwide to try to fleece their employer by being a little less than honest when it comes to clocking on and off work, according to a new survey by Kronos APAC.

An article in last week’s Herald Sun, stated that 51 per cent of surveyed workers admitted to some degree of Time Theft, with NSW leading the way on 45 per cent - which amounts to alot of lost productivity and revenue!

The survey also found Australia's most dishonest employees were 18 to 24-year-old men earning a middle income.

Top tricks used include; clocking in earlier or out later than scheduled and neglecting to clock off for lunch or breaks.

Ask yourself, if any of the following statements sound familiar? Perhaps you have used them in the past, or maybe your employees are using them now...

“I knew I’d be late this morning, so I gave my mate on the same shift my proximity fob and ID pin and he clocked me in”

“I need to make up my 38 hours this week. If I shorten my actual lunches on my Time Sheet no one will ever know.”

“I needed to take a 20 minute break to make a phone call, but I just didn’t bother clocking out and in again.”

So how might you reduce the potential for Buddy Punching, Time Theft or Time Sheet padding within your business?

While an employee time and attendance system certainly is a step in the right direction, you need to ensure you have the right system in place to match your organisational set up.

For example:

• Will the time and attendance system prevent employees from clocking in or out for one another?
• If it is a mobile time and attendance solution, does it use GPS functionality to ensure that the employee is clocking in from the appropriate location?
• Are time sheets linked to a clocking system allowing you to see that the employee clocked in/out at a specific time and they are not fudging their times?
• If you are using a biometric time and attendance system, has it been proven to reject “spoof” fingerprints?

For more information on employee time clocks to accurately monitor employee time and attendance, visit www.mitrefinch.com.au or contact us directly at sales@mitrefinch.com.au

Happy National Payroll Week - celebrating the contribution of Kiwi Payroll Professionals

Mitrefinch are pleased to support National Payroll Week, a new initiative from The New Zealand Payroll Practitioners’ Association (NZPPA)

National Payroll Week - supporting NZ Payroll Professionals

Running from November 7th to November 11th, National Payroll Week aims to acknowledge the contribution of hard working Payroll Professionals, and raise awareness of the important role payroll plays in the everyday lives of the NZ workforce, economy and the wider community.

Payroll is one of the most highly regulated functions within any business. Compliance with complex legislation, terms and conditions of employment and business policy is critical, yet despite these challenges, payroll officers still manage to calculate employee’s pay accurately and on time, every pay run.

As part of National Payroll Week, NZPPA are running a Poster Campaign which encourages payroll people to celebrate their profession and spread the word about the important role they play within their organisation. In addition, NZPPA members are encouraged to write an article on “Why Payroll is a Profession”, and the winning submission will be the feature article for the first issue of NZPPA’s new “Pay And You – PAY” publication.

“During National Payroll Week we are delighted to acknowledge the essential role that payroll personnel play in every business”, said Jamie Fitzsimons, Mitrefinch Marketing Manager. “Payroll is an extremely important component of every worker's life. Yet, the challenges involved with processing our pay is something that many of us take for granted.”

“Payroll error rates can account for up to 1.2% of total payroll costs, amounting to millions of dollars in overhead costs for many NZ businesses”, said Allan Murdoch, Mitrefinch NZ Business Development. “Having qualified payroll personnel as well as a user-friendly system to help automate payroll processing can significantly reduce error, offering huge cost savings”.

Mitrefinch’s Time Management Solution, TMS, is used on a daily basis by payroll professionals, helping them automate the transfer of hours and rates to their payroll system, improving productivity and efficiency.

For more information or to get involved with National Payroll Week please visit: www.nzppa.com.au