More control over your workday - without spying. That may sound ambitious, but it is really possible. In this blog, you'll discover what daydreaming means, why it's so risky — and most importantly: how to prevent it with smart tools like TimeChimp.

What is daycare?

In a business context, daydiving is literally “stealing your boss's time”. Think of clocking in, loging—and then... doing nothing. Or report hours that you haven't actually worked. Legally, it involves deliberately working less than agreed, while receiving a salary.
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With the rise of working from home, the term has been removed again. Not everyone tries to pull it off, just do laundry, go shopping or check social media: it seems harmless, but the count can quickly add up to dozens of lost hours a year.

What does daycare look like in practice?

Dagdieverij has many forms, from small moments of loss of time to structural patterns. In practice, for example, you can see:
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• Start later or stop earlier without reporting.
• Doing private business during working hours, such as household chores.
• Record hours for work that has not been carried out.
• Being distracted by social media or private phone calls for a long time.
• Make breaks structurally longer than agreed.

Is day thief punishable?

In the case law, daycare is seen as a serious offence. In many cases, it can lead to dismissal, sometimes even summarily, especially if there is evidence of intent.
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Important to know:
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• An employer must be able to prove it with objective evidence.
• Structurally or intentionally 'stealing' time can lead to dismissal without a transition payment.
• Occasionally doing something privately is usually no problem, as long as it stays within reasonable limits.
• Employers are not allowed to simply monitor continuously; monitoring must be proportionate and legally permitted.

Why is daycare harmful?

Day thievery may seem harmless, but the impact can be significant. It's not just about a few missed hours — it affects multiple layers of an organization.
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1. First of all, there is the financial loss. Every minute that isn't spent productively costs money. Especially in companies where hours are invoiced directly to customers, that loss increases rapidly.
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2. In addition, planning problems. If someone structurally works less than agreed, deadlines move up. Colleagues have to take over tasks and have to deal with extra workload.
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3. There is also the loss of trust. When time gaps remain invisible, the relationship between employer and employee can come under pressure. Doubt and frustration then replace the sense of honesty and cooperation.
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4. Finally, there are legal risks. Discussions about hours worked can result in employment disputes or even lawsuits. This not only costs money, but also a lot of energy and reputation.
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Every minute lost is lost turnover and deadlines that come under pressure. In the long term, this not only hurts the return, but also the motivation in teams. Fortunately, you can calculate and improve productivity.

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📚 Read about this how to increase labour productivity.

In short: daycare affects both the wallet and cooperation. And the longer it goes unnoticed, the greater the damage.

What you can do as an employer (without giving a Big Brother feeling)

Preventing daydreaming doesn't have to mean watching every screen and mouse movement. Smart, transparent processes work much better.
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• Make clear agreements: Set working hours, breaks, and working from home rules, including expectations about private matters during working hours.
• Focus on output: Results often say more than attendance.
• Create insight: Make sure that employees can view their own hours and performance.
• Automate time recording: Links to calendars and projects reduce errors.
• Stimulate awareness: Discuss trends and anomalies constructively rather than accusatively.
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How time registration helps prevent daydreaming

Daytime diabolism often occurs unnoticed. It's not always about intentional abuse, but about small moments that add up: starting fifteen minutes late, doing something private in between, or forgetting to fill in a customer appointment. On paper, everything seems fine, but in reality, hours disappear.
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Without a good overview, those moments remain invisible. This makes it difficult to see what time is really spent on and gives divinity — consciously or unconsciously — free rein. With a time registration tool, you can tackle the problem at the source: easy and transparent time registration.
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• Register directly via desktop, mobile app or timer.
• Automatic links with calendar and project management tools.
• Flexible settings for what is or is not billable.
• Transparency without a culture of control: supports productive work instead of micromanagement.
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In this way, daycare is not only detected, but also structurally countered — with more transparency, better planning and mutual trust as a result.

Brief summary

Day thief is a difficult and often invisible problem, but with the right approach, it can easily be prevented. Below you will find the key points from this blog in one overview.
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• Day thief = claim unauthorised working time without working.
• It can result in dismissal, financial loss, and loss of trust.
• Solution: clear agreements, focus on output, insight into hours and easy registration.
• TimeChimp makes time registration effortless and transparent, eliminating misunderstandings and loss of time.

👉 More control over your time and projects? Try TimeChimp for 14 days free and learn how transparency and trust lead to higher productivity.

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