The Most Effective Time Tracker For Small Businesses In 2022

With the number of small businesses continuing to grow, time tracker tools are becoming an increasingly popular choice to improve company productivity levels. Many small business owners are trying to figure out the most efficient way to record time for their employees — and tracking apps can help do the trick.

Simply put, a time tracker is a valuable tool that allows you to see how much your team is working and where they are spending the bulk of their time.

There are many different options for this type of software, but not all trackers will do everything you need. The most effective time tracker for small businesses is one that helps manage workloads and keep employees on task.

There are a wide array of options available to you, which can make your decision difficult — but we’ve done some research to present you with one of the very best options in 2022! Keep reading to discover one of the top time tracker tools on today’s market, and to find out why you should take the leap to automated time tracking.

The Benefits of Tracking Your Time

Time tracking is handy for a multitude of reasons — not just to calculate the payroll at the end of the week. Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits:

It Helps Monitor Employees

Tracking time helps you monitor your employees to make sure they are staying on task and working efficiently. This will keep them from spending too much time researching a topic or browsing through social media sites, saving your company money in the long run.

It Can Help You Manage Projects

Time tracking can also help track the progress of different tasks and monitor how long they are taking. Progress tracking allows managers to understand exactly where employees stand with their workloads, which is important when it comes time for reviews or paychecks.

It Helps Improve Productivity

Managers who use a time tracker will be able to see how long it takes their employees to complete different tasks. This will allow managers to work with the team on improving productivity and increasing output by setting goals for completing projects in less time.

It Helps Managers See Where Their Team Is Getting Stuck

Another benefit that comes with tracking work hours is being able to identify any trends across the workday. If you notice that your employees struggle with the same tasks every week, then it might be time to look into training or hiring someone more experienced.

How to Choose the Right One for Your Business

Many companies are turning to time tracking software, but some apps will work better for you than others. Each tool has its different strengths and weaknesses, hence why managers should understand how each one works before making an investment.

Determine Which Features You Need

Before you choose a tool, it’s important to understand what your business needs. You should carefully think about what features you need before making a purchase. For example, managers looking for something that everyone can use might want to consider an option like Hubstaff or TSheets.

Learn How Each Option Works

As you browse, you should research each tool to understand exactly how it operates and what a manager will need to do before their employees can start using it. Learning about the features of the system you are interested in can help you decide if buying it will be worth your while.

Explore the Different Types of Tracking Programs

As aforementioned, not every app is going to suit your business. Some focus on task-based time while others track employees’ locations and can even send reminders to start a new project or finish an old one.

Use the information you have found out about different software programs to determine what features would benefit your business. You can then start purchasing time tracking software or hiring someone who can help with this process.

Choose According to Your Workforce Setup

Some apps are better for small businesses that have a handful of employees, while others will benefit larger companies with hundreds or thousands of workers who need to track their time from different locations and on the go.

In order to find the right option, managers should think about how many people work in their office and what types of tools they are already using. Some time trackers will work better with other programs and apps, while others might not integrate well at all.

Why It’s Important for Your Business to Track Time

Tracking time at work is one of the best ways to improve output and get more done. Not only will managers gain a better understanding of where their team members are struggling, but they’ll also be able to see which employees spend too much time on tasks that aren’t important for their 2022 business goals.

As a manager or business owner, it can help help you to analyze, manage, and improve the following aspects:

Project and Program Budgets

Budgets can be challenging to manage in small businesses, but this is where time tracking software comes to the rescue! If you’re spending too much money on a specific task or project, managers will be able to see exactly where it’s all going and make changes to save more funds.

Employee Utilization

This is one of the most important reasons to track time in your business. If you’re not utilizing every employee to their maximum potential, you may be missing out on better productivity and bigger profit margins.

Underutilized employees may be able to handle more work or take on additional projects to help with revenue growth; left undiscovered, however, their potential goes to waste. Tracking time can help you determine which employees are working at maximum capacity and who might need more support.

Employee Capacity

Tracking time can help you determine the maximum amount of time each team member can work on a given day. This is important when you have deadlines to meet and need to make sure everyone has enough hours available to get the job done.

Employee Billability

Tracking time can help managers determine the billability rate for each employee. This is important, as it’s not always possible to meet deadlines. Managers might have employees that are slower at specific periods than others depending on the tasks and projects they are working on.

Client Over-Servicing

If your business is providing clients with more services than they need, it’s time to look at the hours you’re spending on each project. Tracking spent time can help managers understand where their team members are over-servicing and which tasks might not be worth the investment going forward.

Tips on Implementing a New Time Tracking System at Your Company

Implementing a new system can be difficult. However, there are a few steps you can take to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.

Explain to Employees How to Use the Software

The first thing to do in the case of a new system being implemented is to make your employees aware. Explain how the software works, and in particular, how they can use it to their advantage. If they’re familiar with other time tracking software or apps, compare and contrast the different features.

Where possible, give background on what led to the decision — for example, perhaps you were losing time on projects, or you wanted to calculate bonuses. This will get everyone on board with your overarching goals for the new system.

Clearly State That Tracking Time Is Obligatory

Make it known that moving to the new system is not optional, and employees will need to track their time for all tasks. If you’re using a program that has an app, you can set up regular notifications that remind employees to enter their hours for the day.

Train Team Members With Specific Instructions

Managers must know how to use this software themselves before they can train their employees. Training should be done in person to ensure that everyone has the same level of knowledge about how the system works.

Then, you can send specific instructions through email or even schedule a webinar for your team members if necessary.

Time Tracking Made Easy

Time tracking is a lot easier with modern software. Once you get rid of manual timesheets, it will become far easier for employees to stay organized and productive.

Once you find a time tracking software that works for your business, employees won’t have to waste any more time on manual processes. Managers can quickly check what each team member is working on without asking them directly. The whole team will be motivated by the upward progress and improvements they see.

Day helps businesses track their time with a simple and intuitive solution that works on all devices. It is a time tracking application that allows you to create schedules for your employees and sync their time across devices. Moreover, it helps you keep track of all the time spent on specific tasks throughout an organization.

Day also offers AI facial recognition, a touchless clock in, and vacation management time tracking features. This handy software provides great features at an affordable price point — it’s one of the best time tracking apps available.

The Bottom Line

A time tracker can help you better understand where your employees are struggling, giving insight into which tasks take up their time and where they can be more productive.

If implemented correctly, managers will see a significant increase in productivity among team members who track time at work every day. Implementing this tool is not easy, but the return is well worth the effort.

With Day, your team members will be able to track time without having to fill out a timesheet every day. It is a simple app that offers many features for businesses at an accessible price point. Try it out today and see what benefits it has to offer your business — you’ll be amazed at the results you see.