Prevent Buddy Punching At Your Job

“Buddy punching” might sound like a playful act between friends. However, in the workplace, it can be a serious problem. It occurs when employees ask one another to clock them in or out so that they aren’t penalized for arriving late or leaving early. It might seem innocuous, but it shouldn’t be condoned. Here’s how to prevent buddy punching at your job.

1. Remind Them It’s Theft
When you think of theft in the workplace, what do you imagine? You might think of someone stealing supplies. However, someone being paid when they’re not working (or even on-site) is wrong. Buddy punching allows employees to receive compensation unjustly. They need to be paid, of course, but they shouldn’t be paid for doing nothing. Make sure that they all understand this.

2. Tell Them It Puts Others In An Awkward Position
You want your employees to get along with one another. Even if they aren’t necessarily best friends, they should all be respectful. Favors are nice to do, but buddy punching is different. If an employee asks another to clock in for them, it can make them feel weird. They might realize it’s wrong, but they also don’t want to betray their loyalty. By making it clear you don’t tolerate buddy punching, you can prevent these situations.

3. Be Clear About the Consequences
If you just tell your employees not to buddy punch, they might not listen. Instead, you need to make sure there are clear consequences. This could be as severe as termination for the first offense. There’s no excuse for buddy punching, especially not after you’ve made it clear why it’s wrong.

4. Help Them Out
Your employees might buddy punch because of timing. They have trouble getting to work on time due to a variety of factors. While you shouldn’t excuse tardiness, you can help them. Give them tips on when to leave for work. You can also have a wider window of time for when they’re considered late. (such as five minutes).

5. Make It Impossible to Buddy Punch- Most Important!
You want as much security as possible for your workplace. With a proper clocking in and out system, you can prevent buddy punching. A system based on fingerprinting is ideal for this. If someone wants another person to punch them in our out, they won’t be able to. Instead, they’ll have to bear the responsibility for themselves.

MinuteHounds biometric fingerprint technology is all about providing the best for clocking in and out. With time clock software, you can make sure everything is handled properly. Should there be any issues, MinuteHound offers support round the clock. From day 1, you can have a system in place that will stop time theft and buddy punching.

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