Replicon Keeps A Close Watch On Employee Performance

Measuring the amount of time an employee spends on a job is easy. Measuring employee productivity is another matter--one that poses a challenge for project managers trying to determine accurate time expenditures when billing clients or projects. Workforce-management software supplier Replicon Inc. says it can help with an Internet-based application that tracks employee productivity in real time.

ProMax lets managers set productivity goals for employees, contract workers, projects teams, and departments. When employees enter their billable hours for the day into the software, they can immediately see how their time on the job measures up against expectations set for each individual or project team. Managers receive real-time notifications of employee productivity from the software and can immediately see if a project is running on time and spot potential problems.

While managers may appreciate the hands-on knowledge, the software's capability to measure productivity could raise concerns about employee privacy issues. Replicon CEO John Eddy insists the software will be well-received by both managers and employees. "It's a barometer to let an employee know 'where do I stand this month,' and 'where do I need to focus?'" he says. "We've found employees have a natural curiosity to compare their work performance against peers."

ProMax is the latest addition to an application suite from Replicon that tracks and manages time and expense data. FundTech Ltd., a Jersey City, N.J., developer of cash-management infrastructure software, recently implemented Replicon's WebTimeSheet 4.0, an application that tracks billable employee and project hours across international time zones and foreign currencies.

FundTech needed the software to manage its international professional services group, which develops software for clients such as Citigroup and Merrill Lynch, says Cenk Ipeker, FundTech's director of information systems and financial analysis.

Installing ProMax "is the natural progression for the company next quarter," Ipeker says. "My job is a hybrid of installing and maintaining systems while tracking project reporting. Having a tool that acts like a scorecard, offering immediate insight to worker productivity, would be helpful."

ProMax, which will be available next week, will be bundled with TimeSheet software, which is used by major companies such as AT&T, Charles Schwab, Compaq, Kraft, and Sony Music Entertainment. Pricing will range from $1,000 for up to 50 users to $20,000 for up to 2,000 users.