In fact, a survey revealed 94% of workers want flexibility in when they work, and no wonder, when it gives both employers and employees the freedom to tailor work hours to fit their needs. When your team has the power to decide when, where, and how they work, it can boost productivity and ramp up job satisfaction while balancing work-life demands.

In this article, we’ll break down the definition of flexible scheduling, show you real-life examples, and explain the perks for your business. Whether it’s flex time, remote work, or flexible shifts, you’ll learn how to create a flexible schedule that truly works for your team.

What is flexible scheduling?

Flexible scheduling allows employees to choose their work hours, locations, and sometimes even the days they work. It provides your team with the flexibility to work outside the traditional 9-to-5 schedule.

A flexible scheduling definition can include options like flex time schedules, where employees set their start and end times, remote work opportunities, and compressed workweeks. 

Many employees want a flex schedule, meaning this approach helps employees maintain a better work-life balance, increases job satisfaction, and can boost overall productivity. It’s a win-win for both the employer and the employee.

Flexible work schedule examples:

Flexible scheduling offers many options that can fit different business needs and employee preferences. And yes, this applies to hourly shift work too! Here are some  flexible schedule examples you can implement to create a more dynamic and supportive work environment:

Remote work.

Employees can work from anywhere—no more commuting time! Remote workers have the flexibility to work from home or wherever there is reliable internet (with a laptop, of course).

This setup is ideal for roles that don’t require a physical presence in the business. It allows employees to create a comfortable work environment that suits their needs, which can lead to higher productivity and job satisfaction.

Split shifts.

Employees work in separate time blocks within a day. For example, they might work from 8 AM to 12 PM and then from 4 PM to 8 PM. This allows them to manage personal commitments during the day, such as attending appointments or caring for family members, while still completing their work hours.

Part-time hours.

Employees work fewer hours than a full-time schedule. Fewer hours, more personal time!

This is great for balancing work with other responsibilities, such as further education, hobbies, or family care. Part-time schedules can also help businesses manage labor costs during slower periods.

Compressed workweeks.

Employees work their full hours over fewer days. For example, they might work four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days. This setup provides extended weekends, giving employees more consecutive days off to recharge, which can improve overall job satisfaction and reduce burnout.

Hybrid work.

A mix of remote and in-office work. Employees can choose certain days to work from home and others to be in the office. Talk  about the best of both worlds!

This flexibility can help maintain a balance between collaboration and independent work. You’ll likely get a productive and engaged team as a result.

Flextime.

Employees can choose their start and end times within agreed-upon limits. This flexibility helps them avoid peak traffic hours and manage personal tasks better.

For example, an employee might start work at 7 AM and finish at 3 PM, allowing them to pick up their kids from school.

Asynchronous work.

This flex work schedule means employees complete their tasks at different times rather than working simultaneously.

This approach is common in global teams where time zones vary. It allows employees to work at their most productive times and accommodates different schedules, promoting work-life balance.

Job sharing.

Two or more employees share the responsibilities of a single full-time position. This allows for part-time hours while maintaining full-time job coverage. Job sharing can help retain talented employees who need reduced hours and can bring diverse skills and perspectives to the role.

Annualized hours.

Employees work a set number of hours over the year rather than per week. This way, employees have the flexibility to work more during busy periods and less during slower times.

This is also a plus for your business, as it can help you manage seasonal fluctuations in workload and give employees more control over their schedules.

Is flexible scheduling right for your business?

Flexible scheduling can revolutionize your workplace, but is it right for you? When considering whether to implement any of the above flex time schedule examples, ask yourself: 

Can some of your employees work remotely?

If your team can perform their tasks from home or any location, remote or hybrid work could be a great option. Evaluate your operations to see if remote work fits.

Can you communicate effectively with your employees remotely?

Remote and flexible work hinges on strong communication. Ensure your team can stay connected and collaborate using tools like email, chat, and video conferencing.

Do you need to attract more top talent?

Top talent often looks for flexibility. Offering flexible work schedules can make your business more attractive to skilled professionals who value work-life balance.

Do you need to increase employee retention?

There’s no running from the truth—happy employees stay longer. Flexible scheduling can boost job satisfaction, leading to lower turnover rates, and saving you time and money on hiring and training.

Is there enough trust between employees and managers?

Trust is key. Make sure your managers trust your team to work independently and that employees are accountable for their responsibilities.

How to implement flexible scheduling:

Implementing flex scheduling can transform your workplace, but it requires careful planning and execution. Here’s a detailed guide to help you get started:

Assess your business needs.

Does your business need every employee on-site at all times? Think about the type of business you run, employee roles, and what you require to operate. 

Is there any type of flexibility (remote work, flextime, or other options mentioned earlier.) that aligns with your business goals and employee preferences?

Speak to department leaders.

Talk to department heads to understand the unique needs and challenges of different teams. Gather insights on how flexible scheduling could impact productivity and workflow. This collaborative approach ensures that the policy you develop is practical and tailored to each department’s needs.

Get buy-in from decision makers.

Present the benefits of schedule flexibility to key stakeholders and decision makers. Highlight how it can increase productivity, improve employee satisfaction, and attract top talent. Use data and case studies to support your argument and address any concerns they might have.

Create a flexible scheduling policy.

Develop a comprehensive policy that outlines how flexible scheduling will be implemented for  your business. Specify which roles are eligible, the types of flexible schedules available, and the process for requesting and approving flexible schedules. Include guidelines to ensure consistency, fairness, and clear communication across the organization.

Online scheduling tools like Homebase can help you manage flexible schedules more easily. 

Communicate your new policy to your employees.

Clearly communicate the new flexible scheduling policy to your team. Use multiple channels like meetings, emails, and your business’ communication app to ensure everyone understands the new scheduling options and how to take advantage of them. You could also provide your employees with training sessions to help them transition smoothly.

Monitor and reassess.

After implementing flexible scheduling, monitor its effectiveness and gather feedback from employees and managers. Regularly reassess the policy to ensure it meets the needs of both the business and its employees. Be open to making adjustments based on feedback and changing business conditions.

Embrace flexible scheduling for a dynamic workplace.

Flexible scheduling offers many benefits for both employers and employees—from increased productivity to improved job satisfaction. 

Knowing the range of flexible scheduling options, you can determine the best fit for your small business. Even if not every option works for hourly teams, you can find new ways of offering your employees flexible work. 

Implementing flexible scheduling involves assessing your needs, getting input from leaders, and creating clear policies. Ultimately, embracing flexible scheduling can lead to a more dynamic, supportive, and efficient work environment, positioning your business for success in today’s evolving work landscape.

The post What is Flexible Scheduling? appeared first on Homebase.

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to paid sick leave laws—from defining what paid sick leave means to detailing the specific requirements in various states. You’ll also get an in-depth look at paid leave laws by state, offering insights into what businesses need to know to manage sick leave effectively.

Whether you’re a small business owner developing a sick leave policy or an HR professional wanting to make sure your business stays compliant, this article will help you navigate the complexities of paid sick leave laws in 2024.

Are sick days required by law?

Yes, sick days are required by law in many states. Although federal law doesn’t mandate paid sick leave, several states and localities have their own paid sick leave laws.

These state-specific laws vary widely on aspects such as accrual rates, usage, and carryover policies. You need to stay informed about the specific requirements in your state to help ensure your business remains compliant. That way, you can make sure you’re providing the necessary support for your employees around sick leave. 

Understanding these laws is crucial for maintaining legal and operational standards for your business.

Federal sick leave laws.

The federal government doesn’t mandate paid sick leave for private sector employees. However, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires eligible employers to provide unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons, including the birth of a child, and serious health conditions in the family.

While the FMLA ensures unpaid leave, it does not cover paid sick leave. What does this mean? Many states and localities have their own paid sick leave laws to fill this gap, making it essential for businesses to understand and comply with both federal and state regulations. We’ll explore this in more detail below.

Are sick days paid?

So are sick hours paid? For many employees, the good news is: yes, in many states, sick days are paid. Paid sick leave laws require employers to compensate employees for the time they take off due to illness. These laws ensure that employees do not lose income while addressing health issues.

The specifics of paid sick leave vary by state. Some states have specific accrual rates, usage limits, and carryover provisions. Your business needs to be aware of the paid sick leave laws in your state to comply with legal requirements and ensure your employees get their entitled paid sick days.

Paid leave laws by state (2024).

We’ve established that understanding the paid sick leave laws by state is crucial for ensuring compliance and supporting employee well-being. How many sick days per year employees get in each state differs, so here’s a detailed look at the states with mandatory paid sick leave laws for 2024. 

Note that if a state isn’t listed below, that means it doesn’t have specific paid sick leave laws at this time. Knowing which states have mandatory paid sick leave may be especially important if you’re considering starting or expanding your business in a particular state.

We also recommend that you always review state and local regulations regularly to help you remain compliant. Keep in mind that for most sick time requirements by state, paid sick leave for hourly employees will be dependent on hours worked.

Arizona

Employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours annually for employers with 15 or more employees, and 24 hours for smaller businesses. Employees carry over unused sick leave to the next year, although accrual caps apply. 

California

California mandates that employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, with a minimum of 24 hours or three days per year. Some cities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, have more extensive requirements. Employers must allow carryover of unused leave, but may cap the total accrual at 48 hours or six days.

Colorado

Colorado sick time laws stipulate that employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year. This applies to all employers, and unused sick leave must be carried over to the next year, with usage capped at 48 hours annually. 

Connecticut

Service workers in companies with 50 or more employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours annually. Employees carry over unused sick leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. .

Illinois

Chicago and Cook County require employers to provide paid sick leave, with employees accruing one hour for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours annually. Employers must allow unused leave to carry over, subject to caps. 

Maine

Employers with 10 or more employees must offer one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. This leave can be used for any purpose, including sickness, and unused leave must be carried over to the next year. 

Maryland

Employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours annually. Employers with fewer than 15 employees may provide unpaid sick leave. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . 

Massachusetts

Employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Employers with fewer than 11 employees may provide unpaid leave. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . 

Michigan

Employers with 50 or more employees must provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . 

Minnesota

All employers in Minnesota must provide employees with up to 48 hours of earned sick and safe time annually. Employees accrue one hour for every 30 hours worked. The pay rate for sick and safe time is the same as if they’re working.

Nevada

Employers with 50 or more employees must provide 0.01923 hours of paid leave for each hour worked, which can be used for any purpose. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . Part-time employees also accrue sick leave prorated based on their full-time equivalent employment.

New Jersey

Part-time and full-time employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . 

New Mexico

Employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, with an annual cap of 64 hours. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with no cap on the total accrual. 

New York

Employers with 5-99 employees  must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. For employers with 100 or more employees, they must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave. Employers with fewer employees must provide unpaid leave. 

For employers with net income of $1 million or less, they must provide up to 40 hours of unpaid sick leave. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . 

Oregon

Employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours annually. Employers with fewer than 10 employees (or fewer than 6 in Portland) may provide unpaid sick leave. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . 

Rhode Island

Employers with 18 or more employees must provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Smaller businesses must provide unpaid leave. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. 

Vermont

Employees who work an average of at least 18 hours per week earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 52 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year, with an annual cap of 40 hours. . 

Washington

Employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, with no annual cap on usage. Employees carry over unused leave to the next year. 

Washington, D.C.

Employers must provide paid sick leave based on the size of their workforce, with accrual rates ranging from one hour for every 37 hours worked (for large employers with 100 or more employees) to one hour for every 87 hours worked (for small employers with 24 or less employees).

How to create a small business sick leave policy.

Being aware of sick leave laws is one thing—but understanding how to implement a sick leave policy for your small business that benefits your business and employees is also a must. Here are the steps you can take to create a small business sick leave policy:

• Understand legal requirements: The first step is to research federal, state, and local paid sick leave laws applicable to your business. Compliance with local sickness pay law is essential to avoid legal issues and ensure employees receive their entitled benefits.
• Define accrual and usage: Determine how sick leave will accrue (e.g., one hour per 30 hours worked) and specify how and when employees can use their accrued sick leave. Clarify any waiting periods before new hires can begin using sick leave.
• Outline notification procedures: Establish a clear process for employees to notify their supervisors when they need to take sick leave. Include acceptable forms of communication and required notice periods, if any.
• Specify documentation requirements: Indicate if employees need to provide documentation—such as a doctor’s note—for sick leave. Specify when documentation is required and any limitations on the type of acceptable documentation.
• Address carryover and payout: Decide whether unused sick leave will carry over to the next year and if there are any limits. Also, clarify your policy on paying out unused sick leave upon termination of employment.
• Communicate the policy: Ensure all employees are aware of the sick leave policy. Include it in the employee handbook, discuss it during onboarding, and provide regular reminders.
• Review and update regularly: Regularly review your sick leave policy to ensure it complies with current laws and meets your business needs. Update the policy as necessary and communicate changes to employees promptly.

Understanding paid leave laws by state.  

Navigating paid sick leave laws by state can be challenging, but there’s no escaping it—it’s crucial for ensuring compliance and supporting employee well-being. Understanding the states with mandatory sick leave, from accrual rates to usage policies, helps businesses create effective and compliant sick leave policies. 

Staying informed about federal and state-specific regulations, like those in California, New York, and Massachusetts, allows employers to provide necessary benefits while adhering to legal standards.

In 2024 and beyond, businesses like yours must remain vigilant about changes in paid sick leave laws and continuously update your policies to reflect new regulations. By doing so, companies can foster a supportive work environment that values employee health and well-being, ultimately leading to higher employee satisfaction and productivity. 

Following new regulations can be challenging if you don’t have an easy way to track employee sick leave hours. With the Homebase time clock tool, you can automatically track hours worked, breaks, and corresponding hours of paid leave. 

Our time clock integrates directly with scheduling and payroll tools,  so you can go straight from time tracking to paying out your team on time and correctly. Get started with Homebase for free. 

The post Paid Leave Laws By State: What Businesses Need To Know for 2024 appeared first on Homebase.

As your business expands, so does the complexity of managing everyone’s time and ensuring smooth operations. From deciding on your scheduling strategy to finding the right tools, it can seem like creating a weekly schedule for employees means more headaches. But it doesn’t have to be that way! 

With a free weekly schedule template, you can simplify the entire process. Whether you’re looking for a weekly employee schedule template, a staff scheduling template, or an easy-to-use work schedule template, we’ve got the resources you need.

These templates not only save you time but also help you avoid conflicts and ensure everyone is on the same page. 

Let’s explore the best free weekly schedule templates for 2024 and how they can help you keep your business running smoothly.

How to use a weekly schedule template.

Using a weekly schedule template is simple:

1. To get started, choose a template that fits your business needs—whether it’s an employee schedule template, a work availability template, or a daily schedule template.
2. Download the template, fill in your team’s shifts and availability, and share it with your employees. It’s a quick and efficient way to keep everyone informed and on the same page.
3. Enter each team member’s shifts, break times, and any important notes. 
4. Update the template regularly and distribute it to your team through email, printouts, or a scheduling app. This way, everyone knows their schedule, reducing confusion and ensuring your business operates smoothly.

How do I create an employee schedule template?

You can create an employee schedule in two main ways: using free weekly schedule templates or scheduling software like Homebase.

Free weekly schedule templates are a great starting point. We’ll share our free weekly schedule templates below. 

Or you can find a variety of templates online that you can download and customize to fit your business needs. These templates are typically easy to use and you can fill them in with your employees’ shifts, break times, and any additional notes. They help you organize and communicate your schedule effectively without any cost.

Scheduling software like Homebase takes it a step further by automating much of the process. With Homebase, you don’t need to use a printable weekly planner or a weekly schedule sheet—the Homebase app lets you create, update, and share schedules with your team effortlessly. You can easily manage availability, handle shift changes, and ensure compliance with labor laws. 

Plus, it integrates with other tools to streamline your payroll and time tracking, saving you time and reducing errors.

The best weekly schedule templates.

Homebase’s free weekly schedule template.

Homebase’s free weekly schedule template with times is designed to simplify the scheduling process for small businesses with hourly employees. It includes fields for the week, employee name, department, shift start and end times, break times, and notes and is easily editable.

To use this template:

1. Start by filling in the week and employee details at the top. 
2. Then, enter the shift start and end times for each day, noting any scheduled breaks.
3. Use the notes section to include any special instructions or reminders. 
4. Once completed, share the schedule with your team through email, text, or printouts to keep everyone informed and on track.

Homebase’s free employee schedule template.

Homebase’s free weekly work schedule template is designed to help small businesses manage their hourly employees with added detail and structure. This hourly schedule template includes fields for the week, employee name, role, manager, shift start and end times, breaks, tasks, and notes.

To use this template:

1. Start by filling in the team schedule template with the  week, employee, and manager details at the top. 
2. Add the shift start and end times for each day, along with any scheduled breaks. 
3. Use the tasks column to outline specific duties or responsibilities for each shift. 
4. You can use the  notes section for any special instructions or reminders. 
5. Share the weekly schedule sheet with your team through email or text so everyone’s on the same page about their shifts.

Homebase’s free built-in weekly scheduler.

Using a paper schedule template or sending new images each week can be disorganized. Level up your scheduling with Homebase using our free built-in weekly scheduler, which automates the employee scheduling process, making scheduling a breeze for you and your team. 

This powerful tool allows you to create and manage schedules from anywhere, using templates and suggested shifts to streamline the process. 

With Homebase, you can:

• Publish or update schedules and instantly notify your team via text, email, and the app.
• Automatically track employee availability and time off to avoid scheduling conflicts.
• Use sales forecasts and labor targets to optimize your schedule.
• Handle time-off requests and shift trades seamlessly within the app.

Using Homebase’s built-in scheduler, you can ensure your team always has the latest schedule at their fingertips, reducing no-shows and confusion, and keeping your business running smoothly.

Free weekly schedule templates online.

You can find numerous free weekly schedule templates online from sites like Canva and Microsoft 365. But a word of warning: you might be stuck sifting through hundreds of templates. Why? It can be hard to find one specifically designed for hourly teams—especially industries like restaurants, retail, or hotels.

 That’s why using a scheduling app like Homebase is the best option. Homebase’s templates are tailored for hourly teams and offer automation and convenience. Or, you can start with the two free templates provided earlier to create a customized schedule that fits your business needs perfectly.

Creating team schedules with free weekly schedule templates.

Managing employee schedules is crucial for the success of any small business. Here’s a quick recap of your options:

• Free weekly schedule templates: These templates are readily available online from sites like Canva and Microsoft 365. They may, however, require some customization to fit the needs of hourly teams in industries like restaurants, retail, or hotels.
• Homebase’s free templates: Specifically designed for small businesses with hourly employees, these templates offer a more structured and reliable approach to team scheduling.
• Homebase’s built-in scheduler: This is the ultimate solution for efficiency and accuracy. Homebase’s scheduling software automates the process, reducing errors and ensuring your team always has the latest schedule.

Using a scheduling app like Homebase is the best way to streamline your scheduling process. Because you can easily build, share, and optimize employee work schedules, you can avoid conflicts and keep your business running smoothly.

With features tailored for hourly employees, Homebase ensures your team stays informed and your operations are seamless.

By exploring these options and utilizing the best tools available, you can make scheduling a hassle-free part of your business management. Choose the solution that best fits your needs and watch your efficiency soar.

The post Free Weekly Schedule Templates for 2024 appeared first on Homebase.

Often a topic mainly for enterprise-level firms, small businesses today also need to focus on employee engagement. According to Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report, only about 23 percent of employees feel engaged, and 15 percent are actively disengaged. And while that engagement figure is the highest its been since 2009, it clearly shows there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

Luckily, there’s an app for that. Several, in fact. An employee app can improve communication, support frontline safety, reduce costs, and improve profitability. With employee engagement being a high priority, we took the time to figure out which ones are the best for small business owners.

What are employee engagement apps?

Employee engagement platforms offer modern workplace communication tools that enhance connectivity and productivity, particularly for deskless or remote workers. They include features that let workers:

• Offer feedback: With anonymous feedback and continuous feedback channels, apps let your team share their thoughts with you as well as recognize their peers.
• Collaborate: Collaboration features help employees feel connected and improves their productivity and alignment with your business goals.
• Stay informed: You can use employee engagement apps to inform your team of important news or celebrate shared milestones, and help the team stay connected to your business. 
• Track performance: Having a single spot to track workers’ performance and goals helps you and your team understand everyone’s priorities and find ways to better engage each other.
• Be recognized: With built-in features, an employee engagement app helps you offer recognition and rewards to your team.
• Communicate: The app serves as an easy spot to communicate with each other and between employees and managers, improving team cohesion as a whole. 

The best employee engagement apps are designed to be effective, customizable, and easy to use and can significantly contribute to improving the employee experience, ideally increasing their length of employment and reducing turnover.

Why do you need an employee engagement app?

We all know the days of staying at a single company for an entire career are long gone. Today’s workers tend to job hop frequently. In fact, employee turnover accelerated by as much as 70 percent post-pandemic, and it takes employers nearly 20 percent longer to fill roles compared to pre-pandemic levels.

As a result, employee engagement has been seen as a method for retaining more employees, longer. When a business finds good talent, they want to do everything they can to hold onto them as long as possible. And that’s what an employee engagement app can do.

An effective employee engagement solution is designed to improve communication, recognition, rewards, surveys, and feedback. Engagement apps help employees to engage with each other and forge stronger relationships.

With better communication comes increased transparency, while also improving accountability with goal tracking. And ultimately, this should lead to improved employee happiness. By reinforcing a company’s culture and values, an employee engagement app drives increased employee satisfaction and loyalty.

How to find the best employee engagement software.

If you’re looking for the best employee engagement software out there, consider asking your employees what kind of features they would want out of an app. This will help you weed out apps that don’t necessarily fit your employees’ criteria. Remember that an app is only useful when it’s actually adopted by your staff.

Additionally, consider talking to other business owners in your industry about the apps they use. This can give you an idea of how they’re using it, what their employees like or dislike about some apps, and how you might deploy it in your own business.

The top 5 employee engagement apps your employees will love.

1. Homebase

Homebase offers a suite of features designed to improve employee happiness and productivity. It starts with our free mobile app for employees, which fosters transparency and trust with up-to-date schedules, hours worked, and earnings.

The app can send reminders for upcoming shifts and allows employees to manage their time-off requests and availability. To facilitate team communication and coordination, the platform enables shift trades and covers. Your team can also contribute to a positive work environment by giving each other shout outs right in the app. 

It also automates performance tracking, such as on-time arrivals, and offers early access to wages for employees, helping them handle emergency expenses and enhancing their financial security.

Keeping your finger on the pulse of how employees feel is essential, and Homebase makes it easy by collecting, analyzing, and acting on employee feedback in real-time. The app gathers feedback from employees at the end of every shift, and managers get automated reports on employee sentiment, offering valuable, just-in-time insights that help them give praise and provide coaching as needed.

Homebase’s comprehensive features help increase employee engagement, which ultimately improves both loyalty and productivity.

2. Leapsome

Leapsome is a dynamic employee engagement app that empowers organizations to nurture their workforce, enhance collaboration, and drive productivity. The platform combines performance management, engagement surveys, and continuous feedback to cultivate a thriving workplace that boosts employee growth and development.

Performance Management simplifies performance evaluations with customizable templates, goal setting, and real-time feedback, enabling managers and employees to align on objectives, track progress, and provide constructive feedback.

Engagement Surveys offer insights into employee sentiment and engagement levels, facilitated by customizable surveys and automated feedback collection. These employee surveys collect feedback from employees to understand workplace mood and measure employee satisfaction over time.

Continuous Feedback encourages regular, constructive feedback among team members, facilitating one-on-one discussions, peer reviews, and 360-degree feedback to create a positive company culture that fosters growth, productivity, and positive relationships.

3. WorkTango

WorkTango is an employee engagement platform that helps employers deliver an excellent employee experience. It features recognition, incentives, feedback, and goal setting, all aimed at improving engagement, increasing retention, and fostering sustainable cultural change across teams.

As an employee survey software tool, WorkTango gives employees a voice and lets managers act on their suggestions, making employees feel heard and cared for.

The platform offers 1:1 Sync-ups that use pre-built and customized templates to track progress towards goals and helps team members hold each other accountable using the meeting feature. Recognition rewards provide a limitless selection of valuable prizes along with peer-to-peer social recognition. And its survey feature uses configurable survey forms for onboarding, development, and engagement.

WorkTango is designed to improve employee engagement by enhancing communication, collaboration, and feedback gathering. Its dashboard organizes collected diagnostic feedback throughout the entire employee lifecycle, enabling the identification of trends and determination of the best course of action.

4. Eletive

Eletive is a comprehensive human resources software tool designed to enhance employee engagement, performance management, and self-leadership within organizations. It offers a user-friendly platform with features such as real-time pulse surveys, OKR goal-setting, 360-degree feedback, and 1:1 communication tools.

Unlike traditional survey tools that offer sporadic feedback, Eletive’s real-time pulse surveys provide continuous employee engagement insights, allowing for constant monitoring of employee sentiment. This ensures that organizations can promptly detect changes in engagement levels and respond with appropriate interventions.

The platform includes intuitive dashboards and heatmaps for visualizing engagement data, customizable survey templates that allow organizations to tailor questions to their specific needs, and goal-setting and performance-tracking tools. Additionally, Eletive offers employee dashboards designed to empower employees in their own growth journey.

5. Bonusly

Bonusly is an employee recognition software that encourages and facilitates peer-to-peer recognition, offering tools to automate employee milestones and track performance for rewards and incentives programs. It operates on a points system, allowing employees to collect rewards based on their points.

Each month, employees are allocated a budget of points that they can send out to their peers alongside personalized recognition messages. Other team members can then comment on the public recognition, express their appreciation for the employee, and send them additional points.

As one of the top employee engagement apps, Bonusly stands out by providing a comprehensive platform for employee recognition and rewards. Employees can use their points to select from various rewards through the platform, including gift cards, charitable donations, cash-out options, and custom rewards that employers can configure.

In addition to exchanging positive peer feedback, the software can be used to automate celebratory messages for important dates like anniversaries, birthdays, and employee start dates. Employees can comment on these messages too, to celebrate their colleague’s milestone.

Why your business needs the best employee engagement app.

Improving open communication, facilitating collaboration, and providing recognition all are key drivers of employee satisfaction.

Whether it’s through real-time feedback, performance tracking, or peer recognition, these tools are designed to engage employees, making them feel valued as a contributor to your business’ success. And if you make your employees feel valued, they’ll likely reward you with their loyalty.

Hanging onto quality talent is important to every small business owner, and that’s going to be much easier with an employee engagement app. Homebase can help you set up your team for success with our team management tools. 

Get started with Homebase for free today.

The post 5 Employee Engagement App Choices To Wow Your Team appeared first on Homebase.

Whether you’re a franchise owner overseeing five stores or fifty, the right software streamlines everything—scheduling, reporting, training, and more. With it, you can stop firefighting and start building foundations. So let’s dive into how franchise software can turn your multi-location headaches into your greatest strength for business success.

What is franchise software?

Franchise software transforms the complex task of running multiple locations into profitable and efficient operations. This specialized toolset centralizes your business, automates routine tasks, and enhances network-wide communication.

From scheduling to reporting, the software handles daily operations, freeing you to focus on growth. Real-time insights keep you informed and in control, no matter how many sites you have It maintains brand consistency and ensures quality customer experiences across all locations.

These tools create an open channel for sharing updates, ideas, and best practices, building a strong, unified team. By eliminating error-prone manual reporting, the software reduces mistakes and saves time.

The efficiency boost allows you and your team to concentrate on strategic growth rather than getting bogged down in the day-to-day. As a result, franchisees become more successful and satisfied, leading to a more profitable and manageable franchise brand.

Franchise management tools unify scattered operations into an efficient system, paving the way for seamless expansion, increased sales, and consistent quality. 

Why do you need franchise management software?

Franchise management software isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity in today’s competitive landscape. As a franchise owner, you need solutions for your unique challenges. Here’s how franchise software can help:

• Scale your franchise effortlessly.  As your network grows, the software grows with your business, handling increased complexity without requiring more of your time.
• Manage your team. The more locations, the more employees. Franchise software helps you recruit new team members and manage your team so that your operations run smoothly. 
• Improve risk management. The software helps you spot potential issues before they become problems, from compliance risks to underperforming locations.
• Boost franchisee satisfaction. With better support, your franchisees can focus on what they do best—running their businesses.
• Replace guesswork with hard data. Leverage insights from across your network to make informed choices about everything from menu changes to expansion plans.
• Sharpen your competitive advantage. While other businesses struggle with organization, you’ll be operating at peak efficiency, ready to seize new opportunities.

Franchise solutions don’t just solve problems—they unlock your potential, driving profitability and expansion. By embracing this technology, you’re not just keeping up with the industry—you’re setting the pace.

How to find the best franchise software.

Finding the best franchise management software is like finding the perfect business partner. It needs to meet your specific needs and growth trajectory.

Some things to consider: 

• Ease of use: Look for a user-friendly interface that’s easy for both franchisors and franchisees to adopt and use.
• Customization: Ensure the software can be tailored to your specific franchise model and requirements.
• Integration: Choose a solution that integrates with your existing systems, such as accounting and point-of-sale software.
• Scalability: Select a tool that can grow as your franchise expands.
• Support: Opt for a provider that has your back when you need it, with easy to access customer service.
• Budget: Compare existing plans to find one that is an acceptable expense. 

The top 5 franchise software solutions.

Now that you know what to look for, let’s explore some top contenders. Here’s a rundown of five franchise CRM software solutions that could revolutionize your franchising.

1. Homebase

Homebase is an all-in-one app for managing hourly teams that tackles your biggest operational headaches head-on. Say goodbye to frantic calls about shift coverage, missing timesheets, and payroll errors. Homebase lets you create and share schedules across all locations in minutes, eliminating coverage gaps and overstaffing.  

Our user-friendly time clock ensures accurate payroll and helps you stay compliant with labor laws. With streamlined hiring and onboarding, you’ll build and train your dream team faster across locations. Robust communication tools keep everyone in the loop, from managers to your newest hire. 

With real-time performance metrics across locations, you’re able to make data-driven decisions that drive growth. Plus, Homebase integrates seamlessly with popular payroll systems to create a truly comprehensive management solution that makes running your franchises even easier.

2. Erply

Erply is a comprehensive franchise management solution that offers real-time insights into sales, employee performance, and inventory across your entire network. With robust integrations and secure payment processing, Erply streamlines operations while allowing for location-specific customizations.

Its scalable cloud-based system grows with your franchise, making it ideal for ambitious franchisors aiming to expand and optimize their business.

3. Delightree

Delightree is tailored for emerging franchise businesses looking to scale rapidly without compromising brand integrity. It streamlines the process of launching and managing new locations with customizable workflows and a central knowledge base. The platform offers training modules for efficient onboarding and upskilling, while its task automation ensures operational consistency across all franchise locations. 

Delightree also shines with customizable workflows and real-time monitoring tools ensuring your brand standards are met consistently, no matter how many locations you add.

4. Pulse Technology

Pulse Technology features include robust CRM capabilities, marketing automation tools, and real-time reporting with actionable insights. Pulse simplifies franchise onboarding, lead tracking, and project management while providing customizable workflows and automation for administrative tasks.

With mobile accessibility and user-friendly interfaces, Pulse equips both franchisors and franchisees with the tools they need to manage and grow their businesses effectively.

5. Connecteam

Connecteam offers a comprehensive communication platform designed to keep franchisors and franchisees aligned and on-brand. It provides a unified network for instant communication, secure messaging, and easy access to franchisee contact details. The app also facilitates standardization across franchises through mobile onboarding courses and consistent training modules, while gathering valuable feedback through surveys to drive continuous improvement

The right franchise software won’t just solve today’s problems – it sets you up for continued business growth.

Unlock the potential of your franchise with franchise software.

Running a successful franchise network doesn’t have to be a constant juggling act. With the right franchise software, you can transform your multi-location management from a daily struggle into a streamlined operation. 

Don’t let administrative tasks hold you back from achieving your franchise’s full potential. Homebase frees you to focus on strategic initiatives that truly matter and helps you focus on building a strong relationship between your brand and customers. Our everything app is easy to use, customizable, and scalable so you can support your franchisees and drive growth across your network.

Ready to take your franchise to the next level? Get started for free today.

The post Manage Your Franchise: Top 5 Franchise Software in 2024 appeared first on Homebase.

As anyone who’s ever had to run payroll for a restaurant knows, making sure people get paid on time and accurately takes a lot of time and attention to detail. There are hours worked, taxes, paid time off, and so much more to take into account. It can be a real pain. It’s not like there’s a button you can push and it’s done.

Or is there?

As it turns out, there are a number of payroll software suites out there, some of which are designed specifically for restaurants, with hourly employees, irregular schedules, and whatever other complexities you can throw at it. The trick is finding the one that’s a good fit for your restaurant.  

As a busy restaurant owner or manager, we know you don’t have time to research which restaurant payroll software is best for you. That’s why we’re serving up this list of the top 5 payroll software for restaurants. Let’s dive in!

How can restaurants use payroll software?

Restaurants have a few specific needs that payroll software needs to address. These include frequently changing schedules, the need to track tips, having multiple pay rates, and accurately calculating tax withholdings, all while maintaining compliance with tipped wage laws.

The best payroll software for restaurants will streamline a significant part of the manual labor involved in running payroll. That often means automating processes, such as calculating time worked, taxes, and time off (paid or otherwise). Most importantly, payroll software should make it easy for you to pay your employees accurately and on time!

Payroll software should make running payroll easy. In addition to calculating what each employee needs to be paid, payroll software should generate pay slips, handle the actual payment, and run any payroll reports you might need to efficiently run your business.

The best payroll software will integrate with the other systems you use in your business. This often includes time tracking software, your restaurant’s POS, or other systems required to calculate what each employee should be paid in a given period.

It’s important to understand that most payroll software suites come in both cloud-based and on-premises versions. Of course, the majority of restaurants will opt for cloud-based, as it’s unlikely they want to maintain an internal server. Just be aware of this when shopping around and accidentally chose the wrong type! 

Why your restaurant needs payroll software

If you’ve been running payroll manually, you might be hesitant to transition to a payroll software. We get it: Change can be difficult.

But you’ll be amazed how integrating payroll software will simplify your accounting process and make your life easier.

Here are some other benefits payroll software brings to the table: 

Efficiency Boost. Payroll software can process your payroll much quicker than a manual system. As discussed above, payroll software can automate payroll tasks, such as integrating timesheets and calculating taxes and other deductions to ensure compliance.

Pinpoint Accuracy. Have you ever accidentally over or under paid someone because of a typo? Payroll software makes mistakes like these a thing of the past. With less manual work, you’ll make fewer errors, as long as things like hours worked, tax withholding, etc. are accurate.

Increased Security: Payroll software protects sensitive data through encryption and other security measures. You’ll never have to worry about privacy concerns again.

Streamlined Operations: Don’t you love it when things work smoothly? Payroll management software is designed to enhance and streamline your restaurant’s payroll processes, improving overall efficiency in data collection, payroll calculations, and employee payments.

Data Transparency: Payroll software systems centralize all payroll data in one place, making it easy to access and understand. With a clear view of your business’s financial ins and outs, your decision-making process is better informed and outcomes are easier to track.

Customizability: Every restaurant is a little different and has different needs. You need a payroll software solution that can adapt to your restaurant’s specific needs. Additional software features, reporting capabilities, and integration with other staff management tools can easily merge with payroll systems to create a comprehensive HR and payroll dashboard. As your restaurant business grows, you need payroll software that can handle an increased workload. Most software offers upgraded plans for more advanced features, allowing your payroll solution to grow with you.

Greater Control: Managing your payroll in-house gives you more control over your payroll operations from start to finish. And when things change, as they inevitably do, you want software that can easily modify payroll processes.

Compliance Support: One of the biggest challenges for any restaurant is staying in compliance with local, state, and federal laws. Payroll software that manages compliance is invaluable to helping you and avoid costly mistakes.

Employee Self-Service: Payroll software should allow your team to manage their portion of payroll tasks online, such as accessing their pay slips online or update their personal information. Letting them do this themselves eliminates the need for an HR or payroll department, or an outside service provider.

The 5 best payroll software for restaurants

There are lots of great payroll software options out there. We’ve picked out the top five that are perfect for restaurants. Whether you’re a 5-star fine dining establishment or a franchise chain, these tools make it easy for even the smallest restaurants to handle payroll like a pro.

Here are our top five choices for systems that will make doing your payroll a breeze.

1. Homebase: The Restaurant Payroll Software

We created Homebase for restaurant businesses just like yours. We know you’ve got a lot to juggle—so let us handle the payroll!

No more headaches tracking break times, clock-ins and clock-outs, and time cards—Homebase brings it all together in one easy system, simplifying the myriad administrative tasks involved in payroll processing. See your timesheets and payroll side by side to quickly understand your labor costs.

With Homebase, it only takes a few clicks to manage payroll from anywhere! Our mobile app lets you run payroll on the move—or you can set it and forget it with our auto-payroll feature. Direct deposit is a key feature, ensuring accurate and timely payments while enhancing security and convenience.

The best part? You can stop worrying about payroll compliance. Homebase automatically works out hours, breaks, overtime, wages, and taxes based on your local, state, and federal labor laws.

You can even set up paid time off policies and keep track of balances and accruals. And no more hassle with FLSA record-keeping; Homebase keeps your time card and payroll records safe and easy to find whenever you need them.

2.    Gusto

Gusto may not be exclusively a restaurant payroll software, but it certainly brings a lot to the table in terms of features, such as automatic payroll tax calculations.

Gusto is also recognized as one of the best restaurant payroll software options, offering comprehensive solutions for small businesses in the hospitality industry. It provides support across all 50 states and can handle multi-state payroll processing.

Plus, even the most basic service tier includes unlimited pay runs. It also offers a host of other handy features for your restaurant that help you manage your employees’ benefits or sending out satisfaction surveys.

3.    Paychex

Paychex provides a variety of subscription tiers for restaurants, each with specific features that can be added for an individual cost.

Paychex excels in payroll administration, managing payroll and benefits efficiently. Additional features such as tax management tools, wage garnishing services, and state unemployment insurance come at an extra cost. Paychex also handles income taxes, including calculating federal and state income tax withholdings for employees’ paychecks and managing various IRS forms related to reporting and paying income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks.

However, some features, like offering pay cards for your staff, can be added at no extra charge. While Paychex may not include tools for time tracking and benefits like some other payroll software, it can integrate with apps that assist with these tasks. Plus, you can get in-person help at locations throughout the United States.

4.    ADP Run

ADP might ring a bell for restaurant owners as a well-known payroll company. ADP Run offers a comprehensive payroll system that can streamline processes, boost efficiency, and ensure accuracy. It is particularly relevant to the restaurant industry, addressing specific needs such as efficient tip management, tax compliance, and employee scheduling integration.

ADP Run serves up a variety of payroll features, along with a selection of add-ons that can be tailored to fit your specific budget. For example, time tracking isn’t part of the basic payroll software but is available with the Workforce Management add-on.

While ADP Run isn’t specifically designed as restaurant payroll software, it could be a good fit for larger establishments. Its web-based payroll service makes it convenient to manage payroll for multiple locations.

5.    OnPay

OnPay offers both HR and payroll software at a single price, along with a standard set of features tailored for restaurants, like unlimited pay runs, payroll tax management, and direct deposits. It is a popular payroll software option for restaurants due to its comprehensive features.

OnPay helps manage restaurant labor cost effectively by providing tools for payroll tax management, direct deposits, and detailed reporting. It also provides reporting tools and the ability to export payroll data. What sets OnPay apart are its restaurant-specific tools, such as minimum wage tip makeup and overtime calculations.

The perfect free payroll software for your restaurant is just a click away

When picking the right payroll software for your restaurant, think about what makes your business special. Consider your headcount, the complexity of your payroll, and your budget first before comparing different software.

Ultimately, the best payroll software for your business will be one that not only meets your current requirements but also has the capacity to grow with your restaurant.

For a free payroll software designed specifically for restaurants like yours, Homebase is here to help. Get started for free and say goodbye to payroll hassles once and for all.

The post 5 Powerful Payroll Software Suites to Every Restaurant Needs appeared first on Homebase.

Especially prevalent among small businesses, buddy punching significantly impacts labor costs and productivity.

Stopping buddy punching is essential for maintaining fair labor practices and accurate payroll. It’s not just about catching dishonest behavior—it’s about creating a culture of trust and accountability.

In this article, we’ll dive into what buddy punching is, how it affects your business, and the best ways to prevent it. From using advanced time clock systems to educating your team, we’ll provide the tools and strategies you need to stop buddy punching in its tracks.

What does buddy punching mean?

So what is buddy punching? The term refers to employees clocking in and out for each other. This usually happens when an employee wants to cover up their lateness, or they want to leave early. It’s a form of time theft that can lead to inflated labor costs and inaccurate payroll records.

Buddy punching is more common than you might think, especially in businesses with manual time clock systems. Workers with a timeclock buddy might think it’s harmless, but buddy punching undermines trust and fairness in the workplace. 

To prevent buddy punching, you need to understand its implications and implement effective measures, such as using advanced time tracking tools and educating your team about its consequences. We’ll explore more of this below.

Buddy punch cost: the hidden business impact.

Buddy punching may seem like a minor issue, but it can have significant hidden costs for your business. Let’s explore how this practice impacts your bottom line and overall workplace environment.

• More payroll costs: Buddy punching inflates labor costs by paying for hours that employees didn’t actually work. If you pay your employees hourly, this increases your labor costs and affects your bottom line, making it harder to manage budgets effectively.
• Inaccurate productivity statistics: When employees engage in buddy punching, it skews your productivity data. You can’t accurately measure who is contributing and who isn’t, leading to poor decision-making and ineffective team management.
• High employee turnover: Buddy punching creates an unfair work environment, which can lead to dissatisfaction among honest employees who see other team members relying on a punch buddy. This dissatisfaction often results in higher turnover rates, costing you time and money in recruiting and training new staff.
• Decreased morale: When some employees get away with punching in incorrectly, it can lower the morale of those who are punctual and honest. This can lead to a decrease in overall productivity and engagement.
• Legal and compliance risks: Inaccurate time tracking can lead to non-compliance with labor laws, resulting in potential legal issues and fines. It’s crucial to ensure accurate records to protect your business.

What causes buddy punching?

Understanding the root causes of buddy punching can help you address and prevent it effectively. Here are some common factors that contribute to this issue:

• Low employee engagement: When employees feel disconnected from their work, they’re more likely to engage in dishonest behaviors like buddy punching. Low engagement often stems from a lack of recognition, growth opportunities, and a sense of purpose.
• Lack of motivation: Unmotivated employees may resort to buddy punching to avoid working their full hours. This lack of motivation can result from inadequate incentives, poor management, or an uninspiring work environment.
• Ineffective time theft policies: Without clear policies and consequences, employees may not understand the seriousness of buddy punching. Ineffective policies fail to deter this behavior and can even create a culture where time theft is tolerated.
• Poor time tracking systems: Using outdated or manual time clocks makes it easier for employees to clock in and out of work for each other. Advanced time tracking tools, like Homebase’s time clock app, can help prevent this by using features like GPS tracking.
• Lack of effective supervision: Ineffective (and sometimes not enough) supervision allows bad habits to go unnoticed. Ensuring managers are actively engaged and monitoring attendance can significantly reduce the chances of this happening.
• Peer pressure: Sometimes, employees may feel pressured by their coworkers to participate, perhaps by becoming their time clock buddy. Creating a culture of honesty and integrity can help reduce this type of peer pressure.

How do I prevent buddy punching?

Preventing buddy punching requires a proactive and comprehensive approach. Here’s how you can tackle this issue effectively:

Create a buddy punching policy.

Craft a clear, strict policy against buddy punching. Make sure everyone understands the serious consequences of this behavior. Spell out what buddy punching means and what disciplinary actions will follow. Regularly review and update your policy to keep it relevant.

Increase employee motivation and engagement.

Boost employee motivation by recognizing hard work and offering growth opportunities. A motivated team is less likely to engage in dishonest practices. Check in regularly, celebrate achievements, and foster a culture where employees feel valued and invested in your company’s success.

Use time tracking software.

Leverage advanced time tracking tools like Homebase’s free time clock app. This app assigns a unique PIN to each employee and takes a photo of whoever is clocking in, significantly reducing the chances of buddy punching. Incorporate features like GPS tracking for even more security.

Communicate policies and processes clearly.

Make sure your policies and procedures are well-communicated. Hold regular training sessions and ensure new hires understand the importance of accurate time tracking. Clear communication ensures everyone knows the rules and the importance of compliance.

Enhance supervision.

Increase managerial oversight to catch instances of buddy punching early. This doesn’t mean watching over your team like a hawk or micromanaging every employee. Instead, you could encourage managers to be present during clock-in and clock-out times and to randomly audit time records. 

Educate your team.

Provide training on the negative impacts of buddy punching and the importance of maintaining integrity. Help your team understand how time theft affects everyone, from financial losses to increased workloads. An educated team is more likely to uphold honest practices.

Implement employee engagement programs.

Introduce programs that make employees feel more connected to their work. Flexible scheduling, professional development opportunities, and team-building activities can boost engagement. 

Engaged employees are less likely to resort to buddy punching because they feel aligned with the goals of your business.

Monitor and analyze time tracking data.

Regularly review time tracking data for irregularities or patterns that might indicate buddy punching. Use reports generated by your time tracking software to identify discrepancies and address them promptly. Continuous monitoring helps maintain accurate timekeeping.

Use technology for efficiency.

Leveraging technology like scheduling software and mobile time tracking apps can streamline the entire process. These tools make it easier for employees to log their hours accurately and provide real-time data to managers, helping reduce time theft.

Foster a culture of transparency.

Encourage open communication and transparency within your team. Make sure employees understand how their time is being tracked and why it’s important. When employees feel trusted and informed, they are more likely to adhere to company policies.

Offer incentives for honesty.

Consider offering small rewards or recognition for employees who consistently follow timekeeping rules. Positive reinforcement can be a powerful motivator and can help establish a culture of honesty and accountability.

Prevent buddy punching and time theft with technology.

Buddy punching is a costly issue that affects your business’s bottom line and fairness. To stop it in its tracks, implement a clear time theft policy, boost employee engagement, and use reliable time tracking software like the free time clock app created by Homebase. 

When you communicate your policies effectively, enhance supervision, and foster a culture of transparency and honesty, your small business will be a more productive and trustworthy work environment. The right tools and strategies will help your team and your business excel.

The post How To Stop Buddy Punching in its Tracks appeared first on Homebase.

Enter your attendance policy (and our free attendance policy template). If you’re running a small business, this tool can help communicate attendance expectations to your team members—and what happens when they don’t meet them.

An attendance policy can make the difference between a team full of stragglers and a fully staffed business, so we’re here to help you put your attendance policy to work. Below, we talk about what to include in your attendance policy and how to make it your own.

And just to show we’re serious, we’ve even put together a free attendance policy template and made it downloadable and customizable to get you started. Just keep scrolling!

Ready? Steady? Timely? Go!

What is an attendance policy?

An attendance policy is a document issued by the employer outlining the expectations for employee attendance. Ideally, an attendance policy outlines some, if not all, of the following:

• Company rules and procedures around shifts and attending work
• What’s considered absenteeism (missing shifts)
• Consequences or disciplinary action (including dismissal) around consistently arriving late or missing work without notice or a reasonable justification
• What to do in extraordinary circumstances (e.g., emergencies, public transit strikes, natural disasters, etc.)
• Sick policies and protocols
• Getting shifts covered: do’s and don’ts

Basically, an attendance policy gives your team a clear understanding of how to proceed when something comes up. And with worker absenteeism on the rise, it’s becoming more important than ever to express your expectations for attendance to your team.

Life happens—we get it. A good attendance policy sets expectations for how to deal with missing work for the totally normal reasons we all encounter day-to-day. Even a business’s most dedicated employees, including yourself, are sometimes late for a shift or have to miss work altogether. Acknowledge that!

The best attendance policies are understanding and even flexible while also laying down a clear framework. With really clear outlines, a solid policy can and should become part of your business’s guiding principles and onboarding. It should be easy-to-use, understandable, and take both employee welfare and business needs into consideration. 

Struggling to know what to include? Read on—and don’t miss our free attendance policy template below.

How do you write an attendance policy?

Creating and enforcing a formal attendance policy may depend on the size of your business. If you’re a small business starting out, there may be a few non-negotiables you ask of your employees when it comes to work attendance or time off (or even shift swapping). This can include:

• The expectation to contact you as soon as possible if something unexpected comes up (and how best to do that)
• Shift covering protocols
• Advance notice for non-essential shift swapping
• Disciplinary measures for no-shows

If your business is growing and you’re onboarding more and more employees, putting something official in place is all the more essential. It gives you and your team something to refer to when figuring out unusual situations. It can also contribute to a sense of equality and fairness among all members of your team to know everyone’s treated on the same terms.

At its core, an attendance policy template should help keep your team protected as much as it protects you. Your business operations need to run as smoothly as possible—but hiccups happen! Making it clear that employees won’t be fired for unexpected events can be as important as making the consequences for unexcused absences clear.

Still not sure where to start when writing your attendance policy? We’ve detailed a few considerations to keep in mind when starting out. Don’t forget to scroll down and download our free attendance policy template to follow along!

Make it easy to understand.

An attendance policy doesn’t need to be lengthy or written in confusing language. Define parts of the attendance policy—like tardiness or no-call, no-shows—in plain language.

Use an attendance policy template.

You don’t have to start from scratch. An attendance policy template (like the one we include below) is a great place to start to make sure you’re not forgetting to include key information.

Specify your business’s needs.

No one knows your business better than you. Your business’s goals and strategies can be as important as its basic staffing needs. If having employees on-site or available online is vital to running your business effectively and smoothly, that matters to scheduling and attendance. Operational needs and productivity goals, including daily sales goals, are other important staffing factors.

You want to be considerate of your team members and unexpected occurrences. That means understanding their circumstances—and helping them understand yours. When you’re clear about what the business needs to stay open, you’re communicating a goal for your team to meet. After all, your business’s health matters to their paycheck and employment!

Explain your attendance policy’s benefits—for everyone.

At first glance, your team may resent the need for an attendance policy. After all, is it really necessary? But including the ways the attendance policy benefits employees can encourage both adoption and mutual respect. Before using just any old template, make sure your attendance policy template includes:

• Guidelines for unexpected events. A panicking employee may not know how to handle themselves in the event of a broken-down car or weather event. If your team knows what to do when something comes up, filling the shift will go all the more smoothly. Less panic for everyone can only be a good thing.
• Clear expectations for conduct. Especially if lateness or absenteeism is starting to emerge as a trend, codifying attendance expectations can refresh your team on what’s expected of them.
• Understanding consequences—and benefits. When your team member arrives late, their pay may be docked and the business runs less smoothly. When they arrive on time, they become a trusted figure in the business and may even enjoy future opportunities for growth. Writing it all down reminds them of what’s on the line—positive and negative.
• Protections and flexibility your business offers. Whether your employee has the flu, more complex medical needs, or simply young children, an attendance policy can help your team navigate the realities of life more easily. When you give your team options for how to handle the inconveniences we all deal with, you’re likely to reduce employee turnover and build trust with your team.

Keep it simple.

An attendance policy doesn’t need to be overly complicated. Keep the format tight and simplify when possible. It’s important to communicate, but shaving your policy down to brass tacks ensures it’s more likely to be read and better understood.

Let your team know about time tracking policies.

Does your business use a time card or time attendance software? If so, your team should be aware of how it works and the role it plays in how you evaluate attendance.

Note that tracking employee time is one easy way to learn when your team members are late, absent, or just not clocking in when they should be. It’s especially useful for noticing patterns over time. This kind of software can be a tough sell on employees, but clear communication—especially to address a key problem in your business—can make the difference in adoption.

Bonus tip: Tired of buddy punching? Look for a time-tracking app that provides every team member with their own log ins to make sure your team is where they’re supposed to be.

Adjust your policy and templates as needed.

Your attendance policy should be a living document. Outdated practices and older versions of attendance policy templates don’t do anyone any favors. Today’s workforce values flexibility highly, and we know how quickly the circumstances of your business can change. If you can offer ways to prioritize your team’s physical or mental health, update the policy and watch employee retention soar.

Laws and regulations for employee attendance.

When it comes to employee attendance, there’s no Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulation. That means there are no hard and fast rules to determine and execute disciplinary action. But proper records of time worked—and paid—is mandated by the FLSA. These regulations include how to round time up to the nearest five minute mark or quarter of an hour for time worked and payroll.

When crafting your attendance policy, you may want to integrate clauses for the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Your team is legally entitled to certain protections under these acts that you—and they—should be aware of.

Other federal laws keep workers with extraordinary circumstances or different lived experiences protected in their employment. Stay aware of the labor regulations in your state and be sure your attendance policy is compliant with them.

What to include in your employee attendance policy (+ free template).

The specifics of the policy may change from business to business. The clauses that apply can depend on business size and number of employees. Think of this a general guide on the important aspects to include in your employee attendance policy.

Overview of the policy.

A summary of your policy’s provisos should appear at the top. These should explicitly and succinctly detail the expectations for your team’s attendance at work. It can also allude to other aspects of the policy, like tardiness, absenteeism, or job abandonment, and consequences for these.

Expectations for work attendance.

This needs to be specific to your business needs. Do you require your employees on-site or in-store whenever they’re scheduled? Is there a remote or hybrid offering, particularly for roles like managers or part-time team members like accountants or HR reps?

Set clear expectations on how your employees show up and when. For example, you may want to write that a shift starts at a certain time, but it’s expected employees arrive at least 10 minutes beforehand to prepare and clock in on time. (Check your state’s legislation to ensure you’re paying for that early time if required!) Is there a grace period for when someone starts, or is it by the minute? This section of the policy might also include expectations around breaks, like paid lunches. 

How to report absences.

No matter how hard you encourage your team to plan ahead and request time off, late arrivals and absences—both explained and unexplained—can and will happen. Emergencies happen! Your policy should clearly indicate how far in advance an employee should try to notify you before their shift starts. That way, you can quickly find someone else to work the shift, or find another solution. 

Employees will also take personal time off (PTO) for vacations, medical issues, family matters, appointments, and everything in between. Your policy should outline the procedures for requesting this time off in advance.

Finally, this policy should detail number of sick days, including how they accrue and how many of them are paid.

Clock in and clock out policy.

Clocking in and out for a shift is important for attendance—and payroll. Your scheduling and time tracking software holds all employee data of who worked when and for how long. If an employee is on-time but keeps forgetting to clock in at the start of their shift, that may impact how they’re perceived by management and what they get paid.

Tardiness and early departures from work.

Lateness, or tardiness, is imperative to include in your attendance policy. Tardiness includes lateness to work or late arrival back from a break.

Early departures from work include leaving a shift before completion without managerial approval. Just because it’s a slow shift doesn’t always mean it’s okay to duck out early—a supervisor should determine if an employee may leave early or not. Outline procedures for requesting early departure and what happens if that procedure isn’t followed.

Job abandonment.

Sometimes an employee is scheduled for work and doesn’t show. Make it clear in your policy what job abandonment looks like and how many sequential absences equates to job abandonment. 

It’s important to understand that an employee may be in distress, or that something may have happened that makes them unreachable. Take the steps to outline how you’ll reach out to an employee to ensure their safety before determining they’ve abandoned their job. This may include collecting emergency contacts from your team.

Disciplinary actions.

Make it clear to employees what happens when they don’t follow attendance expectations. Think of your document as a contract between you and your employee. Tell them how disciplinary steps will follow from failure to comply.

Make the hierarchy of consequences clear. For tardiness, a verbal or written warning may follow. For a pattern of behavior, disciplinary actions may escalate, which may include job termination. 

Supervisory role and accountability.

Your team members aren’t the only ones accountable—you’re accountable, too! Reiterate your own responsibilities as owner or manager to show your team that you take this as seriously as they do. These can include responsibilities to your team’s attendance needs, including:

• Helping employees find cover for their shifts when they need it
• Support and understanding for unforeseen absences
• Offering flexibility when possible
• Brainstorming accommodations or alternative ways forward for team members who have certain needs, like recurring medical appointments, childcare needs, or chronic illness

As the owner or manager, you and your other managers (if you have them) also need to enforce your policy. Clearly outline the role of supervisors and managers, especially if these roles are filled by someone other than the business’s owner, so chain of command and delegation is clear.

Employee sign-off.

Get employees to sign off on the document and keep it for your records. Giving them a copy for their own reference ensures that everyone’s on the same page and has the same information. When your team has something to hold you to in kind, it can foster trust and help you retain your team members!

Be inclusive.

Though every member of your team should be offered the same opportunities and expectations, each employee’s needs are different. Attendance is important to every business, but it’s also very important—and good for your business—to treat employees with care and safety.

Incorporating inclusive language, empathy, and opportunities for nuance wherever possible in your attendance policy can go a long way toward showing your team you’re all in this together. They call it a “team” for a reason!

You may have employees with disabilities who rely on a particular form of transportation, and who need more time to get to and from work. Any number of special circumstances may result in the bending or replacement of the attendance policy on a case-by-case basis. Make it clear that any team member is more than welcome to request the accommodations they need without penalty, and that expectations and consequences may be adjusted or waived based on mutual agreement.

Download your free attendance policy template.

Still not sure where to start with writing your business’s attendance policy? Not to worry—we’ve created a attendance policy template to make this process easier on you. 

It’s free, it’s customizable, and it’s ready for you to jump in and make it your own. Start off on the right foot—get it here: Homebase Attendance Policy Template 

Or, download our Word version: Homebase Attendance Policy Template

Change employee attendance for the better.

An attendance policy is just one great resource to keep your small business running the way you need it to. Homebase can make attendance all the easier to manage with time tracking software to keep you and your employees on track. Employees can efficiently clock in and clock out on the Homebase app, and keep track of their hours worked. That makes attendance and payroll a breeze!

The post Showing Up: Free Attendance Policy Template for Small Businesses appeared first on Homebase.

But complying with the different tip pooling laws, choosing between various tip-sharing options, and knowing how to calculate tips for employees to ensure fairness can be difficult—that’s why we’re here to help.

We’ve laid out everything you need to know to make tip splitting as seamless and simple as possible, from legal information to how to implement tip distribution with ease.

We even included a tip pool calculator so you can tip split like a champ.

What is a tip?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines a tip as “discretionary (optional or extra) payments determined by a customer that employees receive from customers.” Hospitality roles are where tips are most prominent; tips could include:

• Cash tips directly from customers.
• Credit card, debit card, gift card, and any other electronic payment method or charged tip.
• Any non-cash tip value, such as tickets.
• Tips received from other employees paid out through tip pooling, tip splitting, or other formal or informal tip-sharing arrangements.

In general, the tip amount is the cost of the service multiplied by 0.XX, with XX being the percentage you want to leave as a tip. Your total cost (service and tip) is your cost multiplied by 1.XX, with XX again being the percentage you want to leave the staff.

For example, the cost of service is $50, and the tip percentage is 20%.

Convert the percentage into a decimal (0.20) and multiply that number by the cost of service. So, for $50, the tip amount is 50 x 0.20 = 10. The tip is $10. 

To calculate the total cost, add 1 to the decimal percentage (1.20) and multiply that by the total cost of service ($50). So, 50 x 1.20 = 60.

The total cost, including tip, is $60.

What is tip pooling, and how does it work?

So how does tip pooling work? Tip pooling means all tips collected are combined into a single pool and redistributed fairly among all employees at the end of a shift.

A tip pooling policy ensures that every restaurant employee—including back-of-house staff such as cooks and dishwashers—benefit from customer tips.

Pooled tips are commonly distributed to staff based on hours worked, job role, or a set percentage. For example, it would be unfair if employee A worked a 10-hour shift and employee B worked a 5-hour shift, and they received the same amount of tips from the pool.

The advantage of tip pooling is that it helps build trust and cohesion among team members and encourages teamwork because everyone benefits from good service and higher tips. It also helps address pay disparities between front and back-of-house staff. Learning how to calculate tip pool lets you empower your team to connect and provide better service.

Tip pooling example:

Company policy states that all tips collected by servers are combined into a single pool and distributed among all staff based on percentages:

• 50% to servers
• 30% to bussers
• 20% to bartenders

Three servers earn a combined $500 in tips. Two bussers and two bartenders supported them.

• $250 (500 x 0.50) is distributed to the servers, meaning that they receive $83.33 each ($250 / 3)
• $150 (500 x 0.30) is distributed to the bussers, who receive $75 each ($150 / 2)
• $100 (500 x 0.20) is distributed to the bartenders, who receive $50 each ($100 / 2)

What is tip sharing, and how does it work?

Tip sharing happens when an employee’s tips are shared with other employees who helped and assisted in service. However, not all tips are pooled together. Employees keep a portion of their own tips and share a percentage or amount with other staff members.

Tip sharing is typically done based on an agreed-upon arrangement or understanding among employees.

It allows for more flexibility when distributing tips, as employees have the autonomy to decide who they share their tips with and the amount they choose to share. And sharing tips with kitchen staff can enhance team cohesion.

Tip sharing example

Server A makes $100 in tips. They share 10% of their tip with the bartender, who receives $10 (100 x 0.10), and 20% with Server B, the other server on shift.

Server B makes $175 in tips. They share 15% of their tip with the bartender, who receives $15 (100 x 0.15)

What is tip splitting, and how does it work?

Tip splitting occurs when tips are divided among employees who contributed to the service, such as front-of-house staff, including servers, bartenders, and bussers. 

The split often reflects the role or level of involvement in the service. For example, a server might receive a larger share compared to a busser. Wondering whether an owner gets to receive part of the tip split? That’s a no, since they generally earn more than other staff. However, restaurant owners can add a service charge, though service charges are different than tips.

Tips are typically split at the end of a shift, service, or day and help reward specific individual contributions and roles more directly.

Tip splitting example

The company tip-splitting policy is servers split 20% of their tips with bussers and 10% with bartenders. 

Server A makes $100 in tips. They split 20% ($20) with the busser and 10% ($10) with the bartender. 

Server A gets to keep $70 of their tips for themself.

Tip pooling vs. tip sharing: what’s the difference? 

Though they sound similar, tip pooling and tip sharing are not interchangeable. Tip sharing is entirely voluntary and doesn’t carry the same mandatory guidelines as tip pooling. Whichever approach you implement, make sure your team has an understanding of their obligations.

Notable tip pooling laws in 2024

Tip pooling is subject to laws at the federal and state levels. First and foremost, you must pay tipped employees at least $2.13 an hour (the minimum cash wage) and the federal minimum wage.

According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employees who receive tips are classified as tipped employees if they make more than $30 in tips per month.

In these cases, you can pay tipped employees less than the standard minimum wage as long as the total amount of tips, combined with the hourly pay, reaches or exceeds the federal minimum wage of $7.25.

You’re required to make up the difference through a tax credit if the combined wages are below the minimum wage.

• You can’t claim a tip credit above $5.12.
• You can’t claim a tip credit that exceeds the amount of tips actually received by the tipped employee.
• Employees must know that you’re applying for a tip credit.

FLSA tipping laws.

The FLSA is also very clear on tipping laws for employers and employees. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Employers, supervisors, and managers are not allowed to keep any portion of employee tips, even if a tip pool is in place.
2. If you pay tipped employees the full minimum wage without applying a tip credit, non-tipped employees like cooks and dishwashers can participate in the tip pool.
3. Employers that collect tips to operate a mandatory tip pool must distribute the tips entirely within the same pay period in which they were collected.
4. Employers who do not take a tip credit but still collect employees’ tips for a mandatory tip pool must maintain payroll or other records that include information about each employee who receives tips, as well as the amount of tips reported by each employee on a weekly or monthly basis.
5. Employers can use tip credits only if at least 80% of an employee’s work involves activities that generate tips—such as serving food, providing table service, making and serving drinks—and no more than 20% involves support work—like setting tables or cleaning the bar.

How are pooled tips taxed?

According to the IRS:

“All cash and non-cash tips received by an employee are income and are subject to Federal income taxes. All cash tips received by an employee in any calendar month are subject to social security and Medicare taxes and must be reported to the employer.”

However, if an employee’s total tip amount in a calendar month is less than $20, you don’t need to report these tips. Even better, the government won’t tax them.

How to split tips by hours, percentages, and a points-based system:

When it comes to learning how to split tips between employees, there are several different options, including:

• Split tips based on hours worked 
• Points system
• Percentage tip-out

Here’s a breakdown of each method and how it works:

How to split tips by hours:

To split servers’ tips based on hours worked, add up the total amount of tips and then divide that figure by the total hours worked. Then, multiply that figure by the hours an individual server worked.

Hours worked tip splitting example:

Your employees earned a total of $1,000 in tips over the course of a day.

Server A worked an 8-hour shift, server B worked a 5-hour shift, and server C worked a 7-hour shift, for a total of 20 hours combined work.

$1,000 (total tips) divided by 20 (hours worked) equals 50, so multiply that figure by each employee’s hours:

• Server A: 50 x 8 = $400
• Server B: 50 x 5 = $250
• Server C: 50 x 7 = $350

To check your calculations, make sure the individual employees’ take-home tips are equal to the total amount of tips earned in the shift.

Using a time tracking software like Homebase makes it easy to monitor hours of work, simplifying your tip calculations.

How to use a tip pool point system:

A tip pool point system is an effective way to pool 20-100% of the servers’ tips and fairly disperse them among all employees, including bussers, bartenders, hostesses, runners, and other staff members who help keep your restaurant service running smoothly.

This method also helps keep staff happy by ensuring that no one has a particularly terrible shift.

Using a points system, calculate dispersion on a percentage basis. Different types of employees receive a certain number of points. Then, you divide the percentage of the tip pool by those points.

Point system tip splitting example:

Let’s say your servers are given 10 points each, and your bartenders and bussers are given 5 points each. If $1,500 in tips was earned in a shift, it would look like this:

• Servers (3): 30 points
• Bussers (1): 5 points
• Bartenders (2): 10 points
• Total points: 45

Divide the total number of tips ($1,500) by the total number of points (45), and you’ll get the worth of each point, which in this case is $33.30.

Multiply each staff member’s points by $33.30

This results in the servers each receiving $330 and the busser and bartenders each receiving $166.50.

How to split tips by percentages:

Another form of tip splitting involves servers using the honor system, which is a restaurant tip-out structure that includes tipping out the support staff based on a percentage of the tips they earned

Assign each of the supporting service roles a percentage of the total tips. Usually, the percentage split would be 10% to the bartender and another 25-30% shared among the remaining employees.

Percentage tip splitting example:

Here’s an example based on a restaurant:

The total amount in the tipping pool is $2,500. This means that the following job roles would receive: 

• Three servers at 20%, which equals $1,500 ($500 each)
• Two bartenders 10%, which equals $500 ($250 each)
• Line cook 10%, which equals $250
• Busser 6%, which equals $150
• Host 4%, which equals $100

Tip distribution calculator. 

Regardless of the method, it’s important to make sure you stay on top of the process.

We’ve put together a free tip-splitting spreadsheet to make it easier to keep track of who gets what.

Homebase helps you tip your team with ease.

Tip pooling ensures your entire team is compensated fairly. Between tip pooling, tip splitting, and tip sharing, you can choose between many options to suit your small business and your team. 

But no matter the method you choose, you’re left with a handful of math to do each pay period. Luckily, nowadays you can leave the paperwork behind and handle your tip payments with technology. 

Homebase is an all-in-one app that simplifies your tip tracking by syncing your processes with payroll. When you time track and schedule your employees directly in our app, it’s easy to calculate how many hours each server, busser, or line cook worked. From there, your timesheets connect directly with payroll so that paying out tips is a breeze, and your team can share tips with ease.

The post Tip pooling, splitting, and sharing: the complete guide for restaurant owners appeared first on Homebase.

As a restaurant owner, your focus is probably on the food—but falling behind on restaurant HR can taste as bad as too much salt. Amid fluctuating food costs and high customer demand, you might prioritize your food, beverage, and staffing needs, and put upgrading your restaurant HR processes at the bottom of your to-do list. 

Even with everything on your plate, neglecting restaurant human resources is never worth the cost. Restaurants need HR to help manage restaurant staffing, scheduling, compensation, payroll, and compliance. 

With a little HR advice, busy restaurateurs will be ready to delight customers and local food and beverage authorities alike. Here’s what you need to know to get started with restaurant HR.

What is HR for restaurants?

Restaurant HR is responsible for all sorts of team-building tasks, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding. They may also train staff, manage benefits, retain talent, and keep your restaurant compliant with health and safety.

When needed, human resources professionals (in-house if you’re large enough, or a consultant for compliance) can also advise restaurant managers on employee-related matters like hiring and firing decisions and disciplinary concerns. They can even educate employers and employees about company policies and local, state, and federal business and employment laws.

Without the right HR policies for restaurants and their staff, your establishment may quickly run into issues with compliance, hefty safety violations, and staff turnover.

What makes restaurant HR different from other industries?

Because of how restaurants are legally required to ‌operate, restaurant HR faces unique challenges that HR in the hospitality industry or retail industry may not.

• Staffing challenges: In its 2024 State of the Industry report, the National Restaurant Association found that 45% of restaurants don’t have enough labor to meet customer demand. It’s no secret that staff turnover is a constant source of frustration for restaurant owners. 
• Unpredictable scheduling: Because they’re not like regular, predictable 9–5 businesses, restaurant HR policies have to adapt to constantly changing employee availability and balance part-time and full-time schedules.
• Interpersonal concerns: Busy restaurants also tend to be fast-paced, high-pressure environments where managers have to solve interpersonal issues between employees. Operators also need to stay ahead of things like harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination.
• Food safety and worker safety: Restaurant owners have a responsibility to train their workers on food safety and handling so customers don’t contract food-borne illnesses. Remember that restaurant work can also pose health and safety hazards for kitchen staff and servers.

HR is important in every industry. But in the wild and wonderful world of restaurants, HR faces unique challenges and plays a uniquely important role.

Do restaurants need HR?

Talented chefs and waitstaff aren’t the only ingredients critical to any restaurant’s success. All restaurants need some form of HR, whether in-house or outsourced.

Human resources support is necessary for restaurants to maintain safe work environments for their employees, create safe and satisfying experiences for their customers, comply with safety regulations, and ultimately grow as a business.

Benefits of HR in the restaurant industry.

While it may not be typical for restaurants to outsource HR support, human resources management for the food industry can meet key restaurant needs. The right restaurant HR services can:

• Help restaurants stay updated and compliant with minimum wage laws, tipping laws, overtime laws, workplace safety laws, the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), and the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act).
• Educate restaurant owners about regulatory agencies like OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and state food and safety agencies. 
• Train restaurant operators to handle their own HR issues like hiring, onboarding, firing, record keeping, and payroll. 
• Help restaurants manage interpersonal matters that might arise between employees.

Whether you have an in-house HR team or outsource your restaurant HR needs, these services are invaluable to your business.

5 steps to get started with HR in your restaurant.

Whether you’re new to restaurant operations or new to HR processes in your restaurant, we recommend taking these steps before implementing your restaurant’s HR services.

Step 1: assess your HR needs.

Human resources support for restaurants comes in many sizes. To determine your HR needs, think about:

• Your current and potential staffing needs.
• Past, current, and potential compliance challenges.
• Past, current, and potential safety issues.
• Whether you need restaurant payroll support.
• How much time you’re spending on scheduling.
• Current budget.

The bigger the restaurant, the more HR support you likely need. But even if you’re just starting off, you still might need a significant amount of HR support, as you have payroll, benefits, and training standards to establish. Or you may decide a restaurant HR consultant is enough.

Nobody knows your restaurant like you do. Unique issues like frequent interpersonal challenges should be factored in when determining your HR needs. 

Step 2: determine how you want to manage your payroll system. 

You’ll want to include a system for calculating and syncing worker hours to your timesheets, as well as calculating overtime, giving PTO, and withholding taxes.

The right restaurant payroll software or support can help you streamline this entire process. Finding a payroll system that fits your needs and budget can save you time and headaches. 

Step 3: figure out how you’ll organize employee information. 

Where will you store your employee tax forms, emergency contacts, certifications, and specific payroll details? Will it be a digital or paper-based system? Whichever route you choose, make sure you’re following local, state, and national laws around storing employee information.

Step 4: create a system for onboarding and training new hires.

New hires need to be trained on policies, food safety and food handling, worker safety, and anti-discrimination. Creating an employee handbook with everything in one place can help you streamline that process.

Step 5: create a system for ongoing training and feedback. 

A system for ongoing staff training and feedback means information has to move in both directions. Continuous training and feedback helps create a positive work environment, builds trust amongst your team members, and gives you insight into your employees’ mindsets. 

After you’ve gotten a better understanding of your restaurant’s HR needs, we suggest using HR management software with the dedicated features you need to take the manual work of HR off your plate. 

For example, if you have an efficient system for running payroll, you may find you only need a tool that automatically updates your timesheets when employees clock in and out. (That’s one reason Homebase customers love our time clock tool.)

What features to look for in an HR service.

There’s an array of software offering HR services out there, and you may find that some of them make more sense for your restaurant operations than others. Here are some of the major features to look out for:

• Recruitment features should let you easily create and distribute job postings, as well as track, communicate with, and hire applicants. For instance, Homebase makes it easy to quickly create job postings, review screening questions, and communicate with applicants.
• Onboarding features should help you streamline onboarding by letting you distribute and store tax forms, direct deposit forms, employee handbooks, and employee welcome packets in one place.
• Time tracking features should help you stay ahead of overtime and labor costs by letting you track employee hours as they’re updated and sync with time cards for payroll.
• Payroll management features should let you convert time cards into wages and hours for payday, and automate your tax withholding and filing procedures.

The right HR help can empower you to take control of your restaurant and focus on feeding your community. By finding a solution that checks the above boxes, you’re setting yourself up for a future of full bellies—and a little less salt.

See what we mean: Watch to see how Homebase has helped Brooklyn Tea take control of scheduling, deliver stability to their team, and ultimately enjoy what they do even more.

Best HR software for restaurants.

HR software can run the gamut from all-in-one services to one or two features designed specifically for restaurants. Here’s our short list of the best HR software for restaurants.

All-in-one software for small businesses with hourly workers

Homebase lets you hire, onboard, schedule, time track, communicate with your team, run payroll for your restaurant, and sync everything together—all in one place. A certified HR advisor can even answer your questions and give you HR guidance.

Recruitment software

Fountain specializes in high-volume hiring for the food and beverage, logistics, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and medical industries. They provide specific hiring tools that help food and delivery companies source their candidates.

Onboarding software

Workstream is great for restaurant owners looking for a text-based, digital solution to hire and onboard new employees.

Time-tracking software

7shifts is a restaurant scheduling software that works with independent restaurants, national chains, and fast-food franchises to help them manage their team’s schedules, timesheets, tasks, tips, and communication.

Payroll management

If payroll is your only need, Gusto and Paychex offer payroll management services made for small businesses.

Restaurant HR: mistakes to avoid.

HR practices in the food industry can differ from other businesses. No matter your restaurant’s unique flavor, there are some human resources mistakes every restaurant should look out for.

Poor training.

Poor training can negatively impact more than just one member of your staff. Someone who’s poorly trained can cause issues for your entire team—and for your loyal customers.

If you want to attract and retain top restaurant talent, you need to offer thorough training that goes beyond one-day onboarding. It’s also a great idea to cross-train your team so they can cover for one another during sick days or planned vacations.

Offer continuous training to engage your team. Attending restaurant conferences can show you how other professionals are doing it. Train your team on the latest methods for a smooth kitchen and to keep your customers in culinary paradise.

Neglected safety protocols.

You may think an initial training for your team is all that’s needed for safety protocols, but food safety is no joke. In fact, foodborne illnesses can cost a restaurant up to 101% of their annual revenue.

Food safety is paramount to any dining experience whether you’re a greasy spoon or a fine dining establishment. Make sure your team is always up to the latest on safety. 

Don’t wait for the specter of an inspector. Instead, make safety training part of your training rotation quarterly or every six months.

Confronting dine-and-dashers.

While shoplifting isn’t as common in the restaurant industry as it is in retail, there’s always someone who thinks they can eat and run. The worst thing you can do is encourage your staff to confront dine-and-dashers.

Confronting thieves can lead to legal issues depending on the state you’re in. Instead of putting your employees in an unnecessary and tense situation, create a policy for what to do if someone tries to leave without paying. 

Dismissing feedback.

It doesn’t always take a flambé to fire people up. Restaurants are fast-paced environments, and dismissing feedback from your staff can cause tension and alienation in a high-pressure context.

Proper restaurant communication can empower your team to share helpful feedback and feel heard. Fostering an environment of open communication can result in a more engaged, level-headed, and hard-working team.

Understaffing.

Restaurant HR is faced with the difficult task of making sure there are enough people on-hand, from the kitchen to the front to the dining room. While overstaffing can cut into profits, understaffing can lead to overworked employees, a poor dining experience, and a damaged reputation for your restaurant.

With the right restaurant scheduling software, you can streamline scheduling and ensure your restaurant is set up for one scrumptious night after another. For example, with Homebase you can automate schedules, optimize labor costs and utilization, and send everyone an automatic notification with their new schedule.

Unfair discipline.

Keep dishes hot and tempers cool with fair discipline guidelines and practices.

Everybody makes mistakes. Instead of doling unfair punishments out to your staff, look for learning opportunities. If someone messed up a dish or accidentally broke a food safety protocol, re-upping training and giving staff room to improve will go a lot farther than docked wages.

Missing compliance.

Few places move faster than a restaurant. HR solutions can be one way you stop things from falling through the cracks.

One of the biggest tasks of human resource management in the food industry is making sure you’re up to speed on compliance. Following all local, state, and national compliance and labor laws is what keeps your doors open. HR consulting for the restaurant industry can help keep you compliant—and keep you bringing home the bacon.

Best practices for managing HR at a restaurant.

To keep fluctuating staff and safety regulations in hand, successful restaurant managers should prioritize these best practices for HR.

Be honest with restaurant employees.

Honesty is key to creating effective HR policies, and a lack of it can make or break a restaurant culture. But what does honesty between management and employees actually look like?

Putting transparency first in the hiring, onboarding, and training of restaurant employees means being upfront about wages and how your payroll system works. It also means acknowledging that workplace conflicts and harassment can happen in a restaurant—and showing you have a procedure in place to address them.

Continue training beyond onboarding.

The restaurant business experiences constant changes, from updates to wage laws, safety laws, and food regulations to increasing customer demand. Weather the changes with scheduled, ongoing regular training. 

Let employees know that you may hold occasional impromptu training sessions to address unexpected situations. Far from burdening employees, this lets them know that you’re attentive to the challenges they may face on the job.

Understand local restaurant laws.

US-based restaurants are generally subject to federal laws around compensation, worker safety, and anti-discrimination. But it’s important to learn and stay updated on laws about things like minimum wage, overtime, and alcohol, which can vary at state and even county level.

For example, the FLSA requires non-tipped employees to be paid a minimum wage of $7.25, and tipped employees have to be paid a minimum of $2.13 across the country. But Alaska requires employers to pay workers the minimum state wage of $11.73, and in California minimum wage can be as much as $16.00.

Offer good benefits to employees.

If recruitment and retention matter to your restaurant, offer excellent benefits to your employees. A competitive health insurance plan is a great place to start, but here are some other ways to get creative with employee benefits:

• Paid time off
• Health reimbursement arrangements
• Tuition reimbursement
• Childcare reimbursement
• Holidays off
• Free meals at work
• A channel for performance recognition

Upgrade your restaurant HR with Homebase.

When you opened a restaurant, you dreamed of tantalizing taste buds and feeding loved ones—not stressing about the latest compliance violations or how to streamline scheduling for your team. 

With the right help, you don’t have to. Homebase HR Pro gives you access to a full HR library that includes templates, guides, and training to get your HR needs in order. You can even talk to a real human HR-certified advisor who can review your policies and answer your questions.

Don’t stay in the dark about restaurant HR solutions. Give your dishes that special sauce and partner with Homebase today.

The post HR for Restaurants: Tips and Challenges for 2024 appeared first on Homebase.