Non-billable is not invaluable: a time cheater's confession

Imagine, every Friday when you leave for the weekend, you remind yourself that you've been 36% useless and that you’ve also been inflating your usefulness a bit too. How would you feel? This is how many employees feel as they clock out, burdened by a sense of inadequacy regarding their non-billable time—time they believe is invaluable. This feeling often comes from filling out their timesheets just before leaving.

To cope with this pressure, many employees become skilled at what I call “time cheating.” They create timesheets that do not reflect the actual time spent on tasks. Instead of reporting their hours honestly, they make entries that avoid trouble—often sacrificing honesty and accountability in the process.?

So, why does this happen? Employees learn how to navigate the system, understanding how many hours they can safely report without raising questions. They may ask their project managers for guidance to ensure they both stay out of trouble. For those who are less familiar with timesheet practices, they might fill in their hours based on rough memory or their calendars. This creates a cycle of mistrust and makes timesheet reporting feel pointless. As agency managers, you need accurate timesheets to understand what is good for your business and what is not. It’s crucial to address this issue by emphasizing the value of non-billable hours and fostering a culture of transparency.

Emphasizing the value of non-billable hours

As an agency manager, you don’t want your team to feel this way. Overcoming this negative feeling is a big win for the relationship between your agency and your employees. You have the opportunity to change how your team thinks about and reports their time. It’s essential to highlight that non-billable hours can be just as valuable and to show how accurate timesheets can impact the growth of the business. By creating a culture that appreciates these contributions, you can encourage more honest reporting.

Educate your Team: Help your employees understand how the agency operates as a whole. When team members see the bigger picture, they become more invested in the agency’s success. Conduct training sessions that explain the importance of both billable and non-billable hours and how they contribute to the overall health of the agency. They will want to know what clients brought in money and what didn’t, as well as how much time was invested in winning pitches. Just like you, they are conscious of their time and want to make the most of it.

Create Open Discussions:

Talk openly about the importance of accurate timesheet reporting. Encourage your team to share their thoughts and concerns about the timesheet process. By making it safe to discuss these topics, you can help reduce the pressure they feel about reporting their hours. This openness can create a sense of ownership and responsibility.

Show the Impact of Non-Billable Time:

Share insights from your timesheet analysis to demonstrate how non-billable hours contribute to the agency's growth and success. have the employees see the positive results of their non-billable work such as R&D, knowledge sharing, training (others), innovation, and internal projects.

Encourage Accountability:

Explain and demonstrate how accurate reporting is important for both individual and agency success. Encourage employees to take responsibility for their time reporting. It’s not just about avoiding trouble; it’s about helping the agency’s future.

Provide continuous support:

Offer ongoing training and resources to help your team feel more comfortable with the timesheet process. This could include sharing your learning, mentoring sessions, helping to put OKRs on un-billable projects or easy-to-follow guides.?

Valued people create value

By addressing misunderstandings about non-billable hours and promoting a culture of transparency and education, you can change how your team approaches timesheet reporting. When employees understand the value of their contributions—both billable and non-billable—they will feel empowered to bring more value to the table. As a team, they will make many small decisions every day that can have a big impact on the agency’s success.