WITH the pandemic seeing a permanent change to the working landscape comes the question of how to effectively monitor productivity and accountability.

A huge shift in working patterns now sees people coming into the office an average of just 1.4 days a week compared with nearly four days a week pre-Covid, according to a recent report.

The Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) Hybrid Working Index study, conducted during June and July this year, found that on an average day two-thirds of desks are unused and just over a quarter of people are coming into offices, with the attendance figure dropping to just 12 per cent on Fridays.

Nel Woolcott, managing director of Peterborough-based Anne Corder Recruitment says that as a result, some businesses may be faced with the challenge of accurately monitoring employee productivity, delivery of client budgets and meeting deadlines.

She said: “Love them or loathe them, time sheets seem to really be coming into their own for some employers post-pandemic.

“They have always been an essential business tool in terms of time management and accountability, but perhaps even more so in the current climate of hybrid working.

“Whether businesses are still using paper versions or work with digital alternatives, we wanted to gather employer thoughts, and the results from our own online poll make for interesting reading.”

The survey revealed that:

• 36 per cent of respondents said they didn’t use time sheets in any format.
• Just over a quarter (27 per cent) said time sheets are used to monitor billable hours and staff time management.
• Just nine per cent said all staff within the business were required to fill out time sheets.

Nel added: “What is very clear is that time sheets remain a vital tool for many businesses who continue to support remote and hybrid working staff in helping them to achieve productivity and remain part of the team despite not having a permanent presence in the office.

“For businesses that outsource their services to other customers, time management and financial accountability are also vital in these times.”