tech

We all know what a timesheet is – it’s a way for employees to track their hours. However, the way we do business has changed enormously, and as you might expect, timesheets have adapted a great deal to meet new demands. If your business’s time-tracking software hasn’t evolved in recent years, then it might be holding you back and making life more difficult for everyone. So, what should you be looking for from a timesheet, and how should people be filling them in?

More Than Just Tracking Time

In the past, employees would just fill in a piece of paper, and the HR team would check it against their records. However, today, we have a much more mobile workforce, and tracking hours isn’t quite so simple. 

Naturally, timesheets have had to move online and offer added capabilities. Today, timesheets can offer added capabilities such as work cycles, and detailed insights into performance, making them an important tool. 

By making this software an important part of every-day business operations, it makes tracking a much more automatic process. 

Remote Workers 

Businesses have become much more flexible, and many employees are now based out of the office. This would make it much more difficult to track people’s hours, but software from places such as peoplexcd.com make this much easier for businesses. By setting up automated alerts and allowing employees to keep track of things like paid leave, you make it much simpler for people to track and view their hours. 

The other thing to remember is security. It’s something we’re accustomed to hearing about in the modern world, but cyber-security is a big issue, and you need to be able to provide your employees with a safe way to log their hours, no matter where they are. 

They’ve Got to be Simple

You want your employees and contractors to spend their time doing the things they’re good at, not filling in a timesheet. Of course, keeping track of hours is important, but if people are spending their hours filling out the sheet, then it’s not productive. Modern timesheets aim to make keeping track of hours as simple as possible, and this is vitally important. 

If you make it difficult to fill out timesheets, then compliance will drop. You’ve got to make sure accuracy is maintained, but it’s got to be a simple process. 

Software Matters

Technology in business is always improving, and in many cases, it’s making our lives much easier. A big part of this is the improvement in software, and a prime example of this is in HR. 

Good software brings many aspects of HR together, making life easier for everyone. Timesheet software is no different, and it’s something that can benefit your business, your HR team, and your employees. The right software gives people a central place where they can log in and quickly get important information, and this is exactly what you need in the modern-day. 

The right software will make your process more efficient and ensure greater accuracy.

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After the year that we have just had, it is hardly a surprise that people are embarking upon 2021 with uncertainty and some amount of indecision. In a strictly metaphorical sense (for the moment, at least), the world has been knocked off of its axis and the coming year is one that will surely be hard to predict. If you feel like you didn’t get much done in 2020, then you’re not alone. The same is true of – probably – most of us. 

There’s some good news in that. On balance, most people would agree that simply making it through 2020 was achievement enough. At certain points in the year, you could have been forgiven for wondering if it would happen. In addition, for many of us the past year has been a reminder of the lack of true control we have in life, and an added incentive to take a look at the things we can control with a more critical eye. Now that we find ourselves in a new year, there is the chance for a new you: financially, personally and in a number of other ways.

Of course, it’s tricky to build for an uncertain future, and right now we’re still pretty uncertain about a lot. But you can get the basis of a plan together and look with hope to the future, and below are some ideas on how you can begin to do that.

Work-Life Balance

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Our emotional response to the pandemic and lockdown in 2020 went through the whole breadth of the palette, from fear to hope to horror to optimism and through all the other shades. At some stage, if you were furloughed from work, there’s a chance you felt relieved to be able to have some time at home; it’s a normal reaction given how many hours we spend commuting, working and talking about work in the average week.

For some of us, 2021 means still being furloughed, or worse, being without a job entirely. In the latter case, it is vitally important to make sure you are aware of any financial aid from which you may be able to benefit. Another round of stimulus checks seems to be around the corner, and there is also scope for finding new jobs in the response to the pandemic. You may also find yourself in a position where working from home is the norm, not the response to a crisis, and where you can choose your own hours.

Customer service, freelance writing, and online tutoring are all possibilities which can be explored, and they offer the opportunity to turn working from home into a business going forward.

Finances

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The last year has been seismic in terms of its impact on people’s finances. While sheltering in place, how you make money and how you use it have both been subject to change. Whether or not your household budget survived the year, it seems like now would be an ideal time to start making some in-depth changes to your financial outlook so that it is equipped to deal with the changed world.

One step that can work for you is refinancing your mortgage, especially if you have by now paid down a significant amount of the principal. A refinance will allow you to pay less per month, be paid off sooner, or to unlock some equity in your mortgage that allows you to make other much-needed adjustments. Either way, there are benefits to looking at your options.

Perhaps the wisest thing to do with any additional money – whether from a refinance or from work where you don’t have to commute – is to create a fund that you can dip into should things get urgent at any time. While things are in a state of flux, having a contingency fund is a sensible step to take.

Personal

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It has been very easy, in the recent past, to become the kind of person who absorbs. So much is going on, and it’s standard to sit, take it in and react to it. In the last year or so, many of us have been on the “absorb” setting more or less non-stop. 2020 was full of jokes and memes about how long the year seemed to go on, and now that 2021 is here, some people are referring to it as 2020: Season Two. 

It can be overwhelming, and it is certainly easy to be overcome by how much is happening, but in 2021 you have the chance to assert more of yourself, and there is no better way to do that than find a specific purpose. Devoting yourself to a purpose allows you to feel less like an extra in the ongoing psychodrama that is this world, and to become more of a recurring character. It gives you motivation and whether it’s doing more for charity, learning another language, or any other thing, it is an opportunity to change something, rather than watching change happen.

Many of us would admit we have become stuck in a rut, and in some ways that might have been the case even before the pandemic – but this new year can bring the impetus, and the global situation can offer the opportunity, to change things up for the better.

Educational

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You’re never too old to learn something new. There is no doubt that the world post-2020 is going to need to recover, and there is going to be an element of rebuilding required after so many businesses have fallen prey to the events of these tumultuous times. It is a crisis, and that’s a negative for sure, but every crisis holds within it the seeds of opportunity. To be ready for a world in which the message seems to be “let’s build back better”, it might be worth upskilling.

The world was already tilting towards a more online future, but 2020 has accelerated the pace of this change and it is going to be all the more vital from 2021 onwards. If you are looking for a way to be in the vanguard of change, increasing your tech-savviness will be a start. Learning how to do things like build an app, create online stores using SaaS platforms, or offer a service online that you used to do in the analog world, are all possibilities if you’re prepared to learn how. 

Increasingly, people are finding that the best way to learn is by doing. Sit down at your computer and download the platforms you need: the likes of Appy Pie are popular for app-building, Shopify and WooCommerce are used by many to build online stores, and Zoom has enjoyed a year of unforeseen publicity as people take their services online. There are plenty more platforms out there that will help you do whatever you want to do digitally, and if you have some spare time as a result of recent events, it can be productively used.

We’ve all lived through the kind of year which, while not exactly unprecedented, seemed to be the stuff of dystopian fantasy until it happened. It means a lot of us are looking at the world and ourselves in a different way. The chance to really change things, in a way that New Year resolutions never truly manage, is one that we can all take now. Think of a few things you really want to do – perhaps from the above list – and decide to make the future a better place for you and yours. Are you ready to take the first step?

Are your finances getting in the way of your exquisite aesthetic? They don’t need to, as there are many ways to maintain your style without having to constantly worry about the depletion of your fashion fund. 

If you are hoping to look good and feel good in these trying times, here are some useful tips for when the going gets tough on you and your wallet. 

Accessorize 

Like the olive in the Martini and the lights on a Christmas tree, accessories can help to elevate your look to the next level, whilst staying both classy and inexpensive. 

• The value of a great belt – A beautiful belt can be cost efficient and tie your entire look together, sometimes literally. Whether you wear it for a statement, or a touch of subtle class, a belt can help revitalize your entire look.
• Hair accessories – A bow is simple, inexpensive and delicately glamourous. Investing in a bow can be a superb way of brightening up your style.
• Right down to the socks – Animal print or vibrantly colored socks are great for livening up your look, taking some time to see which colors work together with the rest of your outfit can work wonders when creating a fashion forward aesthetic. 

Self-Indulgence

Sometimes you might find yourself wanting to eat some truly decadent confectionary. Allowing yourself to indulge in some delicious food on occasion can leave you feeling fulfilled and elated. 

There’s no need to feel guilty if you let yourself enjoy some of the finer things from time to time, as after a hard year you deserve a present. You might want to check out a range of scrumptious chocolates from Dallmann if you want that precise flavor of class, without breaking the bank.

Exploring Your Color Palette

It is quite possible that exploring the color palette is something that gets overlooked. If you take some time find yourself a free online color palette, you can start to match up your existing outfits and find a new look altogether. 

One of the best parts to this is that it is completely free, and discovering the color that best suits you can help you hunt for those bargains with a renewed sense of direction. 

If you want to go down a reliable avenue, the color black is a tried and tested provider of classic style. 

Whatever the Weather

Even if you are simply popping out for a walk or to grocery store, taking the time to apply some lipstick is a great way of building confidence and allowing yourself to feel classy, no matter the situation, whatever the weather. 

Living with Confidence

Feeling confident is a sought-after trait for many, as it helps to navigate daily routines with candor and satisfaction. Once you begin to bear in mind the option of staying classy whilst being able to save money, you might find that you do not have to worry about the unwanted strain of financial turbulence. 

Recognizing your strengths as an individual is a fantastic way to start nurturing that ever important feeling of self-confidence.

When organizing a wedding, setting a budget can be essential for keeping a lid on costs. Overspend on your wedding and you could end up having to take out large loans and debts that could make the next few years a financial struggle. This could cause you to regret your wedding day rather than looking back on it fondly.

On top of having a budget in place, you need to be able to break down that budget effectively so that all necessary costs are covered. This can be an area where couples commonly fail – it’s easy to overspend on one thing and then have to scrimp and save just to afford everything else.

By having a budget and knowing how to break down this budget, you can put on a wedding that’s affordable, while also not having to sacrifice too much. Below are just some of the main budgeting mistakes to avoid and what you should be doing instead.  

Not tracking costs

It’s important to keep a record of costs as you’re spending them so that you know exactly how much you’ve spent. If costs go untracked, you could find that you have less of your budget left than you expected.

You can track costs by buying a diary to document costs or by keeping notes on your phone. There are also apps that can help you to track your wedding budget. You can compare some of the best wedding budgeting apps at Paste Magazine.

Not considering the time, day, and season

The time, day, and season that you get married can have a big impact on the overall cost. This is something that shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your big day.

Summer is the peak season for weddings due to the greater chance of good weather. It’s also the most expensive time to get married. Opt for a winter, spring, or fall wedding and you could halve your wedding costs in some cases – because there’s less demand, vendors often offer deals to help attract business during these months.

The day you get married can also affect the cost. Weekend weddings are most popular because they don’t require as many guests to book time off work. Getting married on a weekday could result in reduced costs – venues often find it harder to attract business during the week and so often offer discounts to couples.

Finally, you should consider the time of day. In most cases, a morning wedding is cheaper than an afternoon wedding. This depends of course if you want to reserve the venue for the whole day – this will work out much more expensive and you’ll have to provide more food and drink, so maybe best avoided if you’re on a tight budget.

Some couples may have their hearts set on an afternoon weekend summer wedding. However, if this isn’t the case, consider taking advantage of the off-peak discounts that are out there.

Not booking far enough ahead

You can also save costs by booking far in advance. The closer you leave bookings to your wedding date, the less availability there’s likely to be when it comes to venues, photographers, caterers, and other professionals. You could find that all the best deals have gone, in which case you’ll be stuck hiring overpriced vendors. Some vendors may also charge more because they have less time to prepare – for instance, a wedding dress tailor may have less time to do alterations and may charge extra if they’re already queued up with clients.

Many of the vital aspects and most in-demand aspects – such as the venue, photographer, entertainment, and transport – should be booked six months to a year in advance so that you get the best choice and the best deals. Booking far ahead will also allow you to pay for things in installments, which could help you to spread out the costs.

Blowing most your budget on the dress

The dress is the biggest thing that couples overspend on. It’s all too easy to fall in love with a dress that is completely out of your price range. Buying this dress could then mean having to make compromises on everything else.

To avoid falling trap to this, set a separate dress budget within your overall budget, and only try on dresses that fall within this budget. Once you start trying on dresses that are outside your budget, you’re more likely to be tempted into overspending.

Remember that alterations can be an added cost to factor in. On average, people pay $250 to $450 on alterations – which can be a big chunk of money if you’re on a small budget.

Planning to slim into a dress – and failing

Some people deliberately buy a dress that is too small in order to spur them into losing weight before the big day. This is dangerous – if you don’t lose the weight, you could end up with a dress that doesn’t fit you. Last-minute alterations may be able to fix this, but in some cases, even this might not be an option, which means you’ll have to buy a new dress.

It’s easier to alter a dress that’s too big than a dress that’s too small. For this reason, you should always buy a dress in your current size – if you do lose weight between now and your wedding day it might be easier to adjust it.

Underestimating the cost of an outdoor wedding

An outdoor wedding might seem like an opportunity to save costs, particularly if you’re getting married on land that you own. However, it can work out more expensive than many people assume due to all the extras that are necessary.

A few of the extra costs that come with an outdoor wedding include marquee hire (important in case it rains), electric generator hire (for lighting and entertainment), table and chair hire, portable toilet hire, and specialist equipment hire (for instance, a DJ may charge more for use of outdoor speakers).  

Outdoor weddings can cost as low as $4000 (which is a lot slower than the average $29,200 indoor wedding), however, they can be just as expensive as indoor weddings if you hire expensive land to get married on or overspend on outdoor equipment. This Wayfaring Weddings guide to outdoor wedding costs could be worth a read to help you understand how you can save costs.

Inviting too many guests

The more guests you invite, the bigger the venue you’ll need, and the more food and drink you’ll have to supply. Consequently, you should be careful about letting your wedding invite list explode.

Consider having only your closest circle of friends and family at the ceremony and meal – the reception can be a chance to invite everyone else. Understand the costs that come with each person so that you can work this into your budget. If you’re inviting kids along, consider whether there may be discounts (if you’re planning a sit-down meal, any kid’s meals should be cheaper than adult meals). 

Not knowing your numbers

Not keeping track of how many people you’ve invited could also cause you to overspend. This could include ordering too many invites or paying for more meals than is necessary.

Make sure that you know precisely how many guests you’ve invited. It can also be important for preventing the opposite problem – which is not ordering enough food and drinks or not supplying enough chairs.

Overlooking all the small extras

A lot of couples get side-tracked by the big costs and forget about all the little extras such as the guest book, wedding invites, licenses, and wedding favors. These extras can add up, so make sure to include them within your budget.

You may be able to find deals online such as these discounts on MagnetStreet’s wedding thank you cards. These deals are worth hunting for – lots of small savings could result in big savings overall. You may be able to DIY some of these extras without affecting the overall quality of your day (such as making your own invites). This could be another way to save some money providing that you’ve got the time and resources.   

Not reading the small print

Last but not least, you should be careful of hidden costs included in the small print. These hidden costs can often catch couples out and add huge amounts to the overall wedding bill.

For instance, some vendors may charge extra service fees, travel fees and money for equipment hire than may not be included in the initial price. Venues meanwhile may bill extra if you stay over your allotted time even for a few minutes. 

By reading the small print, you can get a good idea of what is included before committing to anything. If you believe that may be billing errors or there are extras included that you don’t want, make sure to bring this up with vendors to avoid paying for more than is necessary.