Interesting facts

The history of time and attendance terminals

One of the first time clocks was invented on November 20, 1888, by Willard Le Grand Bundy, a jeweler from Auburn, New York. Although some even older time clocks may exist, there were some improvements in Bundy’s design; for example, each worker had his own key.

Time clock by brothers Bundy from 1889.

In 1900, the time recording business of Bundy Manufacturing, along with two other time equipment businesses, was consolidated into the International Time Recording Company (ITR).

In 1911, ITR and three other companies formed Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR), which later changed its name to IBM. An example of time clock, made by IBM, is pictured below (on the right). The face shows employee numbers which would be dialed up by employees entering and leaving the factory. The day and time of entry and exit was punched onto cards inside the box.

1907
1911
Different time clocks in 1914.

This is how work time registration looked like more than half a century ago.

A few more examples of older time clocks.

The firs electronic time recorders were made around 1990.

Identification of employees today is possible with radio frequency (RFID) technology or biometrics (fingerprint, iris pattern, …), while administration programs enable complete calculation of working time of the employees. Employees can also enter their all-day absences on the terminal, reserve holidays and have an overview of their status of working hours.

Time and attendance terminals by Epiko d.o.o.

References:

http://www.staffingtalk.com/history-time-clocks-vintage-pictures

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_clock

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