Sliding Doors and Windows is a leading bespoke supplier of windows and doors for the new-build industry. Based in Newton Abbot, in picturesque Devon, the company is known for its high-quality products and exceptional craftsmanship.
(But it hit a wall in 2023 as managing the time and attendance of its multi-skilled workforce became increasingly challenging. Its employees, who predominantly worked in a very busy factory, had highly variable shift patterns – and manually tracking their whereabouts was leading to frequent errors, payroll delays, administrative burdens and mounting frustrations).
In 2023, a decision was made to review how time and attendance was managed, as it became unbearable with current practices. Operations involve a multi-skilled workforce with variable shift patterns in a very busy factory and fitters attending client sites. Manually tracking their whereabouts and capturing accurate time data was causing errors, payroll delays and frustration for all concerned.
The company urgently needed a new solution to help it unlock efficiencies, raise the roof on productivity and swing the doors wide open to future success.
Our solution
Sliding Doors and Windows explored several workforce management solutions – but Nextra’s Time and Attendance product emerged as the obvious choice to streamline their operations. Not only did the product fit their requirements, but Nextra’s team of technical and business experts took the time to listen to them, understand their needs and design a solution that would propel their business forward.
We took time-tracking to the cloud – automating the entire process, removing the need for manual entries and significantly reducing the administrative overhead. The data entered by our workforce was fed into the payroll system in real time, ensuring for the first time that hours worked were tracked with precision.
We fine-tuned the accuracy of their attendance data by installing a wall-mounted biometric fingerprint reader in the SDW factory for staff to use when clocking in and out. This technology provided a secure and dependable method for time tracking, eliminating issues such as “buddy punching” – when one employee asks another employee to clock in on their behalf – and guaranteeing that only the actual hours worked were recorded.
To turn this data into actionable insights, we designed custom reports on payroll and timesheet activities, showing trends and anomalies in a way that helped SDW’s leadership team make intelligent decisions. These reports integrated seamlessly with the existing payroll system, minimising errors and ensuring that payments were processed on time.
Tackling absenteeism, which was becoming a challenge for the company, we implemented a Bradford Factor report, which allowed the company to monitor and manage absenteeism more effectively. By identifying patterns of short-term absences that could impact productivity, SDW’s management team was able to take proactive steps to address attendance issues, supporting employee wellbeing and maintaining operational efficiency.
The results
Nextra’s solution didn’t just improve SDW’s approach to time and attendance; it sparked a company-wide digital transformation. By automating timesheets and introducing biometric clock-in/out, the employee experience was made significantly smoother – boosting morale and reducing administrative time and effort.
The Nextra solution was embraced by all employees, as it gave an element of self-management for their wellbeing, being able to see their rota’s and planning ahead.
Our bespoke reports ensured precise payroll calculations every time, minimising discrepancies and reducing the frequency of disputes. The biometric system added an extra layer of security, providing a tamper-proof method of recording attendance that effectively eliminated time theft. The significant gains in accuracy and timeliness reduced employee complaints, contributing to a more positive culture across the company.
Bradford Factor tracking allowed for more precise monitoring of absenteeism. This feature allowed managers to make timely interventions with problematic employees, supporting productivity and ensuring the company remained on track to meet its commercial targets.
The implementation marked a huge turning point in SDW’s digital transformation. Free from the administrative burdens that had occupied much of their time, SDW’s management renewed their focus on delivering high-quality bespoke windows and doors to the UK’s innovative new-build industry.
