Clocking in requirement UK

[NyanBinaryJohn]

I could do with some help because info online is confusing me based on my working experience.

My company have a clocking in app. I don't use it much but a recent change in management has resulted in a crack down on the use of it. (I haven't used it for 6-9 months, with no feedback.)

Current manager has told me it's for audit purposes to make sure we don't exceed allowed hours. Thing is, I often forget to log out and then end up doing very long shifts, which are a pig to edit (so I don't).

Is there an audit requirement to clock in and out of a standard salaried job? I have worked in offices for the best part of 20 years and this has never been a thing and it feels, frankly, infantilising.

Never saw anything like this in the offices where I worked, but my husband works in the office that is located on the industrial site and he needs to clock in. They recently had audit and it showed that some people were having too short breaks between working days, so I think it’s for the best in some companies.

I get it on industrial sites because of the risk of accidents and needing to know who is in. But that's always been managed through swiping in with an access pass or fob. That's what we do when in office, but we still have to use the app to clock in as well. We are hybrid workers.

I think it depends on what kind of job you're doing to an extent. I could see it being rolled out in retail as it's similar to one of my previous jobs. We also had an app to clock in and out. But I couldn't imagine it in an office or similar. So without that context it's hard to say. Would it be a big deal for you to just use the app and set a reminder to clock out each day? Or is it a deal breaker for you and maybe time to look for a new job? It really comes down to how much it bothers you.

The reminder would need to depend on when I finish. Sometimes that is dead on 5pm. Sometimes I work for an hour later in the evening because it suits me. Everyone is flexible like that.

It bothers me because for months it wasn't an issue, yet suddenly it is.

Added to that, management only ever remind us to check in. Never to check out, or to change the time where you have stayed logged in overnight for instance. The data is therefore wholly unreliable and the argument it's for "auditing purposes" therefore null and void.

I'm in an office job and we have to clock in and out every day (even when wfh). It manages our flexi time though so that's why we do it!

Tbh if they're making a change now (just because they haven't been on it for 6 months) it's just something new to get used to. It might not be for audit purposes if you're thinking about a financial audit, but it could be to audit people's working time vs productivity or clamp down on people working really long hours whilst others work under the contracted hours. It's easy to get used to once you're in the habit of it! Does yours require a swipe in the app at the exact time you clock out, or can you just input a time field? We're able to type a time in which is really useful if you're offsite or forget an entry.

Just do what your employer tells you for goodness sake. It’s up to them how they choose to run the company as long as they are not discriminating or breaching health and safety law. You do realise that thousands of people in professional services jobs have to submit detailed timesheets breaking down their days into 6 minute units?

If its what your company wants then, regardless of auditing requirements, that's what needs to happen.

It's not unusual and they may well start getting strict on people using it correctly so the data isn't unreliable.

It's been the norm to have some sort of timesheet recording when you start and finish in every office job I've ever had - civil service, local government etc. For at least the past 15 years. some of these were more informal than others (excel spreadsheet) others were online. You always had the ability to manually edit them though so there was an inbuilt presumption of trust....perhaps that's why I've never thought of it as infantilising.

I don't know if it applies to you but all of those jobs worked on flexitime so it made completely sense to clock in and out otherwise how would you know if you were behind/had accrued toil?

If anything the ability to work flexibly is a perk so if clicking a button 4 times a day is what management need for me to do that I'm more than happy to.

You may prefer not to, but it’s a reasonable request made by your manager.

If you were doing it prior to the 6-9 month window as your post suggests, it’s not a change, just a reminder of the standards.

Your previous manager(s) may have been lax in this regard, but that’s not a reason to not do it now. Honestly , your comment that it bothers you as it wasn’t an issue before, really smacks of a bad attitude.

Thank you all for the feedback.

I used it at the start and often forgot to clock in or clock out (and management never accepted my corrections in the app: these corrections have to be manager approved). It was never brought up. Only this week have I been told it's for audit purposes, which is the first I have heard of it. It's gone from two years of zero feedback to suddenly a problem. I worked remotely during the lockdowns for a large corporate company who could have easily implemented a clocking in process for those of us at home, but they didn't.

I am only checking it here because online wasn't clear and I have never had anything like this in the best part of two decades of office jobs. No need to come in with "for god's sake" etc, I'm simply trying to work out if I am wrong or not because my personal frame of reference says I am not. The general response here says I may well be, and that is fine.

Surely it depends on your employers requirements. For example I work in an office but our organisation rules are that we work no more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. Our normal work week is 35 hours Therefore we have to clock in and out to ensure we do not breech the company regulations. This is audited when we have audits. Is it really that hard with your system. Ours is a click of a key on the keyboard when we start and when we finish . As a manager I would worry if you weren't clocking off why? And be investigating. You may be genuine but with working from home more acceptable now they have to protect the well being of the workers who may just keep working and out their health at risk

Also: previous manager is still there and very much at the top of the company, and responsible for the HR related part of the business. When I reported directly to them they were already in charge of HR. Then a month or so ago I was told that the app simply exists for our benefit, to ensure we don't work too many hours. I remember responding something along the lines of "if I need an app to help me manage my time something has gone horribly wrong". This is now framed as me being told it was for audit purposes.

If it is that is fine, but I don't appreciate being lied to because I absolutely would have questioned the audit part, like I am here.

I have been thinking for a while if this is the right company for me for various reasons and I think this has just added to the "probably not" pile.

As a manager I would worry if you weren't clocking off why?

I brought up saying it felt odd that I was only reminded to clock in, but never to clock out. Apparently it isn't about presenteeism but "I don't check the app all the time".

Nope, only in the mornings.

It doesn't really matter if it's an audit requirement in the industry, it's a requirement in your company and it's not an unreasonable request.

They would absolutely have the ability to performance manage you for not doing this if they chose to.

Total kite flying, but you can get automation apps that can perform tasks based on various criteria.

In this case a task which clocked you off (or at the very least play a really annoying reminder) when you are <x> metres away from a given location could be your friend.

I suspect they probably agree with your assessment of your compatibility with the company.

I’ve always had to clock in and out for office jobs. I never forget, it’s just routine to do so.

I think there’s a big working time directive audit coming in nationally in the next year or two, might be why your company are preparing their records.

Dh has to swipe his pass in and out. Head office encourage it as they have to spend 40% of their hours in the office. They were also told it wasn't being monitored but managers should be keeping an eye out on whether individuals in their teams are complying. Turns out this week they are monitoring it. He works in pensions for a banking group.

If your salary works out at an hourly rate close to NMW they may be wanting to keep tabs on hours so can make sure peoples average hourly rate is above NMW and therefore reduce possibility of a claim or have evidence they manage this correclty.

I've never had to clock in or out for an office job or had my start/end time recorded, so I'd say it's a bit unusual. You just turn up at the start time, do your job, then go home at the end time.

However if your company is asking you to do it then I would just comply and make it part of my daily routine. Can you set a reminder on your phone?

Do you need to be reminded to do all admin tasks or just this one? Maybe set up a calendar alert. Or put a post-it on your phone so when you pick it up to go home you have to remove the "clock out" note and then you do it.

As an auditor you do want some way to sense check employee hours against salary cost. Maybe the company are preparing for a sale and this is a point that's come up that they could improve on.

Out office clocks in to keep the fire register up to date.

Is there an audit requirement to clock in and out of a standard salaried job?

If your employer says there is, there is. It's really that simple. The fact that you got away with not adhering to the rule for so long is no reason for you not adhering to it now.

We have this in our office. Wer'e in Ireland so probably not exactly same laws. The requirement was an outcome of an audit we had a few years ago with the Government's workers organisation. It is to ensure compiance with the European workers directive. (but it can also used to keep tabs on people too)

I think there’s a big working time directive audit coming in nationally in the next year or two, might be why your company are preparing their records.

Thank you, I didn't know this.

I accept I am wrong. Like I have said before, my long term experience suggested this wasn't a thing, which is why I asked on here if this was normal. Yes, it feels infantilising but that is for me to manage.

There are other things that have made me question the company culture. Things like a blame culture, gossiping and bullying, and the forming of cliques. All low level which has reared its head in recent months, but the kind of thing that should never have left a playground.

Still, thank you for those that have provided helpful information and personal experiences.