Over the past several years, innovative technology has made its way through nearly every aspect of the K12 school system. From instructional practices to school safety, leaders are beginning to grasp how technology can enhance and streamline historically mundane tasks. But it shouldn’t end there.
Hourly workers are the backbone of K12 schools, serving as bus drivers, custodians and substitute teachers among others. And one of the most important ways administrators can retain their staff is by providing consistent, accurate and timely pay. In fact, a 2020 survey of more than 2,000 hourly K12 workers revealed that compensation has a major impact on job satisfaction, ranking higher than having a good relationship with one’s boss, working in a convenient location, and whether the job tasks are enjoyable.
Based on this research, administrators must keep accurate time and attendance records to ensure that their essential workers are compensated regularly. One of the best ways school systems can do this is by transitioning to web-based technology which can help free up time for HR personnel to prioritize other issues.
A new research brief by Frontline Education, a leading provider of administration software for K12 educators, outlines some of the most current trends surrounding time tracking and aggregated data informing payroll information.
According to the analysis, the average school district has 339 hourly employees logging time, 241 payroll records generated by each employee, and 29% of records include at least one hour of overtime pay.
“Time at school districts across the country is very limited in today’s staff shortage environment, and school leaders should not be burdened with manual, paper-based time tracking processes,” said CEO of Frontline Education Mark Gruzin in a statement.
“The perspectives shared will enable K12 administrators to make data-backed decisions when it comes to payroll and compliance while freeing them up to focus on their missions of supporting positive educational outcomes.”
One of the most important factors for leaders to consider when processing time and attendance is the method of choice. Most systems use one of three system types, which vary in risk and time commitment for HR and payroll personnel:
Manual or Paper-Based
- More time/high risk
Hybrid Technology
- More time/medium risk
Comprehensive Technology
- Less time/low risk
According to the brief, comprehensive technology systems are the best bet for K12 leaders as it lets them manage employee absences, substitutes, time and attendance without taking any manual steps. Both time off and working time can be reviewed simultaneously, minimizing the risk of error.
With this in mind, here are three takeaways from the brief for district leaders to consider when managing time and attendance records for hourly employees:
- Eliminate the paperwork through automated time tracking.
- Integrate time tracking with other human capital management systems.
- Leverage a leave and attendance management system specific to K12 personnel.
More from DA: Districts are using up their ESSER funds. Now comes the hard part
