The great thing about being a SoftTime Online customer? When we make upgrades and improvements, you get access to them instantly, and at no extra cost to you! As SoftTime Online is a web based attendance tracking software, there is no need to download anything.  You simply log into your company’s account and you will have access to all of the features that we have to offer.

We invite you to take a tour of our new website, share a testimonial of your experience with SoftTime Online, or comment on our blogs.

We thank you for being a valued customer … and if you are not already a customer, we invite you to sign up for a free trial, so you can see for yourself why we have over 50,000 loyal customers.

FYI button location

• The FYI button has moved below the employee list, next to the “Add” & “Remove” buttons for easier access.
• Performance improvements are continuously being added to SoftTime Online to make it even faster than before.
• Popup screens (FYI, Reports, Etc). You can now have multiple screens open at the same time or the same screen for multiple employees!
• Monthly special accruals now reflect fixes for Carry Over values
• Error message “Operate = is not valid for types DbNull and Boolean” is corrected and will no longer appear.
• Quick list reports radio buttons are now fixed. Selecting a separate radio button will no longer leave the previous entry selected.
• Multiple department reporting is now fixed. There will no longer be an error when attempting to select more than 6 departments at a time for reporting. You may now select as many departments as needed.
• Allowance Projection report has been fixed for date ranges. All accruals that belong within 
a date range are now shown on the report.

This update will bring SoftTime Online to version 1.2.0

We strive to constantly improve our powerful solutions so that we may meet & surpass your expectations. We will continue to innovate and create new and exceptional tools in order to make your job easier. And, with SoftTime Online you will get all updates instantly … no installation required!

Tracking hours and attendance can not only be an administrative nightmare, but a financial one as well. If hours are not managed effectively, it can quickly lead to the company losing hours due to time theft and other problems. While it is easy to underestimate this problem in a small company, it can grow uncontrollably as the organization itself increases in size. Once a company has become too large for the HR department to manage on a personal basis, trouble can quickly follow.

How can this inefficiency and administrative overhead be avoided? Many smaller organizations, as well as large companies, have turned to lightweight time management solutions. With the advent of “software as a service”, affordable web based packages have made it possible to largely automate the attendance and time issue. SoftTIME is an excellent example of attendance control software that can help organizations of all sizes streamline their administrative processes. With a wealth of options, SoftTIME makes time management a simple and intuitive process.

Using SoftTIME, an employee can log in and request leave with up to 24 different leave categories. Managers can view archived attendance information and evaluate attendance trends over long periods of time. With such an abundance of information tracked in a completely paperless fashion, HR management has never been easier. Best of all, SoftTIME is a highly scalable solution as well. Small organizations can purchase an affordable XP license to manage their needs, while large corporations can harness the flexibility of the TimeKRON Suite.

With the full TimeKRON package, an organization can move their attendance tracking and time management completely online. TimeKRON can also be integrated with hardware punch in/out systems, making it a highly flexible package that can work for almost any corporate environment. SoftTIME is just one tool of many that can help organizations to minimize time spent on administrative tasks.

Whenever you think of the talent that resides in your organization, it may concern you to know that the most skilled and knowledgeable workers in the office are all dreaming of faraway beaches soon to come. Because of the effect that the baby boom retirement is bound to have on widespread industries, organizations with an eye on the future know they need to be prepared.

How can an organization prepare for the loss of so much of its talent pool? Simply waiting and hoping for the best is by far not the best solution out there. Working to integrate new talent is an essential process that will only become more important as the baby boomers retire from their positions. Hopefully, some experienced workers will be willing to work part time in order to help train new talent in their positions.

As a human resource manager, it is absolutely essential that the process of talent integration be looked at early on. It is important to identify areas where a shortfall is likely, and begin hiring or retraining existing employees to prevent that gap from ever forming. A talent shortage at the wrong time can really put a dent in company productivity, so it’s crucial that this shortage never occur.

This is a great opportunity to look within a company. Wherever possible, use the exodus of the baby boomer generation as a tool for creating opportunity for more junior employees. Junior employees will love the opportunity to move up and experience new responsibilities within the organization.

It may not be entirely possible to cover a talent shortage with existing employees. In that case, it may be necessary to hire intermediate to high level employees to cover the shortage. The more people may be hired at a lower level, the better. Higher level positions are best filled with existing employees if that is at all possible.

High profile and industry shaping companies such as Apple and Google enjoy a vast pool of potential talent. Many job seekers would likely consider a position at either one as a career building move, taking the job for considerably less than they would with other organizations. The prestige factor of working for high profile companies cannot be denied, and this recent study has shown that job seekers place a great deal of weight on the reputation of the employer.

What does this mean for employers that do not already enjoy the profile of an Apple or a Google? The results of the study imply that efforts to build a strong brand, both for general marketing and talent purposes, can pay off in a very rewarding fashion. The war for talent begins with the job seeker and their perception of the important players in an industry.

Working consistently to develop a recognizable and strong brand is a very worthwhile investment. Building a recognizable brand is not an overnight process, but it clearly delivers significant dividends, as in the case of high profile companies such as Apple. Apple did not emerge overnight as a huge force in the computing world. Developing a reputation as an industry leader requires a long term dedication and strategic vision.

Efforts toward talent branding can be devoted not only to a general marketing strategy, but also to specific human resources campaigns. Emphasizing the employee friendly culture, for instance, is one way to promote the experience of working for the company. High profile companies typically emphasize the image of working with employees as a collaborative and creative affair. Working to promote such an image can be an effective tool in attracting greater talent.

Flex time scheduling has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety among employees. Without the need to arrive at an exact time, employees no longer feel the pressure of tardiness, and employers for the most part no longer have to worry themselves with the issue. Instead, employees are able to craft their schedules around personal needs. As a result, employees should feel considerably less stress in their daily lives. Productivity typically rises in a flex time arrangement, with employees working when they feel at their best.

Best of all, flex time may allow an organization to retain employees that would otherwise have quit because of personal time issues. With flex time, those employees can shift their schedules to take care of their personal needs without having to seek another position somewhere else. This can be a great way to maintain talent and limit turnover.

When implementing a flex time solution, organizations should approach the issue on a case by case basis. Making flex time available to everyone may be impossible because those employees need to be present for the organization to function. Establishing a fair and objective flex time application process can allow a company to transition smoothly to the new system.

Flex time does not come without tradeoffs. It can be somewhat more difficult to schedule task completion when no one is certain when employees will show up. Although the core hours usually comprise most of the day, it can make completing tasks early or late in the day problematic. This kind of problem is usually far outweighed by the potential benefits of the flex time system. Employees are typically happier in general about their position, and experience far less anxiety. The resulting boost in productivity is well worth any minor inconvenience that may be introduced.

Unexpectedly absent workers account for around 9% of all absenteeism costs, with planned absences such as vacation accounting for the rest. Although this might not seem like such a huge number, it actually adds up to billions of dollars per year. The impact on company productivity can sometimes be hard to quantify, but the disruption to the workflow cannot be underestimated.

When a worker is absent, it often causes other employees to lose productivity as well.

Employers frequently measure the cost of absenteeism strictly in the tangible sense, with the amount of sick hours and vacation time that is paid out. The indirect costs often go unaccounted for, even though they can be far more serious than anything incurred directly. Although difficult to quantify, the lost productivity can have a serious affect on a project.

When a worker is absent, it often causes other employees to lose productivity as well. A breakdown in communication can often occur if key members of the team are absent, leading to inefficient production. Temporary workers are usually unable to really fill the gap, only being partially capable of acting as a stopgap. Repeated absences, or a high frequency of absence across an entire team, can put tremendous drag on a project.

The moral of the story is to watch employee absenteeism. The average American worker has about 5 unplanned absences per year. Keeping a lid on this problem can go a long way to improving and maintaining productivity. If unchecked, employee absenteeism may become a rampant problem that seriously drains productivity.

Should absenteeism become a serious problem for your organization, it can help to educate employees about the costs associated with the issue. Letting employees know how damaging unplanned absence is may give them second thought when they are about to call in for reasons that might be somewhat less than legitimate.

Tracking attendance is an important task that all organizations must undertake, so that they are aware of how time is managed. With effective attendance tracking, problems like absenteeism can be dealt with before they get out of hand.

Building an efficient human resources management framework is the key to any success that may follow. The impact of human resources management on a company begins at the front door, when the hiring manager brings aboard a new employee. It is critical that the hiring manager understand the business thoroughly, with a keen awareness of who will best advance the agenda of the company. Having an unaware manager that hires almost blindly can hamstring an organization, lowering both morale and productivity.

Training is also an essential part of any effective human resources management plan. Although the productivity of a worker should increase gradually as they become more comfortable with their surroundings, this natural increase can be greatly amplified with effective training. Training can be very effective in any field, whether it is a customer service or technically oriented job. Effective training sessions let employees know that their knowledge is valued. The benefits of effective training far outweigh the costs.

Human resource management is also about setting realistic goals and expectations for an organization. Providing a benchmark for performance measurement is key, giving employees something to strive toward and exceed. Without standards, it is impossible to reward success or recognize problems. It is the responsibility of a human resource manager to be sure that each employee is aware of their responsibilities, and what is expected of them.

Managing human resources effectively means being in touch with the day to day of the company, and understanding the contributions of employees, as well as their needs. Without such an understanding, it can be difficult to effectively assign employees based on their abilities and personality. Having an HR department that simply distributes forms, paperwork, and memoes is not enough. Staying in touch with employees gives an HR department the awareness it needs to effectively manage human resources.

A conflict between colleagues can erupt over the smallest of issues. Disagreements over who’s turn it is to wash the dishes in the company kitchen can be the root of a long standing grudge that ultimately hinders company productivity. Combating this kind of office grudge can be difficult, especially when employees are reluctant to involve the management. Higher management may find itself ineffective in mediating such disputes because employees think their complaints may reflect negatively upon themselves.

To effectively root out conflict it is sometimes necessary to hire an outside party. When conflict seems to be out of hand in an office, it can sometimes take the trained ear of an ombudsman to find a solution. Although existing management may be able to assist with small problems, it can be very difficult to eliminate a general air of hostility without the promise of anonymity.

Anonymity is precisely the advantage offered with an ombudsman. An ombudsman can field complaints within the office and offer helpful suggestions as to how those conflicts might be resolved. Although an ombudsman is typically found in larger corporations, they are a growing trend at smaller organizations as well. With the outside ear of an ombudsman, employees are more willing to get to the root of the problem, explaining the issues that are causing strife within the office.

An ombudsman can also predict problems that might occur in the future based on current company policy. Bad job descriptions or a vague performance evaluation system can easily lead to conflict, and an effective ombudsman can help a company develop solutions to those budding problems. Instead of spending valuable company time defusing conflicts between employees, a human resources department can be freed to focus on other activities, such as training.

Matching the two desires can be something of a challenge. Wanting workers to be comfortable is one thing, but having them show up in their club clothing is another.

How can a company ever hope to strike a healthy comfort to professionalism ratio? With the help of these five tips, your company may find the right balance between comfort and professionalism.

- When it comes to pants and the business casual regimen, employees should look to slacks made out of cotton or some synthetic materials. Employees should definitely attempt to avoid anything like jeans, shorts, bibs, or spandex. Jeans and other relaxed pants might be appropriate for a casual Fridays sort of affair, but they should be absent for most of the week.

- The traditional rule on skirts applies to business casual. Any skirt in the workplace should extend at least to the knee. The spaghetti strap dress is also a definite no-no in the workplace. Mini-skirts, it should go without saying, are also inappropriate.

- Shirts likewise should be at least a little formal in their style. Dress shirts are usually the rule for a business casual environment. Anything with slogans on it that somebody else in the workplace can potentially take offence at are typically an idea best avoided. Anything that bares the shoulders or too much skin, likewise, is to be avoided in a business casual setting.

- Shoes with a closed toe are best for business casual. An open toe shoe is usually not appropriate for the workplace, so it’s a safer bet in general to go with the closed toe. In some work environments, closed toe shoes might be required by law.

- Hats are typically precluded from the work environment. Any head covering required as part of a religious observance are of course to be allowed.

The above five points should keep the business casual environment business-like. Giving employees some flexibility when it comes to the dress code is great, but it takes a little work to maintain a professional appearance around the office.