Timesheets can be a notorious pit of lost revenue and productivity. And industries engaging high volume, high churn temporary workers like facilities management & security services are especially at risk. This is because too many companies deprioritise the mechanics of the process.

When chasing growth and serving large clients, pausing to review workflows can seem like an unnecessary time waster. However, poorly executed processes, if left to fester, can consume huge amounts of time and money.

This can hinder your ability to serve clients to your full potential. Energy wasted on inefficient, outdated, and manual timesheet workflows means less time honing your service and is ultimately a barrier to growth.

The Problem with Current Timesheet Methods

Current timesheet methods are often low visibility, long-winded and loss-making. Many companies continue to rely on complex tech stacks which fragment and silo data.

This is often manually communicated across payroll departments, a problem identified by a recent workforce.com study. 48% of respondents cited manual errors to be the biggest challenge with their timesheets, revealing what a pervasive problem it continues to be.

Some even still rely on paper-based timesheets, putting responsibility into the hands of workers and site managers. This is a scenario ripe for errors and fraud; a few accidentally or fraudulently added minutes per day can quickly mount up across large-scale workforces. This leaves you paying out for wrongful overtime risking project profitability.

Low visibility can be disastrous for facilities management & security services companies. Managing large workforces across multiple sites without a sufficient solution leaves you highly vulnerable to errors, fraud, and, ultimately—financial loss.

What’s required for more accurate timesheets?

The most important factor for accurate timesheets for temporary workforces is transparency. Once this is established, you can identify areas for improvement and address them for better profitability.

With up-to-date systems like VMS, you can access all timesheets via single sign-in and automatically share data with your labour supply chain. This creates a totally transparent environment for you to track hours, meaning errors and fraud can no longer hide behind insufficient processes.

Improved timesheet accuracy can be facilitated by:

• Cloud computing: Cloud-based systems allow real-time and on-demand data access, meaning you can keep up with timesheet updates as they happen. With this, access is never limited by proximity or device.

• Automation: An automated system can help reduce fraud and human error. Data sets need any be entered once, then can be shared automatically with your team members immediately. They’ll also receive instant notifications of updates, meaning inconsistencies can be identified and solved before losses occur.

Stop Losing Time and Money to Timesheets—Tech is the Answer

Updated tech solutions like VMS are essential for any facilities management or security services company looking to get ahead. Manual, siloed, and paper-based workflows simply distort your timesheet data and can severely damage your profit margins.

Given the competitive industry nature, you can’t afford to waste time and money on insufficient systems and the budget leakage and error resolution they bring. Updating your timesheet workflow can help stop overpayments in their tracks, ensuring you remain highly profitable, managing your temporary labour and can refocus on company growth.

Learn more about ENGAGE’s solution for facilities management & security services…