When this company started at the start of the millennium, biometrics technology was a novelty. The oohs and aahs of discovering a new technology, and the market were instantly attracted to the level of security biometrics had to offer. Fast forward 16 years, the market is still very much excited about biometrics solutions because it provides exclusive authentication of every user with the use of fingerprint and facial recognition like no other security technology could. According to a recently released TechSci Research Report “Global Biometrics Market By Type, By End Use Sector, By Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 – 2021”, the global biometrics market is projected to surpass $ 24.8 billion by 2021. The market for biometrics is still fairly large and continues growing. In tandem with biometrics popularity however, other technologies also are making their way into the market share, and gaining tractions from the developers, system integrators and users alike.

NFC and Beacon are the two technologies riding the wave of BYOD, bring your own device and the iOT, Internet of Things concept. Both are using the smartphones to read information transmitted by the devices installed all around. The utilization of these technologies is highly dependent on the developers’ objectives, and for FingerTec, we keep our focus intact in the workforce and security industry, adding options for our customers to choose.

The first product to be deployed at TimeTec with NFC technology is TimeTec Patrol mobile app solution at www.timetecpatrol.com. The Patrol app is designed to read the signal transmitted by the NFC tags via the smartphone and transmit the data back to the cloud server for information. The NFC tag is first loaded with information during registration that is useful for patrol solution and each tag is unique for reference.  

Patrol routes are determined for patrolling guards to know the direction of their duty and they are responsible to report incidents back to the post to ensure safety. By having these NFC tags installed along designated routes, patrolling guards are instructed to tap on each tag on that route in the given time provided and report incident encountered instantly via their smartphone and all information will be pushed to TimeTec cloud server for instant access of information.

In brief, the NFC technology enables real-time monitoring and the deployment of this technology is affordable by utilizing the readily available smartphones, the mobile app, the inexpensive NFC tags and the convenient cloud solution. TimeTec Patrol app will be available around the corner for security practitioners to benefit from.

FingerTec will then move on to NFC attendance for TimeTec TA and the initial research on Beacon technology has been carried out to assimilate this technology into our product portfolio. Technology evolves and we have to move with the trend and time in order to penetrate into new market and to provide various options to our customers. There are various elements to be considered in the development of a certain technology, and mobility, accessibility, convenience as well as affordability top the list of yays that we need to achieve with NFC and Beacon technologies.

As usage of smartphones and Internet gets worldwide, tapping on wireless technology is definitely inevitable. Follow our FB page FingerTec Worldwide and subscribe to  FingerTec Newsletter for NFC solution’s announcement soon.

The intricacy of the modern world poses a lot of challenges in managing today’s workforce. Handling workforce and work time are not as straightforward as taking note when somebody comes to work at 9 and leaves at 6pm, for example. Work hour is not only limited to what an employer needs from their employees, it also has to fulfill employee rights according to the law. An employee can’t simply request to work overtime at anytime they please just to finish the job and earn more money but it has to adhere to the company’s budget, the labor law and overall ROI. An employer cannot demand an employee to work more than a certain hour daily to increase productivity, and the employee can’t work less than the agreed work time in the employment contract without consequences.

Managing workforce requires an application that can cater to compliances while keeping your company costs at its optimum level. 

Labor law of one’s country governs the work hours and the overtime imposed and taken by employer and employee. Malaysia for example, by law each employee is required to work 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. Maximum total overtime allowed is 12 hours per day and 104 hours per month. Working overtime on a weekday entitles an employee to a 1.5 times wages calculation and 2 times if overtime happens on weekend rest days or holidays. Each employee should be given 1 day a week rest, 30 hours a week rest for shift workers, 30 minutes minimum break after 5 hours work and 45 minutes minimum break in 8 hours of work. While the rules sound simple to follow but without a proper application to monitor, abiding by these rules could pose a challenge to many companies. 

Mexico has different sets of labor law that limits only 3 hours per day overtime and a maximum of 9 hours overtime per week. The overtime is calculated twice the fixated wages in the first 9 hours and 3 times if it exceeds 9 hours. An employee should be given a one-day rest in a week and 30 minutes minimum break in 9 hours of work. Vietnam, on the other hand, allows a maximum overtime of 4 hours per day and 200 hours per year where the overtime will be paid 1.5% higher than the existing salary during weekdays and double during rest days.

Hence, when buying time attendance system, the software needs to have all these compliances settings in place. At FingerTec, our software TimeTec V3 and TimeTec TA provide users with the compliance settings for work hours, breaks and overtime to protect your company from getting fines and penalties for breaking the labor law, intentionally or ignorantly.

Ask yourself this, have your staffs been taking more overtime hours than permitted by law or you are not in the know?

Have they been taking breaks as required or they just stay in the office without recording proofs of breaks?

Has your Human Resource department been calculating their overtime right according to the labor rate or they forgot?

Bury the loopholes and start having a system that complies with the law and frees yourself from worries. And best of all, stick to a system that gives you automation and cost-effectiveness at the same time. Try FingerTec at info@fingertec.com

Change in inevitable and for those who refused to change will be left behind. It’s true.

I just came back from my vacation and everything was done self-service at the comfort of our own home and our own pace. Flight tickets were booked and paid online, visa applications were settled and paid online, accommodation bookings were made and paid online, our car for hire were booked and paid online, theme parks ticket were purchased and paid online; okay you get the drift of the ‘doing things online’ bit.

My point is, nowadays people are so used to doing things on their own, online, without hesitation or worry. In fact, it’s becoming uncommon for people to engage with agencies in traveling related matters these days or they might be labeled as ‘old school’ should they continue to do so. Online stores have seeped into our lives, threatening the very existence of brick and mortar shops, and making all-day shopping dream a reality for many women. 

After 8 hours of flight, we arrived at midnight and there was no reception working overtime to wait for us; the cost of labor is too high to wait for a few customers who arrive at wee hours. We were instructed to open a safe and they left us a key to the apartment and a HID tag to enter the building. We did everything on our own without any problems, frustrations or arguments. A big plus point, imho. 

My point is, the world has become automated that we are tuned to be independent. Automation in our life and our workplace are unavoidable. In the office, all departments are using Google Drive to connect shared data with relevant team members. Skype has been one of the most important communication tools to connect us with other colleagues effectively, reducing noise and unnecessary awkwardness and waste of time. Many argued that the automation technology reduces human interactions and development, but believe me, in developing these solutions, user experience, and user interaction have been made priorities. 

When we first started with fingerprint technology, never have we thought that the solution will be available online and on mobile phones. Fast forward 15 years, the solution is on the Internet and mobile, making things easy(er) for everybody. FingerTec allows its data to be viewed online at the comfort of your own space and pace, and managers in charge can think of the effective remedy if any noncompliance and attendance anomalies occur to reduce cost and increase effectiveness of the operation. 

In keeping up with the pace of today's business, FingerTec is offering automation for workforce management with FingerTec biometrics devices and TimeTec TA cloud application. Use our fingerprint and face biometrics product to monitor your workforce and keep an eye on every activity in the paid times without being intrusive with TimeTec TA. 

The world is getting older but somehow, unlike us humans, the world doesn’t seem to slow down. The world doesn’t change in size but somehow; it feels smaller and connected than ever. You can now work from any location in the world and be connected to your office with TimeTec TA. 

We don’t stop there; we carry on with other workforce cloud solutions to serve our clients in the future. 

I know it's cliche but change is truly inevitable and those who resist change will be fixated in time and be left behind. 

Mrs Norana Johar

Group Chief Operating Officer