Spring is upon us. And, as the saying goes, it’s almost time to “spring forward” and turn our clocks ahead one hour. Starting at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, daylight saving time will take effect.
For many of us, this means an extra cup of coffee. However, there’s more to it —employers must also take specific steps to ensure a smooth transition.
How to prepare for daylight saving time
1. Review employee schedules
If you have third-shift employees, review their schedules. If these employees are normally scheduled eight hours (e.g., 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), they will actually only work seven hours because of the time change. Make any adjustments to schedules as soon as possible, so employees aren’t caught off guard.
2. Establish a policy
Determine how to handle employees with hours impacted by daylight saving time. Many employees want as many hours as possible, so the loss of an hour’s pay may not sit well.
Consider your options. Some companies let employees work an extra hour during the work week. Others pay their employees for this hour, even if they don’t work it. Note, if you opt to pay employees for unworked hours, consult your state’s overtime laws because you may not need to include those hours in overtime calculations.
3. Communicate
To save you and your employees time and frustration, remind employees about the time change and let them know if their hours are impacted. This will help prevent tardiness and also give you an opportunity to address employee questions and concerns.
There are a ton of effective ways to communicate these updates. Hang a sign in the break room, add a note to check stubs, or send an email. Better yet, take advantage of technology to reach employees. For example, Payroll Data clients can use Orbit Solutions to communicate with employees via system notifications. Contact us if you have questions or need help setting up notifications.
4. Check time clocks
Confirm how your time clocks will handle the time change. Ideally, your clock should automatically update to reflect the accurate time (note: clocks offered by Payroll Data auto-update). But just remember, regardless of how sophisticated your time clocks are, it doesn’t hurt to have supervisors and managers review punches. This is the best way to ensure each employee’s time is properly recorded.
Current clients with questions regarding their clocks should email our support line at clocksupport@payrolldata.com.
It’s easier with a time and labor tool
If you’re not already taking advantage of time and labor tools, you could be missing out. To find out more about how Orbit Time and Labor can make seasonal transitions easier and save you time and trouble down the line, contact us today!
