Start with each person's real schedule
Expected hours should reflect the working pattern assigned to each person, including part-time schedules and approved leave. Comparing everyone with a fixed 40-hour week creates noise and encourages managers to ignore the report.
Once expected hours are credible, the gap between expected and recorded time becomes a useful exception list rather than a surveillance tool.
Measure operational impact
Missing hours delay payroll, invoicing and project reporting. Multiplying missing hours by pay or bill rates translates an abstract compliance problem into the dollars waiting to be processed.
Use reminders first. Escalate only persistent exceptions, and let companies choose whether reminders, certifications and stricter submission controls are active.