Five warning signs: when your Workforce Management solution fails to WOW

Does it take your team over a day to gather time and attendance data prior to monthly payroll? Do you notice a clear peak in workload during the payroll period? These are signs that your workforce management solution should be working harder for you.

With the right software, you can find out exactly how many hours someone worked and when, and seamlessly align this data with accurate pay rates, allowances and adjustments—in just a few clicks. This can protect your business from under or overstaffing during busy seasons and with last minute shift changes.

A classic way to overcomplicate a project is to involve too many people in the approvals process. Approving a leave request, for example, should only take one manager a few clicks, because they have all the information they need at their fingertips. If managers are consulting HR or other colleagues to get visibility of presence and absence, then you know you have a problem.

Imagine a hotel where housekeeping, kitchen staff, front desk all have different shift patterns and contract types (full time, part time, casual). If swapping shifts or covering absences becomes cumbersome, staff get frustrated, leading to last‑minute cancellations or unfilled shifts.

A smart digital WFM solution solves this by providing an easily accessible overview, and by allowing employees to make changes themselves wherever they are, for example through the use of a dedicated app.

Working 9-5 has now given way to flexible working hours built around childcare priorities and personal wellbeing. Meanwhile, today's economic pressure is leading employers to re-evaluate the contract and shift types they offer. As a result, government policies on reward and benefits are continuously under review. When working with legacy workforce management tech, non-compliance is a huge risk, because your software does not automatically update in line with legislation.

The best way to avoid the risk is to choose a cloud-based solution from a provider that goes even further, by enabling in-person conversation with compliance experts when you need it.

One of the biggest advantages of the right workforce management solution is all the data it can provide you with, which enables you to make smarter strategic decisions for your business.

You need a clear overview of time and attendance patterns in order to spot potential challenges and trends, including likely causes for absenteeism, for example. If your current WFM solution doesn’t allow you generate clear reports, quickly, then such issues can easily fall through the net.

Ultimately a failure to properly consider workforce management can result in employee dissatisfaction. As the War for Talent shows no signs of slowing down, employee experience, development and retention is an urgent priority for HR teams across the UK.

Workforce management however, rather than being a box to tick is in fact a secret weapon. People feel happier at work when the aspects of their working life that matter most to them, such as getting paid accurately and on time, or requesting leave when they need it most, are effortless and easily accessible. It turns out that holds a lot more weight than the most extravagant office party.

Looking for a workforce management solution that WOWs your team? Book a free, no-obligation consultation with an SD Worx expert, for personalised advice.