Managing employees takes time, even for the very best managers and supervisors. The rewards of a well-functioning team that produces effective results is what every company needs to grow. Additionally, an effective manager allows mentoring opportunities that set employees up for future success.
Management is a skill that requires practice and hard work. One tool on the market to make this a little easier is employee management software. This tool offers a big picture view of managing employees. Overseeing a workforce in a healthy, supportive environment includes staying on top of day-to-day tasks such as scheduling.
Use Employee Management Software to Recruit and Hire Top Talent
Managing employees starts with the hiring process. Recruiting people onto the team who are a good culture fit is essential for management success. Finding talented people with amazing education credentials and intellectual capacity is not difficult. However, each candidate who sends in a sparkling resume is not a cultural fit.
Prepare New Employees before Their Start Date
Smart managers will begin onboarding employees before they begin tracking their attendance. Prepare and welcome new employees before their first day. This may reduce the likelihood of employee turnover. Managers should add them to the time & attendance system as soon as they accept the job offer.
If the company has a web-based time management system, managers may even give new employees their login information. This way, they can acclimate to the system and focus more on their position when they arrive on the first day. Essentially, managers can give new employees information that helps them hit the ground running with excitement about their new role in the company.
Forget the Word “Management” is in Employee Management Software
Software designed to help managers are technical tools that streamline certain management functions. However, managers must remember to lead employees as much as they manage daily activities. For example, some software programs include performance appraisal features. Managers can enter data based on predefined parameters to tell at which level an employee is performing.
Understanding the full scope of why an employee appears weak in one area requires looking at other factors. Perhaps the employee was dealing with personal issues during the time period being accessed. If the work they produce appears out of the norm from past performance, managers must adjust the appraisal accordingly.
With this comes an acknowledgement to lead employees. The majority of any workforce would prefer to be led, not managed. People want to feel inspired. They want to work for someone who is capable of bringing the team together for a common goal. Leaders present a vision and lead the team to victory.
Let Employees Access the Software
Give employees access to the same technology and tools used to measure their performance. This empowers them to share in the information about their attendance, absences and hours worked, among other things. Implementing an employee management system that helps the team work better boosts efficiency and company success.
Publish Advanced Schedules
Some employees need advanced notice to plan for childcare and transportation. Others thrive on having a flexible work week. One way that managers can satisfy both is to publish at least two weeks of advanced schedules. This makes it easier to manage employees.
Let employees know that the schedule may change and give them access to stay up-to-date if something does change. This includes letting them view scheduling information in the system.
What managers will find is scheduling gets easier when employees submit time-off requests early. Unexpected conflicts decrease because employees receive advanced notice of attendance expectations.
Conduct Regular Evaluations of Staffing Levels
Regularly evaluating staffing levels prevents the tightrope walk of being understaffed. Not having adequate coverage could affect sales and other important tasks. Alternately, overstaffing raises payroll expenses.
Copying the previous week’s schedule is a bad habit that does not consider other forces affecting the business. Managers should plan employee schedules that match business needs. A good management program helps managers forecast labor costs to build the right schedule.
Set Flexible, Predictable Boundaries for Work Schedules
Blending flexibility with predictability helps to set boundaries for schedules. Availability can change for a myriad of reasons, i.e. sickness and family emergency. An employee management system helps with such time off requests. This ensures employees have flexibility without overwhelming an entire department.
In addition, managers should set rules for approving non-emergency changes. An example is not approving shift trades after 5 p.m. one day before. Managers are not caught off guard and the team does not suffer from an unexpected switch.
Foster Trust with Employees
Employees should know their managers trust them to make mature decisions. This includes understanding workflows and schedules so they plan time-off for non-emergency events accordingly. Software designed to manage employees can also provide metrics tools to monitor attendance.
