Time Tracking Software Resources

A solid attendance policy helps employees understand what’s expected of them while giving managers a consistent framework for handling attendance concerns. Definitions: Clear definitions reduce confusion and help employees understand expectations. Notification requirements: How far in advance employees must notify their manager, and through what channel. Many policies specify how employees should report an absence or late arrival, whether by phone, text, or through a scheduling app. If you’re using a scheduling app like When I Work you can also manage these notifications within the app for easy tracking. Documentation: When a doctor's note or other documentation is required — typically after a set number of consecutive days out. Clocking compliance: What happens when an employee repeatedly forgets to clock in or out. Accountability process: Employees should understand what happens when attendance issues become recurring, including coaching, documentation, and opportunities to improve as well as clear next steps if attendance issues continue. Legal protections: Reference to applicable leave laws (FMLA and relevant state laws) so employees understand their protected rights alongside your expectations. Positive reinforcement: Acknowledge employees with strong attendance. Recognition reinforces the behavior you want to see more of. Have all employees sign and date the policy, and keep copies in their employee files. Tools like When I Work create a shared record of clock-ins, absences, and attendance trends, helping managers apply policies consistently and reducing confusion for employees. Free attendance policy template available at wheniwork.com/blog/attendance-policy-template.

Hi, Kristie here with the Customer Care team at When I Work! 24/7 coverage requires enough teams to rotate through shifts without gaps. The most common patterns: DuPont schedule: Four teams on a four-week cycle rotating through 12-hour day and night shifts. Gives employees periodic stretches of days off for recovery. Common in manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. Pitman (2-2-3) schedule: Four teams on a two-week cycle. Teams work two days on, two off, three days on, then reverse. Produces every other weekend off, which employees tend to prefer. Three-shift 8-hour model: Day, swing, and night shifts at 8 hours each. Requires 15+ employees for full coverage. Less sleep-disruptive if employees stay on the same shift phase rather than rotating frequently. Key setup principles: get employee input before finalizing the pattern; rotate shifts forward (day → evening → night), not backward, as forward rotation is less disruptive to sleep; and builds in recovery time when transitioning between phases. When I Work supports all of these patterns with repeating shift cycles, so you're not rebuilding the rotation from scratch each week. Full guide at wheniwork.com/blog/complete-guide-to-rotating-schedules.

Hi, Kristie here with the Customer Care team at When I Work! I'm happy to help address the best way to reduce employee no-shows and last minute call outs. No-shows usually stem from a few fixable root causes: schedule uncertainty, poor communication, limited flexibility, and unclear consequences. Publish schedules further in advance. At least two weeks out. This gives employees time to spot conflicts, arrange childcare, and request swaps before the day of — not the morning of. Using scheduling software to build and publish schedules faster makes this easier for both managers and employees. Automated shift reminders and schedule-change notifications can also help reduce accidental no-shows caused by miscommunication. Make it easy to collect availability. When employees have clear expectations around availability requests and managers build schedules around that information, last-minute call-outs become far less common. Use an availability form or scheduling software that captures when employees prefer to work and when they are truly unavailable to work, with built-in restrictions for how far in advance employees must submit availability. Enable peer-to-peer shift swaps. When employees can post a shift for a coworker to pick up rather than calling out, coverage issues become much easier to solve. When I Work lets employees initiate swaps directly in the app for other eligible employees to claim, with manager approval required before the swap is finalized. Enforce your attendance policy consistently. Make sure your policy defines what a no-call/no-show is and what happens — and apply it equally. Inconsistent enforcement signals the policy doesn't matter. Track attendance patterns. Consistent tardiness, repeated absences on the same days, and frequent shift drops are easier to identify when scheduling and attendance data live in the same system, making attendance trends easier to spot. Address patterns early. If an employee is repeatedly absent on the same days, address it directly and promptly. Often there's an underlying issue that can be resolved before it becomes chronic. The most effective approach combines clear policies, accurate availability, employee flexibility, and visibility into attendance patterns. Scheduling software can help by making schedules easier to communicate, simplifying shift coverage, and identifying problems before they become chronic.