Biometric attendance machines are in demand around the world. Biometric solutions are widely owned by government agencies, banks, multinational organizations, institutions, and hospitals. Technology is advanced to enhance the quality of our lives. Several aspects of our lives are made of high standards thanks to it. Biometric technology is also an innovative technology that has enabled us to better our daily lives in a significant way.
However, we are true believers in the fact that “ great power comes with great responsibility”. The same is the case with biometric technology as well. Even though biometrics is created excitement with all the good features, automation has its own limitations too. And, in comparison to its most familiar advantages, we know barely about the disadvantages of these biometric attendance machines. And why they should not be part of your payroll system
Why You Don’t Need to Install Attendance Machines:
The development of a biometric attendance machine indeed has its own perks; however, it accompanies its own set of challenges as well. Following are the limitations associated with the use of biometric attendance machines and merging them with your payroll system.
1. Biometric Attendance machine Systems Outdated:
Work customs have been changing abruptly, specifically in the aftermath of the pandemic. Hybrid work is now getting into the culture. The present work culture and practices require a dynamic system. However, biometrics machines can only be evolved to a certain limit. These machines are impractical when we have to consider the staff working from home or working in the field or employees attending office for a couple of days in a month. These machines provide no services for newly evolved needs of a workplace like hot-desking and other such developing requirements.
As such, these systems are now totally obsolete and just cannot meet the challenges faced by a rapidly evolving hybrid work culture.
2. Limited Capability:
Biometrics attendance machines have very restricted capabilities because the software installed in these devices is not up to date. It cannot compete with the latest software/ platforms now available in the market. These latest software offer analytics, central visibility, real-time reports, leave management, random checks, in-out passes, etc. These machines just cannot support these multiple tasks which are basic to an advanced Attendance Management System.
3. Privacy Breach:
A biometric attendance machine device involves the use of physical traits such as iris, fingerprints, palm veins, etc. that cannot be altered. It’s feasible to reset or change passwords, but not fingerprints, palm veins, and retinas. Any firm or company offering these services may gather our biometric data. If the data were stolen, they couldn’t alter’ their identification features as they could reset their passwords during a security breach.
4. Prone to Error:
Biometric attendance is not accurate or absolute. There are mostly two types of omissions involved in biometric devices. There are chances of a False Acceptance Rate (FAR) and False Rejection Rate (FRR). When the device approves an unauthorized individual, it is said to be FAR, and when it rejects an authorized individual it is called FRR. In certain devices, a high error rate may result in havoc for the entire security system. The reason could be physical conditions, weather, infirmity, etc. an error rate of 1% can lead to agitation in a large-scale authentication process,
5. Cost:
The cost of biometric attendance devices is not pocket-friendly, especially when compared with previously used devices. Although, it is true that fingerprint recognition systems are more cost-effective than ever, for smaller corporations. But the cost of installation and maintenance charges can still be a hurdle to implementation. In the case of multi-location corporations, this cost could be restricted.
6. Scanner issue:
In multi-national companies, some biometric attendance devices take longer than expected. Hence a long queue of employees stands by to be enrolled. In these cases, people have trouble scanning biometric devices every day. A person considers it hassles when he/she has to undergo a biometric verification process every day while entering an office, school, or other workplaces.
7. Complexity:
A major drawback of biometric machines is the technicality and complexity of the entire process. The non-technical person will feel like a rare bird while trying to learn the system. The companies hire an expert and trained programmers to develop the systems. For non-technical maintenance staff, the biometric device is a black box.
8. Biometric Attendance Machine is Unhygienic:
There are a number of biometric modalities. Many of them involve contact-based methods, such as fingerprint scanners and palm vein ink scanners, while others involve contactless methods, such as face and iris recognition. A wide range of people uses a biometric device daily in contact-based modes.
In the current scenario, it can be a means of viral spread and should be replaced with a contactless attendance system like a facial recognition attendance system.
9. Physical disability:
Some people aren’t lucky enough to be able to go through the enrolment process. Perhaps they have damaged or lost body parts such as eyes or fingers. It’s a popular fact that manual laborers who use their limbs in course of their work, tend to deprive their fingerprints. It would be both offensive and embarrassing to use a fingerprint/iris recognition device in this type of affair.
10. Environment and Usage matter:
With biometrics-based authentication, the results/measurement can be regulated by environmental factors or by the way the device is used. Especially in colder regions, the error rate is high, which creates unnecessary troubles and disappointments throughout the system.
Developing businesses should make sure that the integrated software selected has the margin to grow with business demands. Million is the best and finest payroll software in Malaysia, especially for small enterprises. Suitable payroll software can save your precious time and money through automated technology. Million offers free trials to its valuable customers. The software can handle tax systems in accordance with Malaysian regulations. The limitations associated with biometric attendance being a part of your payroll system are the major concerns of Million.