When you hire remote workers in the Philippines, one of the first things you’ll want to establish is a reliable system for tracking their time. Whether you hire virtual staff for customer support, bookkeeping, social media, or administrative roles, you need visibility into when they’re working and how they’re using their hours. Time tracking ensures accountability, improves productivity, and helps you manage payroll accurately.
At VirtualStaff.ph, we understand the importance of transparency. That’s why we give you access to built-in attendance timesheets to track your Filipino staff’s work hours directly in your dashboard. But beyond our platform’s tools, there are also dedicated third-party time tracking solutions that you can integrate into your workflow when you build remote teams.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through seven time tracking tools that are perfect for managing Filipino virtual assistants. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to combine VirtualStaff.ph’s hiring system with the right time tracking solution for your business.
Why Time Tracking Matters When You Hire Virtual Staff
Before diving into the tools, let’s talk about why time tracking is so critical when you hire remote workers in the Philippines:
- Ensures accountability – You know exactly when staff clock in and clock out.
- Builds trust – Both you and your staff have a transparent record of hours worked.
- Improves productivity – Tracking time helps eliminate idle time and improves focus.
- Supports payroll accuracy – Payments match actual hours worked.
- Streamlines management – Makes it easy to oversee multiple Filipino staff members at once.
With VirtualStaff.ph, you already get a simple and free way to track attendance. But if you want more detailed reporting, screenshots, or productivity insights, pairing our platform with one of the following tools could be the best solution for your business.
1. VirtualStaff Attendance Timesheets (Built-in With Our Hiring Platform)
When you hire virtual staff through VirtualStaff.ph, you automatically get access to our Attendance Timesheets feature inside your dashboard. This built-in tool is designed specifically for businesses managing Filipino staff.
Features:
- Daily work hour logs for each staff member.
- Date filters to review past attendance.
- Easy-to-read breakdown of total hours worked.
- Access staff-specific time data with one click.
Why Use It:
- Free with every seat you purchase.
- Integrated directly into the platform, no third-party setup required.
- Perfect for business owners who want a simple but effective way to monitor hours.
For most businesses that build remote teams with us, this is the easiest and most cost-effective option.
2. Time Doctor
Time Doctor is one of the most popular time tracking tools used by companies worldwide, including those hiring Filipino virtual assistants.
Features:
- Tracks time worked and activity levels.
- Random screenshots for accountability.
- Detailed reports on time spent per task.
- Payroll integration with popular payment platforms.
Why Use It:
- Ideal if you want deep insights into how your staff spends their day.
- Good for businesses that want both time tracking and productivity monitoring.
If you hire remote workers for tasks that require consistent focus, Time Doctor can help ensure efficiency.
3. Hubstaff
Hubstaff is another excellent choice when you hire virtual staff. It combines time tracking with employee monitoring and payroll management.
Features:
- Time tracking with optional screenshots.
- GPS tracking (useful if staff are mobile).
- Productivity metrics such as keystrokes and activity levels.
- Detailed reporting with export options.
Why Use It:
- Scales well if you plan to build remote teams with multiple Filipino staff.
- Works seamlessly for businesses managing both office and remote employees.
Pairing Hubstaff with VirtualStaff.ph’s hiring system means you get the best of both worlds; seamless recruitment plus robust time tracking.
4. Clockify
If you’re looking for a simple and free tool, Clockify is a great option. It’s widely used by businesses that hire remote workers in the Philippines.
Features:
- Unlimited users in the free plan.
- Track hours manually or with timers.
- Visual dashboards and reports.
- Easy categorization of work.
Why Use It:
- Free for unlimited users, making it budget-friendly.
- Great for small businesses hiring their first Filipino virtual assistant.
- Simple interface that your staff will adapt to quickly.
5. Toggl Track
Toggl Track is popular among businesses that want clean reporting and flexibility.
Features:
- One-click time tracking.
- Powerful reporting and analytics.
- Mobile and desktop apps for easy use.
- Works well for both individuals and teams.
Why Use It:
- Very user-friendly, even for staff who have never used a time tracker before.
- Ideal if you hire virtual staff for creative or administrative roles.
- Helps you measure productivity without overwhelming staff with too many monitoring features.
6. Everhour
Everhour is a time tracking tool designed for businesses that want more advanced reporting.
Features:
- Time tracking with detailed reports.
- Integration with collaboration tools like Slack and Trello.
- Expense and budget tracking.
- Easy invoicing and payroll exports.
Why Use It:
- Perfect if you hire remote workers in the Philippines and want both time and expense tracking in one tool.
- Gives you a clear overview of staff performance across different activities.
7. DeskTime
DeskTime offers automatic time tracking, which means your Filipino virtual assistants don’t need to manually start or stop timers.
Features:
- Automatic time tracking.
- Categorizes time into productive, unproductive, and neutral.
- Daily productivity reports.
- Absence calendar for staff leave.
Why Use It:
- Great for businesses that want effortless tracking.
- Helps you understand productivity patterns without requiring manual input from staff.
How to Choose the Right Time Tracking Tool
When you hire virtual staff, choosing the right time tracking solution depends on your specific needs. Here are a few things to consider:
- Do you need screenshots and detailed productivity monitoring? If yes, go with Hubstaff or Time Doctor.
- Do you want a free, simple solution? Clockify is a strong choice.
- Do you prefer automatic tracking? DeskTime is the easiest option.
- Do you already use VirtualStaff.ph? Start with our Attendance Timesheets, and scale up to third-party tools if you need more data.
Why VirtualStaff.ph + Time Tracking Is the Best Combination
Time tracking is just one piece of the puzzle. The bigger challenge is finding the right Filipino virtual assistants in the first place. That’s where VirtualStaff.ph stands out.
When you hire through VirtualStaff.ph, you get:
- Access to over 1 million pre-vetted Filipino staff.
- A simple seat system for $99/month, where you choose who to hire and what to pay.
- Payroll, HR, and compliance handled for you.
- A 14-day money-back guarantee if you don’t hire.
- Built-in Attendance Timesheets so you can track staff hours from day one.
Instead of wasting time on freelancers or agencies, you get reliable long-term staff who work directly for you. Pair that with one of the seven tools above, and you’ll have a complete system to hire remote workers in the Philippines, manage them effectively, and build remote teams without the hassle.
Final Thoughts
If you want to hire virtual staff, tracking their time and attendance is essential. Luckily, you don’t need complicated systems to do it. Start with the free Attendance Timesheets inside VirtualStaff.ph, and if you need advanced features, choose from trusted tools like Time Doctor, Hubstaff, Clockify, Toggl, Everhour, or DeskTime.
With the right combination of VirtualStaff.ph and a solid time tracking tool, you’ll be able to hire remote workers in the Philippines, build remote teams, and manage them efficiently; all while keeping payroll accurate and productivity high.
