How to Track Time in Outlook with an Outlook Time Tracking Tool – Tips on Getting Employees to Accurately Submit Timesheets
As you probably know, in order to run a successful business or organization, you need to stay on top of multiple things at once, and focus on the different aspects of your business that help make it a success.
Each sector of your business has a different role to play, whether it’s finance, employee management, logistics, payroll, customer service, or anything else.
Needless to say, you need to dedicate a lot of hours and a lot of manpower to running a large and successful business, which is why you should take all of the help that you can get when it comes to running and streamlining your business.
In this article, we’re looking at how to track time in Outlook with an Outlook time tracking tool, specifically, we’re looking at how to get your employees to track their time, get on board with time reporting, and to submit timesheets accurately and on time.
Time tracking software is hugely beneficial for managers of large and small businesses and organizations alike, especially once your employees are also on board.
Look for a cloud-based system
Despite the fact that there is still very much a place in the business world for pen and paper, sometimes it has to be said that embracing modern 21st century tech is the way to go, and that is truer than ever when it comes to tracking time.
In order to enable your employees to accurately track their time, be sure to look for a timesheet solution which utilizes cloud-based software.
Cloud-based systems help make time tracking easier than ever as there is no need for excess paper and cheap disposable biro pens, and what’s more, as it is done on the cloud this is beneficial for workers working remotely.
Employees can track their time with the touch of a button, which will help get them on board as it will simplify operations hugely.
Explain how an Outlook time tracking tool works
When you decide to implement timesheet reporting software into your workplace, don’t be surprised to be met with some reluctance and maybe even defiance from some of your employees.
Some employees may initially consider time tracking software as an invasion of their privacy at work, and basically view it as a piece of software designed to enable management to spy on them and ensure that they aren’t slacking or manipulating their hours.
In reality, time reporting is there to help employees, and you need to let your employees know this.
Explain how it works and explain that it will enable you to make sure they are paid fairly, they get time off that they are owed, and that they aren’t designated with too much work.
Time tracking allows employees to log their progress on certain tasks, and if an employee has been designated too much work and is falling behind, this will be reflected in the timesheet data that they provide, and it will allow management to provide them with help.
Provide training in the early stages on how to track time in Outlook
When you decide to implement time tracking software as part of your business, it’s best to provide training for your employees to show them precisely how it works.
If for example, you choose a solution that integrates with Outlook like an Outlook time tracking tool, employees will need to be shown how to use the software with Outlook to get the most from it.
If they’re wondering how to track time in Outlook, provide the training needed to show them how to do it effectively and easily.
Once they see for themselves how easy it is to use an Outlook time tracking tool, they’ll wish you’d decided to implement it months ago.
Set reminders
Another reason to use an Outlook time tracking tool is the fact that you can use it to set reminders through functions such as the Outlook Calendar integrated with a proper timesheet solution.
Sometimes, it isn’t that employees have deliberately failed to submit their timesheets, or track their time, it’s simply due to the fact that they’ve been so busy that they’ve forgotten.
For those wondering how to track time in Outlook, it’s actually a very straightforward process, and once you’ve got the hang of it, make sure you go ahead and set reminders to automatically remind employees to track their time and progress.
Eventually, they’ll get so used to doing it that reminders will no longer be required, but until that happens, setting reminders is a very effective way of getting them into the habit.
Use the data to provide feedback
If you really want to show your employees how effective time tracking software can be, why no go ahead and use the data provided from each timesheet to provide feedback to the employee in question?
You could, for example, provide monthly appraisals to let employees know how well they’re performing, where they stand in the company, and where they could be heading in the future.
If for example, you can see from the data provided from a certain employee’s timesheets, that they consistently meet deadlines, often finish ahead of schedule, and have an exceptional attendance record, this is all very positive and promising, and could be used as a means of positive reinforcement.
On the flipside, if you can see that an employee is struggling in a certain area, you can use the data, not to discipline them, but to figure out what the issue is, and either assign extra manpower if required, or perhaps extra training if needed.
Seeing everything on screen, as clear as day, can help you assess your employee’s strengths and weaknesses.
Do not penalize employees
Some businesses operate a rewards/penalty scheme in work, based on data provided by time tracking software. According to many leading professionals, though, this is not conducive to running a business.
If you can see from the timesheets provided, that an employee is falling behind in their work, don’t use this data as an excuse to discipline them and put them under more pressure, instead, like we mentioned before, use it to figure out what the issue is, and provide a solution.
If you penalize employees and discipline them based on timesheet data, often this will create a negative atmosphere in the workplace, and it will also result in employees associating the Outlook time tracking tool with negativity.
So make sure that you follow the points above to ensure that your employees will embrace the solution and know how to track time in Outlook in the best possible way.
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