Blog – AMGtime Blog https://amgtime.com/blog Workforce Management Solutions Fri, 22 Mar 2024 05:23:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://amgtime.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/AMG-Icon-150x150.png Blog – AMGtime Blog https://amgtime.com/blog 32 32 6 Reasons to Make Leave Management System a Priority https://amgtime.com/blog/reasons-to-make-leave-management-system-a-priority/ Fri, 22 Mar 2024 02:38:32 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8749 In today’s fast-paced work environment, managing employee time-off and absenteeism effectively is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and workforce morale. A Leave Management System (LMS) offers a solution by automating leave processes, ensuring accuracy, and promoting fairness. By adopting the best leave management software, organizations can significantly reduce the administrative burden and enhance compliance with...

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In today’s fast-paced work environment, managing employee time-off and absenteeism effectively is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and workforce morale. A Leave Management System (LMS) offers a solution by automating leave processes, ensuring accuracy, and promoting fairness. By adopting the best leave management software, organizations can significantly reduce the administrative burden and enhance compliance with leave policies and regulations. This article explores five compelling reasons why prioritizing a leave management system is vital for modern businesses.

What Is a Leave Management System?

A Leave Management System is part of an all-encompassing business process management tool that automates the tracking and approval of employee leave requests, guaranteeing compliance with organizational policies and government regulations. It facilitates scheduling, maintains accurate records, and integrates with other HR systems for calendar and payroll management. Through automation and notifications, it streamlines the entire process, making leave management hassle-free for both employees and administrators.

Reason 1: Improves Operational Efficiency

Streamlining the leave approval process and reducing administrative workload, a Leave Management System significantly enhances operational efficiency, making it a key asset for any organization aiming to maintain productivity while ensuring employee satisfaction.

Coworkers chatting in the office\

Streamlines Leave Approval Process

An automated leave management system streamlines the leave approval process, enabling managers to quickly review and respond to time-off requests through a centralized platform. This efficiency reduces delays and ensures that scheduling conflicts are minimized.

Reduces Administrative Workload

Automation of leave requests and approvals drastically cuts down on manual data entry and paperwork, enhancing the accuracy of leave records. HR departments benefit from reduced administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives.

Reason 2: Enhances Legal Compliance

A Leave Management System not only keeps up with changing leave laws but also minimizes legal risks by ensuring compliance, protecting organizations from potential legal challenges and fines associated with time-off management.

Keeps Up with Leave Laws

Leave management software is updated regularly to reflect the latest policies and regulations, ensuring that your organization remains compliant with legal requirements for time-off and absenteeism.

Minimizes Legal Risks

By automatically checking compliance with laws and regulations, a leave management system reduces the chance of encountering legal problems and fines connected to managing employee time off.

Reason 3: Boosts Employee Morale

By promoting transparency and encouraging work-life balance, a Leave Management System plays a critical role in boosting employee morale, leading to a more engaged and productive workforce.

Promotes Transparency

The use of a calendar and notifications in a leave management system promotes transparency by allowing employees to view their leave balance and the status of their requests in real-time, fostering a culture of trust.

Encourages Work-Life Balance

Easy access to leave applications and the visibility of leave entitlements encourage employees to take necessary breaks, thus supporting a healthy work-life balance and reducing absenteeism.

Reason 4: Facilitates Better Resource Planning

A Leave Management System provides valuable insights for better staffing predictions and aids in managing workflow, ensuring that organizations can plan resources effectively and maintain high levels of productivity.

Improves Staffing Predictions

Leave management systems provide valuable insights into scheduling and staffing needs by offering visibility into who will be absent and when. This aids in making informed decisions that prevent understaffing.

Aids in Managing WorkFlow

With accurate records and reporting capabilities, leave management software aids in managing workflow and resource allocation, ensuring that productivity levels are maintained even in the absence of employees.

Reason 5: Provides Valuable Insights

Through analyzing leave patterns and supporting strategic decision-making, a Leave Management System offers actionable insights that help organizations address workforce management challenges and optimize their operations.

businessman working with data

Analyzes Leave Patterns

Advanced reporting features in leave management software analyze leave patterns and absenteeism trends, offering actionable insights that can help in addressing workforce management challenges.

Supports Strategic Decision-Making

The data derived from leave management systems supports strategic decision-making by providing a clear overview of leave practices and their impact on organizational performance.

Reason 6: Enhances Data Security and Privacy

A Leave Management System ensures the confidentiality of leave records and facilitates compliance with data protection regulations, thereby enhancing data security and protecting the organization against privacy-related challenges.

Ensures Confidentiality of Leave Records

A sophisticated leave management system integrates securely with HR systems, enforcing data security and privacy. It uses encryption and access controls to protect sensitive information, like medical leaves, ensuring only authorized personnel can access it. This safeguards employee trust by maintaining the confidentiality of their personal data.

Facilitates Compliance with Data Protection Regulations

The system’s integration with data protection laws, such as CCPA, automates compliance, minimizing the risk of data breaches and legal penalties. By prioritizing data security and regulatory adherence, a leave management system strengthens the organization’s defense against privacy-related challenges.

Conclusion

Incorporating a leave management system into your business strategy not only streamlines administrative processes but also enhances compliance, boosts employee morale, facilitates better planning, and provides valuable insights. It is also a good solution for handling chronic lateness at work. The best leave management software effectively addresses challenges related to time-off, absenteeism, and scheduling, making it a critical investment for organizations aiming to optimize their workforce management. By prioritizing a leave management system, companies can achieve a competitive advantage through improved operational efficiency and employee satisfaction.

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Daylight Savings in AMGtime https://amgtime.com/blog/daylight-savings-in-amgtime/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 15:03:17 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8731 Enabling Daylight Savings will automatically add or remove an hour for employees clocked in during the Daylight Savings timechange. To enable this setting, we must locate the “Adjust daylight saving hours” option found in the Settings tab under theTimecard section. Switch the option from OFF to ON and press OK to save. The Timecard Screen...

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Enabling Daylight Savings will automatically add or remove an hour for employees clocked in during the Daylight Savings time
change. To enable this setting, we must locate the “Adjust daylight saving hours” option found in the Settings tab under the
Timecard section. Switch the option from OFF to ON and press OK to save.

The Timecard Screen will look the same except for the hour difference. The Timecard Report will have an indication of there being a Daylight savings adjustment.


Based on Daylight saving adjustment, the punched work duration is (x) hours.”

To view the Employees affected by this change the “Daylight Saving Worked Hours” report can be used to pull up the full list.

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How to Choose the Perfect Business Process Automation System for Your Needs https://amgtime.com/blog/business-process-automation-system/ Wed, 31 Jan 2024 03:53:20 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8702 In today’s busy business world, being efficient and productive is really important. Business Process Automation (BPA) is becoming a popular choice for businesses that want to work more smoothly, spend less money, and stay ahead of the competition. This article talks about how to pick the best BPA system that fits your business’s unique needs....

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In today’s busy business world, being efficient and productive is really important. Business Process Automation (BPA) is becoming a popular choice for businesses that want to work more smoothly, spend less money, and stay ahead of the competition. This article talks about how to pick the best BPA system that fits your business’s unique needs.

What is Business Process Automation: The Benefits of BPA for Your Business

Business Process Automation (BPA) is about using technology to automate complicated tasks in a business. The goal is to make a company run smoother, cut down costs, make things more consistent, and maybe even improve the quality of services. BPA isn’t just about turning hand-done tasks into automated ones; it’s about changing and managing how things are done in a business to make it work better, more effectively, and be more flexible to change.

Cost and Time Savings through Automation for Strategic Focus

Business Process Automation (BPA) significantly reduces costs and saves time by automating routine tasks, enabling businesses to reallocate these resources toward strategic initiatives. This shift leads to direct cost savings by reducing labor expenses and operational costs. The time efficiency gained through automation accelerates workflows, allowing for faster completion of tasks and freeing employees from repetitive work. Consequently, businesses can focus more on strategic planning, innovation, and maintaining a competitive edge in their industry. In essence, BPA allows companies to optimize their resources, enhancing both productivity and strategic focus in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Optimizing Lead Generation Processes

You can optimize the lead generation process through Business Process Automation (BPA) which will significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your business in marketing and sales. Automation tools streamline the capturing, qualifying, and nurturing of leads, handling large volumes at speed and with precision. This leads to reducing manual labor and allowing for more accurate targeting and personalization. Automated lead generation also facilitates data-driven decisions and scalability, as these systems can adapt to handle growing volumes of leads.

Providing Consistency Over Time And Reducing Errors with Automation

Automation plays a crucial role in providing consistency and reducing errors in business processes. By standardizing tasks and workflows, it ensures that operations are executed uniformly over time, minimizing variability and enhancing reliability. This consistency is vital for maintaining quality standards and customer satisfaction. Also, automation helps a lot in reducing human mistakes, especially in jobs that are repetitive and need a lot of attention to detail. Because of this, businesses can work with more precision and accuracy, which makes their services or products better and more trustworthy.

Improving Data Tracking and Record-Keeping

businessman working with data

BPA tools are invaluable for their ability to accurately track data and maintain records, which are essential for analysis and decision-making. By integrating automated systems, companies can systematically collect, store, and organize big amounts of data in a precise and efficient way. This leads to more accurate and accessible records, essential for analysis, decision-making, and compliance purposes. Automation makes sure that data is always up to date and well-maintained, which lowers the risk of losing data or making mistakes that can happen when keeping records by hand. As a result, businesses have better data quality and a strong base for making strategies based on data.

Transparency, Accountability, and Security

Putting automation into business processes helps improve transparency, responsibility, and security. Automation makes a clear record of everything that happens, which makes it easier to watch and check on processes. This makes things more open and clear throughout the company. Also, because every action done by an automated system can be traced back to where it started, it makes sure people are accountable for their actions. On top of that, automated systems usually have strong security features that keep important data and processes safe from unauthorized access or security breaches. So, automation doesn’t just make operations smoother; it also makes the business processes more secure and reliable, leading to a business environment that’s more trustworthy and dependable.

What are the Types of Business Process Automation

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a type of Business Process Automation that involves using software robots or ‘bots’ to automate highly repetitive and routine tasks typically performed by humans. RPA bots are capable of mimicking many user interface interactions, such as logging into applications, entering data, calculating and completing tasks, and logging out. The primary advantage of RPA is that it can automate tasks without altering the underlying systems, which makes it versatile and easily deployable in environments with legacy systems. RPA is widely used to automate processes in sectors like finance, human resources, and customer service, helping to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and lower operational costs.

Business Rules Management Systems (BRMS)

Business Rules Management Systems (BRMS) are tools in Business Process Automation designed for managing and executing business rules. They enable businesses to define and adjust rules without changing application code, allowing for quick adaptation to changes in regulations or strategies. This makes BRMS highly flexible and valuable in rapidly changing industries like finance and healthcare. By centralizing rule management, BRMS ensures consistency across applications, enhances decision-making, and reduces risks of errors and non-compliance.

Digital Process Automation (DPA)

Digital Process Automation (DPA) is a modern evolution of traditional Business Process Automation, focusing on optimizing and automating end-to-end digital processes. DPA goes beyond simple task automation to streamline complex business operations, integrating various digital technologies to enhance workflow efficiency. It’s particularly effective in transforming customer-facing processes and improving the digital customer experience. DPA is characterized by its ability to connect disparate systems, manage data flows, and support dynamic, changing business environments, making it a key driver in digital transformation initiatives.

Intelligent Process Automation (IPA)

Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) combines the basic capabilities of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). IPA extends beyond routine task automation, enabling the automation of more complex, decision-based processes. By incorporating AI and ML, IPA systems can learn from data, make predictions, and improve over time. This allows for greater adaptability and more sophisticated process automation, including natural language processing, image recognition, and complex data analysis. IPA is particularly useful in scenarios requiring cognitive decision-making and continuous learning from unstructured data, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making processes.

Workflow Automation

Workflow Automation involves the use of technology to automate the flow of tasks and activities within a business process, typically following predefined rules and sequences. This type of automation focuses on streamlining and optimizing the sequence of activities, from simple tasks like data entry to more complex processes involving multiple decision points and stakeholders. Workflow Automation ensures that tasks are carried out efficiently and consistently, reducing the need for manual intervention and oversight. It’s particularly effective in coordinating tasks across departments and teams, improving communication, and ensuring the timely completion of processes, which is crucial in project management, HR processes, and customer service operations.

Document Automation

Document Automation involves the use of technology to create, manage, and store documents automatically. This type of automation streamlines the process of generating standardized documents like contracts, reports, and invoices by using pre-defined templates and rules. It significantly reduces the time and effort required for manual document preparation, ensuring accuracy and consistency in document content. Document Automation is particularly useful in legal, financial, and administrative sectors, where large volumes of documents are routinely processed, and precision is critical. This automation not only enhances efficiency but also minimizes the risk of human errors in document creation and management.

BPA Essentials: Tools, Top Software, and Key Vendors

BPA Essentials encompass the critical tools, software, and key vendors that are integral to implementing successful Business Process Automation. These essentials vary widely to cater to different aspects of BPA, including workflow automation, document management, and data analysis. 

Using automated time and attendance systems, businesses can efficiently manage employee schedules, track overtime, handle leave requests, and ensure accurate payroll calculations. This not only saves administrative time and costs but also increases transparency and fairness in the workplace. Employees benefit from a clear and consistent system for time tracking, and employers gain a reliable and efficient tool for managing workforce time data.

For businesses looking to implement an effective time and attendance tracking system as part of their BPA strategy, AMG Time offers a comprehensive solution. Our systems are designed to accommodate various business sizes and sectors, providing a seamless and integrated approach to managing employee time and attendance. With our advanced features and user-friendly interface, AMG Time’s solutions are an excellent choice for businesses aiming to enhance their workforce management through automation.

Developing a BPA Strategy and Choosing the Right BPA System

Developing a Business Process Automation (BPA) strategy involves assessing your business needs, setting clear objectives, identifying suitable processes for automation, choosing the right tools and technologies, and creating a detailed implementation plan. This strategic approach ensures that BPA aligns with your business goals and enhances overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Factors to consider when selecting a BPA system include compatibility with existing systems, scalability, user-friendliness, and cost. Aligning BPA with specific business needs and integrating AI for enhanced automation is also crucial.

Steps to Implement BPA into Your Business: 6 Best Practices

office laptop

Define the Goals of Your Automation

Start by articulating clear, measurable goals for what you want to achieve with automation. This could include improving processing speed, reducing errors, cutting costs, or enhancing customer satisfaction. Having specific targets helps guide the automation process and measure its success.

Identify Areas in Need of Functional Improvement

Conduct a thorough analysis of your business processes to pinpoint areas where automation could bring significant benefits. Look for processes that are prone to bottlenecks, high error rates, or other inefficiencies.

Specify Repetitive Tasks

Zero in on tasks within your processes that are repetitive and time-consuming. These are usually the best candidates for automation as they often consume disproportionate amounts of time and resources.

Set Clear Objectives and Plan

Develop a strategic plan for your BPA implementation. This plan should outline the steps needed to achieve your goals, including timelines, resources required, and key milestones.

Choose the Right Automation Tools

 Research and select the automation tools that align with your business needs and goals. Consider factors like compatibility with existing systems, ease of use, scalability, and vendor support.

Test and Measure

 Implement a continuous testing and evaluation process. Monitor the performance of your BPA system regularly to ensure it meets your business objectives and make adjustments as necessary.

Highlight Current BPA Trends

The latest trends in BPA are largely shaped by advancements in AI. AI-driven automation is revolutionizing business processes by enabling more complex, intelligent, and adaptive solutions. These include predictive analytics, natural language processing, and machine learning capabilities, allowing for more nuanced and sophisticated automation beyond routine tasks. Keeping abreast of these trends is essential for businesses looking to leverage the full potential of BPA.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Business Process Automation system is a critical decision for any business looking to improve efficiency and productivity. By understanding the various types of BPA, recognizing the benefits, and following best practices for implementation, businesses can significantly enhance their operational processes and stay competitive in the digital age.

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4 Tools to Increase the Effectiveness of Business Process Management https://amgtime.com/blog/4-apps-to-increase-the-effectiveness-of-business-process-management/ Sun, 29 Oct 2023 18:30:58 +0000 https://amgtime.com/app/?p=7532 Running a business, whether it’s big or small, can be time-consuming and expensive. You’re managing people and projects simultaneously, all of which have different needs and deadlines to take note of. With all that’s going on within a company’s day-to-day activities, it can get quite hectic and confusing to keep track of everything that’s happening....

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Running a business, whether it’s big or small, can be time-consuming and expensive. You’re managing people and projects simultaneously, all of which have different needs and deadlines to take note of. With all that’s going on within a company’s day-to-day activities, it can get quite hectic and confusing to keep track of everything that’s happening. Some tasks will fall to the wayside. Information can get buried in a long email thread. Reviewing and proofing documents or designs can get messy. What’s a business owner do? Use business management tools and mainly there are 4 apps to increase the effectiveness of business process management.

Why Use Process Management Solutions For Your Business?

There are plenty of reasons why you should use process management software for your business. But before we list them, let’s give a clear definition of what these business apps are. Business management tools are applications that have been specifically designed to help manage work within a company. They are created to help streamline your daily operations, automate tasks, and improve your business processes. Some business owners get started on setting up these business management apps with the help of a virtual assistant.  There are several different types of business tools in the market including chat, task management, customer service, and time tracking. So, what can all of these bpm tools do for your business?

Save Money

In order to thrive, businesses need to earn more than they spend. One way to do that is to maximize the efficiency of your costs. With business management apps, you’re able to streamline collaborations and processes, automate repetitive tasks, successfully manage employees, and even reduce risks. And at times, these tools automate tasks that save you from hiring an extra employee. For example, a CRM system can help you reduce the cost of customer acquisition and retention. You can send more targeted, personalized marketing campaigns using the information in your CRM system which lessens your marketing cost. Plus, it can help improve your customer service which can reduce customer satisfaction, preventing you from losing money to your competitors.

Save Time

Business management tools can help you reduce the amount of time spent on repetitive tasks such as posting messages on social media or sending email campaigns. With a communication tool, you won’t need to waste time sending or reading combing emails. Collaboration between members of your team is much faster, especially when compared to phone calls or emails. Some tools can help you keep track of a project or task; no need to waste time speaking with employees who are involved in the project. For example, if you own a restaurant, an order management system can make your business operation more efficient and save time.

Keep Focused

Some business process management tools can help your team stay focused on goals and projects, on meeting deadlines. Some tools help you track time, so you can make sure that employees are spending time on work and you are building smart time management for your business.

Time tracking tools also allow them to stay more focused on one task at a time, pausing and restarting the tracker when it’s time to switch to a new task.

Keep Organized

Business management tools are great for keeping everything organized. Chat tools can help keep all the conversations within the team in one place, using different channels for different teams or projects. Long, confusing threads in your inbox will no longer be a problem. CRM systems can help you maintain your customer database, keeping all the important information in one place. Task management tools, on the other hand, help you manage all your work activities and organize your day, so you’re always on top of your schedule.

Effective Communication

One type of business process management solution that can help you facilitate effective communication is the chat tool. As we’ve already mentioned, a good chat tool can help your team members quickly and easily stay in touch and collaborate on projects. While email is still an important form of communication, it can be hard to get a quick response from someone when their inbox is always full. With an internal communications tool, it’s easier for people to get a timely answer to an important question. Additionally, integrating hybrid workplace technologies into your business process management strategy can enhance flexibility and efficiency, bridging the gap between remote and in-office work environments.

Another type of bpm solution that ensures effective communication and can be beneficial to your business success,  is the CRM system. Because you can keep track of your customer’s journey along your sales funnel, you can use the data you’ve gathered on your customer to send them highly targeted, relevant content at the right time. You’re less likely to look like spam and you’re more likely to get them engaged with your brand.

Who Needs To Use BPM Apps?

Employees

Passion, skill, and grit can only get your employees so far. If you want your people to be effective and efficient in their roles, you need to provide them with the right tools. Business management tools can help your employees successfully complete a task as well as expedite their processes at work. It can help them save their brainpower for more important matters while the tools handle repetitive tasks. It can keep them engaged with their colleagues, help them stay organized, and improve their overall productivity.

Employers

Business tools are not just a benefit to employees. Employers also benefit from them. A task management tool, for example, can save you time from reaching out to employees just to get an update on the status of a task or project. A time tracking tool can help you see what your staff are doing every day. It also enables you to streamline how you calculate the wages of your people.

Trello For Project Management

One of the top must-have apps for boosting the effectiveness of your business process management is a task management solution. Task management tools, as the name already implies, are apps that allow you to manage specific tasks. You can use this bpm software to set goals, add tasks, create categories, set due dates, etc. In short, this type of tool is ideal for organizing the work of a person or a whole team and boosting productivity.

Of all task management tools in the market today, Trello would probably be voted the best. It’s incredibly simple and straightforward. It looks like an online corkboard where you are given “cards” that can be used as tasks, notes, projects, etc. You then organize these tasks into lists. At a glance, you can easily see what’s happening and what’s not on the various projects you have on the board. It holds people accountable for their tasks because there’s full visibility of what needs to be done and who is responsible for doing them.

Another reason why Trello is so great is that it is very flexible. Your team can easily rearrange the cards to enable them to adapt to any changes in the current situation. Moreover, Trello can be used across industries. It can be adapted to manage the workflow of any type of business, big or small.

Slack For Communication

For a workplace communication tool, nothing beats Slack. It can be used for instant messaging, sending files, and collaborating with teams. Moreover, Slack comes with lots of add-ins (app integrations) such as Gmail, Google Drive, Zoom, Jira Cloud, and Salesforce. There are even add-ins that help promote engagement within the team itself such as Donut – an app that helps you connect with colleagues remotely, learn more about them, and build a more authentic relationship with your peers.

This is a well-built app that’s easy to use, even for non-technical users. It allows you to create private channels for projects, teams, and one-on-one collaborations. You have the ability to directly message anyone on the team. Plus, you can kickstart your small business process management app journey for free, which is great for those who are just starting to get off the ground.

Zendesk For Customer Service

Customer satisfaction is always the goal of any business. A happy customer is a walking, talking advertisement that can help you generate more business without any added cost. To help you ensure customer satisfaction, you’ll need to use customer service software. And the best in the business is Zendesk for many reasons.

Zendesk is incredibly popular because it’s easy to set up and use. The user interface is attractive. More importantly, it provides different pricing plans that can fit every budget. In short, it offers something for businesses of all sizes. The basic plan includes support through email and social media channels as well as website and mobile integration. The higher-priced plans include a performance dashboard, app integration, custom reports, CSAT, and other analytic tools.

Zendesk also offers native add-ons or additional services such as Chat which you can use to integrate chat support and Talk which is for phone support. You can opt for the “lite” version which is free or pay to get more advanced features.

AMGtime For Employees’ Time And Attendance Tracking

If you want a business management system that helps you keep track of your employees‘ time and attendance, then you should choose AMGtime. The company provides various time and attendance solutions to cater to a variety of industries such as manufacturing companies, nursing homes, accounting firms, hospitals, and staffing agencies. The software allows you to analyze tardiness, calculate overtime, track vacation and sick pay, and show the worked hours and wages of the employees. In short, it allows managers to perform HR functions in the shortest time possible, freeing them to spend time performing tasks that add more value to the company. Aside from just tracking time and attendance, AMGtime also offers a workforce scheduling solution, which enables you to automate the scheduling of your employees. You will be able to effectively and efficiently manage the schedules of your employees while providing them with the flexibility of dropping, picking up, and swapping shifts with ease (with the manager’s approval). This software ensures that there are no coverage gaps (all shifts are covered) and helps reduce overtime. In addition, AMGtime mobile solutions offer a mobile time clock app, which enables you to keep track of your labor force remotely.

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Tips on Cutting Costs in Business Productively https://amgtime.com/blog/business-cost-reduction-strategies/ Fri, 06 Oct 2023 22:02:42 +0000 https://amgtime.com/app/?p=7028 Running a business entails many financial responsibilities. As a business expands, costs and expenses increase as well. Even if the business is going well, as a business owner, you need to think up various innovative cost reduction strategies and adopt ways to cut business expenses and implement effective methods to drive revenue. To protect your...

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Running a business entails many financial responsibilities. As a business expands, costs and expenses increase as well. Even if the business is going well, as a business owner, you need to think up various innovative cost reduction strategies and adopt ways to cut business expenses and implement effective methods to drive revenue.

To protect your revenue from being depleted regarding business expenses, you need to cut down and control your expenditures. In this article, we will introduce the various cost cutting strategies for companies and will lay down several on how to effectively cut business costs without sacrificing productivity and quality.

Using Efficient Time Strategies As a Mean of Business Expense Reductions

There seems to be not enough time in a day to accomplish all the tasks you have laid out for yourself. On occasion, you have consumed the entire day working on one item only to realize that you haven’t accomplished anything. While it is great that you work hard, it is always better to work smart.

This is where time management strategies come into the picture, as effectively managing your time is important. Good time management skills lead to improved efficiency and productivity, less stress, and better employee engagement. Below are some important tips for implementing efficient time strategies:

Use of staff scheduling tool

Depending on the size of the company and the complexity of work shift patterns, preparing the work schedule of employees may consume the majority of your working hours. This may make you unable to focus on other important tasks. However, with the aid of a workforce scheduling tool, these problems can be avoided.

A staff scheduling tool allows you to conveniently set up new schedules in minutes instead of hours or days. Mostly, this tool does have user-friendly features that could generate and create standard shifts or even reschedule employees’ shifts in an instant. If your business requires a change of schedule weekly, you can set up the tool to create templates. Moreover, you may tweak it as necessary in cases where the schedules significantly differ from the norm which will lead to expense reduction and new business opportunities.

Plan ahead to Cut Business Expenses

A very important part of cost cutting strategies is planning ahead. Nearly everyone would agree that planning is very important. Whether it is work or daily life, we all have even experienced firsthand how planning ahead is beneficial in all kinds of situations. Without calculated and planned business expense reduction strategies the businesses may struggle to stay afloat and compete with their rivals. Still, some ignore the benefits of planning as it seems to involve too much work and organization.

Another benefit of planning ahead of time is that it helps reduce stress and frustration for everyone. Let’s take, for example, the workload allocation in a production setup,—by planning, you would be able to adequately prepare for the number of resources needed to complete the required output. This can save you production costs as there would be fewer impulse decisions and more contemplation of what needs to be accomplished. Though, you should always include a backup plan in case something goes wrong.

Prioritize tasks

A variety of tasks with almost the same turnaround time on a given day from different stakeholders can be overwhelming. This is usually the situation employees face, thus, contributing to their stress and frustration. While multitasking at work can be effective in some situations, this cannot be applied in the long term as it would result in burning out—leaving the employee no other option but to look for something better elsewhere.

Prioritization deals with placing the more important work at the top of the list as it indirectly leads to business expense reduction. This is a more strategic approach as compared to working on different tasks at the same time without actually achieving anything. Time and again, it has been proven that prioritization does not only improve efficiency but also allows the employee to focus on their personal goals.

man reviewing his expenses on his phone at an office desk

Cut Business Production Costs

Company productivity and profitability are key elements to staying competitive. In an uncertain economy, companies should strive to manage and reduce expenditures, which in turn cuts down the business production cost.

The good news is that a complete overhaul of the business structure isn’t necessary to cut down production costs.

Track the numbers

When you’re cutting costs in the business, you should never neglect to track numbers. Everything should be measured; you cannot improve what you cannot measure. By tracking numbers, be it business purchases or expenditures, you would be able to monitor the expenses of the company. This will allow you to effectively manage the finances of your company as you will have a clearer picture of its actual needs, thereby reducing business expenses that remain unnecessary.

Increase workers efficiency

Another cost reduction strategy is evaluating your employees’ experience and skills. Then allocate more responsibilities to employees with the most expertise and competence. As task assignments should be matched according to skills.

Use the delegation method: qualified employees should be given vital tasks allowing the employee to gain confidence and leadership, which will ultimately benefit the company and increase your employee engagement. This, combined with a hybrid workplace environment, can further streamline the process and foster a more efficient work environment. Additionally, giving employees something to look forward to can also increase their work efficiency and eventually cut down production costs.

A classic example of this is to incentivize employees for a job well done. This will make them feel appreciated, and they will continue to increase their productivity.

Cut direct material cost

Material costs are expenditures for materials needed to produce a product. In other words, the money that you spent on materials during the production process. For instance, a complete dining table has many different parts and components before it is considered a finished product. The expenses for the purchase of the wood, paint, and other materials needed for the product are what consist of direct material costs.

For cutting down direct business material costs, you should consider looking for other suppliers of materials that offer a lower price without compromising the quality.

Cost reduction strategies can also lead you to find alternative solutions. For instance, your company may take part in recycling programs as well, such as the “Sneakers For Good” program, which will give your employees an opportunity to earn funds recycling their sneakers.

How AMGtime can help cut costs in business productively?

AMGtime is software available in the market that could help companies cutting costs in business. It is a scheduling solution that helps companies manage the entire workforce efficiently and flexibly. The effective time and attendance software contain various features and functionalities, such as creating schedules, auto-scheduling, setting job requirements, and availability preferences, which are all user-friendly and can be easily managed.

With AMGtime business expense reduction is easily tangible and measurable. Companies would be able to cut down business costs as all shifts would be covered, reducing overtime and avoiding coverage gaps.

Conclusion

Companies may adopt various innovative cost reduction strategies to cut costs in business. Whatever the process is, the solution lies simply in evaluating all expenses and expenditures and head continuously making the necessary adjustments.

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Benefits of Payroll Software vs Payroll Services: What is the Difference? https://amgtime.com/blog/payroll-software-vs-payroll-services/ Fri, 23 Dec 2022 09:51:38 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8517 As a manager or business owner, one of the fundamental services you owe your employees is timely and accurate payroll. Your employees work hard to make their earnings, therefore ensuring their compensation is granted efficiently is management’s critical responsibility. However not all businesses are built equally, so it’s crucial to determine the correct pathway for...

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As a manager or business owner, one of the fundamental services you owe your employees is timely and accurate payroll. Your employees work hard to make their earnings, therefore ensuring their compensation is granted efficiently is management’s critical responsibility. However not all businesses are built equally, so it’s crucial to determine the correct pathway for your payroll needs.

Along with your obligation to your employees, business owners also have to fulfill responsibilities to government agencies and maintain rules and regulations in order to not be penalized.

To consider what type of wage transfer is best for your business, it’s crucial to understand the ins and outs of the various methods of payroll management, benefits and difference in payroll software.

Payroll Management

Payroll management is an umbrella term that describes all the processes that allow for paychecks to get into the hands of employees. This involves time calculation, payment, withholding taxes, and creating tax documentation.

As a business of any size, it’s important to utilize a method of payroll management in order to take care of your employee’s needs, comply with legal obligations, and avoid penalties and fines.

We’ll be discussing the two most common types of payroll management: payroll software with its benefits and outsourced payroll services.

Payroll Software

Payroll software is used by management or HR as an efficient and low-cost alternative to having an in-house payroll specialist. The on-premises or cloud-based solutions are often reliable and provide simple configurations for a business’ payroll needs. Along with distributing paychecks, the software can produce tax calculations, 401k, integrations, reports, employee self-service, and other related features. Software-based solutions automate and simplify the process of paying your employees while taking the guesswork out of tax filings and understanding compliance standards.

Benefits of Payroll Software

Payroll software can offer a plethora of benefits for businesses of all sizes with varying needs. Saving time is one of the most pressing reasons business owners and management would opt for a software solution. Allowing automated processes to use time and attendance information to create paychecks and W2 allows time to be spent on growing your business. Rather than having HR spend hours per week with calculations and paperwork, one of the main benefits of payroll software, it can free up the time they can use to help support employees. Additionally, a cloud-based payroll removes the need of hiring a payroll specialist. Payroll tasks can be delegated to anyone you see fit, given that payroll software is often very simple to grasp. Of course, hiring fewer employees results in saving more money and creating more room in your budget to expand your business. Payroll software is a cost-effective option that oftentimes requires a one-time setup fee and monthly payment depending on the size of your business and the number of employees.

Drawbacks of Payroll Software

Using payroll software for employee paychecks and tax documents is a great way to automate important functions, however, there are certain drawbacks. Regulations, local and federal laws, tax calculations, and documentation distribution are all very sensitive and important responsibilities that must be maintained in the employee and employer relationship. Not having an HR representative that is an expert in payroll can create room for error and mistakes where it counts the most, yet hiring an in-house staff member to maintain the processes can end up being more costly than outsourcing when considering their salary requirements. Secondly, another benefit of payroll software, is that it may require heavy setup and account creation that may take up more time than you are willing to spend. The software may not be totally user-friendly, making it difficult to configure. That’s why it is crucial to do your research and ensure the payroll solution you are looking for fits your individual needs.

Payroll Services

A payroll service is a third-party company that maintains responsibility for your employee’s paycheck calculations, mailing and preparation of tax documentation, and law regulation. These services take the responsibility off your hands in managing your company’s payroll by using your employee’s time and attendance data to create and distribute payroll. Payroll services guarantee that payroll experts are working in accordance with the law to provide accurate and timely documents and paychecks. Some services may offer HR services and additional help with an appointed professional for your company or organization.

Benefits of Payroll Services

Payroll services offer a multitude of benefits, oftentimes at a premium. First and foremost, payroll services take the work off your hands, taking care of nearly all aspects of the payroll process by using time and attendance data, from the service of your choosing or the one they may provide. This can avoid the confusion associated with using multiple programs and software for your payroll needs. When considering payroll software versus payroll services, one must think about accuracy. With payroll software, it may be easier to make mistakes since information is often inputted by a non-expert in payroll. On the contrary, payroll services pride themselves on accurate and correct information that follows state and federal tax laws.

Drawbacks of Payroll Services

As you could imagine, the benefits of outsourced payroll come at a price. Payroll services are typically much more costly than payroll software plans. By giving access to your information and letting the company do all calculations and distributions for you, you are giving all responsibility to a professional that may charge a premium based on your company’s size and needs for their expertise. Payroll services can get especially costly if you are a business with many employees. Small businesses with fewer employees and little downtime to calculate payroll themselves may be able to get away with outsourcing, however, if you have more employees, using the functionality of payroll software may be a better option.

What to Choose

When choosing between payroll software and payroll service, it comes down to two considerations: time and money. If you, your management team, or a designated employee have the time to allocate to learning how to navigate payroll software, input employee profiles, and maintain accuracy, then the software may be a good option. However, if you’d like to pass the task along to someone who can be trusted, then a carefully researched payroll service can do the job. If the goal is to save money, payroll software is the clear winner, while a payroll service typically requires a high monthly cost for white glove care. Overall, it is important to do your research to see which management option would suit your company’s needs best. Whether you choose an in-house software plan or outsource to a payroll service, AMGtime can provide your business with simple and efficient time and attendance solutions to make payroll easy and accurate.

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How to Handle Chronic Lateness At Work https://amgtime.com/blog/handle-lateness-at-work/ Thu, 27 Oct 2022 14:31:27 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8474 Lateness. While sometimes inevitable, when made a habit, can become a problem for all those involved. Lateness at work can affect a multitude of factors like productivity, reliability, accountability, and one’s relationship with coworkers and management. According to a national survey, nearly thirty percent of Americans show up late to work daily. Odds are, you...

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Lateness. While sometimes inevitable, when made a habit, can become a problem for all those involved. Lateness at work can affect a multitude of factors like productivity, reliability, accountability, and one’s relationship with coworkers and management. According to a national survey, nearly thirty percent of Americans show up late to work daily. Odds are, you will encounter an employee who demonstrates chronic lateness in all lines of work. As a manager or business owner, it’s crucial to have a plan for addressing employee tardiness with patience and a clearly delineated protocol. We’re breaking down some common reasons and solutions for excessive lateness at work.

Why Are Employees Late for Work?

employee checking time at workplaceCar troubles, sick kids, a ripped pair of stockings, and the occasionally missed alarm are all reasons for making us late to the office from time to time. As humans, these things are inevitable, and even the promptest of employees are not immune to the late start. But what distinguishes this kind of lateness from chronic tardiness?

Chronic tardiness is defined as the habitual lateness to work; lateness that becomes a habit and occurs regularly with or without valid reasons. To address employee lateness, it is important to understand why someone would constantly arrive late to work.

As mentioned above, there are uncontrollable factors in life that can contribute to clocking in after an employee’s designated time. For example, missing the bus or a delayed train arrival are unfortunate but common transportation mishaps that can cause an employee to arrive past their scheduled time.

However, constantly coming in late and using transportation issues as an excuse may be the product of poor time management rather than external variables. Constant lateness can also come as a result of an incompatible work and home relationship. Employees may have difficulties with their set start time due to childcare, health reasons, and other family dynamics. While these factors are certainly important to address before an employee comes to work, punctuality should be emphasized by management, and compassion should be demonstrated when trying to approach the employee with solutions and guidance to their lateness.

Is Employee Lateness Such a Big Deal?

As a business owner or manager, you know that time is money. Depending on your industry, workforce organization, and employee roles, it is up to you to determine how much of an effect chronic tardiness has on your business. If you rely on employees to open shop and take customer service calls, then lateness at work may not be tolerated.

However, if an employee’s tasks are not necessarily time-sensitive, you may be able to give some leeway when it comes to clocking in late. For these cases, you can use employee tracking tools which will also hold people accountable. AMGtime’s time and attendance software makes employee tracking easier, offering all of the features you will need. It helps employers keep adequate records of employee attendance, making it possible to track and monitor tardiness at work.

How to Handle Habitual Tardiness at Work?

Lateness at work is typically a delicate issue for both employees and management. It is crucial to approach the situation with grace and compassion. Reprimanding and repercussions are often associated with negative behavior and may be practiced; however, before taking that kind of action, business owners should have a clear outline for best practices, company policy, and a plan of action. Out of courtesy, these issues should be discussed in a one-on-one setting to promote privacy and avoid embarrassment.

Create a Lateness Policy

meeting at a workplaceA clear and comprehensive attendance policy is the backbone of a transparent employee and employer relationship. This helps set expectations and guidelines to help employees understand what they can be held accountable for. Additionally, it levels the playing field for all employees, ensuring everyone is held to the same standards.

The first step in creating a time and attendance policy is figuring out what applies to your workplace. For example, a typical office environment may require more rigid guidelines pertaining to start and stop times, grace periods, and the disciplinary process. On the other hand, more flexible workspaces that allow remote and hybrid work models may require less strict guidelines.

However, the importance of a lateness policy still stands to hold employees accountable without the physical presence of management. Regardless of your employee and workspace structure, your lateness policy must contain certain elements: policy documentation, preferred communication methods, and the disciplinary process.

Whatever your attendance policy may be, what is most important above all is that it is published and available for employee and management reference. Whether it is in the employee handbook, a part of the onboarding presentation, or present in your preferred HRM or HCM tools, making your policy known and available will ensure that employees can read and refer to it whenever they need.

Rather than leaving employees guessing, addressing preferred communication methods for calling in late or absent is the best way to avoid miscommunication and promote reporting. Creating a communication plan with an employee will guarantee they know whether calling in, emailing, or messaging on tools like Slack are the best avenues. Additionally, you may require employees to mark themselves as running late or unavailable on shared calendars such as Google Calendar so that other employees know they are unavailable for meetings, assignments, and communication.

To avoid wrongful actions, hurt feelings, and confusion, a multi-step disciplinary process that is clearly written can be helpful for both employees and decision-makers. You may outline these steps however you see fit for your business and the overall industry. Still, typically employee lateness can be addressed with a verbal warning, followed by a written warning, a final warning, then possible termination.

Ensure lateness is documented by using AMGtime’s detailed reporting tool to keep track of the number of times an employee has been late and by how much. The timecard report shows detailed reporting of your employee hours, including regular time, overtime, and PTO, showing you all the information you need succinctly. Safe keep reports and documentation of written warnings if asked for in the future.

Address Tardiness Early

Don’t delay addressing recurring tardiness. Start a conversation promptly to show that it’s unacceptable and encourage the employees to change their behavior.

Listen to Your Employees

One of the first things you need to do is to address employees showing up late to work. Make sure to ask the right questions to determine all the reasons leading to continual tardiness. Addressing employee concerns contributes to building trust, collaboration, and a sense of accountability.

Respect the Privacy

Planning a difficult conversation with your employees? Make sure to respect privacy and create a comfortable space for your staff members who always show up late to work. Public conversations can cause embarrassment and defensiveness. Explain your concerns, cite examples, and encourage feedback. Practice active listening for a fair and honest approach that fosters respect.

Team up to Set Goals

After discussing tardiness and laying out expectations and consequences, it’s time to set self-improvement goals together. Invite the employee to share their ideas to manage late arrivals. Provide feedback and offer helpful suggestions to exceed their own expectations. This makes habitually late employees take charge of their growth and feel accountable. Don’t forget to clearly outline the consequences of tardiness.

Schedule Meetings to Start the Day

While transparency and communication can solve many workplace issues, some problems require more creative solutions. If the steps above do not seem to curb employees who are always late, consider setting meetings that start at the beginning of your employee’s shift. This will give them a reason to be extra accountable and arrive to work on time knowing that others depend on their responsibility.

Monitor in Real-Time

Alternatively, another solution for management is AMGtime’s status board function which gives supervisors the ability to keep an eye on employee actions and monitor them in real-time. Following whether employees are working, absent, taking a break or lunch, or outside; allows you to track potential patterns in employee lateness as they occur.

Praise Improved Behavior

Simple words of encouragement can have a significant impact. Every time you observe a positive behavioral shift, express praise and appreciation. This will let your employees know they are on the right track and that their efforts are valued.

Conclusion

Handling employees that always show up late for work might be tricky and require extra effort. Whether you take a more lax approach to a time and attendance policy or one that is stricter, the end goal is to ensure employee lateness is approached with fairness, transparency, and efficiency.

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Hybrid Workplace Technologies to Transform Your Company https://amgtime.com/blog/hybrid-workplace-technologies-to-power-future-of-work/ Fri, 07 Oct 2022 15:10:14 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8453 In a post-covid world, the nature of work has fundamentally changed and evolved beyond what anyone thought possible in the span of two years. As companies adapted to support their workforce through the pandemic; employers, managers, and business owners alike scrambled to find hybrid work tools that would keep business running while employees were out...

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In a post-covid world, the nature of work has fundamentally changed and evolved beyond what anyone thought possible in the span of two years. As companies adapted to support their workforce through the pandemic; employers, managers, and business owners alike scrambled to find hybrid work tools that would keep business running while employees were out of the office. Hybrid work is no new concept, but the technology, tools, and solutions used to facilitate this model at a company-wide scale are novel. Although new, these tech solutions for a hybrid workplace prove to be powerful, as remote and hybrid jobs don’t show any signs of being phased out, but rather are here to stay as permanent posts.

What Is a Hybrid Workplace Model

The hybrid workplace model combines traditional in-office work, where employees physically work on location, and remote work, done primarily from home or another location like a library or coffee shop. The hybrid work model, formed from necessity, now has become a norm as employees have grown accustomed to working from the comfort of their own four walls, and as employers recognize the benefits of allowing workers to have flexibility in morale and productivity. While challenges arise in work delegation, teleconferencing, employee monitoring, and time and attendance, new and established hybrid workplace technologies are powerful tools that help alleviate pain points, ensuring a fruitful work environment for both employees and business owners.

What is Hybrid Work Technology?

Hybrid work technology refers to the suite of technological tools and solutions that support hybrid work and the needs of hybrid employees. In the context of today’s evolving work landscape, where a combination of remote and in-office work is becoming the norm, hybrid work technology contributes to workplace agility and improved work experience.

This type of technology combines the strengths of cloud-based software and physical tools, all aimed to help employees do their best work no matter where they are. It also involves software that helps managers to establish a more productive workplace.

Types of Hybrid Work Technologies

Hybrid workplace tech is a category that covers a lot of ground. Whether it be conferencing, document sharing, clocking in and out, messaging, or monitoring: there is a solution for every need one could have when not physically working with peers and managers in a shared space. Similarly, tech used in-office has made workspaces a safer and more productive environment for those who spend a big part of their day in cubicles and shared rooms.

Employee Time Tracking Tools

PC with desktop employee time tracking tool

One of the biggest challenges in managing remote employees is accurately and securely tracking time while accounting for lunches and breaks. Physical biometric time clocks that use fingerprint, face capture, and hand punches are tried and true mechanisms that AMGtime, a leading workforce management provider, is proud to offer. However, the purpose of these devices is for on-site employees.

With AMGtime’s mobile time clocks, employees can clock in and out from the ease of their own smartphones. Authentication and security are concerns that every manager has, that’s why enabling a punch selfie feature enforces a photo to be taken during the transaction to visually identify employees, so this is a must-have technology for hybrid workplace management. Additionally, geolocation capabilities allow administrators to see employees’ punch locations along with the timestamp.

Document Management Tools

A big chunk of employee collaboration involves reviewing a slide deck, editing a memo, revising written content, and signing documents. Online tools have made it possible to get documents reviewed and changed without sharing a physical space. Remote and in-office employees alike can benefit from these tools.

Google Workspace and its slew of “apps” provide priceless collaboration and organization tools like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and more. While Docs and Sheets allow the creation of Word documents and spreadsheets, Slides and Forms can create simple and to-the-point presentations and easy-to-make surveys.

With real-time collaborative editing, users can see what changes were made and by whom, making teamwork transparent and simple with this hybrid workplace technology solution.

Communication Platform Tools

online meeting with laptop while working remotely

As an employer, creating effective pathways for communication is one of the most important hurdles to overcome. The overwhelming number of options available can cause decision fatigue when trying to narrow your choices. Direct messaging, email, conferencing, and video meetings are all avenues that can achieve collaboration and productive conversation. While you may end up using all of these, it’s crucial to understand which hybrid workplace tool fits the situation.

Messaging programs like Slack and Microsoft Teams are ideal for quick communications, office memos, reminders, and chats between employees. A team is a good option for those who are already in use of Microsoft Office Products and want all-in-one messaging and calling software.

On the other hand, Slack is a much more casual approach to workplace conversation. With threads and “channels”, the app is best for those work environments that welcome the occasional emoji in a chat.

In terms of meeting software, it is no secret that Zoom has swept the world with its powerful yet simple solution to video calling. With hosting capabilities for up to 500 participants, automated calendar scheduling, meeting recordings and transcriptions, and many more features, Zoom is the most widely used platform for good reason. Odds are your employees have already used Zoom and are familiar with its functions, making the learning curve for this solution fairly flat.

Workflow Management Tools

woman working remotely with PC

 

To ensure that remote and in-office employees are all on the same page, workflow management and organization tools are essential for teamwork and effective collaboration. Even in a traditional work environment, solutions offered by programs like Asana, Trello, and Monday are helpful in creating project guidelines and checklists. Creating timelines, submitting work for review, and attaching documents are capabilities that can transform a stressful assignment into one with clear guidelines and due dates.

All three tools work similarly by creating profiles for employees who may be delegated tasks to work in different teams and departments. All that is required is to determine which hybrid workforce technology is best for your company’s size and budget. While Asana is free for up to fifteen team members, premium features that may better suit your needs may require a monthly payment.

Conclusion

Managing a hybrid work environment is no easy task. Remember that the working world was very different only a few short years ago and that this new way of working is not going to be perfected any time soon. It is a learning process for both employers and employees, but if the hybrid working tools in place are set for a purpose and are proving worthwhile for your team members, then team productivity and company profits will thrive. Remember to stay in communication with your hybrid employees to ensure the arrangement is one that benefits both parties.

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Workplace Emergency Planning: Guide to Keep Employees with Disabilities Safe https://amgtime.com/blog/workplace-emergency-planning-guide-to-keep-employees-with-disabilities-safe/ Wed, 28 Apr 2021 07:52:28 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8284 Emergencies and disasters can happen anytime, anywhere. Even in your workplace. That’s why it’s incredibly important that employers have an emergency action plan in place that all employees are aware of. An emergency preparedness action plan helps facilitate the actions of employers and workers during an emergency in the workplace. This is to reduce the...

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Workplace Emergency Planning

Workplace Emergency Preparedness

Guide to Keep Employees with Disabilities Safe

Accessible Emergency Information for Employees

Emergencies and disasters can happen anytime, anywhere. Even in your workplace. That’s why it’s incredibly important that employers have an emergency action plan in place that all employees are aware of. An emergency preparedness action plan helps facilitate the actions of employers and workers during an emergency in the workplace. This is to reduce the number and severity of injuries to the workers and damage to the facility during the emergency. Simply put, without an emergency action plan, chaos will reign should disaster strike.

 

According to the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards, businesses that employ more than 10 people must have a written emergency preparedness plan. Those who employ people with disabilities are required to implement special steps that will ensure their safety, and that their disabilities will not negatively impact their emergency response. Of course, this is easier said than done. This guide should help you identify the different steps you need to take to develop a well-thought-out plan that facilitates the safe evacuation of your employees that have limiting disabilities.

Building Set-Ups Adapted for Workers With Disabilities  

If you have already set up action plans for emergencies that you expect to occur in your workplace, you’ll need to take the time to review your plans and their various components such as maps, alerts, exits, and designated waiting areas.  You need to think about what happens during a workplace emergency. How will your workers who have disabilities be able to find out that there’s an emergency? How will they know what they need to do and where to go? More importantly, will they be able to follow the plan that you have set up?

Emergency alerts and signage 

In the event of a workplace emergency, you need to make sure that all of your employees are made aware of the situation. Unfortunately, a lot of traditional methods of notification are not accessible to people with disabilities. For example, a person with a hearing impairment might have difficulty discerning an audible alert. Visual cues such as flashing lights may not work with people who have low vision or are blind. 

To make sure that all of your employees get notified of the emergency, the best course of action would be to use both audio and visual cues. In addition, it’s important that your employees are aware of what these cues mean. Below are some recommendations that you can follow to make sure that emergency notifications are accessible to all:

  • You can install devices that emit both visual and audio cues. 
  • Make sure that all visual signages are easy to read. They should contain images, large print, and good color contrast. Signages should also include Braille.
  • Provide audio directions using the company’s public address system (PA system).
  • Use auto-dialed text telephone (TTY) messages to send an emergency notification to pre-registered individuals.
  • Use tactile devices if you have employees who are not able to perceive audio and visual alarms. 

Exit route

Your emergency preparedness action plan should include escape procedures and routes. Simply put, you should plan an exit strategy if an emergency occurs. Naturally, your exit strategy must be accessible and safe for all of your employees. This means that you should plan for multiple emergency exit routes and backup aids.

For example, if your exit strategy involves the use of stairs, you run the risk of some disabled employees being unable to get out of the building. To make this exit route more accessible, you can install a stair-descent device or emergency evacuation chair. You can also make sure that the stairway width is large enough to accommodate the number of evacuating personnel. Pathways should be clear of any obstacles and well-lit. Exit doors should be clearly labeled. Moreover, your workers should be well-trained in how to assist the mobility impaired. 

Designated Waiting Areas 

Part of planning accessible exit strategies is to create designated waiting areas (DWA) where people with disabilities can wait safely for assistance in evacuating the area during an emergency. DWAs are typically located near an emergency exit or stairway. Take note that designated areas need to meet local regulations and codes. Below are some examples of DWAs that you can set up in your building:

 

  • Part of a stairway landing located within a smoke-proof enclosure.
  • Part of an exterior exit balcony immediately adjacent to an exit stairway.
  • Part of a one-hour fire-resistive corridor immediately adjacent to an exit enclosure.
  • A vestibule that’s immediately adjacent to an exit enclosure.
  • Part of a stairway landing within a vented exit enclosure.

 

Designated waiting areas must not infringe or obstruct the exit width. It should provide a minimum of two accessible areas, each of which should measure at least 30 inches by 48 inches (horizontal surface). Moreover, there should be at least one DWA for every 200 persons. 

 

All DWAs must have a method of two-way communication installed, enabling people and the appropriate local authority to communicate with each other during an emergency. Make sure that all DWAs have a prominent sign indicating their location. The signs need to include instructions on what people with disabilities should do to get help. Signage must also be placed at all inaccessible exits, providing people with directions to where designated waiting areas are located.

Accessible Emergency Information 

It’s not enough that you create an emergency response plan for your people. You should also provide your people with emergency information. The best time to do it is during the employee onboarding process. Emergency information is defined as any visual and audio material that explains what a person should do during an emergency at the workplace.

 

Emergency information should be accessible. This means that all your employees, including those with disabilities, should be able to understand what they should do and where they should go during an emergency. So, how do you do that?

 

You need to evaluate your materials including written documents, training videos, and signs. Is there anything that would prevent a person with a disability from being able to perceive the information? For example, if a person has a visual impairment, he or she might not be able to read the emergency information you placed on a poster. A person who has difficulty hearing might not be able to understand instructions in a video. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you know best. It’s important that you ask your workers if they need the information in an accessible format. 

Other ways you can make the information accessible include:

  • Using a large font size for workers with vision loss.
  • Adding captions on the video or providing a text transcript.
  • Providing the information through email, enabling workers to use a screen reader to perceive the text.

Individualized Workplace Emergency Response Plan 

Aside from ensuring that your emergency information is accessible, you also need to make sure that you take into consideration any employees who may require assistance during an emergency and choose ahead a reliable health insurance plan for employees. This involves creating an individualized workplace emergency response plan. 

An individualized workplace emergency response plan is a written document that outlines all the assistance that a worker will need in the event of an emergency. For instance, during an emergency evacuation, you need to consider how employees with mobility restrictions. How will someone with crutches, walkers, or even wheelchairs be able to safely evacuate the building if the exit path is through the stairway? 

An individualized workplace emergency response plan should clearly state what tasks a worker might need assistance with. Below are some examples:

  • finding out if an alarm has been activated
  • locating and navigating the exit route
  • communicating with emergency responders
  • traveling through and exiting the building without using elevators
  • locating and utilizing designated waiting areas

All emergency procedures should be as accessible as possible. It’s important that employers work together with their workers to develop a plan. In addition, employers need to look for volunteers who are willing to assist fellow employees during an emergency. The type of assistance that they might need to provide include:

  • telling a fellow employee when the alarm has been activated 
  • assisting them in locating the exit
  • informing emergency responders how they can communicate with the worker
  • physically supporting another worker who has mobility issues.

In addition, the plan should also include:

  • the names of all the volunteers as well as their contact information and location
  • all the details that show how the worker will  be involved during the emergency response
  • which portions of the plan the worker will be independent and which parts he/she will require assistance
  • what the volunteers need to do
  • all alternate routes that the worker and volunteer can take to exit the building
  • the worker’s name and location
  • emergency contact information of the worker 

Aside from explaining how volunteers should provide assistance, the plan should include information about the mobility devices that the worker uses. It should explain how the equipment or device should be used as well as where it can be found (if it is stored).

Account for Employees After an Evacuation 

Your emergency response plan doesn’t end with an evacuation. Your exit strategy should include a location where employees should gather after leaving the building. Exterior assembly areas need to be large enough to accommodate all your employees. Typically, these are located in parking lots. 

Once emergency evacuation is done, you will need to do a headcount to make sure all of your employees are safe. Doing so also prevents confusion about who’s present and who’s missing which can cause a delay in rescuing people who are trapped in the building. Inform rescue personnel of the names and the last known locations of anyone unaccounted for. For this purpose, you can use the daily data of the company’s time and attendance system.

Conclusion:  

You never know when an emergency will happen. It’s always best to be prepared. The safety of your employees is paramount. For this reason, it’s best to create an emergency response plan that ensures all your employees will be able to evacuate safely in the event of an emergency situation. This means identifying the accessibility barriers in your current plan and developing individualized ones for workers with disabilities. 

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Workplace Emergency Preparedness Guide to Keep Employees with Disabilities Safe

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AMGtime Announces Their First Scholarship Award! https://amgtime.com/blog/amgtime-announces-their-first-scholarship-award/ Tue, 20 Apr 2021 16:09:06 +0000 https://amgtime.com/blog/?p=8215 AMGtime is happy to have started their very first scholarship award for this upcoming Fall 2021 university semester or quarter. AMGtime wants to offer financial support to a STEM or business major currently attending any university residing in the USA. This scholarship is aiming to help encourage these undergraduate students to continue their studies in...

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AMGtime is happy to have started their very first scholarship award for this upcoming Fall 2021 university semester or quarter. AMGtime wants to offer financial support to a STEM or business major currently attending any university residing in the USA. This scholarship is aiming to help encourage these undergraduate students to continue their studies in their respected fields. Therefore, AMGtime encourages all STEM or business majors to apply before the deadline of September 30, 2021.

One winner will win the $1000 scholarship award for this upcoming Fall 2021 semester or quarter.

Criteria for AMGtime’s Fall 2021 Scholarship:
  • Applicant must attend a 4-year university
  • Applicant must have a minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Applicant must be a STEM or business major
  • Applicant must be a Junior or Senior standing at their university

AMGtime welcomes everyone who meets those criteria to apply to their scholarship and cannot wait to select a winner of the $1000 award.

How to Apply

First, the applicants must meet the criteria listed above and complete the scholarship application with a transcript file submitted to prove that they meet the scholarship requirements. Afterward, paired with the application form is an essay submission with a topic that the applicant must answer in 500 words or less.

If you or anyone you know wants to apply for this application, then please click on the link below:

The winner will be chosen based upon their merits and the essay submission. The winner will be notified by email if they have won and will be sent their $1000.

About AMGtime

AMGtime is known for being highly flexible, customizable, and cost-effective. They provide some of the fastest and easiest implementation, data transfers from other time software providers, and onboarding in the industry. Plus, they provide advanced offerings of mobile apps, add-on modules, biometric devices, and more. With AMGtime’s comprehensive partner program, payroll and HR professionals have the right tools and solutions to solve their customer’s needs. AMGtime’s offerings are adaptable for basic to complex configurations and simple to implement, providing organizations with the highest level of efficiency and ROI. To learn more about AMGtime, please visit https://amgtime.com/.

 



The post AMGtime Announces Their First Scholarship Award! appeared first on AMGtime Blog.

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