Time tracking could be fun :)
Of course, time tracking and any productivity software is not for everyone. However it is perfect for those who primarily would benefit financially from the precise data, who measure everything and interested in different kinds of data, who work from a computer and possibly even from a different country.
Problem - In most companies there is a tragic history of time-tracking gone wrong.
I’m not talking about time tracking in terms of “spying” (background apps that track time and take screenshots sucks). Instead, the major assumptions should be productivity, self-discipline, the ability to evaluate your objectives and set realistic deadlines.
Who needs time tracking?
Industries like Marketing, IT, Web Development, Designers… basically all who work on a “project” basis. A certain project is expected to take a certain amount of time, and that amount of time will determine the sum that the client will be asked to pay. And instead of a ball-parked estimated amount of time, you’re able to give a specific amount in a very professional manner.
We tend to round the amount of time down, or estimate less time. This gives you a fair and accurate figure of what you’re owed.
If a timesheet is properly maintained in an organization it will act as a written proof for the amount of time you have worked.
OK, this may be understandable and even desirable for the manager, but how to motivate your employees? Here are some tips from our team practice:
- Make it easy. The system should be easy enough for the average employee who has to fill the thing in every day. Many companies employ complicated or boring time tracking processes. Simplify or automate part of the process and people will submit their timesheets without delay or complaint and may even love it.
- Everyone should be tracking hours (yes, boss too!!). There is nothing less encouraging than the manager who forces time tracking on others but doesn’t do it himself.
- Do not force billing 8 hours a day. If you want a real picture of efficiency, make sure you create an environment where people are free to report honestly.
- Fill in hours regularly. The best way to track time, is to track it constantly or at least as often as you have something ready
- Discuss the results, give feedback. Share the results with your team on a monthly or quarterly basis
- Track everything, not only project hours. Rather than penalizing employees for spending time on other activities, use this information. Identify the source of the issue and fix it. You may discover a legitimate internal item that requires tracking — such as morning meets or training
We really love the idea of Mando Group, a software agency in the UK. They decided to have a little fun and created a solution to the time sheet dilemma
They have a fridge full of free beer for employees to enjoy… after they’ve completed their time sheets.
(First heard about this idea from Nicholas Holmes and his article. Thanks)
At Everhour we may need a special API call for this :)
Michal Migurski told a story called “angry, productive birds“. The idea is to have a big wall of the bird graphs up in the back of the office, and they get printed out weekly so everyone can see what our work looks like on any given project. The bottom graph shows the breakdown of who’s working on the project each week.
- The object of the game is to hit the pig with the bird.
- Bird over the pig means the project is at risk of losing money.
- Bird past the pig means it’s at risk of being late.
GitHub link for nerds :)
Nicholas Felton track absolutely everything in his life. He publishes brilliantly illustrated books every year about his life, entitled “Feltron reports,” and they’ve become so popular that people actually buy them. Definitely check them out if you have an appreciation for great infographics. Said Ryan Koo in his great article.
If you make your timesheet submission process simple, clearly communicate the reasons and benefits behind it, also make it a little fun, it will turn into a good habit and have a positive impact on everyone’s productivity.
Completing timesheets takes involvement from the entire team. It is a journey not a destination, and only one small but important piece towards an end objective of making life better. I would not say we have it perfect, but we are better than we were and improving daily.
