Blog summary: Two experts from EPI-USE share their insights into how smarter employee scheduling software can help meet compliance requirements without sacrificing accuracy or efficiency.
Compliance requirements are an ever-present concern for workforces everywhere. When those requirements are complex or must apply to a large team, having the right technology to support you is crucial. Choosing employee scheduling software that can intelligently handle nuanced rules at scale becomes a necessity.
EPI-USE is a leader in SAP HR/payroll systems with a global workforce of 4,200 people. As a long-term partner of WorkForce Software, an ADP® company, EPI-USE has years of experience with successfully navigating compliance requirements.
Dewald La Grange, associate partner at EPI-USE and Cathy Oates, lead functional consultant at EPI-USE, share their insights. They explore how scheduling software can be integral to meeting dynamic compliance standards.
Why does employee scheduling software matter for efficiency and compliance?
Employee scheduling software provides the essential infrastructure for accurate employee time tracking. Correct operation means correct compensation. While the concept is straightforward, the importance of this routine task means that a high-quality time-tracking tool is critical.
On an operational level, an accurate employee schedule is what keeps any business running. It ensures that the right number of team members will be scheduled at the right time and for the correct rate. Without intentional planning, businesses can incur consequences that prevent them from reaching their full potential:
- Team morale can be damaged by incorrect payments
- Overscheduling certain people when others are available can lead to avoidable overtime accruals or fatigue rule violations
- Shifts assembled without the correct certifications may not be able to work at all depending on compliance requirements
Beyond being high-quality, opting for smarter employee scheduling software can bring even more benefits. Programs with automation capabilities can reduce manual processes. A team that uses a manual spreadsheet to pick the best person for a shift can rely on software instead. This can reduce human error, increase overall efficiency and streamline operations for a better employee experience.
Three ways employee scheduling software supports efficiency and compliance requirements
- Ensuring employees have the right qualifications
Scheduling software can make sure that the right number of people are planned for each shift to avoid any interruptions. Enterprise-ready scheduling software takes it a step further. By accounting for each person’s certifications and their availability, the system consistently creates schedules that meet compliance requirements. - Reducing time spent on administrative tasks
Managers must carefully engineer shift plans that map nuanced regulations and changing certifications to a flexible team schedule. That complexity only scales with a large or global workforce. The right employee scheduling software helps them spend a fraction of the time on the same task without sacrificing accuracy. This frees them to spend more time on their core job functions, increasing efficiency and decreasing employee friction. - Selectively automating processes
Automated processes are the hallmark of smart employee scheduling software. They can save significant time while still ensuring compliance. If a team member calls out at the last minute, for example, smart software can automatically reach out only to people with the appropriate qualifications to replace them.This automatic process saves the team the time it would otherwise take an individual to see the call out, find a replacement and get them scheduled. It helps keep the business ready to operate even when faced with unexpected changes and provides more effective absence management.
“Things always change, Employees get sick, things happen that are out of our control and we need, we need the system to be able to help them manage that process.”
– Cathy Oats | Lead Functional Consultant, EPI-USE
Smart employee scheduling software in action: Ensuring compliance among complex customer requirements
The EPI-USE team shared how they leveraged their expertise and ADP® WorkForce Suite to help an emergency services provider optimize their employee scheduling. As a company dealing in the frequent use of specialized appliances, many shifts require people with specific certifications. Without accurate scheduling, they can’t fully ensure safe and compliant operations.
By leveraging smarter workforce management software, the emergency services provider transformed their processes. The team was able to incorporate all the specialized appliances and their corresponding qualifications directly into the shift types. As a result, their teams can rely on consistent operations and a compliant schedule.
What smarter employee scheduling software means for your business
Employee scheduling software is the basis for a properly compensated, compliant global workforce. By choosing smarter software, you’re creating plans that can be as dynamic and flexible as your business requires. The right workforce management solution with enterprise-grade employee scheduling capabilities can maximize your efficiency, increase team morale and make compliance easier than ever.
Access the full interview to learn more about how smart employee scheduling software can support your workforce.
