Hourly workers report widespread time-tracking discrepancies

A survey of more than 830 hourly workers has revealed widespread discrepancies in time-tracking and workplace productivity. The report indicates that 43% of respondents have adjusted their reported hours to misrepresent actual time worked, with 17% doing so on a daily or weekly basis.

Common practices identified include “buddy punching,” where 1 in 4 workers have clocked in or out for a colleague, or had a colleague do so for them. Additionally, 45% of workers reported clocking in without actively working, such as by clocking in before a shift begins or failing to clock out for lunch.

Regarding personal distractions, 55% of hourly workers handle personal texts, calls, or emails during shifts, and 83% admit to spending some time at work on personal matters. Despite these findings, 79% of workers believe their managers review time cards closely, while 66% of respondents stated that increased monitoring would not change their behavior.