Months have passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but cases are still surging in the United States. Health officials also warn that a second wave may occur due to people traveling during the holiday season. Even though a vaccine exists, this pandemic has caused us to shift to a “new normal”. This “new normal” involves people becoming more conscious about their hygiene practices. One major effect is that people are taking precautions to avoid contact as much as possible to prevent infection. Workplaces in particular are trying to find solutions to physical contact. One alternative that is available is using face recognition to track employee attendance.
Tracking Employee Attendance
Face recognition is a technology that allows the user to establish a database of faces that the camera will recognize. To set this up, employers will just have to capture images of each employee and upload them into the system. When each employee stands in front of the camera, their face will be recognized in seconds. The system will also take record of this event.
In most workplaces, face recognition is already being used as a way of controlling access with a terminal or turnstile. However, more workplaces are starting to use this as an alternative to traditional time cards and systems. Since face recognition keeps a record of when the employee was present, it can be used to track employee attendance.
Benefits
Creates a Safer Environment
Unlike traditional employee time systems, face recognition does not require the employee to touch anything to record their attendance. Since it is contactless, there will be no risk of infection. In addition, the face recognition can be integrated with software that reads temperature and detects mask usage. This way, employees can be screened for high temperatures and masks while clocking in for the day.
More Efficient and Hassle-Free
Using this method, each face is recognized instantly and is automatically recorded by the system. This process is faster than traditional methods and eliminates the need for things like employee numbers or badges. Since this method only needs the employee’s face, there will be less complications that can occur with traditional methods. If a workplace uses keys or badges, they can be easily lost by employees and time will have to be spent to replace them. In addition, employees are prone to forgetting to record their time if they have to punch a card or input an employee number. Although employers can be notified of this mistake, they have no way of confirming the hours the employee said they worked.
In addition, many face recognition time systems will allow you to automatically transfer attendance data to your payroll system. This cuts down on the amount of time spent calculating hours and pay. It also minimizes calculation errors since everything is done by the system. Employers can even set up the system to automatically send out direct deposits and paychecks to streamline payment and save time.
Accurate Verification of Attendance
In order for employees to be clocked in/out, they will need to show their face to the camera. Since the system requires the employee to be present, there will be no way for employees to manipulate their attendance. With traditional time systems, employees could just ask someone else to clock them in if they were running late or clock them out later if they left early. Due to this issue, employers can lose a significant amount of money on paying employees for time they actually did not work.
This method can also be used to verify the attendance of remote employees. Since traditional time systems cannot be transported out of the workplace, confirming remote attendance can be tricky. Employees working from home can just get someone else to log into their computer to give off the appearance of working without actually being there. In addition, employers who send people to external sites won’t be able to know if they arrived or left there on time. But now, it is possible to install face recognition time clocks onto an employee device. This way, every employee will be able to verify their attendance from wherever they are.
Wrap Up
In order for the world to adjust to this new normal, there needs to be alternative ways of doing things. Because of this, industries are getting more creative in thinking of new applications of certain technologies. Now, face recognition doesn’t have to be used for only controlling access. This technology can be used to replace traditional time systems to provide a safer and more efficient workplace.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions. You can call us at 877-926-2288 or connect with us on social media
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