Aratek discusses how a biometric attendance system can benefit a business

A biometric attendance system is a time and attendance tracking system that identifies and tracks employees' attendance using physical characteristics such as fingerprints or iris scans. This type of system is useful for tracking employee attendance, preventing time theft, and improving security.

‍Time is money in this world. That is why businesses must find ways to reduce time wasted. Businesses can accomplish this by implementing a biometric attendance system. This article will explain how biometric attendance systems work and how they can benefit users' businesses.

What is a biometric attendance system?

‍A biometric attendance system is a time and attendance (TNA) system that uses biometric technology to verify employees' identities and track the time they enter and exit the workplace. If the user company uses a biometric attendance system, user employees will need to utilise the time and attendance machine's built-in biometric sensor to scan their face, fingerprints, iris, or hand geometry.

The employee's arrival and leave timings will subsequently be recorded by the biometric attendance system. After collecting this attendance data, it can be utilised for a wide variety of purposes, including but not limited to creating attendance reports and determining salary and overtime pay.

Biometric attendance systems use a biometric attendance machine, like a fingerprint time clock, or a biometric device, like facial recognition terminals or mobile ID terminals, along with biometric attendance tracking & management software to track employees' attendance.

Accurate and cost-effective 

They are commonly recognised as more accurate and efficient than traditional attendance systems that simply use credentials like badges or ID cards, the saved time through biometric attendance systems can be used to positively affect employee morale, reduce costs and enhance employee productivity.

‍Biometric attendance also helps businesses save time and money, especially if the user has multiple people working at different times of the day or on different shifts.

Physical security access control systems

It is much simpler to confirm an employee's identity before allowing them to enter restricted areas

Because biometric attendance systems can also be used in physical security access control systems, it is much simpler to confirm an employee's identity before allowing them to enter restricted areas when these systems are put into place.

Verifying the identification of an employee to ensure that they have safe access to the workplace while also keeping track of their attendance and absences in the system is made incredibly simple by this method.

Industrial applications and physical characteristics 

‍Biometric attendance can be used in various industries including manufacturing, construction sites, restaurants, retail, and more. Since a biometric attendance management system uses physical characteristics to identify employees, it's not susceptible to theft or tampering.

With a simple scan of a worker's face or fingerprint, businesses can ensure that every employee who is expected to be at work is there, eliminating the possibility of buddy punching (when one employee clocks in and out for another), proxy attendance, or fraud.

Key features

‍When it comes to biometric attendance systems, they are offered in a wide variety of configurations so that businesses can select the one that best meets their requirements and fulfills their needs. Nevertheless, there are a few key features that need to be included in every biometric attendance system.

The ability to store and retrieve information about employees and their attendance records

These include the capability to store and retrieve information about employees and their attendance records, as well as the seamless integration capability with the existing payroll system and time clock. Other features include the ability to store and retrieve information about employees and their attendance records. A biometric attendance system typically consists of the following key features:

• Enrollment of new employees using biometrics: One of the most essential features of a biometric attendance system is its ability to use a biometric attendance machine and biometric attendance system software to enroll and identify employees using their face, fingerprint, or iris. This feature makes it much easier to manage attendance and also provides a much more accurate attendance record, lowering the risk of fraudulent activities.
• Setting attendance rules: Biometric systems should allow administrators to easily set attendance rules and regulations. They can configure these rules based on many parameters such as employee type, department, shift, and so on. This means that a company can tailor attendance policies for different employees based on their job function and kind of work.
• Absence management: Because biometrics can be used for both authentication and identification, they can also be used for absence management. In the event of an emergency or other critical situation, in which the company needs to know if all of its employees are present and safe, this function can be invaluable.
• Business trip management: Business trip management through biometric attendance systems helps employers track both the time and location of their employees. This can be extremely helpful for individuals that have to travel a lot for their job, especially in industries like logistics or sales.
• Mobile app for employee mobile attendance: Employees can use their smartphones to manage their attendance by downloading a mobile app. This feature of the biometric system makes it extremely easy for employees to clock in/out, apply for leave, and submit emergency leave requests, among other things.
• Time & attendance reporting: This feature makes it simple for HR management to analyse patterns of attendance, and working hours, calculate wages, and prepare for payroll, among other things.

Additional features 

There are also some additional features of the biometric system for tracking time and attendance, such as:

• Automatic attendance alerts: By sending out reminders when employees' attendance is overdue, users can better manage their staff's time. If an employee clock in at the office after their shift has ended, sensors will notify HR immediately. The biometric attendance system can also be set to record attendance at particular times, such as when employees leave work for the day.
• Employee scheduling & dispatching: Employees are automatically scheduled for shifts by using this feature of the biometric system. Employees can also be automatically dispatched to work by the biometric system. For example, if a truck driver arrives at the warehouse, he or she can be automatically dispatched to the loading dock and assigned a truck. This saves employees the hassle of having to go through the HR department and makes it easier for businesses to operate.

‍All of these key features can be performed automatically with the help of the authentication speed and accuracy provided by biometrics technology, saving businesses time and money and providing a more efficient, streamlined system; additionally, employees will be able to get to work faster and more efficiently.

A biometric attendance system, unlike traditional attendance systems, also includes extra security and privacy safeguards to ensure that an employee's biometric data is only utilised by authorised users.

5 Benefits in business:

‍There are several advantages of biometric attendance systems over more conventional methods of tracking employee presence. Some of the most important benefits are as follows.

1) Increased Security:

Biometric attendance provides a higher level of security as physical characteristics are unique to each individual

‍Biometric attendance systems provide a much higher level of security than traditional time and attendance methods because physical characteristics are unique to each individual.

For example, when an employee uses a biometric attendance register, their identity is quickly and reliably verified through their physical characteristics such as fingerprints or face scans. Biometric attendance systems also get rid of the need for time cards and ID badges, which are easy to lose or steal.

Security access control

To enhance data security and prevent theft, biometric attendance systems can also be used for security access control. When access control is integrated with biometric time and attendance, the system can manage the security of both users' businesses and the building as a whole by controlling access to employees.

A more secure environment is possible as a result of this method being implemented. Not only can these systems be used to improve security and efficiency in business offices, but also schools.

Additional security

By using a student biometric attendance system, schools and universities can effectively monitor the attendance of their students and ensure that students do not "buddy-punch" each other to gain access to classes for which they may not be registered.

Furthermore, schools and universities can quickly identify students on campus, adding a layer of security.

2) Improved Employee Efficiency:

Employees will no longer have to rely on punch cards or manual sign-in sheets

Employees can clock in and out more easily with the help of biometric time & attendance systems. Additionally, these systems enable more accurate and automated tracking of employees' attendance, which in turn makes HR and payroll departments more efficient.

Furthermore, with an application for biometric attendance, employees will no longer have to rely on punch cards or manual sign-in sheets; allowing them to spend less time signing in and more time focusing on their tasks at hand.

Biometric attendance systems provide more accurate information about the number of people present at work on any given day. This improves working efficiency for departments such as finance and business operations, allowing for more efficient scheduling and cost savings.

3) Reduces Payroll Costs:

Biometric attendance systems can automate the time and attendance process, reducing the time-consuming manual paperwork that is typically required to pay an employee.

Furthermore, biometric systems can eliminate payroll errors caused by illegible handwriting or "buddy punching," as well as other types of time theft that can cost users' companies a lot of money.

4) Increased Employee Satisfaction:

‍A time and attendance system that is quick, precise, and easy to use will lead to happier workers. It is possible to do so with biometric attendance.

Moreover, the system adds a layer of convenience with self-service capabilities that help workers operate more efficiently and boost their overall happiness with the organisation when used in conjunction with the mobile attendance app.

5) Easy to Deploy and Integration:

The biometric time and attendance system are simple to install and integrate; most systems are easy to deploy and do not require extensive IT support. ‍In terms of software, most biometric attendance software is designed to be plug-and-play, which means users don't need to create a new program or redesign their existing software; instead, they can be easily integrated with user existing HR software or other business systems such as payroll, HRIS, and other business applications.

In terms of hardware, the biometric devices used in attendance systems are mostly compact and simple to install; they offer multiple interfaces such as RS232, USB, Ethernet, WiFi, and more, allowing users to connect them to their existing door access controllers easily.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, biometric attendance systems are beneficial to businesses in many ways, including accurate time and attendance tracking, heightened security, and enhanced productivity from staff. It can be used to keep better controls on employee attendance, which in turn reduces payroll costs for businesses.

Biometric attendance systems can also offer users with real-time data to help the make informed personnel decisions. It is a simple and successful method for increasing the user company's bottom line. When making a selection, keep in mind the business ’ needs as well as the features that are most important to them.