5 reasons why you need a mobile clock in clock out app

In this article, you will learn why a mobile clock-in and clock-out app is becoming an essential tool for modern workforce management. You will discover how mobile time tracking software helps companies manage employee hours, and improve time and attendance accuracy. You will also find out how solutions like Calamari make accurate time tracking simple for both office and remote teams.

With the punch cards and magnetic time cards being usually associated with employee clock in and clock out systems, one may think that using a mobile app is an unnecessary fancy gadget. And that can be the reason behind a huge frustration that would be easy to avoid.

According to Statista information, there will be up to 3.8 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2021. With the world population reaching 7.8 billion, it is easy to see that nearly every one in two people has a smartphone in his or her pocket or hand.

Other studies indicate that the widespread adoption of mobile devices has accelerated the use of digital workplace tools, including mobile workforce management and time tracking systems used to record employee work hours and attendance. [Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/, April 2021, Mobile Fact Sheet].

The mobile device is usually a first-choice when it comes to browsing the internet. The Statista data shows that users spent up to 155 minutes (over 2 and a half hours) daily while browsing the internet with a mobile device. This is a staggering amount – roughly 10% of our day and night. It is built up by both browsing per se and time stacked from a minute or two “stolen,” like during commuting or in a shop queue.

Considering the popularity and the reach of mobile devices, it is natural that users expect the time tracking system to be available there. And delivering it in the mobile app comes with several advantages:

Mobile time tracking on the go

The most obvious and most basic one. Employees need not (and many cannot) do their job while near the desk in the office or the company facility. Many specialists do their job in the field, including sales representatives or remote engineers who work either during meetings or near the installations, far from a computer.

It is increasingly popular to hire freelancers and digital nomads who work from any part of the world, using their computers paired with mobile devices as a mobile office.

Providing all these groups with a convenient mobile app allows them to smoothly integrate with the company's time management workflow. If you're keen to try it, start Calamari's free trial today!

Easier breaks with a time clock app

When an employee has a break, he or she usually goes away from the computer. And that’s where one can just forget about clocking out or marking a break. Having a mobile device in one’s pocket is the easiest way to swiftly correct the mistake and update the status.

This can be of more significance than it appears at first glance. In the modern workplace, there are multiple interconnected systems that provide office tools wherever the employee is. Forgetting about clocking out for a break can result in being falsely-present on Slack or logged in to other services. Thus, the rest of the company can assume one is not away, just not responsive.

And that’s the first step toward building tensions in the team.

Fewer errors with time tracking software

Following the benefit above, mobile apps are always right in the pocket, so one can check his or her status right away, even without stopping other work. It comes as a great convenience when the job requires a lot of movement, like a security specialist or a shop assistant.

When working in such a position, it is not necessary to stay in a particular area. For example, the shop assistant regularly needs to visit a nearby bank to pay in the earnings. If it is necessary to clock out with a magnetic card when going out, this time is technically off the work. And without manual correction, the situation is deeply unfair.

Flexible mobile time tracking

Mobile devices are humble yet powerful platforms. A smartphone or a tablet comes with a battery that provides it with a good deal of independence from power sources.

It has Bluetooth and an internet connection built-in. There is a camera, a microphone, and an NFC sensor, among others. This comes with multiple possibilities.

The mobile device can be easily transformed into a kiosk device that is used to clock in and out with a card. It can be held in a pocket to do it manually. That’s why Calamari software comes with a clock in clock out app for iPhone and Android. But this is not the whole package.

Calamari also delivers a beacon that can be used to detect if users’ mobile devices are in reach. This approach is more technologically advanced than magnetic cards and more reliable. One is much more likely to forget about a pass card than a mobile device.

Online and offline time tracking

As mentioned above, the mobile device is surprisingly autonomous and standalone when compared to a desktop computer or even a laptop device. There are no wires and no peripherals like a keyboard or a mouse to use (although it is possible to add them if needed, providing even more flexibility).

A mobile app that is independent of the connection with the internet. Thus, it gives the user the ability to stay fair toward the company regardless of what they are doing. Or where he or she is currently working.

So if the power or the internet connection is down, the device is still operational. If one is back in the access zone, the data gets automatically updated without the need for a manual change. Everything is done as close to real-time as possible.

Summary

Mobile attendance apps are a crucial part of the modern time tracking solution. Without it, the company finds itself in a situation where a lot of manual and tedious work is still to be done. And avoiding this type of work is precisely why the modern system has been implemented.

If you wish to discuss more the mobile apps and mobile-related aspects of time tracking software, don’t hesitate to contact us now! And be sure to get HR insights and updates in your inbox – subscribe to our HR Newsletter.