CARMEL, IND. - April 28,
2009 - Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies announced today that, according
to Nucleus Research (Boston) in a just-published Report/White Paper commissioned
by Schlage biometrics group, "using biometrics to automate collection of
time and attendance data can reduce buddy punching (one employee clocking in
or out for another), manual data review and correction time, and payroll error.
The Schlage HandPunch provides additional benefits over other biometric technologies
by using hand geometry to increase reliability and reduce privacy concerns.
Deployed properly, HandPunch can deliver a payback in fewer than nine months."
"Companies should consider
investments in time and attendance applications as a low-risk, low-cost way
to reduce payroll costs and improve productivity," said Rebecca Wettemann,
VP of Research for Nucleus Research. "Advanced biometrics, such as those
that use hand geometry, can greatly improve accuracy and virtually eliminate
'buddy punching' for even greater ROI."
According to Nucleus Research,
a healthcare user found that it was "able to significantly reduce buddy
punching by moving from paper time cards that could be shared or borrowed to
the HandPunch system." Other customers found that moving to the HandPunch
eliminated the need for error-prone and time-consuming intervention by a supervisor
when employees forget badges.
For time/attendance/payroll
use, employees use the keypad - or a bar coded, proximity or smart card - on
the HandPunch to enter their ID number and then place their hand in the hand
reader. The reader simultaneously analyzes more than 31,000 points of the hand's
length, width, thickness and surface area and instantaneously records more than
90 separate measurements to verify users.
The image of their hand
placed on the reader is compared to the "template" stored in the system's
memory. If the current image matches the template, the employee's identity is
verified. Total time required for verification is less than 1 second. Because
every person's hand is unique, the hand reader provides a quick, accurate, and
reliable way to record In and Out punches for each employee.
As such, Nucleus Research
found, "deploying HandPunch enables organizations to reduce the time required
for employee identification and punching in or out" as well the "time
required to supervise the process and the amount of manual verification of information
on hours worked."
HandPunch time recording
also improves management reporting and operational visibility, Nucleus found.
"Managers …have better visibility into employee work habits and locations
- resulting in better tactical monitoring as well as audit capabilities."
The biometric readers also provide improved legal compliance. Such systems "reduce
the costs and liabilities associated with ensuring compliance with employment
regulations and union rules and reduce the potential cost of fines or legal
action."
Nucleus Research also found
advantages of hand geometry readers over other biometric technologies. Among
them were -
• "Fingerprint scanners may not recognize employees if their fingers are dirty or swollen, or if prints from others remain on the device,"
• "The HandPunch adapts its biometric template for a specific user over time, effectively learning to change as users change."
• "Deploying a system with high reliability and accuracy eliminated (the likelihood that) employees will take advantage of inaccuracies to request manual corrections that inflate payroll, which Nucleus found some employees still did with fingerprint scanning systems."
• The hand geometry system improves privacy concerns. Only a mathematical algorithm of the image is saved plus the HandPunch does not recognize surface details such as prints or tattoos that could be used to invade privacy.
• Hand geometry readers cannot leave an image of their three-dimensional hand image behind while fingerprints can be left behind on fingerprint scanners.
• There is no law enforcement link with the HandPunch.
The Report/White Paper concludes
that "deploying HandPunch virtually eliminates payroll errors associated
with buddy punching and can deliver significant return by reducing the cost
of payroll, particularly in environments where dirt, dust, wet conditions or
other circumstances limit the accuracy of fingerprint scanners."
For a copy of the Report/White
Paper without searching, interested parties can go directly to http://handpunch.schlage.com/.
For other information, go
to www.biometrics.schlage.com.
About Nucleus Research
Nucleus Research, Inc. is the leading provider of investigative information
technology research and advisory services. Since 2000 our analysts have delivered
insight and guidance to help our clients make the best decisions every day.
Advising both vendors of technology and the organizations that use technology,
we continue to uncover information that no one else can provide. We have a unique
analyst team. Our analysts are experienced technology experts who concentrate
on specific solution areas. They use their technology understanding blended
with a financially focused investigative approach to uncover the value technology
can provide. Our clients include many of the Fortune 1000, numerous mid-sized
organizations, state, federal, and international government organizations, and
almost every leading technology vendor.