Image by Manuel Alvarez from Pixabay
Background
A Canadian leading construction firm, offering end-to-end services across infrastructure, ICI, and residential projects with specialist support through the process and various subsidiaries.
The company’s services include demolition, shoring, excavating, civil work, waterproofing, forming, and landscaping, all while maintaining the highest standards of safety and excellence.
For confidentiality reasons, the company name is not disclosed.
Challenges with the Old System That Made the Company Change
The company faced several operational and strategic challenges with their old system that limited growth and hindered their ability to remain competitive in their industry. These challenges included:
1# Employee Frustration and Low Adoption:
Employees found the old time tracking system cumbersome and unintuitive, which led to low adoption and consistent non-compliance with tracking requirements. Many employees would neglect to log hours accurately, which created gaps in data and ultimately affected the accuracy of client billing and project costing.
2# Complex and Time-Consuming Reporting:
Generating reports with the old system was cumbersome and time-consuming. Employees and managers had to manually compile data from various sources, leading to delays in reporting and difficulty in making timely decisions. This process also drained valuable time that could have been used for more strategic activities.
3# Lack of Real-Time Project Tracking:
The old system did not provide real-time tracking or visibility into how time was being spent across different projects. Given the dynamic nature of their industry, the ability to monitor the status of multiple projects in real time is critical for resource allocation and client reporting. The absence of this feature made it difficult for managers to identify potential bottlenecks or adjust resources proactively, ultimately impacting project timelines and profitability.
4# Lack of tracking for Remote Work:
Many employees worked off-site or at client locations, making it difficult to ensure accurate time tracking for remote work. The old system did not have tracking capabilities to verify employees were on-site when they clocked in or out, leading to potential misreporting of hours worked. A modern solution with geofencing would ensure employees are clocking in only when they’re at the job site, increasing accountability and accuracy.
The Company’s Time Tracking Key Requirements
The firm required several key elements for a time tracking solution to address the gap in its operations. These key requirements included:
- User-Friendly Interface – Simplified, intuitive system to enhance employee adoption and ensure accurate time logging.
- Automated Reporting – Streamlined reporting with real-time, automated data generation to reduce delays and improve decision-making.
- Real-Time Project Tracking – Live tracking for project time, offering visibility into resource allocation and project progress.
- Geofencing for Remote Work – Geofencing to ensure employees clock in only at job sites, improving accountability and accuracy.
- Mobile Access – Mobile app for easy time logging from remote locations and client sites.
- Integration with Billing & Payroll – Seamless integration to automate billing and payroll, improving accuracy and efficiency.
Why the Company Chose Jibble Time Tracking
When it came time to find a solution to track the team’s time, Jibble stood out as the perfect fit. Here’s why the company decided to integrate it into their workflow:
1# Mobile and Remote Time Logging:
The company needed a time tracking system that could accommodate the nature of construction work, where employees are often at different job sites. Jibble allowed workers to log their time from mobile devices, ensuring accurate tracking of hours no matter the location.
2# Geofencing for Accurate Timekeeping:
With workers at various construction sites, Jibble’s geofencing feature ensured that time was only recorded when employees were physically present at their assigned locations, which eliminated discrepancies and ensured accountability.
3# Real-Time Project Tracking:
Construction projects often experience changes in timelines or resource needs. Jibble’s real-time time tracking allowed project managers to see where time was being spent across different projects, helping them allocate resources more efficiently and address any potential bottlenecks before they impacted timelines.
4# Easy Integration with Payroll:
The company managed a mix of contractors and full-time employees, which required a flexible payroll system. Jibble’s integration with payroll systems allowed for the automatic syncing of time data, ensuring timely and accurate wage calculations without manual intervention.
5# Simple, Quick Setup:
The company needed a system that was easy to implement across various sites. Jibble’s simple setup process meant they could quickly roll it out to all employees, minimizing downtime and allowing for immediate productivity improvements.
How Was the Onboarding Process?
The company’s onboarding for Jibble was executed over a 6-week period, as their workforce is spread across multiple departments, including on-site and office-based teams. This was in 3 phases:
Phase 1: Setting Up Requirements:
The first two weeks were spent setting up the system to match their industry-specific needs, such as remote work tracking for on-site workers. Jibble’s geofencing feature was specifically implemented to ensure that employees could only clock in when they were on-site.
Phase 2: Manager Onboarding:
Following this, the system was rolled out to the office staff and departmental managers, with a series of virtual training sessions to ensure everyone understood how to use the app.
Phase 1: Refinement and Adjustments:
Over the next three weeks, the time-tracking process was refined with regular feedback from users. By the end of the 6-week period, the company was able to track employee time more efficiently, and the system was integrated with their payroll system, ensuring accurate reporting for billing and employee compensation.
The Benefits Immediately Identified Post Onboarding
Following the onboarding process, the company quickly experienced several key benefits that significantly contributed to its sustainable improvement, including:
1. Enhanced Project Oversight: Real-time tracking enabled the company to monitor multiple projects simultaneously and allocate resources more effectively.
2. Increased Field Staff Accountability: Geofencing ensured employees were clocking in only when on-site, improving time-tracking accuracy for remote work.
3. Optimized Resource Allocation: Data-driven insights allowed managers to identify bottlenecks and adjust resources proactively, ensuring smoother project execution.
4. Improved Billing Accuracy: With precise tracking of employee time, the company achieved accurate billing, minimizing discrepancies in invoices.
Main Method of Jibbling In and Out
The key methods for clocking in for the Company is through:
- Mobile App (Geofencing): The company’s employees, particularly field-based teams, rely on Jibble’s geofencing capabilities to clock in only when on-site, ensuring accurate time tracking.
- Kiosk Mode (Face Recognition): For employees on sites routinely, kiosk mode was efficiently set up on need for easy and efficient clocking in and out.
- Desktop App: Office workers use both the mobile app and desktop interface for seamless clocking in and out, providing a flexible system that suits their diverse working conditions.
Conclusion
The integration of Jibble’s time tracking system has greatly enhanced the Canadian construction firm’s operational efficiency, addressing challenges such as low employee adoption, inaccurate time reporting, and lack of real-time project tracking.
With features like mobile time logging, geofencing for accurate tracking on job sites, and real-time project visibility, the company improved accountability, resource allocation, and billing accuracy. The seamless integration with payroll systems further streamlined administrative processes, while the simple setup and training led to rapid adoption.
Overall, Jibble’s solution has provided the company with greater oversight, improved project management, and more accurate billing, driving operational efficiency and better decision-making.
