What is Time Theft?

Time theft is when an employee accepts wages for work they didn’t do. Whether deliberate, accidental, or negligent, time theft can negatively impact your business’s bottom line.

Examples of Time Theft

Small Increments

For instance, if an employee arrives five minutes late and leaves ten minutes early every day, over time, this adds up to significant unpaid work hours and costs.

Large Increments

Time theft can also happen in large increments. For example, if an employee has a friend clock in for them and arrives an hour late every day, this results in a significant loss in productivity and pay.

Why Does Time Theft Happen?

Time theft often occurs because employees feel undervalued. A lack of employee appreciation can lead to feelings of being treated unfairly, prompting employees to 'reclaim' lost benefits.

How Does Time Theft Occur?

• Ghosting: When one employee clocks in for another.
• Long Breaks: Exceeding the allotted break time.
• Unauthorized Personal Time: Engaging in non-work-related activities during work hours.
• Timesheet Fraud: Dishonest completion of timesheets.
• Mistakes: Forgetting to clock in/out.
• Excessive Socializing: Spending too much time chatting with coworkers.
• Task-Specific Time Theft: Taking longer to complete tasks with no valid reason.
• Non-Work-Related Internet Use: Browsing the internet for personal activities.

Preventing Time Theft

1. Make the Rules Clear: Clearly define time theft and its consequences in your employee handbook.
2. Monitor Employee Clock-in and Clock-out: Use software like Sling to prevent ghosting and long breaks.
3. Follow Through with Discipline: Apply consistent discipline for time theft violations.
4. Set a Good Example: Lead by example with your own work habits.
5. Maintain Communication: Regularly communicate with your team about expectations and issues.
6. Improve Accountability: Set specific goals and expectations for task completion.
7. Be Understanding: Allow flexibility for employees to take short, unscheduled breaks to regroup.

Use Sling to Avoid Time Theft

Sling by Toast helps prevent time theft through features like time tracking, geofencing, and automated scheduling, ensuring employees clock in and out accurately and reducing the risk of time theft.

Visit our website today to learn more about Sling’s features and how it can help you manage your team effectively.