30.09.2019, 15:12
Improving Time Management at a Care Home
A Kent-based residential care home has improved efficiency and reduced wage costs following the installation of an interactive, biometric time and attendance system.
When the finance department of The Mortimer Society – a charitable organisation that provides safe residential care for adults suffering from physical, neurological or learning disabilities, decided to automate their time and attendance system, they selected the Kelio X7 system from UK Bodet Group subsidiary, Bodet Ltd.
The system includes an interactive, biometric communication terminal at each site which is networked to modular software on a local server and allows the society’s 130 contracted and agency staff to clock in or out whilst simultaneously identifying each employee from their fingerprint and time-stamping records that are subsequently stored on a master database.
As the terminal is biometric, it overcomes any risk of ‘buddy punching’ or inaccurate time recording, and the accurate data assists management to prepare staff rotas and ensures the accuracy of staff costing reports.
Real-time attendance reporting also allows management to see immediately if there are any absences, and arrange additional cover to ensure effective manning levels are maintained – with the software also incorporating a self-service module that allows staff to review their attendance record and their remaining holiday allocation. They can also use the interactive terminal to request time off or future holidays, which can be reviewed by management in real time, eliminating the need to fill in and process paper request forms.
Melanie Turner, HR manager for The Mortimer Society, says:
“Historically, all contracted and agency staff recorded their own attendance on paper forms. This not only took each carer time to complete but was prone to inaccuracies. As a result, reports required checking with managers before submission to the payroll department. The data then had to be entered manually which cost further time and was liable to entry errors.”
“Having a biometric, automated time recording system has resulted in huge time and cost savings for the Society. It has made staff more aware of punctuality and we know that staffing rotas are maintained so the residents will get the high level of care that they expect from the Mortimer Society.”
