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Employee Time Tracking: Nothing Personal It’s Just Business

By on May 7, 2013 in Guest Articles, Your Small Business
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Can they see me?

Guest Article

Tracking where and how your employees spend their time is critical, especially for service-oriented companies that bill per hour. It’s also important to understand what the overall productivity level is of your employees, especially those who work from home. It’s not that you don’t trust your employees, but when you measure something, people tend to be a lot more serious about it. Here are some ways to make the process of employee time tracking easier…

Keep an eye on employees even when you can’t see them.

There’s nothing like seeing employees hard at work only to realize they’re really just updating Facebook or Twitter. Keeping track of what employees are really doing while in the office or working remotely can be done with certain software tools.

Time tracking software is one of the easiest ways to guarantee that employees are actually working. The programs are often times fairly inexpensive, highly accurate, and worth every cent. Plus, employers get the added benefit of having all of the busy work of adding up hours and wages already completed for them thanks to the software. The biggest things to look for when thinking about purchasing a time clock software program is to make sure that it allows for unlimited employees, is easy to use, and has quality customer support.

I always feel like somebody’s watching me.

As with online time tracking software, monitoring software tracks everything employees do while using company computers. These programs can track every keystroke, block certain websites, prevent the downloading of certain files, and do just about anything employers need it to do. Reports are then generated so that employers can look at what employees have been doing.

This software improves productivity, prevents employees from either intentionally or unintentionally exposing confidential information, and keeps everyone in line. However, make sure employees know they are being monitored. Nobody wants to deal with an employee accusing the company of spying.

Keep tabs on telecommuters.

Many companies hire contract workers that either telecommute or report to the office rarely. This makes it difficult to know for sure if the hours they record were truly spent working. One way to circumvent the problem of hourly-billing is to make contract work a flat fee.

But service-oriented companies tend to have employees that work away from the office and bill by the hour. Trust is essential with these employees, but it’s not the only way to make sure they’re working.

Scheduling face-time using software programs such as Google Hangout, Google Chat or Skype, arranging for call-ins, or checking in with instant messaging helps provide the link between the home office and the traditional office.

If telecommuting employees use company-provided computers, then monitoring software should be installed to track their work as it would be if they were in the office.

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Monitoring software prevents on-the-job cat naps.

What about employees who don’t use a computer for work?

Short of installing a microchip into the arm of employees that work remotely without a computer, it is almost impossible to tell how their time is spent. However, accountability goes a long way for these employees. Setting up goals and timelines for employees to reach ensures that they are working toward something.

Let them know you’ll be watching.

Using tracking software to monitor the work done by employees is the easiest way to keep track of their time spent working. Knowing that their activities are being monitored means employees are far less likely to devote time to non-work related activities… and Facebook will still be there once the work day is over.

Dana Rasmussen Employee Time Tracking: Nothing Personal Its Just Business

About the author:  Dana Rasmussen is a freelance author who writes about a variety of topics, including time tracking, vacation destinations, corporate jet travel, social media and trends in the work place.  

Photo attribution: www.flickr.com/photos/evilerin/3093851614
Photo attribution: www.flickr.com/photos/pangpang/3505022325

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7 Ways to Manage Your Life and Business as a Mompreneur

By on May 6, 2013 in Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations

Ways to Manage Your Life and Business as a Mompreneur3 7 Ways to Manage Your Life and Business as a MompreneurSponsored post

Running a small business is hard work, especially for a “mompreneur.” In many cases, you are doing the three full-time of jobs of wife, mother and business owner all at the same time. Every day you are doing more with less and trying to figure out how to get it all done smarter, cheaper and faster.  But remember, on the airplane the flight attendant always says you must put the oxygen mask on yourself first before helping anyone else. This idea is true in your business and personal life as well. Here are 7 ways to manage your life and business as a mompreneur.

Start each day with meditation or prayer:  I run like the wind with my demanding profession as a small business expert on top of my mom duties.  It’s hard to feel like you are not in a race every day. To keep my one-woman circus under control, I pray each morning.  Yoga is another great way to practice meditation techniques.

Stop the never ending to do lists: To do lists leave me feeling overwhelmed.  Who needs that? Focus on getting five things done before 11 a.m. each day. Start each day with a plan and anything you accomplish after your top five is a gift.

Be present: Your family wants to feel like they matter more than your work. Limit your work hours. Don’t be afraid to hit ignore and turn the cell phone off at a certain time each day. When you pick-up the kids, talk to them – don’t be that parent in the carpool line on the phone.  Don’t be tempted to multitask at work. Focus on phone calls and face-to-face meetings.  People can tell when you’re mentally checked out.

Use one calendar: You have one life so you need one calendar for your family and your business. I suggest using Google Calendar as it syncs to your phone. Put all your family and work appointments in one place and you’ll be far more likely to make everything happen.

Take regular breaks: I use the app Coffeebreak to make sure I walk away from my computer every 90 minutes. Then every three months, I take at least a 48-hour break from everything to be good to myself. Think about the things you used to do when you had more time: fishing, gardening, hiking, golfing, jewelry making, etc. You need rest to focus.  Have you scheduled a summer vacation yet?

Workout at least 3 times a week: You might feel like you don’t have time, but think about working out in a different way. Use working out as a way to spend quality time with yourself. If you need to think about an important decision in your business, walk or run and think.

Get more rest:  I recently read a study that said the body repairs itself between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. when we are asleep. Do not get swallowed up in your work. You can’t get a lot done with a cluttered mind. Focus on getting more rest! You’ll be a lot more productive if you do.

Do you have any tactics to add to the list?

Join me Thursday May 9th at 8pm ET for a live QA sponsored by @FedExOffice on Twitter on Ways to Manage Your Life and Business as a Mompreneur. Use the hashtag #SMBMoms and sign into www.tweetchat.com to join in the conversation.

Disclosure:  FedEx Office compensated me to write this post and participate as a small business expert during their Tweet Chat program.  The ideas in this blog post are mine and not ideas or advice from FedEx Office.

Mother And Daughter courtesy of Ambro / www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About FedEx Office

FedEx Office, an operating company of FedEx Corp., has more than 1,800 stores and locations primarily in the U.S. and Canada, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The company’s network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at hotels, convention centers and universities. Services include copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, computer rental, free Wi-Fi and corporate print solutions. In addition, the company offers FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping, Hold at FedEx Location, and packing services backed by the FedEx® Packing Pledge. InformationWeek 500 recognized FedEx Office® Print Online and FedEx Office® Print & Go solutions with the 2011 Most Innovative Products award. Products, services and hours vary by location. For more information, please visit www.fedex.com/office.

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business expert. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. She writes a weekly column on social media for The New York Times. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. Her latest ebook, How To Become a Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online was released in 2012.

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Balancing Life as a Motherpreneur

By on April 23, 2013 in Guest Articles, Mompreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Balancing Life as a Motherpreneur 300x236 Balancing Life as a Motherpreneur

Guest Article

Following a keynote speech on creating a unique customer experience, I was approached by a guest who asked “How do you do it?”

As I started re-summarizing my speech she interrupted and said, “No, no, no – How do you balance your work and home life? You seem like you have it so together!!

I have been asked that question endless times and as my career advanced to the corner office – men and women – became even more inquisitive.

The truth is – my answer has always been the same: there is no such thing as “balance”.  Life is not a zero sum game or an equation that needs to be solved. You do not have to choose between being a great wife and mother and being a career woman. The answers that you are looking for are not in some magic checklist, but rather within yourself, if you will just take the time to look for them. But you also must have the confidence to reach for them and believe they’ll be there.

In the last few weeks this subject is being talked about in every office, home, blog and media outlet.  Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, has taken the conversation to a whole new level and kudos to her!  She is encouraging women to participate, raise their hand and “lean in”.  I know many women who do just that – but they still go home at night and grade themselves a “C” for their performance at work and home.  Erin Callen, the former CFO of Lehman Brothers, in her New York Times article, shared her heartfelt story of how she “leaned in” too much and forgot who she was.

Neither answered the question “How can I have success at work and home?” I couldn’t take the mother out of the career or the career out of the mother and I don’t think you should either.  You can use both to your advantage.

Searching for the mythical “balance” leads to frustration, guilt and disappointment – causing career women to step back or step out of their company.  At one point I believed that I could not go on anymore, my career was demanding and my two boys needed me, I must choose one or the other. I loved my work, my husband and my children and I could not find peace with it all.

What I needed was one life and one calendar!  So, that is what I did. I integrated, instead of bifurcated.  I took my home skills to the office and I took my office skills home.   Yes, I took my boys to the office on Sunday morning when nobody was there and yes, I sometimes had strategy meetings in my house.

You really can’t have success in one area of your life without having success in the others. Above all, make your home life a priority. If your personal life is a mess, you’ll never be your best at work.

Stop striving for “balance” and live!  It is ok if the kids order out pizza once a week and you send store-bought cupcakes to the school event. You can also turn off the I-Phone for an hour, work will still be there.

Teresa Taylor 224x300 Balancing Life as a MotherpreneurTeresa Taylor is the former COO of Qwest Communications and author of a new book The Balance Myth – Rethinking Work-Life Success.  To learn more visit: http://www.teresataylor.org

Life Balance Signpost courtesy of Stuart Miles / www.freedigitalphotos.net

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