Man and Time.
The concept of time has always been helpful to man, as man’s life and businesses have been structured to fall within it’s frame.
The importance of time was so significant that devices that measured time became a necessity.
Although time-measuring devices had many uses, their importance in business became more pronounced from the industrialization age.
All businesses must be run within a specific timeframe, thereby making time-measuring devices as important as the business itself.
From tracking the productivity of businesses, down to managing the efficiency of employees, the role of time measuring cannot be overemphasized.
All these led to man’s understanding of the importance of time and figuring out ways in which time can be measured.
Although we now have sophisticated time-measuring devices like atomic clocks, smartwatches, and even artificial intelligence-integrated time devices, the journey of these inventions wasn’t a smooth one, as we shall see in this article.
The Evolution of Time Clocks: From Sundial to Smartwatch.
The Sundial, which was invented at around 1,500 BC, was the first time measuring device that was invented. It used the position of the sun’s shadow to show time.
The Sundial was said to have originated from ancient Egypt before it was adopted by the Babylonians, the Greeks, and even the Chinese.
From Sundial, time clock evolution weaved through inventions like water clocks, and pendulum clocks, down to the mechanical time clocks of the Industrial Revolution era.
Now while ancient civilizations might have relied on sundials and water clocks, the 20th century saw a significant shift in timekeeping devices.
The Rise Of Wristwatches and Its Significance.
The wristwatch, initially recognized as a valuable military tool during the Boer War, gained popularity post World War I, and paved the way for more advanced timekeeping solutions.
Wristwatches were born from pocket watches, which were the main timekeeping devices used by people then.
However, when military officers started agitating for a more convenient way of checking time during battles, men like Patek Philippe and Girard-Perregaux rose up to the challenge, and wristwatches were invented.
From the early 2010s till now, smartphones and smartwatches have grown to become the predominant timekeeping devices.
The innovations didn’t stop at wristwatches. As technology advanced, the need for integrating time clocks with software solutions became evident. The electric clock, introduced in 1840, was a testament to this evolution, controlling the most accurate pendulum clocks for over a century.
The Age of Digital Timekeeping Devices.
The electrically driven clock took over from the pendulum clock due to its high accuracy and the convenience it offered. It was made possible by inventors like Hippolyte Fezizeau and Alexander Bain.
However, the 20th century breathed in fresh air on clocking systems, with lots of advanced time-keeping devices.
From the quartz clock, which utilized the principle of oscillating at a constant frequency with an applied current, down to the invention of Atomic clocks which utilized the use of vibration of atoms.
The most accurate timekeeping devices in use today still remain the atomic clocks, boasting of accuracy to a few billionths of a second per year, and are employed to calibrate other clocks and instruments, as well as set global time standards.
While electric and quartz clocks revolutionized timekeeping, the dawn of the digital age brought forth even more sophisticated technologies. The precision of atomic clocks hinted at the potential of integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning into modern time clock technology
The Drawbacks of Traditional Time Clock Systems.
The drive for clock system innovation began in the industrial age. By now, more industries were beginning to spring forth, and with it came the need to calculate the time employees spent during work hours.
The mechanical time clock was the first solution to this problem. It was invented between the 18th and 19th centuries, to aid industries and businesses in precisely calculating employees’ work hours.
The fact that these clocks made use of punch cards to record the work hours of employees, made it a seemingly great invention of its time.
However great these clocks were, they still had loopholes. Buddy punching (a person helping his coworker punch in and out), early and late punching, tampering of cards, and even human errors due to manual upload, were the loopholes of this device.
These loopholes might have initiated the idea of merging clock systems with computer systems, but it wasn’t until the 20th century that the solution of AI and ML was born.
Modern Time Clocks: A Solution to Time Theft and Inefficiencies.
Digital time clock advancements took a big leap in the 20th century when electronic time clocks began to be integrated with computer systems.
These clocks brought about innovations like biometric time clocks, which record the work hours of employees.
However, bigger strides emerged with the innovation of cloud technology, in the 21st century.
With cloud technology, telecommuting has become possible. Remote workers can now use web-based clock-in to automate their work hours. This is made possible with the use of mobile apps and time-tracking software, which can be accessed over the internet.
The synchronization of AI in time clock technology, cloud technology, and machine learning time clocks, brought about the solution to time theft and the inefficiency of the traditional clocking systems.
Spotlight on Leading Modern Time Clock Solutions
- Connecteam
Connecteam is an all-in-one time clock solution.
With connected, a business can track the clock-in and clock-out of their staff, monitor their working hours in real-time, and pay according to this information.
It utilizes real-time tracking, geo-stamps, and automated payroll integration.
- Time Doctor
Time Doctor was designed to provide insights into the workday of individuals or teams.
It can serve as a great tool for freelancers, as they can provide productivity summaries, as well as online/offline tracking.
- Timecamp
Timecamp is popular for its ability to track billable hours with integrations and timesheet approvals. Besides this, It can also be used by individuals to manage their various tasks.
- Clockify
Project planning can now be made easier with Clockify solutions.
Clockify enables time scheduling with reports that are easy to use, thereby facilitating time management.
- Tick
Tick is an ideal solution for freelancers and telecommuters, as they are embedded with budget tracking capabilities.
One of their key features is that they provide mobile app services for iOS and Android users.
- Jibble
Jibble is a top time-tracking software that helps businesses calculate employee work hours. They do this with their impeccable facial recognition feature.
Key Features to Consider in Modern Time Clock Software
- Automated Time Tracking to Prevent Time Theft
One of the top features of modern time clock software is the fact that it can be synchronized with recent time clock technology.
These technologies, like the biometric time clock now allow employees to clock in using several advanced clocking methods.
Advanced clock-in methods like facial recognition, fingerprints, retina scan, and even mobile and web clock-in for remote workers, now minimize the issue of time theft to the barest minimum.
- Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability
The fact that these time clock software can be integrated to scale with an organization’s growth makes them noteworthy. Ranging from organizations with few employees, down to organizations with large workforces, these softwares can be properly utilized in any organization.
- User-Friendly Interfaces for Seamless Adoption
Modern clock software must be user-friendly. In general, the software must contain self-service channels for both employees and management, to enable both to easily access hours worked, manage schedules, and handle time-off services like leaves.
- Industry-Specific Features for Tailored Solutions
One key feature to consider before choosing any clocking software is flexibility.
Good software must be programmed in such a way that it can be flexibly configured to fit into any industry. With this, users should be able to tailor it to meet the specific features of their industries.
- Labor Law Compliance
Good software must be configured to follow the laid down labor rules and regulations.
From as simple as meal breaks and overtime rules, to complex rules like gender and race discrimination.
- Cloud-based Technology
The first key to be considered, cloud-based technology must not be overlooked in choosing a clocking software.
The importance of cloud-based technology is that it offers systems that can be accessed from anywhere in the world, provided there is an internet connection there.
- Automated Payroll Integration
Modern clock software must have an automated payroll system integrated with it.
This payroll system is connected in sync with the clock-in system. This connection aids the system in automatically paying an employee in accordance with his work hours.
The integration of AI and ML in time clock technology is just the tip of the iceberg. As we look to the future, it’s essential to address the questions and concerns that many have about these advancements
Frequently Asked Questions.
Does QuickBooks have a time clock system?
Yes, Quickbooks offers a time kiosk with limited features and no mobile app.
Is time-tracking software safe to use?
Security measures like encrypted servers ensure data safety. It’s essential to inquire about security during demos.
Is employee monitoring an invasion of privacy?
While time tracking is legal, features like keystroke tracking might pose privacy concerns.
Bottom Line
To sum up, the consistent evolution of timekeeping devices over the millennium has shown how resilient man is in inventing devices that will make life comfortable for him.
The advantages of modern clock solutions cut across every facet of life. From businesses to home use and even religious settings.
The use of smartwatches that can monitor heartbeats, track time, and even synchronize with smartphones, at affordable prices, shows that these solutions can bridge the gap between several aspects of life.
As much as some of these solutions may be expensive, their price can never outweigh their importance when balanced on a scale.
As an individual or organization, that wants to thrive in this modern time, keying into technology can serve as a boost, and modern clock solutions have proven to be one of such technologies.