Job site time tracking is a basic part of running a construction or field services business. You must keep track of when your employees clock in and out to pay them for all hours worked maintaining compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. There are many ways to track time, like using a time tracking app. And while time tracking apps are the gold standard in the industry (we make the top time clock app FYI) a job site time clock can also be a great solution for construction companies.
What is a Job Site Time Clock?
A jobclock is a piece of equipment used on the jobsite that employees physically clock in and out on. These clocks are wireless but durable. For example, ExakTime’s JobClock Hornet is weatherproof, designed for harsh environments and sends workers’ time and activities to the cloud every hour. Employees clock in and out in less than two seconds and Hornet operates from -23˚C (-10˚F) to 76˚C (170˚F). Portable time clocks are made for industries that work in the field, like construction, contracting and other heavy-duty jobsites. Wireless job clocks accurately and security track worker time without the hassle of paper time cards – which should be ditched immediately if you’re still using those.
What’s the Difference Between a Job Site Clock and Time Tracking App?
A time tracking app is an app used on a mobile device, like a phone, that workers use to clock in and out. Whereas a job site time clock is a physical clock. Beyond this major distinction, the two have other distinct benefits.
Job Site Time Clocks:
- Are available to all employees
- Don’t require employees to use their own devices
- Travels from jobsite to jobsite
- Updates every hour
- Withstands harsh outdoor conditions
Time Tracking Apps:
- Utilize GPS and geofencing to track worker location
- Have biometrics to eliminate buddy punching
- Offers compliance sign offs about health, safety and breaks
- Can add scheduling to the app
- May also be used to track equipment
Deciding between an onsite job clock and time clock app depends on your needs. If a large portion of your crew doesn’t have a mobile device, the choice to use a wireless time clock is obvious. Or if you’re managing multiple job sites at once, a mobile time clock app would allow you to track every worker’s time and location. There are instances where a time clock app and portable time clock would work together.
How Job Site Time Clocks and Time Tracking Apps Work Together
Job site time clocks and time tracking apps don’t have to exist separately. Construction and field services companies might have a need to utilize both.
Mobile time clock apps, along with their valuable add-on features, can help construction companies track workers and equipment no matter where they are, be it at the head office or on the jobsite. These apps are great for your permanent employees, no matter if they’re office staff or regular crew members. It’s typical for field services companies to hire temporary workers during the busy season, this is where job site time tracking via an onsite job clock is a huge benefit. You can use a rugged time clock to clock in groups of workers, without having to set up individual apps. These job site time clocks can be moved to a new location along with your crews.
How ExakTime can Help
ExakTime offers digital time tracking solutions via our time clock app and Hornet rugged time clock. No matter if you choose one or both, your business will become smarter and more efficient. Digital time tracking reduces time theft, payroll errors and saves tons of time. And because you have an accurate view of when and where your labor is spent, you can manage your labor costs in real time, improving your bottom line.
A digital time card solution, like ExakTime, eliminates buddy punching with photo biometrics and GPS tracking with geofencing. And with ExakTime, you won’t have to decode handwritten time sheets anymore. Employees’ start and stop times are recorded digitally, unlike with paper time cards so there’s no opportunity for misremembering or incorrect recording.
Automated time tracking solutions, like ExakTime, make payroll processing more efficient and accurate. Records collected by either the mobile app or ExakTime’s rugged time clocks are automatically pushed to software in your office, eliminating the need for time-consuming trips to multiple job sites to collect time records. Everything is there in your system, which syncs directly to more than 40 accounting programs. Plus, both solutions work for companies of all sizes.
