A little over a year has passed with the Time Registration Act. The law is proving to have a positive impact on the relationship between employee and employer. At the same time, it is criticised for being an administrative burden. But if we can account for what working hours are spent on, time tracking holds great potential for competitiveness.
Since 1 July 2024 all Danish companies have been subject to the Danish Time Registration Act. The purpose of the law is to protect employees, and so far there are no examples of violations of the law by the Danish Working Environment Authority. We evaluate one year of the Time Registration Act.
A year of new routines and positive changes
In February 2025, we completed YouGov A survey of Danes' perception of time tracking. After eight months with the new law, the survey showed that 45 % of respondents felt that time tracking creates greater transparency about working hours and overtime. This suggests that the legal requirement has partially fulfilled its purpose: to protect employees and create dialogue between employee and employer about working hours.
YouGov's survey also showed that 40 % of employees surveyed have established a regular routine of recording their working hours on a daily basis. Companies and their employees are beginning to realise the benefits of time tracking. Mette Nørlem comments on this, HR expert in employment law, on YouGov's survey.
YouGov's survey points to a trend where time tracking is becoming an integral part of employees' everyday lives and creating positive change.
Businesses want less hassle and more competitiveness
But the new law has also been criticised. Among other rules and regulations, it is criticised for being an administrative burden. This is detrimental to European competitiveness, says the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI). The statement comes on the basis of an analysis conducted by DI. The analysis is part of the report “No More Rule Madness”. It shows that 55 % of all businesses (69 % of the big ones) experience working time registration requirements as a burden. Two essential things are requested: less hassle and more competitiveness. DI's analysis thus contrasts with YouGov's survey and identifies some of the challenges that the Time Registration Act poses for Danish companies.
We need concrete data about our working hours to be competitive
At Intempus, we have evaluated one year of the Time Registration Act. If we are to strengthen the competitiveness that DI demands and utilise the full potential of time tracking, we need to be accountable, how to time is being spent. That's according to Christophe Zafiryadis, founder and CEO of Intempus.
“That's what actually says something about how efficient we are in the labour market,” he says.
He recognises the importance of the law's focus and purpose to protect employees and create transparency between employee and employer. But he calls for companies to be accountable, how to time is spent.
“If you want to use the Time Registration Act to promote competitiveness in Denmark, but also at European level, it's important to be able to see what the time is being spent on.”
CEO & Founder, Christophe Zafiryadis
With the introduction of the Time Registration Act in Denmark, there has been no requirement to account for how working hours are spent. The law has encouraged salaried employees to register their time. But that in itself doesn't make us competitive, because they don't register, what they do. "We can become more competitive by accounting for how working hours are spent," says Christophe Zafiryadis. The hope for the future is that systems will be created that are better at providing concrete data on how working hours are spent.
“It's our mission at Intempus to solve this problem, because then we can both secure our employees in terms of labour and become more efficient in what we do,” says Christophe Zafiryadis.
Digital time tracking keeps you on the right side of the law
At Intempus, we make it easy for you to keep track of whether you're staying on the right side of the Time Registration Act with our digital solutions. Our solutions can be customised for both hourly and salaried employees and with the option to specify which projects are being worked on.
If you are interested in hearing more about what we deliver at Intempus, you can contact one of our sales consultants by phone 26 39 04 00.
You can also design your own solution. It's both free and non-binding.
Sources: Intempus, The Danish Parliament, Lessor, Confederation of Danish Industry here and here, The company guide.
