How Facial Recognition Can Support Remote Work

By Brian Wallace Brian Wallace has been verified by Muck Rack's editorial team
Published on October 29, 2022

For all the pain the COVID-19 pandemic has caused, many of the ways it changed work have been positive. Nearly half of all businesses in the US say remote work is here to stay. Remote workers report being significantly happier and more engaged than they were pre-pandemic. By 2025, over 1 in 5 of the whole workforce will be remote. For the jobs that can be done remotely, work from home will remain a common practice. Facial recognition and remote work can help.

The Challenges of Remote Work

Yet, a permanent transition to remote work comes with its own challenges. It is possible for a job to be too portable. 22% of remote workers find it difficult to unplug from their jobs. Over a third report working longer hours remotely than they did from the office. Because remote work comes with a degree of self-organization, it can be easy to become disorganized. Stressed workers lose the happiness and productivity benefits that came with remote work in the first place.

75% of remote workers experience stress and burnout at work. A gloomy statistic, indeed. But there is a silver lining; 90% of Americans feel refreshed after stepping away from their computer at lunch. They also had a more enjoyable workplace experience. Taking a lunch break isn’t just something mandated by law for some workers. It’s also a major source of relief.

Time Tracking Should be Easier

Taking a lunch break is just one way remote employees can track the time they spend working. Time tracking can help employees identify where their time is being spent. Once workers know what tasks are a time sink, they can prioritize what is most important to them. Tracking allows workers to schedule appropriate breaks and time off for themselves. On the employer’s side, time tracking increases transparency and accountability between management and employees.

What are the most effective ways to track time? 38% of employees still use paper timesheets and punch cards in the US. These simple note taking methods may work for small startups, but they aren’t particularly efficient. Excel or Google Sheet timesheets are similarly unwieldy once a business hits a certain number of employees. Prior to the pandemic, key cards and biometric data were gaining popularity for tracking workers’ entry to the office. As convenient and scalable as they can be, remote workers don’t generally have scanners at their desks.

The newest option for tracking employee work hours is facial recognition software. Facial recognition allows a software program to scan a worker’s face at login and logout. This way, both remote and on-site workers don’t have to fill out timesheets. Implemented correctly, facial recognition won’t be fooled by photos or lookalikes, making its readings hard to falsify. Certain programs can work via Android, Apple, or web browser, making them accessible on any device.

In Conclusion

Concerns with excessive monitoring may arise from facial recognition, but the advantages of the system are worth discussion. Using facial recognition to track work hours can allow a distributed workforce more time for their tasks. Sign-ins can be instant, accurate, and convenient for all remote workers. See more about facial recognition and remote work in the infographic below:

How Facial Recognition makes Remote Work More Seamless and Less Distributed - TrackTime24.com
Source: TrackTime24.com

By Brian Wallace Brian Wallace has been verified by Muck Rack's editorial team

Brian Wallace is a Columnist at Grit Daily. He is an entrepreneur, writer, and podcast host. He is the Founder and President of NowSourcing and has been featured in Forbes, TIME, and The New York Times. Brian previously wrote for Mashable and currently writes for Hacker Noon, CMSWire, Business 2 Community, and more. His Next Action podcast features entrepreneurs trying to get to the next level. Brian also hosts #LinkedInLocal events all over the country, promoting the use of LinkedIn among professionals wanting to grow their careers.

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