In the modern world, almost every business is becoming more and more digitized. Even smaller businesses are joining the party, using software to streamline operations that once required messy excel spreadsheets and mountains of paperwork. Using a digital HR system for your business has a lot of advantages. For example, employee scheduling is much easier when you use an app instead of relying on paper records, and you can even save money by automating your timecard system!
The ideal employee scheduling software will make it incredibly easy for managers to assign shifts to individual employees (and auto-reschedule them if they decline any given opportunity). From there, you can set up alerts when staffers have upcoming vacation days or sick days, stay on top of open shifts with an alert if all positions aren’t filled during peak hours, and even see which staff members are overworked with a report that shows their monthly average workload.
However, not all employee scheduling applications are created equal. This is why in this blog post, we’ll be going over everything you need to know about finding the best employee scheduling app for your business.
Importance of Software for Modern Businesses
No matter how big or small, most businesses depend on software in one way or another to keep their operations operating efficiently. For example, HR software is used by organizations, both big and small, to help manage the hiring process, onboarding of new employees, benefits management, and more. What’s more, employee scheduling software has become increasingly important as the gig economy grows.
Businesses need a simple way to manage their personnel and assign shifts because so many people now work as independent contractors. And since these workers don’t have an employer-provided benefits package, scheduling software is critical for helping them find available hours and sign up for coverage with an outside company.
What Is Employee Scheduling Software?
Employee scheduling software helps businesses manage employee scheduling, onboarding, and payroll. These apps are designed for small to mid-sized businesses that have lots of employees and are looking for a more efficient way to manage their scheduling. Employee scheduling software usually has modules for employee scheduling, time and attendance tracking, and shift trading.
Some employee scheduling software also have modules for scheduling classes and online courses, building workflows, and performing other HR functions. Employee scheduling software can be hosted in the cloud or on-premise and can be purchased as standalone software or integrated with an existing HR management system.
Does Your Business Need An Employee Scheduling App?
Even if you’re a solopreneur who doesn’t have any permanent employees, you should still consider using employee scheduling software to link up with your partners, independent contractors, or the services you employ. This is especially true if you work across multiple time zones or if you work with remote contractors and freelancers. Employee scheduling software can help you find the right people and make it easy for them to sign up for shifts.
You can also use scheduling software to create availability calendars, so potential employees can see when they can work. Software for scheduling employees can be used to keep track of time entries, create checklists, and even send emails to staff members to remind them of approaching vacation and sick days, among other things.
Why Use an Employee Scheduling App?
Employee scheduling software can help you find the right employees for your business, streamline the onboarding process, manage benefits and payroll, and even track time and attendance. The use of an employee scheduling tool has several advantages, including:
Faster hire turnaround: With shift trading and availability calendars, hiring managers can easily find the right employees for open shifts. This means employees can start working sooner, and your business can scale more efficiently.
Easier shift trading: Employee scheduling apps allow employees to trade shifts with one another. This is useful when employees have conflicting schedules, have to attend an important event, or have unexpected health issues that prevent them from working.
Better time and attendance tracking: Employee scheduling apps allow employers to track time and attendance. This helps businesses stay compliant with regulations such as the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an Employee Scheduling App
No two businesses are inherently the same, which is why you’ll want to consider a few factors before you select the right app for your scheduling needs. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when choosing the best employee scheduling app for your business:
Employee headcount: How many employees do you have to manage? The more employees you have, the more functionality in your scheduling app you’ll want. A scheduling tool with fewer bells and whistles may be better suited for a smaller operation, while a tool with more features will suit larger teams better.
Employee roles: How many different types of employees do you have? Do you have full-time staff? Part-time workers? Contractors? A scheduling app that offers different types of accounts can help you manage all these different types of workers.
The company culture: How is your company culture? Is it laid back with a lot of flexibility, or are you more structured with set shifts? It’s important to consider the culture of your team when choosing an employee scheduling app to ensure it will be used. After all, an app that doesn’t get used isn’t doing the job.
Deciding on a Platform
There are three broad categories of employee scheduling solutions: Software-as-a-service (SaaS), on-premise software, and hybrid solutions.
SaaS solutions are hosted in the cloud and include popular apps like Shiftboard, Workable, and Staff Squared. SaaS solutions are easy to use, scalable, and can be used by any company, regardless of size.
On-premise solutions can be installed on your existing IT infrastructure. They are a good option if you would like to keep some data in-house or are concerned about data security.
Hybrid solutions are a combination of SaaS and on-premise solutions. They provide you with a portion of your software hosted in the cloud while keeping other parts on-prem.
How to Choose the Right Employee Scheduling App for Your Business?
Choosing the right employee scheduling app is largely a matter of weighing the factors outlined above. After all, you want to make sure you select an app that will enable your team to work efficiently and make the best possible use of their time. Keep in mind that not all employee scheduling apps are created equal.
Depending on the functioning scale and size of your business, you may need an app that offers more or less functionality. Use an online selection guide to expedite your choosing process if you're unsure which app is best for your company. You can also get in touch with a salesperson from any service you're thinking about; they should be able to walk you through the process and help you decide which option is ideal for you.
Conclusion
When all is said and done, employee scheduling software can help make your life easier as a manager. It can help you find the right people for open shifts, track time and attendance, and even help you manage benefits like healthcare. In short, it can help make your business more efficient and scalable. Visit SYP.net to learn more about software that can take care of all your business needs efficiently.