CLIENTS

How Safeway Groups Streamlined Attendance Tracking and HR Compliance Using Zoho People and ZKT Biometric Devices

OVERVIEW

Safeway Groups, a leading Abu Dhabi-based interior design and fit-out company, faced challenges managing employee attendance across multiple sites. Manual processes and inconsistent application of overtime and grace period policies caused inefficiencies, compliance issues, and increased HR workload.

Febno Technologies implemented and configured Zoho People, fully integrated with ZKT biometric devices, to automate attendance management and centralize policy enforcement. The solution provided real-time visibility, standardized attendance rules, and significantly enhanced HR accuracy and operational efficiency.

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Project Overview:

Key Takeaways

  • Biometric attendance tracking is integrated seamlessly with Zoho People across all project locations.
  • Automated configuration of attendance rules, grace periods, and overtime policies.
  • Centralized HR dashboards delivering accurate, real-time attendance insights.
  • Reduced manual interventions and improved payroll precision.
  • Enhanced workforce visibility and compliance through hands-on training and policy automation.

Executive Summary

Established in 1985, Safeway Groups is one of Abu Dhabi’s most trusted interior design, décor, and build-to-fit-out companies. With nearly four decades of experience, the company is known for delivering world-class design solutions backed by a highly skilled workforce of engineers, designers, and project managers operating across the UAE.

As the company expanded, managing a growing workforce across multiple project sites became increasingly complex. Attendance tracking was manual, time-consuming, and error-prone. Attendance calculations and grace period policies were inconsistently applied, leading to payroll delays and compliance gaps.

Problem Statement and Key Challenges

Several recurring issues hindered Safeway Group’s HR operations:

  • Manual Attendance Tracking: Attendance was recorded manually or through outdated devices, making it difficult to capture accurate, consolidated data.
  • Inconsistent Policy Application: Different departments followed their own rules for grace periods and attendance, creating payroll inconsistencies.
  • Limited Real-time Insights: HR lacked a centralized system for monitoring attendance, absenteeism, or overtime trends.
  • Administrative Overload: The HR team spent several hours weekly reconciling attendance and preparing payroll reports manually.

Evaluation of the Problem

Febno Technologies conducted an in-depth assessment of Safeway Group’s HR operations and identified key process gaps:
  • Disconnected attendance devices and the lack of integration with any HR system.
  • Non-standardized attendance policies across departments.
  • High dependency on manual compilation for payroll accuracy.
The evaluation revealed the need for a centralized, cloud-based HR solution capable of integrating biometric devices, enforcing consistent policies, and providing real-time visibility into attendance and compliance metrics.

Proposed Solution

Febno Technologies recommended Zoho People as the ideal platform to digitize and streamline attendance operations.

Solution Highlights:

  • Biometric Integration with ZKT Devices: ZKT biometric devices were installed, configured, and linked directly with Zoho People to enable automatic, real-time syncing of attendance data.
  • Automated Policy Configuration: Grace period and attendance parameters were standardized across departments, ensuring fairness and compliance.
  • Centralized Attendance Dashboard: HR teams gained real-time access to employee attendance records and analytics through Zoho People’s reporting tools.
  • Training and Empowerment: Febno conducted interactive training sessions for HR and administrative staff to ensure seamless adoption and effective system utilization.

Implementation

The deployment was carried out by Febno Technologies efficiently and completed within two weeks. The scope of work included attendance module configuration, biometric integration, user training, and system validation.

  1. Device Setup: ZKT biometric attendance devices installed across project sites and integrated with Zoho People.
    • Device 1: ZKTco SA40 – with Access Controller (used for outside office door Punches).
    • Device 2: ZKT FR 1200 Reader (used for inside office door Punches).
  2. Configuration: Attendance rules and grace period parameters were customized as per company requirements.
  3. Training: HR team trained on Zoho People’s attendance management features, reporting tools, and compliance configurations.
  4. Testing & Go-Live: End-to-end testing conducted to ensure accurate data synchronization and reporting.

Result

The integration of Zoho People revolutionized Safeway Group’s attendance and HR compliance processes. The HR department now enjoys complete visibility, reduced administrative workload, and accurate data-driven reporting.

Key Outcomes:

  • 100% Automated Attendance Tracking: Attendance data is now captured and synced in real time from all ZKT devices.
  • Policy Consistency: Attendance and grace period rules are uniformly enforced across departments, reducing payroll discrepancies.
  • Improved Payroll Accuracy: Manual reconciliation errors have been eliminated, resulting in faster, more reliable payroll processing.
  • Enhanced HR Efficiency: HR staff report a 60% reduction in administrative effort previously spent on manual attendance management.
  • Better Compliance and Visibility: Managers now have access to centralized dashboards for monitoring attendance trends and compliance adherence.