What is buddy punching – prevent it with Calamari!

Behind a friendly sounding term of “buddy punching” looms a fraud that menaces multiple companies, causes millions of dollars of losses and reinforces the stereotype that there is a constant distrust between the employees and employers. This form of time theft not only affects trust but can significantly inflate payroll costs. And the practice roots to the razor-sharp wits of Halbert Powers Gillette.

Born in the second half of the XIX century, Halbert Powers Gillette was a renowned American engineer and business theorist focused on civil engineering. Apart from his construction works, he published multiple books, both on the construction itself, and all the back office.

In one of them, he praised employee clocks and the buddy punching time clock as devices “of immense value” when it comes to calculating the working time of an employee in an office or a shop. Among the advantages of the device, Gillette named it a much easier calculation of the employee time, no need for control from the supervisor, and much automation in the process.

What he probably didn’t predict in his enthusiasm was a fraud unseen before the automation era he so strongly evangelized – the buddy punching. And although it may appear harmless at first, buddy punching consequences are real and measurable. It distorts time tracking, increases costs per employee, and erodes team integrity.

What is buddy punching – definition

Buddy punching meaning describes the situation when one employee asks his or her colleague to clock in or clock out on his or her behalf. It can be done either to obfuscate the tardiness or amass the fake over hours. It can be done by asking the employee who arrives first to clock in the rest of the group, or ask the one who leaves last to clock out their buddies. This often happens when another employee is running late and doesn’t want to lose part of their shift.

All is, of course, done until the manager finds out. And at that point, the consequence could involve disciplinary action or even dismissal. That’s why more companies are implementing buddy punching policy measures and turning to tech like biometric time clocks, facial recognition, and time tracking systems to monitor work more accurately.

Organizations looking into how to prevent buddy punching increasingly use Calamari to track attendance in real-time, ensure fair records, and even stop buddy punching with GPS. These steps help prevent buddy punching and ensure everyone is paid only for the time they actually work.

Is buddy punching illegal?

Buddy punching seems like nothing harmful, yet it is a fraud. With most employers having strict policies on tackling frauds, being caught in buddy punching can result in immediate termination. If buddy punching has been done on a larger scale, for example, if the manager tuned up the timesheets of his or her team, the case can be moved further to the court.

According to Forbes, quoting the American Payroll Association, buddy punching affects more than 75% of American companies. An average employee steals approximately 4.5 hours per week. It equals coming out of work nearly one hour earlier every day.

How to avoid buddy punching

Buddy punching on the timeclock is a high risk with a disputable reward. One cannot amass multiple hours of over hours based only on buddy punching. When caught, there are two employees punished – the puncher and the punchee. Still, the practice is prevalent, and only the systemic approach can free the company from it. Buddy punching may seem minor, but it’s not only about a few extra minutes—this form of time theft in the workplace can affect payroll and trust across departments.

Basically, there are two mutually supporting strategies tackling buddy punching available – human resources-related and tech-related. Companies that prevent buddy punching effectively usually combine both.

Tackling buddy punching with HR policies

While it is tempting to go to the open war with buddy punching, the practice is rooted both in the employees’ willingness to tune up their working hours and the approach of the employers. The first step is to make the time theft and buddy punching avoidable by making it unprofitable or too risky regarding the possible benefits. Creating a buddy punching policy in place is one of the steps to prevent fraud and boost accountability.

Build a transparent culture

Buddy punching is a form of building the “employee camp” vs. the “employer camp”. In a fully transparent and friendly company, all employees know that the company is one big team, working together to achieve the shared goal. If there are policies or customs that build distrust or make things foggy in the company, it is crucial to wipe them out. Buddy punching isn’t just a bad habit—it’s a symptom of a lack of trust, and a toxic work environment can make things worse.

Set fair expectations

Employees are people, with all their strengths and weaknesses, families, health, and will to have a work-life balance. An unforgiving and relentless approach toward the timesheet is counterproductive. If there is a more human approach toward the employee and the overall feeling of security, employees wouldn’t be so eager to buddy punch. It is much different from cheating an unforgiving tyrant or a nice guy who works like a boss. In other words, employees engage in buddy punching less often when they feel respected and safe.

Enhance accountability by delivering tech tools

The company can prevent time theft and stop buddy punching by delivering new, more convenient, and reliable tools to clock in and out. While traditional time clocks were praised by Mr. Gillette, they were top class nearly a hundred years ago. With modern technology like Calamari, employees can be granted more levels of autonomy, enabling them to work partially from home, split their working time or manage their day in a more flexible way.

Depending on the nature of the work to do, it can take multiple forms, yet every time it encourages the team to share the root cause of the potential buddy punching and discuss it with the manager instead. With proper time tracking systems, it becomes easier to prevent employees from clocking in for each other and address what really constitutes buddy punching.

Tackling buddy punching with tech solutions

Apart from building a more friendly and open culture, sometimes it is necessary to impose means of control in the company, especially if the relations between the employees are more distant. Or there is a massive share of temporary workers in the workforce. Especially in such situations, companies become more susceptible to buddy punching.

Calamari comes with multiple ways to prevent the buddy punching in the company and contradict the potential ways of committing this type of fraud. If you're wondering how to prevent buddy punching, these tools can help reduce abuse and close every payroll loophole could cost U.S. companies dearly.

Making a photo of the employee

If Calamari is available in a kiosk mode, the admin can set that there is a photo of the employee taken with every clock in and out. If there is a suspicion that there is a buddy punching occurring, the employer can browse the archive of images and check if the puncher and the employee are the same people. This effective way to identify buddy punching relies on simple visual evidence and works especially well for offices using time clock software.

Generating the unique QR code

If Calamari is working in a terminal mode (for example near the entrance to the facility) the most common way to initiate the time clock is to scan the QR code either printed on the ID card or delivered by the mobile app. If there is suspicious activity, the employer can block the first option and enable to clock in only by the unique code generated in the app every time. Thus, there is no way to pass the entrance card to the peer and enable him or her to clock in the colleague. This makes it harder for another employee to clock in someone who’s running late for work.

GPS and IP control

It is possible to clock in using the app. If the employer distrusts the employee, he can set the app to share the GPS tracking every time one clock in. Thus, it would be harder to clock in during commuting or when being late out of the office. And if the employee did so, the localization would be shared. This feature helps stop buddy punching with GPS and ensures the puncher is physically present.

In the same way, there can be a whitelist of IP addresses set. For example, one can clock in only from the office building and his or her home, without the chance to start clocking from any other location.

iBeacon technology

Calamari can be used with an innovative iBeacon technology. The beacon is a Bluetooth device that connects with the app installed on the users’ phones. The time clock starts when the user is in the range of the beacon (for example in the office building) and stops when he or she leaves. With this kind of attendance system, it’s almost impossible to engage in buddy punching.

API and integrations

Finally, Calamari comes with multiple integrations with the most popular tools used by companies around the world. Thus, the company can set triggers based on the activity in another tool to start or stop the clock in, if the nature of work makes it necessary.

Calamari also offers the API, which delivers an unlimited level of customizability. When having a coder on board, the company can build its own layer that makes the buddy punching more avoidable. How this can be done is the matter of the preferences and industry the company works in. For example, it could combine biometric time clocks, facial recognition, or even a biometric system with IP filters. This tech not only helps to deter buddy punching, but also to help prevent buddy punching from becoming a recurring problem.

And remember—buddy punching can also happen in hybrid teams. Having the right time tracking software and clearly communicating the meaning behind time policies can go a long way in preventing abuse.

Summary

Buddy punching and time theft is a serious threat for the company, yet solving it with brute force is not tackling the root cause of the issue. The best way to fight this fraud is to build a transparent culture that supports mutual trust and partnership – something that prevents making a buddy punch on the time clock for colleagues, much stronger than any technology.

This fact was obviously overlooked by Mr. Gillette who was a business theorist of sharp wits yet with all the approaches of the late XIX and early XX century business methods. And despite all the fun coming from the sharp-witted pun with his surname, he has nothing to do with King Camp Gillette, the inventor of a disposable shaving razor.

Read our HR blog for more interesting articles. If you wish to talk more about the ways Calamari can help you in tackling the buddy punching issue, don’t hesitate to contact us now!

FAQ: What is buddy punching – prevent it with Calamari!

1. What is a buddy punch?

It’s a type of fraud where one employee’s coworker clocks them in or out. This act is commonly called “buddy punching” and violates most attendance policies.

2. Why does buddy punching and time theft matter?

It may seem harmless, but the impact of buddy punching includes payroll inflation and trust erosion. Over time, instances of buddy punching damage team accountability.

3. Where does buddy punching happen most often?

It typically occurs at locations like a job site or in hybrid setups. Places without proper supervision or controls are more prone to punching attempts.

4. What is the cost of buddy punching?

The cost of buddy punching adds up fast, especially when repeated across teams. Even a simple payroll loophole could cost companies thousands annually.

5. Can tech help eliminate buddy punching?

Yes—tools like Calamari help eliminate buddy punching by adding controls. These anti-buddy punching features reduce risk and simplify compliance.

6. How can I identify buddy punching in my team?

It could be someone clocking in and out using a friend’s credentials. Or letting a coworker clock them in when they’re still away from work.

7. How does Calamari support time tracking and payroll?

It uses QR codes, GPS, and beacons to track time and attendance securely. This makes it easier for employees to clock in honestly while flagging abuse.

8. What’s the consequence of a failed buddy punch?

When caught, both people involved face consequences—even if the punch didn’t actually work. It shows intent and violates policy, damaging trust.

9. What are the best ways to prevent buddy punching?

Combine solutions to buddy punching: fair policy, tech tools, and cultural trust. Together, they curb buddy punching and secure the actual time they work.