How does DeskTime work, and how to communicate it to your team

So, how does DeskTime work, and how to explain it to your team? If you’re a company owner or manager considering introducing time tracking software to your team, this question might have crossed your mind. As far as time tracking goes, it might be one of the best tools to implement in your company’s day-to-day life. It’s a perfect aid for anyone who wants to become more productive and can help company managers get an overview of what’s going on. 

With a wide array of features that cover not only attendance and time tracking but offer a helping hand in project management and data analysis, DeskTime is one of the best time tracking and management tools out there. Here are the ways how to use DeskTime to help you and your company excel.

How to use DeskTime right and what to consider when taking up time tracking

First thing’s first – DeskTime is not an employee monitoring or spy tool, but it’s no secret that some might use this kind of software in ways that aren’t employee-friendly. As a manager, you have the right to know how your employees get the job done, but you should also value their time and privacy. That means allowing personal time at work and encouraging breaks, too. Remember that honesty is always the best policy – be upfront about why you want to use time tracking software and how it can benefit everybody’s day-to-day life. And always be ready to  give an honest answer to the question: “How does DeskTime work?” 

Be transparent about your intentions when using time tracking, and be open to communicating why it will help your company and the employees themselves. Time tracking can do wonders if everyone works as a team and strives for the best results. For example, does DeskTime take screenshots? Yes. But, although DeskTime does optionally offer time tracking with screenshots of your employee’s activity, you should always be mindful if and when using this feature. Seeing time tracking as a spying tool or using every situation to point the finger at someone just isn’t efficient.

1. Time tracking helps boost productivity and improves overall results 

We all want to work smarter not harder. To do so, we need to see how and where we spend our time and where it might be inadvertently drained. Time tracking can help you, and your employees see how productive they really are. And that’s precisely how DeskTime works. DeskTime’s analysis will show your employees how they can improve their habits at work to reach better results in a shorter time. Besides – spending longer hours at work doesn’t necessarily mean that we do more work. With time tracking, everybody can focus on the task at hand and the overall goals rather than just racking up their hours.

This self-analysis will motivate both you and your employees to do better and avoid any unnecessary and unproductive actions. Take, for example, those well-known “fast and easy” 5-minute jobs many of us are often asked to do. With time tracking, your employees will note how much time these extra jobs actually take and be able to make better decisions on whether it’s worth interrupting their workflow. 

2. Time tracking lets you notice hard work and avoid overworking

Another great benefit of time tracking – it helps notice hard work. It will help distinguish the hard-working employees from the slacking ones. Thus, you as a manager will be able to see who deserves a bonus and who needs a motivational boost. 

Also, a significant advantage of time tracking – it can save your team from overworking. While there may be the assumption that more work equals better and faster results, burnt-out employees are definitely not the goal any company should be striving for. To ensure that your team is happy and well-rested, encourage them to take breaks during the day and leave the office at reasonable hours. How does DeskTime work with that? The app helps keep your team’s breaking schedule in check by sending breaking reminders after every productive 15 minutes.

3. Time tracking is proof-of-work

The tools you use at work play a big part in ensuring efficiency. We all know paperwork and data analysis takes time. So why not be smart about it and see where you and your team can save valuable time otherwise wasted on manual tasks that can be automated? DeskTime offers easy-to-use project management tools. It automatically registers employee arrival and departure times and offers features like absence calendars and shift scheduling. Here’s how DeskTime works – it lets you plan projects and tasks, calculate their costs, follow their progress, and report back to your clients with detailed reports. When using time tracking, everyone is accountable, and everyone’s work is transparent.

How well does DeskTime work when you lead by example?

The short answer to that question is – it works wonders. But you have to remember that time tracking is a two-way street of communication. Yes, it gives managers an overview of what their employees are doing during the workday, but it’s also a tool to help employees show their progress and ask for help if needed. Managers who use time tracking themselves can set an example that using DeskTime doesn’t mean becoming a slave to the clock. Time tracking is intended for increasing personal productivity and weeding out inefficient practices in terms of both employee work planning and team management.