Time tracking software can be a powerful tool. It helps businesses boost productivity and get the most from their teams. But, if used incorrectly, it can result in more harm than good. While there are lots of time tracking mistakes you could make, some are more common than others.
In this guide, we’ll explore 6 of the most common time tracking pitfalls out there. We’ll also help you correct and even avoid them entirely at your business.
Common time tracking mistakes to avoid at your company
Let’s dive straight into our main topic, starting with one of the most widespread time tracking pitfalls: inconsistency.
1. Not tracking time consistently
Consistency is important when using any strategy to grow your business. This applies to time tracking software as well, where inconsistent tracking will give you inaccurate data. You may have such issues if your staff forget to start their trackers when they begin working. Inaccurate data will then give you an incomplete understanding of your team’s productivity. It will also be harder for you to spot areas that need improvement. This will negatively affect data-driven decision making as well, which can be vital for making the right choices for your business.
Fortunately, correcting this mistake is pretty simple. You can have your employees set reminders to start tracking when work begins. But, there’s an even better solution in the form of automatic time tracking. High-quality apps like WebWork can turn on when your team members boot up their work devices. This will eliminate human errors and help improve the accuracy of your data.
2. Choosing the wrong time tracker
There are a lot of options for time tracking software on the market. Many are simple apps that track only the working hours of employees. But, lots of others are fully-featured productivity tools. Depending on your goals for using time tracking software, one type could fit your team much better than the other. This highlights the importance of choosing the right time tracker for your business to get the best results.
For example, you may want to track employee productivity with app and website usage and activity level monitoring. In this case, you’ll need software that offers such functionality. Make sure to research the offerings of several time trackers to select the best one.
3. Using your time tracker incorrectly
Continuing from our last point, it is easy to make time tracking mistakes even if you have the right tool. It is important that your staff use the tracker correctly. This includes stopping it on time, entering accurate activity descriptions, and assigning correct statuses to tasks. Without all of this, your tracked data will be inaccurate.
Another way you might use time tracking incorrectly relates to the functionality of your software. For example, you may want to use location tracking for your on-site or field workers. Many high-quality time trackers, like WebWork, offer this functionality. But, you must use the software’s mobile app to collect this data. If your team members aren’t aware, they might end up not tracking their locations at all.
4. Ignoring tracked time data
Another common time tracking pitfall is not using your tracked data. You can only experience the real benefits of time tracking after you analyze the data of your workspace. You should look for various patterns in this, such as tasks that keep taking long or projects that end up over budget. The latter is even simpler to do with dedicated Project Budgeting features, such as the one offered by WebWork. Following this, you must identify the cause of your issues and make adjustments to your processes.
5. Not being transparent about the purpose of time tracking
Transparency is key when making major business decisions. If you want to start using a time tracker, you should clearly communicate with your team why you want to do so. This can help ease concerns of micromanagement or distrust. Both of these will lead to a decrease in your company’s employee engagement rates. If you’re not aware, professional engagement is a vital metric for the growth of any firm.
6. Spending too much time on management
Spending too much time on management is another common time tracking mistake. Tracking apps are meant to streamline your management, which should free up lots of time for you and your managers. You shouldn’t start spending more time on it. Instead, you should let the time tracker do its work. Then, periodically review the tracked data of your workspace, including your staff’s productivity.
Avoiding time tracking pitfalls in the future
Let’s now explore how you can avoid falling for other time tracking pitfalls in the future.
Set clear objectives
An excellent way of not making mistakes with time tracking is to clearly define what you want to achieve. This is especially important when choosing a time tracker and communicating why you need it to your team. It will also help your staff use the tracker correctly to collect accurate data that will be helpful for your firm.
Review your strategies periodically
Just like lots of strategies for boosting business performance, time tracking isn’t something you can set and forget once. You must periodically assess its effects on your firm and ensure that they are positive. You should check the accuracy of its data and track how it is helping your team perform their best. If you identify areas where you can improve your processes, you should consider doing so. This will help you get the most from whichever time tracker you decide to get.
Final Thoughts
Time tracking can be a powerful tool for boosting productivity and improving business output if used correctly. By avoiding these common time tracking mistakes and being mindful of the pitfalls, you can ensure your efforts are effective. Keep your goals clear, stay consistent, and make the most of your data. With the right approach, time tracking can speed up the growth of your company significantly.
