Time Theft, Turnover, and Tracking: Solving Attendance Issues Before They Start

In the human services field, especially for agencies supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), attendance tracking isn’t just about payroll. It’s about building a culture of trust, accountability, and stability.

Unfortunately, many providers struggle with time theft, absenteeism, and staff turnover, especially in programs where shifts are decentralized and supervision is limited. The result? Disrupted care, strained teams, and compliance risks that can lead to serious consequences during audits.

The best way to tackle these challenges is to solve attendance issues before they start by using the right systems, setting clear expectations, and empowering both staff and supervisors. Here’s how.

What Is Time Theft and Why Does It Happen?

Time theft isn’t always malicious. Often, it’s the result of:

• Forgotten clock-ins or clock-outs
• “Rounding” hours or estimating shifts
• Buddy-punching (logging in for a co-worker)
• No-shows without accountability
• Lack of clarity about shift start/end times

In supported living or independent living programs, where staff work in clients’ homes with little direct oversight, these issues are especially common and hard to catch without the right tools.

The Link Between Poor Attendance and Turnover

When attendance tracking is loose or unclear:

• Staff may feel they can “fudge” their time without consequence
• Reliable staff get burned out covering for frequent call-outs
• Supervisors waste time chasing down corrections
• Trust across the team breaks down

All of this contributes to higher turnover and when turnover is high, continuity of care suffers.

How QSP Helps Prevent Time Theft and Improve Attendance

With a tool like QSP, leaders can create structure and transparency around time and attendance. Here’s how it works:

1. Real-Time Visibility for Supervisors

Supervisors can instantly see who clocked in, when, and where. If someone misses a shift or forgets to clock in, they’re notified immediately, not days later when timecards are submitted.

2. Mobile Clock-In for DSPs

DSPs can clock in/out from their phones, making it easy to track hours accurately. GPS and timestamp features provide accountability without being invasive.

3. Integrated Schedules

Staff clock in directly from their assigned shift. If a shift is unassigned or ends early, QSP flags it for review, preventing unauthorized or inaccurate time entries.

4. Customized Permissions

Only the right people can edit time entries, ensuring that changes are tracked and verified. This limits abuse and builds trust in the system.

5. Built-In Reporting for Audits

Attendance data is logged and exportable, making it easy to prepare for audits, investigate issues, or spot patterns over time.

Building a Culture of Accountability

Technology is only one part of the solution. Consider training your staff and leaders to:

• Communicate expectations clearly during onboarding
• Follow up consistently on attendance issues
• Use QSP data to coach, not just correct
• Recognize and reward reliability and transparency

With the right system + culture, attendance problems don’t just get caught, they get prevented.

Final Thoughts

Time theft, absenteeism, and high turnover are symptoms of a larger problem: unclear systems and inconsistent accountability. But with the right tools, like QSP’s integrated time and attendance tracking, you can build a workforce that’s more honest, engaged, and stable.

Want to build a more accountable team from day one?Explore QSP’s time and attendance tools

Related article: Digital vs. Paper Timekeeping: What Works Best for Human Services Providers