Simple Ways to Get Employees to Fill Out Timesheets

You’d think the notion of being paid on time would be incentive enough to get employees to fill out their timesheets accurately and on time, but every business has a handful of employees that need an extra nudge to get it done. So, what do you need to do to get those timesheets filled in?

Keep it Easy

Not everyone has a head for numbers, and some employees may look at a complicated timesheet and panic. Timesheets don’t need to be complicated, so keep them as simple as possible. Demonstrate how they should be filled out to every new employee. If your company uses a system, it shouldn’t take more than five minutes per day for each employee to use. If it’s taking longer than that, you’re losing valuable working time.

Consider Simplifying

Many companies believe that complicated tracking processes look professional. However, these processes often waste time and money. That doesn’t mean you should go back to exhausting yourself over tedious spreadsheets, but it does mean you need to find a process that works for you and your employees. Don’t be afraid to give things a trial run. Take a look at how HRMS could help. Implementing an easy system means your employees will have no excuses.

Explain the Value of Time Entry

It should be made clear that if your employees want to be paid on time and paid correctly, their timesheets should be filled in by the deadline. Try and get them into the habit of filling in their timesheets at the end of each day. Accurately filled in timesheets means that there doesn’t have to be a hold up when it comes to the billing cycle. Otherwise, one incorrect timesheet could hold up payment for many other employees while it’s investigated.

Be Flexible with Time

More and more employees are yearning for flexibility. The last thing an employee wants is to feel like they’re being tracked, which can often lead to mismanaged timesheets. If you’re expecting your employees to fill in timesheets with times that come down to the minute, you may want to take a more flexible approach. As long as employees work the hours that are set for them, does it really matter when those hours are completed? The company is still getting the same amount of work done and employees are often more productive when they can be flexible.

Automated Reminders

Everyone has the potential to get distracted and forget about filling in a timesheet. Sometimes, a gentle reminder is all that’s needed. But, who has the time to run around and remind every employee to fill in a timesheet? Luckily, there are systems that set automated reminders that are sent to employees work screens. Thus, the amount of tardy submissions is reduced. However, don’t fall into the trap of rewarding employees who submit on time and penalizing those who don’t. Often times, it’s just a simple mistake.

It may be a problem that every employer has to battle, but these tips should reduce it.