There is no legal obligation to record working hours in Germany. Only an EU law obliges the recording of overtime. Our legislator has been working for some time on the drafting of a corresponding directive to protect workers. However, the topic is hotly debated throughout Germany and has not yet led to any result.
One might think that a legal obligation to record working hours contradicts contemporary employee management. With home office, digitalisation and flexible working time models, employers want to grant their employees more mobility, self-determination and impose less control!
That is correct. However, one does not exclude the other. According to a 2019 study, recording working hours leads to a more relaxed and healthier working relationship. A control over the maximum working time of 10 hours per day and the documentation of overtime make perfect sense for both parties. Annoying discussions are avoided because clearly defined working hours leave no room for argument.
It is not uncommon for a lack of documentation of working hours to break the fence and lead to legal disputes. An unnecessary dispute that could be avoided with a system like ZEUS® Time & Attendance from ISGUS. From a purely legal point of view, a uniform regulation is therefore a clear advantage and speaks in favour of a legal obligation to record working hours.
But working time recording is also important from the employee's point of view. This is shown by an evaluation of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA). Many companies already use time recording systems in-house, but far fewer do so for home office arrangements or teleworking. This refutes the idea that workers take advantage of these freedoms and pursue other activities in addition to their duties. Rest breaks and closing time are often ignored and overtime is the order of the day. Checking emails in the evening or finishing a presentation on Sunday morning are not uncommon. Clear rules are needed for these people so that they do not overstep their boundaries and endanger their health. It becomes clear that the great room for manoeuvre in trust-based working hours is used much less than one might think.
Whether regulated by law or voluntary, in any case these arguments speak clearly in favour of using a system for recording working time, such as ZEUS® Time & Attendance from ISGUS. The Time & Attendance system does not restrict a modern working time model; on the contrary, it is an important tool for enabling mobile working and flexibility for employees. Advancing digitalisation allows for a trusting and good working relationship in spite of a controlling authority. The ZEUS® Time & Attendance system is a module of the ISGUS product world. In combination with other ISGUS ZEUS® software and hardware solutions, such as automatic Access Control, Plan Data Collection or Staff Scheduling, complex operational processes can be easily combined, automated and efficiently mapped.
