5 simple steps to switching to a mobile employee time clock

Last Updated On / Written By Daphne Blake

5 Simple Steps to Switching to a Mobile Employee Time Clock

Switching to a mobile time clock is fast and simple with our guide


Welcome to the Future—It's Time to Go Mobile

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Mobile devices are everywhere. From smartphones to tablets to laptop computers, people are used to bringing their technology wherever they go. In a work environment, this used to be frowned upon. Bringing your phone out on the work floor was unprofessional and distracting. But times have changed. Businesses have caught on to the mobile craze, finally realizing the great potential in helping their companies grow, and software developers have heard their cries.

Apps designed for big businesses have been around for a long time, but in the last decade, more app developers have turned their focus on small to medium businesses. Why should the big guys get all the fun toys? With the wide selection of intuitive, cost-effective, and useful apps on the market today, there is no reason why every business shouldn't be making the switch to mobile.

Change can be scary, though. If you have a system that's working for your business now, it can seem like a big risk to make any changes. What if something doesn't work right? What if you can't figure it out or your employees don't understand the new system? It's nerve-wracking thinking of all the things that could go wrong, but productivity apps for businesses have come a long way, and they are easier than ever. We're happy to show you how to make the switch painlessly by starting with these 5 simple and easy steps to switching to a mobile employee time clock. Once you've switched to the mobile employee time clock and seen for yourself how easy it is, we're willing to bet you'll be ready to change your whole system to mobile!

Making the Change, One Step at a Time

The employee time clock is one of the most important parts of your business, so it's understandable that you might be nervous about changing anything. The old ways tend to invite problems, machines break down, and employees can sometimes find ways around the rules and end up causing time theft. The same reasons you're worried about switching to a mobile employee time clock are the reasons you need to switch. Mobile employee time clock apps eliminate mistakes since nothing is handwritten, stop time theft by requiring fingerprints for clocking in and out, and come with a host of neat features that prevent fines, fees, labor rule breaches, and accidental overtime, just to name a few. Best of all, these apps are designed for ease of use, simple set up, and often come with great customer support. Ready to give it a shot?

Do Your Research

Your first step is to look into mobile employee time clock app choices. We won't make you do it all yourself, though. What kind of guide would this be if we didn't help? Look for apps that have features you recognize and know you can use. That prevents confusion while you learn to use it. Have a multilingual staff? Find an employee time clock app that supports all the major languages, and you won't need to worry about miscommunication! Hire minors as well as adults? Look for an app that knows the difference between the labor laws for each and will keep track for you. Have a history of labor law breaches and unintentional overtime? Get an app with preemptive alerts to stop the fines and extra costs before they happen. You can choose an app with gamification to help employees stay engaged, one with payroll tools to help your finances stay on point, and one that is compatible with other productivity apps.

Prepare Your Staff

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This step is crucial to make sure the switch is as painless as possible. The worst thing you can do is spring a big change on your employees without discussing it with them first. Assuming the mobile employee time clock app is your first step in going digital, you'll probably want to call a meeting or put together an information packet for your staff. Once you go digital, this kind of communication gets a whole lot easier since everything is sent in text, email, or put up on a digital board for everyone to read. For now, though, get that meeting set up or complete your packet. Make sure you mention what will be changing and how it will affect your staff. If you're using fingerprint technology for clocking in, for example, be sure to mention it and also explain how it works and that it won't have any negative effects. If there any fun features in your chosen employee time clock app (like the gamification we mentioned earlier) be sure to mention that, too. Keep it light and your tone exciting. This is a good thing, remember?

Get in Contact with Tech Support

Assuming you've chosen a time clock application that comes with dedicated customer support, it's a good time to call them before you start using the app. They'll help you through the setup process, answer any questions you have, and give you some tips if you're still feeling unsure. If the app you've chosen doesn't have dedicated customer support, you may want to rethink your decision. Knowing you have a team ready and waiting to help you will go a long way in easing any anxiety and making your transition to mobile productivity apps much smoother.

Go Live

Once you have everything set up, it's time to go live. If you're worried about reliability or accuracy, you can keep your old employee time clock method running in tandem for a week or two, just to help ease people into the new system. However, keep in mind that having both systems running at the same time will slow down clocking in and out. At the same time, running them in tandem will give you a live, play-by-play comparison of just how much better the digital solution is.


Step 5 is all about celebrating your quick, simple, and easy switch to mobile productivity. By the end of your free trial (assuming you chose an employee time clock app that offers a free trial), you should be able to see the immense benefits of going digital. Faster clock ins, fewer mistakes, and detailed reports at your fingertips—your old method really can't beat that. By this step, we think you'll be pretty impressed with the changes in your system and the profits you're seeing just by making the time clock more efficient.

What if we told you there's, even more, you can do to save time and money, without cutting into your profits? Interested? Check out this article on using a productivity app to stay on top of food safety in your restaurant!

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