Insights Into Time Registration: What Every Payroll Manager Should Know

Accurate time registration is required under EU law – and it’s key to effective payroll management. It can directly improve labor cost control, ensure compliance regulation, and provide critical insights for future improvement.

In this article, we’ll explore in-depth the benefits of having accurate time and attendance data – and effective ways to capture it.

Why Accurate Time Registration is Critical

Controlling Labor Costs with Precise Workforce Management Data

Every minute of recorded work directly impacts payroll, project costs, and overall budget control. Inaccurate time records, whether caused by human error, manual processes, or misuse, can gradually inflate these costs without detection. Even small discrepancies, such as employees rounding up their start times or stretching break periods can add up over time.

Robust time registration practices help reduce costs by making attendance data more accurate, visible, and auditable. When staff use consistent, reliable methods, such as secure web-based clocking systems or hardware terminals that are connected to your workforce management tools, it becomes much harder for errors or oversights to go unnoticed.

Misuse such as time theft can’t be prevented 100%, but accurate time registration goes beyond catching misuse – it’s about creating accountability, streamlining payroll, and giving organizations tighter control over one of their biggest cost areas.

Time and Attendance Data as a Strategic Asset

A comprehensive workforce management solution treats time and attendance data as a strategic asset – because it is. This data isn’t simply payroll input; it’s far more valuable when used to inform operational decisions.

Accurate records of hours worked provide a clear picture of how labor is being used across teams, shifts, and locations, offering complete visibility across your entire workforce. This gives managers the confidence to make more informed decisions about employee scheduling, overtime, and resource planning based on real-time workforce data.

Historical attendance trends can highlight recurring issues like late starts, unplanned absences, or specific times of day or week when coverage tends to fall short. Managers can then adjust shift patterns, rebalance workloads, or redistribute tasks to prevent undesired effects on operational efficiency or compliance.

Activity-Based Tracking

Precise time registration enables activity-based tracking, where you monitor how much time is being spent on specific tasks, projects or clients. This level of granularity supports better budgeting and resource allocation, more accurate invoicing, and generates data that can provide actionable insights to boost productivity.

You might compare hours worked with data on units produced, service levels, or customer satisfaction scores. This helps identify which shifts, teams or individuals are driving the most value, and where there could be inefficiencies or support needs.

Transparency and Trust

A robust time tracking protocol builds trust and accountability. From an employee’s perspective, proper time tracking ensures peace of mind; workers can trust that their overtime, breaks, and leave are logged and paid for correctly, reducing disputes and boosting employee engagement, as they feel that their time is valued.

Payroll Accuracy

Accurate attendance management and tracking also reduces costly payroll errors and administrative workload. Manual timesheets or outdated systems often lead to mistakes (i.e., missed entries, calculation errors or misapplied overtime rates) which then require time-consuming corrections.

In fact, the American Payroll Association states that human error in time card preparation is from 1-8%, and 10.5% of total payroll processing time is spent on correcting errors.

With the right tracking approach, HR professionals can avoid spending hours fixing avoidable errors.

Regulatory Compliance

Staying compliant with labor laws is a primary concern for payroll managers, and makes time registration accuracy absolutely critical. Most labor regulations (working time laws, overtime rules, rest break requirements, etc.) rely on proper records of employees’ hours. In Europe, this has become even more pronounced after a 2019 EU Court of Justice ruling that obligates employers to implement “objective, reliable and accessible” systems for recording working time, as per the EU Working Time Directive.

Failing to keep accurate records for compliance monitoring can lead to hefty consequences. For example, under Dutch law, if an employer lacks proper time records, courts may side with an employee’s claims of unpaid overtime. This happened in a case where Uber had to pay €72,000 in overtime to one individual because they couldn’t disprove the hours claimed.

Government Penalties

Non-compliance with working time tracking requirements can also lead to government penalties if the lack of proper record keeping leads to claims of violations like underpayment or insufficient rest periods.

These penalties vary by country; for example, businesses in the Netherlands can face fines up to EUR 10,000 per employee for not complying with working hours rules, and this amount can increase with repeated violations. There are additional rules in some sectors, such as road transport.

How Workforce Planning Software and Manage-By-Exception Prevents Violations

Modern time tracking tools actually help prevent compliance issues before they happen when they’re connected with advanced workforce management systems. For example, MANUS WFM has a management-by-exception approach, where managers are alerted to any deviations and don’t have to manually check everything. This enables quick corrective action, which is far better than discovering compliance breaches once it’s too late.

Fair Treatment of Staff

Finally, compliance isn’t just about avoiding penalties; it’s also about fair treatment of staff and supporting work-life balance. Proper tracking ensures employees don’t work excessive overtime that could lead to burnout, and that they receive all entitled rest and leave.

Integrating Clocking Devices and Modern WFM Systems

Achieving the accuracy and visibility we’ve discussed is made much easier by today’s web-based time clocks, hardware clocking devices, and integrated workforce management systems.

What is a Web Clock?

A web clock is essentially an online portal (accessible via browser or mobile devices) where employees clock in/out and record breaks or specific job activities. These digital clocks can track time for both on-site and remote workforce management scenarios as they can be used anywhere – whether an employee is at a retail store, on a factory floor with a tablet, on the road with a smartphone, or working from home.

Many web clocks support different identification methods – staff might log in with a secure PIN or scan an RFID badge or QR code.

The data is then passed to WFM software. From there, time evaluation takes place and payroll files are generated.

What About Hardware Clocking Devices?

Not all workplaces are suited to web clocks, like retail or industrial settings where staff don’t work at computers. In these cases, hardware clocking devices can be mounted at convenient locations so that staff can sign in and out easily. These devices also support the different identification methods mentioned above, and activity based tracking.

Our partner, Datafox, supplies a large range of clocking devices suitable for different environments – for example, industrial grade devices are convenient for use with conductive and non-conductive gloves.

Time Registration Best Practices

Here are a few best practices to guide payroll managers when implementing or improving a time registration system.

Engage and Educate Employees and Managers

To ensure the successful adoption of new technology, help employees understand how they benefit from it. Also ensure attendance tracking policies are clear and well-documented.

Train managers to use the system not just to approve hours, but to analyze the data in light of business goals and act on the insights revealed. For example, you might encourage them to link time data with task management and productivity outcomes.

Find User-Friendly Clocking Devices

The easier it is for employees to clock in and out, the more consistent and accurate your data will be. Web clocks should be accessible on any device, with features like offline mode so workers in areas with a poor internet connection can still clock in and out.

Use Time Data to Support Employee Wellbeing

Time registration isn’t just about cost control and compliance; it can also support healthier workloads. Look out for patterns of overworking, inconsistent scheduling or missed rest periods. This can help reduce burnout and improve retention, especially in sectors with high physical or emotional demands.

Review and Refine Periodically

Your time registration setup isn’t a one-off project. Periodically check how well the system is working: Are employees clocking in on time? Are managers reviewing exceptions properly? Are there recurring errors or gaps in coverage?

Use this information to refine clocking methods, adjust rules, or offer additional training. Also check that time tracking methods align with your current operations; what worked six months ago may no longer suit a newly-hybrid team or a changing shift structure.

Conclusion

Cost savings, payroll accuracy, compliance – some of the top benefits of accurate time registration. And when employee time and attendance data is fed into enterprise workforce management software, it becomes a strategic resource, informing decisions on budgeting, staffing needs, and improved workforce productivity. Granular, activity-based tracking supports more precise insights.

Implementing robust tracking processes requires web clocks and/or hardware clocking devices that integrate with a workforce management solution like MANUS WFM. To learn more about our software and its clocking integration options, contact us today.

Manage-by-Exception in Workforce Management Software: How it Boosts Efficiency

Globally, around USD 5 trillion is lost each year to admin. As for Human Resources managers in shift-based workplaces, they’re fighting a constant battle. A battle to coordinate hundreds or thousands of frontline workers across retail stores, warehouses, factories, or call centers – and deal with endless schedules and attendance records in the process.

Manual HR processes force teams to spend hours on repetitive administrative tasks – checking who clocked in, checking if breaks were taken, and checking that scheduled and realized hours align – instead of focusing on strategic planning.

Research has shown that simply having technology in-place isn’t enough to overcome the endless stream of admin. For example, a survey from 2024 revealed that workers (in various roles) are wasting 12.6 hours per week on low- or no-value tasks. That was an increase compared to 2023 – despite increased investment in technology.

The best WFM software is about far more than basic attendance tracking and absence management. It minimizes huge volumes of unnecessary admin through a manage-by-exception approach. This article explores how.

 

The Challenges of Managing a High-Volume, Shift-Based Workforce

Employee Scheduling Complexities

Staff scheduling becomes extremely complex when you have to manage salaried and hourly workers across various shifts, locations, roles and contracts. Peak demand periods, shift swapping and last-minute changes add to the chaos.

Without robust workforce management tools, managers can end up guessing or constantly adjusting schedules, which is inefficient and can be a compliance risk.

Time and Attendance Data Overload

Every shift generates data on clock-ins, clock-outs, breaks, overtime hours, etc., and managers often have to go through all those records to find errors and correct them.

This is tedious and time-consuming, yet necessary to ensure payroll is accurate and labor laws are met. In a workplace with a high volume of shifts to manage, the amount of records makes manual review impractical.

Regulatory Compliance Pressures

Labor regulations add further complexity. And just one violation is a hassle that nobody wants to have to deal with – nor be blamed for.

Managing compliance across a large workforce means constantly checking for any exception that could breach policy; an overwhelming task when you aren’t using automation.

Administrative Burnout

All these repetitive tasks – building schedules, approving routine timesheets, responding to leave requests, fixing missed clock-ins – steal managers’ time.

Most organizations aspire to do more with less, but outdated, manual processes make it hard. Valuable hours that could go toward employee engagement or workforce planning strategy are instead spent checking endless records. This impacts productivity and morale. (In the study mentioned earlier, 41% of respondents were considering leaving their jobs due to the burden of repetitive tasks and the desire to abandon outdated ways of working.)

These challenges highlight the need for a more efficient way to manage the workforce, and this is where manage-by-exception comes in.

 

What Is Manage-by-Exception in Workforce Management Solutions?

Manage-by-exception is a strategy that focuses on identifying and handling cases that deviate from the norm.

In the context of workforce management, it means using WFM software to automatically handle routine, expected events, while alerting managers only to exceptions that fall outside predefined rules or standards.

Instead of micromanaging every detail, managers only need to focus on the exceptional issues that truly need attention.

Key Aspects of Manage-by-Exception in Workforce Planning Software

Automated Monitoring

The workforce management system is configured with the company’s policies and applicable labor laws. It automatically tracks all clocking data, attendance, and schedule adherence. Normal, in-bounds events simply get recorded with no manual oversight needed.

Exception Flags

Whenever something deviates – i.e., an employee clocks in late, misses a shift or exceeds their allowed hours – the system raises an alert. Managers get a notification highlighting those exceptions – and only them.

Managerial Action on Exceptions

Managers then focus their attention on these exceptions and take the necessary action. Their intervention isn’t required for everything that’s running normally.

In essence, the system does the watching and the manager does the problem-solving for the few cases that warrant it.

As well as saving time, this ensures that issues don’t go undetected, as the software is always handling compliance monitoring.

 

Manage-by-Exception and the WFM House

To gain the full benefits of manage-by-exception, you need solid, consistent processes. At MANUS, we use a framework called the WFM House to illustrate this.

The house represents a structured way of organizing labor management practices so that each area – such as time tracking or labor forecasting – is built on a reliable foundation. Only with such a foundation can organizations effectively improve their workforce management capabilities.

Consistency is the cement that runs through each layer of the house, holding it together.

Let’s explore the framework in more detail.

1. The Foundation: Accuracy, Timeliness and Completeness

The base of the WFM House is all about data quality (specifically in time registration). Three aspects to consider are:

• Accuracy: Are employees’ hours logged correctly? Do these records reflect the actual situation and are they in line with regulations and internal policy?
• Timeliness: Are time entries submitted promptly? Does the timing allow for steering and evaluation within a reasonable timeframe?
• Completeness: Has all the necessary data been recorded?

In MANUS WFM – our comprehensive workforce management solution – many different checks take place to ensure the above. However, these standards aren’t enough on their own; consistency is necessary to make sure they’re applied uniformly across every department, shift and location. Otherwise, one team’s data might not match another’s, and that makes reliable decision-making almost impossible.

This consistent, high-quality data is what makes manage-by-exception possible. When your foundation is solid, you can trust that anything the system flags as an exception is truly worth your time.

So how do you ensure consistency? This brings us to the next layer of the WFM House – controllable and enforceable processes.

2. The Lower Pillars: Controllable and Enforceable Processes

With a solid foundation, this next level of the WFM House is about ensuring that your processes are:

• Controllable: Managers must be able to monitor processes and make changes.
• Enforceable: Rules and standards must be clear and actually followed.

Manage-by-exception depends on this. If your workforce data isn’t collected in a standardized, enforceable way, then other errors that are not true deviations could be classed as exceptions. That just creates distraction. But when your processes are under control, you can focus on the real outliers.

3. The Higher Pillars: Balances and Realization

Above the pillars for controllable and enforceable processes are:

• Balances: Is there alignment between key factors such as time, cost and productivity?
• Realization: Are scheduled hours actually being worked?

Here, manage-by-exception ensures you don’t need to inspect every shift. However, you’d want to know if a particular store consistently shows significant gaps between scheduled and worked hours; thanks to the software’s reporting capabilities, these targeted, actionable insights are available.

4. The Roof: Planning, Forecasting and Budgeting

At the top of the WFM House are the strategic goals: planning, forecasting and budgeting. Improvement in these areas relies on everything below being in good order. After all, how could you forecast staffing needs and optimize labor costs without accurate historical data?

MANUS WFM can generate many different reports at each level of the WFM House, helping users maintain consistent processes and start optimizing.

 

More Benefits of Manage-by-Exception

Here are some more advantages to gain from enterprise workforce management software that uses this approach.

Faster Response and Resolution

Since only exceptions are flagged, issues can be dealt with promptly. For example, if someone forgot to clock out, the manager can correct it before it affects payroll.

Error Reduction

Automating standard processes (like approving perfectly accurate clocked hours) means things are done the same way every time. This reduces human error and helps ensure compliance.

Allowing Managers to Focus on High-Value Tasks

With the routine stuff handled, managers can redirect their attention to areas that bring added value – such as enhancing workforce planning strategy, employee engagement or performance management.

 

Conclusion

Configuring workforce management software with your organization’s rules and letting it filter out the routine from the urgent means your teams are always working on the highest-impact issues.

The payoff is greater operational efficiency, fewer errors, better compliance, and a management team that can dedicate time to building a better workplace.

To learn more about how MANUS WFM makes this possible, contact us today to request a demo.

Tackling International Workforce Challenges: How Our Workforce Management Software Supports Global Growth

International expansion brings significant workforce management challenges. There are human factors to consider (such as language barriers), technical factors (i.e., software scalability) and legal factors (i.e., compliance with labor and data protection laws).

In this article, we explore how advanced workforce management tools – combined with industry expertise – helps international businesses overcome the key pain points when managing a global workforce.

International WFM Challenges – And How MANUS WFM Solves Them

1. Language Barriers

If a workforce management system only supports one language, employees who aren’t proficient in that language may struggle to access crucial information, leading to misunderstandings and compliance risks.

A survey of executives conducted by Forbes Insights and Rosetta Stone reveals the consequences of language barriers:

• 67% of executives said that the resulting miscommunications were causing inefficiencies
• 46% said it made collaboration difficult
• 42% said it compromised productivity
• 24% said it made it harder for management and executives to get respect from employees
• 24% said it makes it harder to attract and retain talent
• 16% said it actually reduced employee retention
• And 21% said it compromised worker safety

How MANUS WFM Breaks Down the Barriers

Our software supports 35 languages, including localized versions of the ESS Employee Self-Service (ESS) app, so each employee can use the system in their preferred language. This may also increase user adoption by making the experience more intuitive for non-native speakers.

What Does an Employee Self Service App Do?

Thanks to the ESS app, frontline workers can manage their availability, swap shifts, request leave and stay informed about their working hours – all from their mobile devices. They can also use the app to manage personal information and payment details, and receive communications from HR.

This flexibility directly supports work life balance, creating a better employee experience. When staff use the app regularly, it makes things easier for managers when it comes to employee scheduling, leave management and absence management. No more guesswork or chasing workers in order to make schedule changes.

2. Labor Law Compliance Chaos

Compliance with a wide range of labor laws is a major challenge, especially since laws also vary by state or province. On top of that, there’s the variation across roles and contract types. There are almost endless combinations of rule sets to manage.

Staying compliant everywhere can be daunting, and failing to do so isn’t an option. Global businesses need a reliable way to manage schedules in line with the law – without overloading HR teams.

How Our Workforce Planning Software Keeps You on the Right Side of the Law

MANUS WFM has a dedicated compliance engine that enforces different jurisdictions’ rules automatically. This reduces the chances of human error and the inadvertent violations that may follow.

For example, you can configure region-specific pay rules, as well as rules on maximum work hours or mandatory rest breaks – and anything else required by law. The system will flag any violations so you can address them immediately.

3. Data Security and Privacy Across Borders

Companies must meet the data protection and residency laws for different jurisdictions. Of course, laws such as the GDPR are pan-European, so that can make things more standardized. But what if you’re also operating in the United States? What if you’re operating in states such as California which have their own unique laws?

MANUS WFM Protects Your Data

In such situations, it’s crucial to work with a software provider that has the necessary expertise to manage your data correctly.

Again, our system is built with compliance and security in mind. Role-based access controls, encryption and region-specific data hosting options ensure that sensitive information stays protected.

4. Scalability Struggles

Expanding into new regions is as daunting as it is exciting – if your enterprise workforce management software isn’t up to the job. A solution that works for 2,000 employees might struggle to handle the burden of 20,000 or more.

Common Issues When Scaling

Problems encountered can include sluggish response times, data loss and system crashes. Key processes may be delayed, slowing efficiency.

Then there’s data and infrastructure management. Companies need to store ever-increasing datasets while maintaining the performance of database queries, and they need to ensure that data storage costs remain feasible.

But that’s not all. There’s the cost of hardware maintenance (if you’re not using a cloud solution). And the struggle of integrating and modifying software that’s not designed to scale.

A Workforce Management System Built For Scaling

Say Goodbye to Capacity Issues

Our software was built to be highly scalable, which is why many international companies use it. Our customers – in retail, logistics, industry and beyond – don’t need to get bogged down in addressing software performance issues because MANUS WFM handles the data of thousands of employees with ease. Instead, they can focus on optimizing efficiency and reducing labor costs.

Flexible Deployment

Of course, scalability isn’t just about capacity – it’s also about flexibility. The software supports complex organizational hierarchies and multi-site setups, giving you a unified global overview while still giving local managers appropriate control. It also supports many third-party integrations.

Streamlined Processes

The larger your workforce, the less manual work you want to be doing. Our WFM software ensures that administrative tasks are kept to a minimum. The principle of manage-by-exception applies here; your staff are alerted to deviations so they don’t have to perform unnecessary checks.

Automation is also introduced through dynamic workforce scheduling where historical data predicts labor needs. You can then create schedules that align with actual requirements.

But streamlining workforce management doesn’t end here – which brings us to the next point.

Beyond the Software – How Workforce Management Consultancy Takes Things Further

When you have clear WFM objectives, technology alone isn’t always enough. That’s why we provide workforce management consulting services.

Our industry experts are available to guide you on how to fine-tune the configuration in line with regional, operational and legal requirements. They can also help you improve your WFM processes in general and adapt the software to align with your desired business outcomes.

 

Conclusion

Managing an international workforce is complex by nature, but with the right workforce management solution, it doesn’t have to be a struggle. It can instead be a strategic advantage.

To recap, multilingual support, compliance automation and scalability provide a solid foundation for running global operations smoothly. In addition, WFM consultancy services deliver the human insight needed to adapt to each region’s unique requirements.

MANUS WFM is used by large, international companies that have tens of thousands of employees to manage. It’s a scalable solution founded on deep WFM expertise, allowing our customers to minimize costs and focus on growth. To learn more or request a demo, contact us today.

Why Today’s Workforce Needs Multilingual Employee Self Service Apps

The newest generation of workers are digital natives who use apps to handle day-to-day tasks – in their personal lives and, increasingly, in their professional lives as well.

An Employee Self-Service (ESS) application is one example. These workforce management tools engage diverse workforces when available in multiple languages. They reduce admin for HR staff and give employees direct access to their schedules and leave requests – giving them the autonomy they expect today.

Below, we explore how using ESS apps alongside your workforce management software supports the needs of today’s employees and how different sectors benefit.

Characteristics of the Modern Workforce

Global Reach

Workforces are becoming more diverse than ever, with employees from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds working together. In such organizations, each member of staff needs to be able to fully engage without language barriers.

According to Eurostat, 28% of people employed in Europe in 2022 worked for multinational enterprises. Meanwhile, survey findings show that 9 in 10 U.S. companies rely on employees that speak languages other than English. One third of those surveyed had a high dependency on foreign language skills.

Looking ahead, the requirement for foreign language speakers in retail is likely to increase, since e-commerce is making up a growing portion of retail sales. By 2027, it’s expected that 25% of sales will be through online channels, up from 19% in 2023 (Statista). The demand for employees with different language profiles will therefore grow, especially in customer service roles.

Digital Natives Expect High-Performing Technology

A significant portion of the workforce is now composed of millennials and Generation Z, a large proportion of which have grown up with smartphones, apps, and on-demand information. They naturally gravitate toward digital tools, expecting real-time responses and minimal bureaucracy.

Research by software company, Riverbed, shows that these two generations have the highest expectations for technology at work, and 91% of decision makers believe they need to provide more advanced digital experiences in order to meet their needs.

The Expectation for Flexibility and Autonomy

Younger employees value autonomy. They want the freedom to view their schedules, request time off, trade shifts, and update personal information without jumping through hoops or waiting on HR. A well-designed Employee Self-Service app puts that power directly in their hands.

What is an Employee Self Service Application?

Before we go any further, let’s be clear about the function of employee self service applications. These platforms allow workers to review and manage their availability, schedules, leave requests, personal details, pay information and communications from their mobile devices.

A significant advantage of these tools is the administrative relief for HR teams. Instead of repeatedly answering questions like “Can I swap shifts with someone next week?” or “How much holiday do I have left?” HR staff can focus on other responsibilities. They can also create schedules based on actual availability, reducing the chances of having staff request changes later.

Key Features of ESS Apps

Setting Availability and Viewing Schedules

Hourly workers can set their availability within the app and request to pick up extra shifts. New rosters can be published and made immediately available for employees to view. Staff can also swap shifts with their colleagues.

These functions create a sense of control and empowerment. For young workers, the ability to quickly trade a Saturday night shift in a few clicks could make all the difference to their work-life balance if they usually work the same shift every week. In fact, for any frontline workers in roles with unsociable hours, having some flexibility can be a Godsend – especially for those with families.

Various studies have shown that burnout and a lack of work-life balance leads to ‘quiet quitting’, where staff do the absolute minimum required of them to make sure they don’t lose their jobs. Of course, this is harmful to the organization on the whole, so any tools that give staff more control help protect against this practice and improve the employee experience.

Leave Management

Since younger employees cherish work-life balance, having an app where they can request time off, view their leave balances, and track approvals all in one place is a major selling point.

This option eliminates paper forms and endless email threads. It also creates a transparent environment; staff can immediately see whether their request is approved or rejected, removing guesswork and the potential for manager oversight. The negative implications on employees’ personal lives (caused by delayed responses) are also reduced.

Time and Attendance Tracking

Many ESS solutions let employees clock in and out directly from their devices. But doesn’t this risk time theft, you may be wondering?

Well, it certainly doesn’t guarantee that staff are on the premises when they clock in/out – unless the app uses geofencing technology. With geofencing, users can only clock in or out if their device’s GPS data confirms they’re on the premises or within a defined boundary.

When geofencing isn’t available, some companies will take the risk due to the lower admin costs and streamlined processes compared to paper based systems.

Communication and Announcements

No more crowded bulletin boards or complicated email lists. ESS platforms often include a communications channel for sending out company-wide or departmental announcements, policy updates, or even recognition for well-performing teams. Push notifications ensure nobody misses key information.

Employee Data Management and Compliance

From a compliance perspective, maintaining accurate employee records is critical. With ESS apps, workers can update their personal information when any changes occur. Records then stay up to date while the workload for HR is reduced.

We’ve considered what ESS applications have to offer – so what advantages do you gain by using one with support for multiple languages?

Benefits of a Multilingual ESS App

The ESS app available with MANUS WFM supports 35 languages. What are the benefits?

Building Inclusivity and Reducing Errors

Companies large enough to employ staff from multiple linguistic backgrounds can face communication hurdles, including misunderstandings about schedules, time-off policies, or payroll details. These misunderstandings can lead to costly mistakes, such as scheduling conflicts.

With a multilingual ESS app, each worker has complete visibility; they see the same policies and processes in a language they fully understand, mitigating the risk of misinterpretation and errors.

Employee Engagement and Morale

Making your workforce management system accessible in multiple languages sends a strong message about inclusivity. Staff who feel supported and catered to in this way are more likely to be engaged, with heightened morale.

Seamless Onboarding and Training

Onboarding is simpler when new hires can download an ESS app on day one and immediately navigate it in their own language.

Instead of waiting for a specialized induction from HR, they can quickly learn the basics: how to clock in/out, where to view their work schedules, how to request leave, and so on.

The Impact Across Sectors

How Do ESS Apps Improve Employee Scheduling in Retail and Hospitality? 

In retail, scheduling is often a puzzle; peak sales can fluctuate drastically depending on holidays, promotions, or unexpected surges in customer traffic. This environment requires flexibility – and the same applies in leisure and hospitality.

An ESS app allows store associates to take control of shift bidding and time-off requests. Faster response times and fewer scheduling conflicts lead to more optimal coverage, in line with labor needs.

Ultimately, such apps support dynamic workforce scheduling.

Why Should Logistics Companies Use ESS Apps? 

Large warehouses and distribution centres often employ a high number of transient or part-time workers from various linguistic backgrounds, making it a prime industry where ESS apps make a difference.

Providing real-time schedules, mobile clock-in/out features, and immediate updates in multiple languages ensures that operations run efficiently. Managers can also broadcast urgent announcements, like weather-related closures or changes to inbound shipment volumes, while employees can respond instantly without language barriers.

How Do ESS Applications Help Call Centers?

Call centers often have international workforces; a single call center may support English, Spanish, French, Italian, Hindi and Mandarin-speaking customers. Having an ESS solution in multiple languages removes obstacles for new employees that work with these markets but may not be experienced with the local language where they’re employed.

ESS Apps for Manufacturing and Industry

A multilingual ESS app provides significant advantages in this sector by enabling simplified management of complex shift rotations, including specialized roles and certifications required for specific production lines.

It also encourages efficient onboarding for seasonal or temporary workers during production surges.

Clear communication of safety protocols and procedure updates in employees’ native languages reduces miscommunications that could impact production quality or safety.

Considerations for Implementation

Integration with Existing Systems

For maximum efficiency, your ESS solution should integrate with your other enterprise applications such as your core HR software. For example, if the app has time tracking features, attendance data could be passed to your workforce management solution and payroll software. When choosing a platform, assess its compatibility with your current technology infrastructure and its ability to scale as your workforce grows.

Phased Implementation and Training

Rolling out a new ESS app to a large, distributed workforce doesn’t happen overnight. A phased approach, where you onboard specific departments or locations first, lets you collect feedback and address any issues before a company-wide launch. Training materials, provided in multiple languages, can be made available via short videos or in-app tutorials.

Security and Privacy

The ESS platform must comply with relevant data protection regulations and include robust security protocols. Authentication measures, like single sign-on (SSO) and secure cloud hosting, assure both employees and management that sensitive data is protected.

Seek Advocates to Support Other Users

As part of your change management strategy, seek out staff that are willing to not only support but also encourage other employees to use the app. Research by Dell has shown that 77% of Gen Z workers are willing to serve as tech mentors.

Conclusion

The modern workforce is linguistically diverse and deeply reliant on technology. Providing an Employee Self-Service app is both a convenience and a strategic investment; it boosts engagement, minimizes costs, and ensures optimal efficiency in scheduling, and in leave and absence management.

A multilingual approach reduces errors caused by miscommunication and shows employees that they’re valued and included.

Our leading enterprise workforce management software – MANUS WFM – is equipped with an ESS app that’s available in 35 languages. To learn more or request a demo, contact us today.

Beyond Workforce Management Software: Why a Service Contract Is an Investment in Success

Workforce management software is not just about attendance tracking, absence management or preventing employee scheduling conflicts. It’s the key to optimizing labor costs.

But there’s another element to success – tweaking your implementation whenever necessary and quickly resolving issues. This agility translates to less downtime and the ability to seize opportunities faster.

At MANUS, we’ve introduced service contracts which ensure expert support and fast issue resolution. Compared to ad-hoc support, it positions organizations to get the most from their configuration. This article explains what’s involved.

The Hidden Costs of Ad-Hoc WFM Support

Having a service contract helps you avoid several roadblocks.

Delays and Red Tape

Without a contract, any needed change (like a small configuration tweak) might require you to request a quote and get approval before the vendor can address it. Such administrative processes mean your team could wait days for a fix, during which productivity may suffer.

Higher Costs for Small Tasks

Ad-hoc support might come with high minimum fees. A vendor may charge a full hour for a 15-minute fix, or a simple question could require purchasing a full hour’s consultation.

Lower Priority Support

Without a service contract, your support tickets are likely to be addressed only after those of customers that have contracts. The result can be extended downtime and productivity losses as you await assistance. Essentially, having guaranteed support when you need it may be part of your risk management strategy.

How Our Service Contracts Work

A service contract with MANUS is an annual subscription (which renews each year). You buy a number of workforce management consulting hours in advance, giving your company priority access to our team’s expertise. Here are some more details.

Pre-Purchased Hours at a Discount

You buy a set number of consulting hours for the year at a discounted rate (up to 10%) compared to if you paid on demand. There’s no need to approve a new expense every time you need help; you simply use your prepaid hours, reducing admin.

Flexible Use of Time

Those hours can be used for any mix of support or consulting tasks, such as implementing a software change, configuring a new scheduling rule, providing user training or fine-tuning a process. It could be used for integrating with other workforce management tools, such as real time analytics or payroll processing software.

It all comes out of the same bank of hours. Thus, you can apply the time wherever it brings the most value, without extra administrative tasks.

Priority Support

Usually, if support is required, customers need to submit a ticket through the helpdesk and go through the subsequent steps like getting approval for the work, etc.

As a contract client, your issues are addressed ahead of non-contract requests, resulting in faster turnaround. Any problem that arises is handled with urgency.

Your Own Dedicated WFM Consultant

We assign a dedicated consultant to your account; a seasoned WFM expert who gets to know your configuration, your processes and your business overall.

When you need help or advice, you’re dealing with the same consultant who understands your goals. This means you don’t have to explain things more than once to different people. Instead, your needs are addressed by someone that truly understands your unique situation and challenges, and this may also speed up resolution.

Our consultants bring deep knowledge of WFM best practices across industries. They can suggest more effective strategies (such as dynamic workforce scheduling), analyze different business scenarios, interpret data for insights, configure new features as your needs develop – and many other use cases that improve your workforce management capabilities.

 

More Benefits of MANUS WFM Service Contracts

Preventing Issues from Escalating

With priority support and a familiar consultant on standby, issues that might drag on get resolved in hours. Minor glitches are stopped in their tracks before they can escalate.

Continuous Improvement Made Easy

Workforce planning software doesn’t need to remain static after going live. Business requirements change and so do the software’s capabilities. Service contract customers can more easily benefit from ongoing improvement. Regular check-ins with your consultant can uncover opportunities for more streamlined processes, or the discovery of new features. This leads to continuous gains in operational efficiency.

Flexibility

Organizations can respond quickly to changes, such as surges in demand, regulatory changes, or expansions, without worrying that their workforce management system will hold them back.

Lower Total Cost and Predictable Budgeting

A service contract often proves to be more cost-effective than ad-hoc support. Ad-hoc services may appear cheaper at first glance but, as discussed, they can quickly add up due to minimum billing requirements and so on.

And, as mentioned, once organizations experience the benefits of a comprehensive workforce management solution, they often want to get more out of it. With a service contract, you can invest gradually in these improvements without dealing with unpredictable costs every time.

For many organizations, especially those in cost-sensitive sectors like retail and logistics, this predictability is a significant advantage. It provides clarity and supports better decision-making.

Peace of Mind

Ultimately, a service contract provides peace of mind. You’re not just buying hours but are investing in stability and responsiveness. Your teams can focus on their core role, knowing that help is just an email or phone call away.

 

Conclusion

Implementing a workforce management solution is a crucial step in reducing labor costs, but ensuring its long-term success requires ongoing input.

A service contract with MANUS is an investment that keeps paying off by safeguarding organizational success. It provides quick support if issues arise and expert insights for improvement – which translates into less downtime and improved workforce productivity.

Ultimately, it transforms support from a reactive, pay-per-incident expense into a proactive, predictable service. You gain a team of experts on call who can fix problems and help you continuously improve.

To enquire about our service contracts – or to request a demo of MANUS WFM – contact us today.