Using Construction Technology to Stop Time Theft

As construction workers move between jobsites, manually tracking time gets tough as employees are changing tasks, equipment and locations.

These challenges can result in unnecessary labor costs and project delays. However, many contractors are adopting construction technology, like construction time tracking software, to drastically reduce inconsistencies and time stealing, leading to better project outcomes.

Here are features that construction time tracking apps offer to help contractors optimize their labor hour tracking process to limit time theft.

Key Takeaways for Stopping Time Theft With Construction Technology

• Construction time tracking software offers digital clock in/out and electronic signatures to improve time tracking accuracy.
• GPS technology and biometrics, like facial recognition, prevent time theft by ensuring workers clock in/out only while onsite.
• Construction time tracking software improves project task management by providing real-time task updates to workers, reducing non-productive time and maintaining project timelines.
• Accurate audit trails are built automatically through construction time tracking software — like WorkMax — to offer contractors valuable insights for future planning.

1. Digital Clock In and Clock Out and E-Signatures

One of the most common time stealing methods involves clocking an employee in and out of work when they’re not physically present onsite, also known as buddy punching.

Buddy punching is significantly easier when using manual timekeeping systems, like a physical punch time clock.

Construction time tracking software offers digital clock in and clock out and allows contractors to instantly review them.

They can also approve employees’ hours with digital signatures, certifying that hours are accurate before payroll calculations begin.

2. GPS Technology and Biometrics

Construction time tracking software allows supervisors to set geofencing, or digital boundaries, around their jobsites to ensure employees clock in/out while onsite. Contractors will receive notifications when their workers enter and leave these designated areas.

In addition to the GPS technology, clocking in/out can be tied to biometrics — like facial recognition. Workers must scan their faces to clock in/out, similar to how some smartphones scan faces to unlock the device. This makes it nearly impossible for buddy punching to occur.

3. Task-Based Time Tracking

Construction projects are always evolving, which means that supervisors and their workforces must be nimble to keep up with changing demands.

It also means that contractors need to be able to accurately track labor hours and instantly see when project tasks are completed so they can reduce non-productive time and opportunities for time stealing.

By investing in a construction time tracking app, contractors can clearly communicate tasks to their workers and receive live status updates. Ultimately, this leads to less unproductive time and reduces unnecessary labor costs.

4. Overtime and Audit Trails

Government labor laws require workers to take mandatory breaks throughout the workday and receive overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours a week.

Relying on manual spreadsheets to track hours and breaks and create audit trails can lead result in time theft, compliance issues and inflated labor costs.

With construction time tracking software, the information seamlessly flows from the employee’s digital clock in/out into the rest of the system, making it easy for supervisors to measure productivity and ensure workers are properly paid if they work overtime.

These insights also provide contractors with valuable information about labor costs and project progress that they can use when planning future projects.

Reduce Time Theft With WorkMax

Accurately tracking time is crucial to any contractor’s operations because it helps them:

• Reduce unnecessary labor costs
• Track productivity and forecast future labor costs and project timelines
• Ensure their workforce is taking mandatory breaks and that overtime hours are accounted for

Construction technology — like the WorkMax mobile app — provides contractors with the tools they need to reduce time theft and clean up their labor hour tracking process.

With WorkMax supervisors can:

• Create geofencing around their jobsites to reduce time theft
• Use biometrics, like facial recognition, to eliminate buddy punching
• Track tasks with real-time reporting to see project progress at any point in time

To learn how construction technology like WorkMax can help you stop time theft, speak with an expert now.