How to Cheat Time Trackers: Most Common Ways Employees Can Trick Time Tracking Software

Time tracking is an important part of any business. It helps you keep track of how much time employees spend on specific tasks, and it can help you identify areas where you can save money. However, some employees find ways to cheat the system and get paid for hours they did not work. In this blog post, we will discuss the most common ways employees can trick time tracking software and how to prevent them from doing so; as well, we will cover some time tracking software that can’t be cheated.

The Origin of Time Trackers

Surprisingly enough, time tracking has been around for centuries. The first time tracker was created in 1876 by Frederick Winslow Taylor, an American engineer who wanted to find a way to improve industrial efficiency. He came up with the idea of using a stopwatch to measure how long it took workers to complete specific tasks.

This method was later refined by Henry Ford, who used it in his car assembly plants. Businesses of all kinds eventually adopted time trackers, and millions of people around the world use them. Especially now, after the COVID-19 pandemic, “On the Clock and at Home” became the new norm.

We could think the current state-of-art time tracking software is “infallible”; however, there are some employees who have found a way “to hack the system” and fool their employers. In fact, according to a Robert Half Technology analysis, time theft costs businesses 4.5 hours per week for each employee.

Therefore, businesses are increasing their expenses on time tracking tools. According to Statista, companies folded their spending on time tracking software by 14% in 2022.

What Is Time Tracking Software?

Time tracking software is a tool that helps businesses keep track of how much time employees are spending on specific tasks. It can be used to measure employee productivity, identify areas where you can save money, and track employee attendance. 

Time tracking software is typically used in conjunction with a timesheet or time clock system, just as the image down below from Monitask software! This allows businesses to see how much time employees are working and how much time they are taking off. 

Many types of time tracking software are available, but the most common are desktop applications, web-based applications, and mobile apps.

The Importance of Employee Time Tracking

Time tracking your employees can help your business keep track of employee productivity, identify areas where you can save money, and track employee attendance. 

Time tracking also allows businesses to see how much time employees are working and how much time they are taking off. This information is valuable when it comes to managing your workforce and making sure that your employees are productive. 

“Time tracking is the most effective way to improve productivity.” 

In summary:

• Businesses are able to see how their employees are spending their time, they can identify areas where productivity is low, and they can make changes to improve efficiency. 
• In addition, by tracking employee time businesses can ensure that employees are being paid for the hours they actually worked. 
• Finally, by understanding how employees are spending their time, businesses can make better use of their skills and assets.

Cheating employee time trackers can have serious implications for both the employee and the employer. Cheating can lead to decreased productivity and accuracy, which can, in turn, lead to a loss of revenue for the company.

Most Common Ways Employees Can Trick Time Tracking Software

Now that we know what time tracking software is and how it works, let’s take a look at the most common ways employees can trick time tracking software:

Automating Mouse Movement

One of the most common ways employees can cheat time tracking software is by automating their mouse movement. This can be done by using a variety of different tools, including AutoHotkey and Macro Recorder. 

When employees automate their mouse movement, it makes it appear as though they are working even when they are not. This can be used to inflate employee productivity levels, and it can also be used to make it appear as though employees are working more hours than they actually are. 

PREVENTION: Businesses should look for time tracking software that includes activity monitoring. This will allow businesses to see what employees are actually doing on their computers, and it will make it easier to identify when someone is cheating the system.

Using a Window as a Red Herring

Employees can also use a window as a red herring by opening up a browser window or document and leaving it open even when they’re not working. 

This makes it appear as though they’re still working when in reality they could be taking a break or doing something else entirely. 

PREVENTION: Businesses should look for time tracking software that includes screenshots or screen recordings. This way, you’ll be able to see exactly what your employees are doing.

A Second Monitor

Another common way employees can trick time tracking software is by using a second monitor. By doing this, they can have their work window open on one monitor and their personal window open on the other.

This makes it appear as though they’re working even when they’re not, and it also makes it difficult for businesses to see what they’re actually doing. But hey! Yes, you ARE in charge.

PREVENTION: As an employer, you ought to pick a dependable monitoring tool that is capable of monitoring dual monitor setups. Your employees will have less opportunity to deceive you in this manner. 

Disabling the Software

If an employee doesn’t want to be monitored, they may try to disable the time tracking software entirely. This can be done in a variety of different ways, including uninstalling the software, stopping the process from running, or deleting the data files.

PREVENTION: To prevent this from happening, businesses should look for time tracking software that is tamper-proof and cannot be easily uninstalled. They should also consider using a cloud-based solution that cannot be stopped or deleted by employees. 

Falsifying Timesheets

Another way employees can cheat time tracking software is by falsifying their timesheets. This can be done by rounding up or down the hours worked, adding in extra hours that weren’t actually worked, or taking days off without approval. 

Prevention: Businesses should look for time tracking software that includes features like GPS tracking and activity monitoring. This way, businesses will be able to see exactly where employees are and what they’re doing. 

Predicting Time for Screenshots

Screenshots can be a valuable tool for time tracking, as they can provide a record of what an employee is doing at any given moment. However, they can also be used to cheat the system by taking screenshots of non-work-related activities or using them to claim false start and stop times. 

As a result, it is important for employers to be able to predict when their employees are likely to take screenshots to monitor employee time tracking properly. 

PREVENTION: Businesses should look for time tracking software that includes screenshots or screen recordings. This way, you’ll be able to see exactly what your employees are doing on their computers.

Remote Access

By using a remote access tool, employees can connect to their work computers from home or from another location. This allows them to avoid being monitored by time tracking software and allows them to work on personal projects during work hours. 

PREVENTION: To prevent this from happening, businesses should look for time tracking software that is designed for remote working. This way, businesses will be able to see what employees are doing even when they’re not in the office.

Using a Virtual Machine

A virtual machine is a software that allows a user to run multiple operating systems on one computer. This means that an employee could theoretically clock in on one operating system, and then switch to another operating system to do work that is not billable. 

PREVENTION: By analyzing the employee’s working patterns and the software’s screenshot intervals, it is possible to develop a model that can accurately predict when an employee is most likely to take a screenshot. 

This information can then be used to design better employee time tracking systems that are less susceptible to cheating. 

Hiding Work From the Time Tracker

Another way is by hiding their work from the tracker. This can be done by working on personal projects during work hours, or by using a separate computer for work that is not being tracked. 

Prevention: To prevent this from happening, businesses should look for time tracking software that includes features like activity monitoring and screenshots. This way, businesses will be able to see what employees are doing even when they’re not being tracked. 

As you can see, there are a variety of different ways that employees can cheat time tracking software. However, there are also a number of different ways that businesses can prevent this from happening. 

By using the right time tracking software, businesses can ensure that their employees are being honest about their work hours. 

Clamping keys

Clamping keys is a method where an employee uses a physical device, such as a binder clip or a small object, to press down specific keys on their keyboard. Time tracking software that monitors activity by detecting keystrokes or mouse movements might interpret this as active work, even when the employee is away from their desk.

PREVENTION: Implement software that takes random screenshots of the employee’s screen at regular intervals. If an employee is using clamping keys, the screenshots may reveal inactivity or irrelevant content on the screen, allowing employers to detect discrepancies.

Modifying the Code

Some technically skilled employees might attempt to tamper with the time tracking software’s source code to falsify activity data. By altering the software, they could create the illusion of constant productivity, bypassing keystroke logging or simulating mouse movements without actually working.PREVENTION: Implement regular code integrity checks using cryptographic hashing or similar techniques to ensure that the software’s code remains unaltered. If any modifications are detected, the software can automatically alert the IT department or restore the original code.

The One and Only: Monitask

Are you worried that your employees are time cheating?

Don’t worry, Monitask has you covered.

Monitask is a time tracking software that is tamper-proof and cannot be uninstalled or disabled by employees. It is also cloud-based, which means it cannot be stopped or deleted by employees. 

In addition, Monitask includes activity monitoring and screenshots, which makes it impossible for employees to cheat the system. 

Monitask has a variety of features that can help you streamline your workflow, including:

• ability to create custom task lists
• set deadlines
• track employee’s progress
• daily activity log
• employee hour tracker
• time tracking and invoicing
• cloud attendance system
• timesheet cloud solution

So if you’re looking for a time tracking solution that your employees can’t cheat, Monitask is the solution for you. 

Preventing Time Tracker Cheating

So far, we know how employees can cheat time tracking, yet there’s one question left to answer: why? 

It’s no secret that employee time tracking can be frustrating. After all, who likes being told how to use their time? But, work is work, and fun is fun! Let’s review some reasons behind it!

Procrastination 

This is the most common reason. It’s not that people are trying to avoid work; they’re just putting it off for later. Yes, we’ve all done it at some point or another. 

Distractions 

There are a million things that can distract us during work hours: social media, our phones, other people in the office, etc. It’s hard to stay focused when there’s so much going on around us! 

Boredom 

When we’re bored, we tend to do things that are not productive. This can include surfing the internet, chatting with friends, or even taking a nap! 

Now, we don’t focus on problems but rather on solutions! After all, the best way to deal with cheating is to prevent it from happening in the first place! 

Here are some tips on how you can prevent your employees from cheating time tracking

• Use a time tracking software that is tamper-proof and cannot be uninstalled or disabled by employees, like Monitask. 
• Look for a time tracking software that includes features like activity monitoring and screenshots. This way, businesses will be able to see what employees are doing even when they’re not being tracked. 
• Set clear expectations with your employees about how their time should be used.
• Give your employees breaks! When stressed, we’re more likely to take shortcuts and cheat the system. 

By following these tips, you can prevent your employees from cheating time tracking software and help them stay productive during work hours. 

Time Cheating: The Bottom Line

Employees will always find ways to cheat time tracking software, but that doesn’t mean businesses have to accept it. But by using the right tools and being aware of the most common tricks, businesses can easily prevent this from happening. 

By using Monitask, businesses can prevent employees from cheating on their time tracking software. Monitask is tamper-proof and includes features like activity monitoring, screenshots, and screen recordings. 

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! And don’t forget to try monitask today to see how it can benefit your business!

Happy tracking!

– The Monitask Team