Stack of coins next to a biometric time clock with a fingerprint overlay, symbolizing time and cost savings.

Why Adding Biometrics to Employee Time Clocks Makes a Lot of “Cents”

For decades, companies have relied on manual timesheets and punch cards to track employee hours. This system, while familiar, is riddled with risk at the hands of humans — from buddy punching to calculation errors. 

In today’s digital world, businesses have access to significantly stronger methods of ensuring accurate, efficient timekeeping while eliminating the headaches associated with time theft. One modern mechanism is fingerprint biometrics — and it’s forever changing the practice of time and attendance.

The Power of Biometric Time Clocks

Biometrics provide the most reliable identity authentication and verification, and fingerprint is the most widely used modality due to its ease-of-use, accuracy, security and cost-effectiveness. Fingerprint readers deliver fast identification using something we already have with us that can’t be forgotten, stolen or shared. It’s a touch-and-go solution that makes a lot of “cents.” Literally. 

Biometric time clocks offer big benefits, including:

  • Elimination of Buddy Punching: Buddy punching — where one employee clocks in or out for another — affects 75% of all U.S. employers and can cost businesses 3-5% of their payroll each year. Fingerprint readers eliminate this common time theft tactic by providing irrefutable proof of presence to prevent fraud, thereby making it impossible for employees to punch in or out for each other.
  • Reduction in Payroll Prep Time and Human Errors: Biometric time and attendance systems automate payroll processes, eliminating the need for manual calculations and significantly reducing human errors. By capturing and calculating time data in real time, these systems ensure payroll accuracy down to the minute, streamlining preparation and saving valuable administrative time.
  • Secure, Efficient and Easy to Use: A simple touch is all that’s required to clock in and out. Fingerprint biometrics offer unsurpassed user convenience and security with no need for cards, PINs or fobs that can be lost, stolen or forgotten. This also saves tremendous time and resources as IT no longer needs to tend to password resets or card replacements.
  • Supporting Compliance: A biometric-based time clock system helps organizations prevent time theft, control unauthorized overtime and ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and other wage and hour regulations. By accurately tracking employee hours, these systems facilitate adherence to labor laws, reducing the risk of costly compliance violations and protecting corporate reputation.
  • Ideal for Various Industries: Biometric time clocks are well suited for industries like manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare retail and other settings with hourly employees. By adopting biometric time and attendance systems, businesses in these sectors can enhance efficiency and more effectively manage workforce operations.

Modern Timekeeping: HID® Biometrics + Lathem® Time Clocks

Time is money, as they say — and as one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of timekeeping products, Lathem is well-versed in how this metaphor impacts both employees and employers when it comes to wages. 

Since 1919, Lathem’s singular focus has been manufacturing innovative, durable and affordable employee time and attendance systems. By integrating cutting-edge technologies, Lathem aims to advance a century of leadership in time clock solutions — such as their best-in-class biometric time clock system.

The Lathem PCTOUCH is a user-friendly biometric employee time clock designed to support businesses of all sizes. It’s anchored by the compact, cost-effective and easy-to-integrate HID TouchChip™ TCET fingerprint module, delivering fast and reliable biometric authentication for employee time tracking. 

Fingerprint time clock device with touch screen interface, used for secure employee clock-in and management.

While there are many choices for fingerprint readers, Lathem selected the proven HID TouchChip for several reasons:

  • Speed, Accuracy and High-Image Quality: The device utilizes patented technology to capture a wide range of fingerprints — ensuring precise readings even for challenging fingerprints such as dry, moist or rough skin
  • Durability: The TouchChip is reinforced with SteelCoat® technology to ensure durability and reliability in high-traffic environments
  • Protection Against Dust and Moisture: The top surface is IP65-rated, ensuring effective defense against dust and moisture ingress
  • On-Device Processing: This feature allows fingerprint data to be processed directly on the device, rather than relying on external servers. As a result, it supports high throughput, improves security and reduces latency during fingerprint capture and matching. 

“We work with HID because their biometric readers incorporate top-notch technologies,” said Lance Whipple, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Lathem. “With biometric time clocks, each employee interacts with the fingerprint reader at least four times a day. The HID TouchChip endures frequent use and is a core component of the Lathem PCTOUCH fingerprint time clock for fast and accurate user authentication.”

By updating to biometric-based time and attendance systems, our customers have seen time theft cases dramatically drop, while payroll prep time has been reduced by as much as 50%.

— Lance Whipple, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Lathem

Biometrics transform the time and attendance process and improve the bottom line. Employees will appreciate the conveniences of simply using their fingers to clock in and out, while businesses will benefit from enhanced personnel accountability and the highest level of accuracy in tracking actual work hours.

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