Advanced workforce software solutions can optimize your company’s workflows and management processes. Companies that implement workforce management software may experience improvements in employee engagement and scheduling. Here are some of the ways employee scheduling is impacted by workforce software:
Technology Integration
Workforce systems integrate seamlessly with other technology and software used by a company, like employee data storage and point-of-sale systems. This simplifies administrative tasks and schedule creation for management teams. It also eliminates the need to install new physical time clock technology, saving companies money and effort.
Workforce software apps allow employees to efficiently communicate with co-workers and managers about scheduling and other workplace topics. They also allow employees to clock in and manage their timesheets remotely, eliminating the need for physical time clocks. Workforce apps give managers the ability to view, adjust, and approve schedules and timesheets from any location with an internet connection.
Automation Features
Several automation features reduce the time it takes managers to create and make changes to employee schedules. Workforce management software automatically aligns employee schedules with their timesheets to prevent confusion or errors. Automated scheduling prevents conflicts like understaffing, overstaffing, and employees working closing and opening shifts back-to-back. Alerts are sent to managers and employees about schedule deviations, and managers can approve these changes from any location.
Once a pay period is complete, the software automatically approves employee timesheets, speeding up payroll and reducing the overall time managers spend on administrative tasks. These approval settings can be customized to allow managers to manually approve exceptions that could potentially result in compensation errors. Some workforce software solutions have forecast modeling features that predict the impact of local events and other scenarios on company productivity or staffing needs. Employers use these forecasts to adjust the schedule according to business needs and employee skills, availability, and preferences.
Legal Compliance
Workforce management systems improve a company’s compliance with labor laws affecting employee working hours and compensation. The software tracks and assesses schedule changes, such as missed breaks and overtime. This helps confirm that employees are paid fairly and their hours are not in violation of legal standards.
Managers are able to view audit trails to track schedule changes and address employee concerns about overtime, paid holidays, sick leave, and other scheduling elements. They can also restrict unauthorized employee clock-ins and identify missed shift breaks that could cause compliance issues. Automated scheduling features evaluate employee data like age and contracted hours to create schedules that are legal and efficient for employees and company workflows.
Time and Attendance
Advanced software platforms provide live updates about which employees are clocked in and active at any given time throughout the workday. This helps managers understand who is working and determine whether they need to make adjustments to staffing levels to compensate for employee absences or added workloads. The software allows managers to update the schedule in real-time, so employees are immediately aware of any changes. This helps improve the communication and productivity of an organization.
In-app attestation features give employees the opportunity to clarify when they take their breaks or meals and how long they will be off the clock. This prevents confusion for managers and co-workers and provides additional compliance protection. For managers who want to cut back on labor costs, workforce software allows administrators to restrict late, early, unscheduled, and other unlawful clock-ins that could affect company finances, workflows, and legal compliance. This feature protects employees from being overworked, encourages them to play an active role in optimizing the company’s operations, and keeps timesheets as accurate as possible.
Explore Workforce Management Software
Workforce software solutions reduce the administrative burden on management teams and free up their time to focus more on employees. Industries like retail, healthcare, hospitality, and other people-driven organizations can benefit from workforce management systems. The software often provides additional features and services that help companies create strategic budgets and business plans that optimize finances and reduce legal risks. If you want to streamline your company’s scheduling and labor costs, look for a high-quality, user-friendly platform. Some software providers offer free demonstrations to help you understand the purpose and function of the system’s tools and how your company can implement them effectively. Contact a workforce software provider today to learn more about their solutions and schedule a guided demonstration.
