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Workforce Management Software

Workforce Management software enables organizations to plan, track, and manage the allocation and requirements of labor resources. Workforce Management tools also help organizations and HR departments develop and retain top talent. These applications allow businesses to optimize staff scheduling, while reducing labor costs. Workforce management tools also allow employees to check and request paid time off (PTO) and manage schedules. Workforce Management software is related to Human Resource software, Payroll software, Scheduling software and Time Clock software. Find the best workforce management software in Canada for your organization.

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BambooHR automates operational manual HR processes and frees HR to perform the big-picture projects that make a difference. Learn more about BambooHR
With BambooHR's workforce management capabilities, you can create custom, self-service HR workflows to be more efficient in your decision-making processes as a company and protect the integrity of your data. Eliminate bottlenecks by streamlining your approval processes, paving the way for your company to grow faster. Learn more about BambooHR

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Canada Local product
Synerions suite of solutions will provide you with everything you need to track, monitor and report on employee time and attendance. Learn more about Synerion
Synerion is a world leader in workforce management software with over 35 years of experience, 5,000,000 users, and 7,000 installations globally. Synerion offers workforce management software with the use of mobile devices, GPS tracking, finger/hand biometric devices, tablet clocks with face detection. As part of our workforce management suite we offer time and labor, advanced scheduling, absence management, labor allocation, timesheets, coreHR, time off request and more. Learn more about Synerion

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Temporary workforce management can be made easy and more effective with Zoho Workerly's Workforce Management Software. Learn more about Zoho Workerly
No matter how huge your workforce is Zoho Workerly's Workforce Management Software is here to manage them proactively. You can schedule or re-schedule jobs anytime as per temp availability and let everyone be in the know. Also, have timely timesheets and invoices generated for closing all payments on-time and experience conflict-free workforce management. Learn more about Zoho Workerly

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
We're creating a new standard in global HR, enabling every business to access better payroll, tax, benefits and compliance solutions. Learn more about Remote
Experience limitless global opportunities with Remote's transformative approach to building international teams. Regardless of your company's size, we offer comprehensive solutions for hiring, payroll, taxes, benefits, equity options, and compliance in numerous countries. With our network of in-country legal and HR experts, your intellectual property is safeguarded. Whether you're on the path to market expansion or seeking individual talent globally, Remote empowers you with robust global HR solutions that redefine possibilities. Learn more about Remote

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
The blissfully simple resource management tool that helps busy teams schedule work, balance workloads, and keep projects on track. Learn more about Resource Guru
Resource Guru is the blissfully simple resource management software that helps busy teams keep projects on track. Get a clear view of team availability and time off and find the perfect person for every job. Create schedules at speed, keep workloads realistic, and ensure everyone is aligned on upcoming work. Track your team’s time for insights on forecast and actual hours. Dig deeper with customizable reports on utilization across projects and clients. Try it free for 30 days! Learn more about Resource Guru

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Sign In Solutions revolutionizes visitor management for today's diverse work environments by providing a secure and customized platform Learn more about Sign In Solutions
In today’s business world, every interaction holds the potential to influence success. Visitor management's role goes beyond registering guests; we at Sign In Solutions introduce "Visitor Management 2.0." It energizes the system, enhancing organizational efficiency, security, and user experience. Here's why VM 2.0 matters: Mitigate risk: In a world of increasing threats and stringent regulations, knowing who is interacting with your organization and ensuring they meet your compliance standards is paramount. Maximize efficiencies: Reducing the time and burden associated with managing visitors streamlines operations and frees up resources for more strategic activities. Elevate experiences: Respect for visitors' time and a seamless, engaging visit raise their perception of your organization, turning every interaction into an opportunity to impress and build relationships. Learn more about Sign In Solutions

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Rippling's Workforce Management prevents compliance violations, automates tasks, staffs shifts, finds talent, and boosts productivity. Learn more about Rippling
Rippling’s all-in-one workforce management platform integrates payroll, time tracking, scheduling, and more into one system. Rippling's products work together in real time to automate routine tasks, eliminating payroll errors and compliance risks. Build fully compliant schedules, automatically track hours from clock-in to paycheck, and pay your entire workforce accurately and on time. Keep an eye on efficiency and staffing needs to cut costs and increase productivity. Reduce turnover costs with flexible scheduling tools and employee mobile access. Maximize your team's productivity with Rippling. Learn more about Rippling

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Unifocus technology offers best-in-class workforce management tools designed for hospitality that empower to make smarter decisions. Learn more about Unifocus
Workforce management software designed for hospitality. Unifocus brings together everything you need to manage your team and operations all in one place. Control labor costs - increase asset value. Learn more about Unifocus

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Bob’s Workforce Planning is for HR, managers, and finance to build multiple headcount plans simultaneously for any workforce scenario. Learn more about Bob
Bob gives HR teams agile and efficient workforce planning tool. Build a single view of your positions—both current and planned—and add, edit, postpone, or cancel positions as your plans evolve and change. Give your managers access to view open positions and request new positions as needed. Prepare for multiple events simultaneously and implement the plan that fits your strategy and goals. Make better hiring decisions with all your workforce planning information in one centralized location. Learn more about Bob

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Dayforce is the global people platform for the modern workforce, providing organizations of all industries and sizes. Learn more about Dayforce HCM
What is Dayforce? Dayforce is the global people platform for the modern workforce. As a single application, Dayforce unifies data from across the entire employee lifecycle, combining payroll, benefits, workforce management, human resources, talent management, and analytics to provide organizations with real-time, data-driven results at every level. Organizations can find and hire the right people, create schedules that support work-life balance, manage employee development, process global pay, administer benefits, and unlock workforce insights, all while monitoring compliance. With Dayforce, organizations can unlock quantifiable value and operate anywhere with confidence. Who uses Dayforce? Dayforce is designed to scale up or down for organizations with between 100 to 12,000+ employees across all industries. Learn more about Dayforce HCM

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Tugboat integrates with HRM/ERP systems. It quickly and efficiently take the guess work out of scheduling employees and requests. Learn more about Tugboat Software
Tugboat’s solution pairs with your HR and ERP systems. Your rules of operation and policies are the foundation for Tugboat’s solutions. If your operation requirements are complex, we offers comprehensive solutions that focus on assigning your workforce to an optimized schedule while managing PTO. The schedule for your entire workforce is generated fast for a staff of hundreds or thousands of employees while improving employee satisfaction, reducing workload and drives down operating costs. Learn more about Tugboat Software

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
End to end workforce management for remote teams. Learn more about Alloc8
Alloc8 is intelligent workforce software that helps you easily manage your jobs, workers and assets - cutting down admin time, reducing unnecessary costs, and keeping your workers safe. Features include advanced scheduling features such as filtering by distance or skill, digital timesheeting, automated invoicing and documentation, integrated payroll, and more. Learn more about Alloc8

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Canada Local product
Cloud-based time clock for businesses that helps track employee working hours, analyze timesheets, generate payroll, and more. Learn more about MX-SmartTracker
Cloud-based time clock for businesses that helps track employee working hours, analyze timesheets and more. MX-SmartTracker is a time management system that allows you to track every working hour, analyze and approve timesheets, and generate each employees payroll according to his or her output. Save time and money on tracking time and expenses of your employees. Built for companies with 50 employees and up. Learn more about MX-SmartTracker

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
INTOO is a global provider of career development and outplacement solutions, with a focus on personalized 1:1 career coaching. Learn more about INTOO Outplacement
INTOO is the career development and outplacement flagship for Gi Group, a global leader in HR and talent solutions with 20+ years of experience in delivering high-touch, people-focused programs to more than 20,000 companies around the world. INTOO’s focus on personalized coaching and technology innovation enables organizations of all sizes to build loyalty and engagement throughout the employee lifecycle, with flexible candidate experience, career development, and career transition solutions. Learn more about INTOO Outplacement

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Cloud-based time clock solution that helps businesses manage attendances, calculate worked time, track check-ins, and more Learn more about PayClock Online
Cut payroll processing time in half with PayClock. Affordable and reliable proximity badge, fingerprint, or contactless face recognition time clocks with web-based time clock software helps protect employees from spreading germs & eliminate buddy punching. With auto calculations, accruals, and other features you can prepare payroll anytime, anywhere so payroll processing is so much easier. 49 standard reports & exports into payroll like QuickBooks, ADP, Paychex and others. Learn more about PayClock Online

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Snap Schedule takes the hassle out of employee shift scheduling. It is easy to use, flexible, and has all the features you ever need. Learn more about Snap Schedule
Snap Schedule takes the hassle out of employee scheduling and help companies track and manage overtime and labor costs. Scalable to an unlimited number of employees, Snap Schedule helps you quickly create shift schedules, avoid scheduling conflicts, and get accurate data with comprehensive reporting. Using iPhone/iPad, tablets, and mobile devices, your employees can access their schedules, request time off, bid on open shifts, punch in/out,view time cards, update their availability, and more. Learn more about Snap Schedule

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Assembled is a modern workforce management platform built for rapidly scaling support teams. Learn more about Assembled
Assembled is a support operations platform that helps companies maintain exceptional customer experiences, no matter what lies ahead. Leading brands use Assembled’s workforce and vendor management capabilities to make optimal staffing decisions, gain visibility into performance and productivity, and unlock new ways to serve evolving customer needs. Learn more about Assembled

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Cegid Retail Store Excellence is an intuitive retail operations app for Task Management, Team Engagement and Activity Planning. Learn more about Cegid Retail Store Excellence
Simplify communication with your stores and ensure your associates are ‘in the know’ with Cegid Retail Store Excellence, an intuitive retail operations app that saves time and makes life easier for store teams and retail management teams. Key features include Task Management, Team Engagement and Activity Planning. 15,000+ stores in 55 countries use Cegid Retail Store Excellence daily to empower store staff and drive store productivity. Learn more about Cegid Retail Store Excellence

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Programs + workshops to support your laid off employees with resume development, personal coaching, connections to jobs, tools and more Learn more about Randstad RiseSmart
Programs + workshops to support your laid off employees with resume development, personal coaching, connections to jobs, tools and more Learn more about Randstad RiseSmart

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Canada Local product
Cloud-native workforce planning software for 5000+ employee enterprises. Learn more about Nakisa Workforce Planning
Streamline your workforce management and planning with Nakisa, cloud-native software tailored for enterprises with 5000+ employees. Nakisa provides robust organizational chart visualization, advanced dashboards, and ad-hoc reporting. This software empowers companies with enhanced organizational design capabilities, facilitating the seamless implementation of business strategies while maintaining agility and adaptability to market changes. Nakisa seamlessly connects isolated data sources through native bidirectional ERP integrations (SAP HCM, SAP SFSF, Workday, Oracle) and APIs, fostering data-driven decision-making processes with powerful workforce analytics. Uncover potential skill gaps, forecast labor demand, and make informed hiring decisions within thoughtfully designed structures. Our software helps bring together the main stakeholders of organizational changes: executives, line managers, HR and Finance teams, and ensures their alignment on the workforce strategy. Learn more about Nakisa Workforce Planning

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Without sacrificing the autonomy of either half, Time&Space proves that time and access are best together. Learn more about Time&Space
Complete solution for Time&Attendance tightly integrated with Access Control. Feature rich Windows based software with support for Oracle and MSSQL database. Web and mobile clients. Highly optimised access controllers and time clocks. Integration friendly with support for HID card readers, Morpho and IrisID biometric terminals, Milestone video surveillance, Aperio wireless locks, etc. More than 2000 systems in 20 countries. Localisation kit and integration friendly SDK. Learn more about Time&Space

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Web-based platform with an intuitive user experience for succession planning, position management, and more. Learn more about Built
Built for Teams is an intuitive, cloud-based workforce management system, providing HR managers and executives with critical employee data, reporting, org charts, succession planning, and and position control. Learn more about Built

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
An award winning game-based assessment tool that measures soft skills in prospective & existing employee's in a fun & engaging process. Learn more about Owiwi
Owiwi is a fun and engaging psychometric tool that accurately measures prospective and existing employee's soft skills. Think of a combination of advanced scientific methodology packed within an immersive game that candidates enjoy taking part in. We take away the stress in the hiring process for the candidate while eliminating the recruiter risk of hiring the wrong candidate by offering data-driven and bias-free insights and accelerating the screening/shortlisting process with automations. Learn more about Owiwi

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Connecteam is one app for all your workforce management needs, like scheduling, time tracking, task management, and communication. Learn more about Connecteam
Achieve smoother workforce operations with Connecteam. This employee management app automates and streamlines your entire business on the go. Made specifically for non-desk teams, you can streamline all daily operations, like scheduling, attendance tracking, training, task management, and payroll administration, from one user-friendly app. The app also helps boost team engagement and create a positive company culture with communication tools, rewards features, and customizable surveys. Learn more about Connecteam

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management
Canada Local product
Rise is a people management platform that brings together HR, Benefits & Payroll into a simplified, personalized, all-in-one solution. Learn more about Rise
Rise People is Canada’s first all-in-one people management platform offering a modern suite of easy-to-use HR, benefits, and payroll solutions that's used by thousands of employers across Canada. Rise is changing how work happens—and how people work—through people management solutions that seamlessly integrate and can scale up with a company as they grow. Book your free demo today. Learn more about Rise

Features

  • Employee Management
  • Performance Management
  • Attendance Tracking Software
  • Timesheet Management
  • Self Service Portal
  • Skills Tracking
  • Compliance Management
  • Time Off Management
  • Budgeting/Forecasting
  • Automated Scheduling
  • Reporting/Analytics
  • Payroll Management

Workforce Management Software Buyers Guide

Introduction

Workforce management software is the name given to applications that allow Canadian businesses and their leaders to plan, track and manage the allocation of labour resources, as well as the needs of employees. Also known as a workforce management system, staff management software, or workforce planning, such a tool can be deployed in order to manage personal information, create and distribute work schedules, streamline operations, automate predictable processes, track attendance and absences, and monitor business operations. In addition, the best workforce software will allow users to leverage existing data in order to make evidence-based forecasts about future business needs.

A key component of most labour management solutions in Canada is the presence of a staff database, which will typically include names, contact details, current job roles, salary information, start dates, and other important information, all in a standardized format. Beyond this, tools will usually exist to organize scheduling and communicate that information to those who need it. Some software solutions go further and allow employees to actually make adjustments to their own schedule, providing workers with more control and a greater amount of flexibility.

Many of the best applications of this kind will also include performance metric tracking, which can be valuable for informing staff appraisals and helping leaders to manage the provision of training and coaching services. Moreover, the included ability to monitor work times, attendance, and compliance means that programs of this kind can often function as an all-purpose labour tracking software solution within a wide range of business settings.

With these various features in mind, workforce management software is closely related to employee scheduling software, talent management software, performance appraisal software, and attendance tracking software solutions. In many cases, it can function in combination with these packages, although workforce software will include many of the same features, so it may be able to replace the need for some of these programs too.

Of course, the precise range of features contained within workforce management solutions can vary significantly from one program to the next, and this is especially true if the software in question is targeted towards a specific industry or business type. Nevertheless, most options on the market will include the same core features, allowing users to:

  • Manage important information, including contact and employment details
  • Use past and current data to anticipate future labour requirements
  • View employee availability, assign shifts, and create work schedules
  • Track, view, and amend work hours and overall attendance for each employee
  • Evaluate the performance of workers, using key performance indicators

What is workforce management software?

Workforce management software is designed to enable Canadian businesses to plan, track, and manage the allocation of labour resources and the needs of a workforce. Software of this kind can be perceived as an all-in-one solution, allowing for everything from work scheduling and labour forecasting, through to attendance monitoring and performance tracking. Being able to carry out these functions from a single location can be valuable for efficiency and convenience.

A large component of most workforce management systems is the ability to consolidate important information related to work and employees. With this in mind, a common feature is an employee database containing important data, such as contact information, employment contract details, salary information, and attendance figures, all in one place for quick and easy access. Additionally, the centralized nature of the information stored in workforce software can help to overcome compatibility issues that may otherwise arise if multiple programs were being used instead.

Essentially, workforce management software can help companies to be better organized in the present and better prepared for future events too. The forecasting component allows business leaders to anticipate difficulties or challenges in advance, take action to mitigate threats, and resolve or alleviate workforce issues before they actually become a significant problem. Meanwhile, performance tracking can be used to inform staff appraisals and training provisions.

What are the benefits of workforce management software?

The benefits of workforce management software are largely related to its ability to bring many different tools into one application, which can help to make the tasks associated with business management much more efficient. However, the plus points of using an application of this type do extend beyond simple efficiency advantages, and it is important to weigh up all of these benefits when deciding on whether or not to make a purchase. Some of the main benefits allow users to:

  • Streamline management functions: the ability to use a single application to carry out a variety of different management tasks and functions is a major plus point associated with workforce management software. A comprehensive program will allow managers to handle actions that may otherwise require the use of a number of different applications, and bringing these tasks together can provide new opportunities for integration too. Centralization of key information can also reduce the sheer amount of time required to input data, potentially freeing up employees to spend more of their time focusing on core business activities and operations instead.
  • Provide automation options: many workforce management software packages on the market include options to automate certain processes, including scheduling. This will typically work by creating a schedule based on employee availability information, which can potentially be added to software of this kind by the employees themselves. When this is possible, it can free up more time. Automation can also help to pinpoint when absences pass a certain threshold or when business performance either improves or starts to drop, allowing for timely interventions. Compliance checking tools may also provide options to automatically flag up when action needs to be taken in order to bring staff up to the required level or make alterations to processes.
  • Pinpoint areas of strength and weakness: solutions that allow key performance metrics to be tracked have the advantage of allowing users to easily pinpoint the areas where the business is performing well, as well as the areas that require improvement. From there, they can start to evaluate why certain aspects of the business are successful and why other areas are not performing the way they should. When managers and other business leaders gain a better sense of the strengths and weaknesses of different employees, departments, and branches, they can start to take appropriate actions in order to optimize business performance across the board.
  • Inform hiring and training decisions: one of the big advantages of having software that can forecast labour requirements is the fact that this information can then be used to inform both hiring and training decisions, and these decisions can be made before the need becomes too great. If software forecasts increased demand affecting a particular area of a business, senior staff can make decisions about improving competency levels of current staff to cope with that demand or hiring new staff to help to tackle the extra workload. In some instances, forecasting may predict very short-term needs for more staff, and this can allow recruiters to hire temporary staff rather than investing in full-time employees who may not be needed beyond a certain point.
  • Boost levels of employee satisfaction: the ability to manage employee schedules more accurately, provide flexibility, and review performance can all lead to greater employee satisfaction. Clarity over shifts can play a major role in boosting morale, while the ability to track performance also offers opportunities to recognize top performers. According to the Capterra Employee Recognition Survey 2021, 53 per cent of workers do not believe they receive enough recognition at work, and workforce management software can play a key role in rectifying this. Finally, the work hours tracking capabilities offered by many applications in this category can improve satisfaction by helping to ensure that all staff are paid fairly, accurately, and on time.

What are the features of workforce management software?

The features of workforce management software are based around managing day-to-day issues related to employees, scheduling, business needs, and the needs of employees. Of course, the precise range of features on offer are going to vary from one solution to the next, but the majority of workforce software options in Canada will include the same core features and functions. Here are some of the most common features of workforce management software:

  • Employee database: create and manage a comprehensive database, including key information about workers, such as their name, contact details, start date, contract details, job description, and salary information. Keeping all of this information in one place, in a standard format, allows anyone who needs this information to easily find it. Records can be kept up-to-date, the database can be shared across different departments and different premises, and changes made to the database can update for everyone, in real-time. Access controls will also mean that confidential information can be kept secure from prying eyes, while most workforce management software with database capabilities will also include comprehensive search functionality too.
  • Labour forecasting: utilize past data and current data in the books to identify specific workforce trends, and make more informed, evidence-based forecasts about future labour requirements. The ability to predict staffing needs within an organization with a degree of accuracy can be vital for making future plans and for responding to labour shortages in a timely fashion. For example, if internal data shows that work demands increase every summer, it is easy to identify this trend and take action in advance before the business experiences any negative consequences associated with tackling this greater demand with a workforce that is too small.
  • Employee scheduling: establish work schedules, identify workload changes, and allocate shifts to employees while factoring in business needs, employee availability, current levels of qualifications and specialization, and other important information. Ultimately, the employee scheduling component of a workforce management system will allow for the creation of realistic, workable schedules, which suit all parties, and which minimize the need for changes to be made at short notice. However, when changes do need to be made, this can also be carried out easily so that all employees know what is expected of them. Top of the range solutions may also include automated scheduling, which will create work schedules based on the data that is in the system, along with established work patterns and other key details. Automated schedules can help to make scheduling more efficient and can actually remove some of the most common problems that may be associated with human error.
  • Time and attendance: track, monitor, and manage employee work hours to know exactly when someone was at work and how many hours they worked. Additionally, keep a record of any sickness absences, holiday periods, or time spent on maternity or paternity leave so that an accurate picture of overall attendance can be formed. Tracking work hours and attendance in this way can be essential for identifying trends or circumstances that may lead to absences, understaffing, overstaffing, and a variety of other issues. The time and attendance feature within staff management software can also improve payroll accuracy, reducing employee pay disputes and ensuring that any disputes that do occur are resolved more swiftly.
  • Compliance tracking: keep important compliance information in one place, and monitor business operations, to ensure an organization is always acting in accordance with rules and regulations. Information that can typically be stored within workforce software include certificates, union agreements, industry-specific regulations, discrimination laws, and wider employment rules and regulations. From there, users can monitor labour standards, track the provision of training, ensure operations are all in accordance with employment law and identify any areas where operations are falling short or where problems could potentially arise in the future.
  • Performance metrics: view and continually track relevant performance metrics related to individual employees and the workforce as a whole. By understanding where a business is performing well—and where there is room for improvement—more evidence-based decisions can be made with regards to recruitment, and the provision of training and coaching services. Furthermore, performance metrics can help to provide managers with the information they need to carry out staff appraisals and provide staff with recognition for their efforts. This can be especially important in organizations with remote workers. In fact, Gartner research actually identified employee recognition as one of the six main areas to focus on when trying to maintain employee performance levels.

Capterra's workforce management software directory makes it easy to sort the available software options based on the features they provide. When these sorting tools are used effectively, the available packages can be narrowed down, so only the options that include the required features are presented. This means less time spent exploring unsuitable software and more time focusing on the applications that could provide the greatest benefits.

What should be considered when purchasing workforce management software?

When purchasing workforce management software, there are several things that should be given careful consideration in order to identify the best software package for the company’s needs. A good way to approach this is to ask some key questions about the software and how it works, as well as about the business requirements and the ways in which the software will be used. With this in mind, the following should all be considered before making a final purchasing decision:

  • What are workforce management tools needed for? This simple question can help when thinking about the features included in different software solutions on the market and when giving consideration to the features that are actually needed. It is worth noting that businesses may use the software in completely different ways. Therefore, the best security workforce management software may not necessarily be the best call centre WFM software solution or the best option for a software development business, and so on. Think carefully about which features matter the most to the business or which specific tools are likely to be needed within the industry, and then use this information to narrow down the available options.
  • How much does workforce management software cost? Cost is an important factor that can influence any purchasing decision, so opt for software that fits within the available budget. However, with workforce management software, there are other factors to consider beyond the upfront costs associated with actually buying software. It is best to approach this consideration by calculating the total cost of ownership. This will mean factoring in any subscription fees associated with Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions, calculating the costs of setup or installation, and thinking about any additional expenditure that may be necessary—such as staff training—and the costs that may be linked to any future need to access technical support.
  • Can workforce software integrate with existing tools? Although a good workforce management software solution will typically offer a wide range of different management-related features and functions, a chosen package is unlikely to allow every essential task to be performed. This means it is almost certainly going to need to function alongside other packages, and compatibility and integration can be important considerations here. Try to find an option that will work on the devices employees use, which is compatible with existing software solutions, or where changes to current processes can be made without causing major disruption.
  • What is the best deployment model to use? Deploying software and storing data on-site is only one possible approach, and it is important to give considerations to the alternatives. These options include deploying the software on-site but using cloud storage or opting for a full cloud-based option, where a subscription fee is paid to a third-party company. This company then takes responsibility for providing cloud-based access to the software, for any future software updates, and for keeping data safe and secure in the cloud. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with each deployment method, so the best option will depend on a range of factors. Cloud-based subscription models can reduce upfront costs and make ongoing costs more predictable, but on-site deployment may offer a greater sense of overall control and will not result in a business being tied into an ongoing subscription.
  • Is mobile workforce management software available? Many Canadian businesses have only recently started to embrace remote or hybrid work models, while others have always had employees working in the field who could benefit from the ability to access work schedules from a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet. If this applies, it may be worth taking the time to explore the available workforce management systems and identify one that includes a mobile app or which offers access to the central database via a mobile web browser.
  • What optional features may be useful? The various software solutions on the market may include similar core features, but the optional features on offer can vary drastically. Examples of some of the optional features that might be found in some packages include built-in payroll and recruitment management tools, workflow management options, and shift swapping options for employees, allowing them to pick up and pass off shifts. These extra features can often be among the best ways to separate different solutions that already cater for core needs, so try to think about some of the supplementary features that may appeal or provide the most value.

The most relevant workforce management software trends tend to centre around the ways in which software and digital technology are continually evolving, especially within the workplace. For instance, the increased adoption of remote work and the heightened focus on data protection have led to increased spending on cloud technology, while users also now have greater expectations when it comes to software delivering automation options. Some of the specific workforce management software trends to be aware of are:

  • Increased popularity of cloud-based software: One of the most significant general software trends of recent times involves the increased adoption of cloud technology. In fact, a survey from Gartner shows that the majority of businesses intend to maintain or increase current expenditure on cloud computing in the near future, and the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic helped to accelerate this shift, as companies became more aware of the benefits in terms of providing access to a distributed workforce. This trend is important to factor into decision-making on workforce management software because some employees may need to access the software remotely, and cloud-based solutions can often make this both easier and more secure.
  • Improved artificial intelligence capabilities: Artificial intelligence (AI) is improving all the time, and both AI and machine learning can help to boost the quality of workforce management software. Some options will provide automated scheduling and other similar functions, which will learn from the information available and create intelligent schedules based on availability and business needs. This can not only make the process of creating a work schedule more efficient, but it can actually lead to fewer errors, as humans may overlook information in a way that AI will not. However, the best solutions offering such functions will also allow the AI-generated schedules to be amended, resulting in a blend of intelligent AI and human intervention when it is needed.
  • Changing workforce expectations: There is now a greater expectation from workers in many industries that they will have greater flexibility in their work schedule and opportunities to work from home, when appropriate. This can influence a decision on which software package to opt for because some packages will accommodate remote access more easily than others. Beyond this, there is also increased scrutiny of zero-hours contracts, with people on these contracts expecting a fair amount of work, and the option to refuse work. This can make the scheduling component of workforce management software more important and may require employees to have access to this area of the software, along with permission to swap shifts or make amendments.
  • More comprehensive software solutions: Finally, as workforce management software continues to advance, we are seeing a greater number of solutions on the market which provide a comprehensive range of features rather than focusing on specific areas. It is not unusual to find software that can provide employee databases, scheduling, compliance tracking, payroll, performance monitoring, labour forecasting, and workflow management functionality, all in one place. These options can be excellent for startups or businesses looking to streamline.

Sources:

The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in Capterra's directory that offer them. The following sources were used for this document:

  1. Employee recognition: 4 ways it has changed and how software can help - Capterra UK (Date accessed: Friday, October 1, 2021)

  2. Gartner Identifies Six Initiatives HR Can Undertake to Help Managers Maintain Employee Performance and Engagement During the Coronavirus Pandemic - Gartner.com (Date accessed: Friday, October 1, 2021)

  3. Workplace wellness: Almost 3 in 4 Canadian remote workers report burnout - Capterra Canada (Date accessed: Tuesday, December 20, 2021)

  4. Gartner Predicts the Future of Cloud and Edge Infrastructure - Gartner.com (Date accessed: Friday, October 1, 2021)