Top-Notch Employee Scheduling Software to Optimize Any Workflow

Employee scheduling is crucial across industries – from retail and hospitality to healthcare and a variety of service businesses.

In this article, we want to review employee scheduling software that helps you deal with:

• Integrate rosters and timetables.
• Create and control various types of shifts, of different duration and time.
• Create real-time availability with bookable slots.
• Control deskless teams.
• Allow employees to request time-offs and breaks.
• Avoid understaffing and overstaffing.
• Sync work schedules with calendar apps.

Ready to choose the tool that will revolutionize your workflow?

When I Work

When I Work is probably one of the most popular software for employee scheduling, time tracking and attendance, as well as team messaging

After you’ve created your account, it’s easy to invite your employees by email or SMS so they can join your team. Employees input their availability (days/times they can work). Based on that, managers can view time-off requests and mark unavailability. When publishing the schedule, you can use templates or auto-scheduling to save time. You can preview for conflicts, overtime, or understaffing. There are many features to help employees request shift swaps or drop shifts.

Tools:

• One-click auto-scheduling.
• Unlimited schedule templates.
• Time off and availability management.
• Standard labor reporting.
• Labor forecasting & budgeting.

Who can use it? Small teams, restaurants, call centers, spas, and salons, etc.

Cost: Starts at $2.50/user/month

BookingPress

This is more than an employee scheduling tool. BookingPress has two specific features – 1) it functions as a service and appointment scheduling software attached to employee availability, and 2) works for WordPress sites only.

As a WordPress booking plugin, it requires a user-friendly setup of the staff availability with breaks and holidays. It guarantees you will build a powerful reservation form for client self-scheduling. To see how the staff accounts are managed, jump to the free demo page and select the needed staff member demo.

Tools:

• Individual accounts for staff to manage availability, clients, and bookings.
• Unlimited staff members.
• 20+ payment gateways to accept paid bookings.
• Many tools to upsell services and boost revenue.
• Clients can book multiple people for an appointment.
• Support for multiple locations.

Who can use it? Service businesses, coaches, rental businesses.

Cost: $79/year

Deputy

Being a popular alternative to When I Work, Deputy is probably more efficient for larger teams or when demand changes a lot, like in retail or hospitality. It enables full automation of the workflow from scheduling to payroll and reporting.

Thanks to cool AI-powered auto-scheduling that factors in labor laws, employee qualifications, availability, and historical demand, it truly delivers smart and modern employee scheduling. There is a task assignment system where managers can create and assign tasks within shifts.

Tools:

• Schedule teams and staff availability, including auto scheduling.
• Time attendance and tracking.
• Employee app.
• Wage and hour compliance.
• POS integration.
• Detailed labor cost and time reports, customized by location, role, or day.

Who can use it? Hotels, healthcare and retail.

Cost: $4.50 per user per month.

Homebase

Homebase is a nice tool to control small teams in retail or food business that actually delivers fundamental features like scheduling, time clock, and hiring tools. Hiring, payroll, and labor cost management is available in more advanced plans. With its insightful dashboard, you can access detailed reports on activity, sales, and labor cost. Employees clock in/out using the Homebase app or tablet kiosk.

Tools:

• Free plan for 1 location/up to 10 people.
• Team messaging.
• Track team attendance with reporting and late alerts.
• Manage time off with a team-wide dashboard.
• Create departments for more organized scheduling and reporting.

Who can use it? Home and repair business, education, medical, etc.

Cost: $24/location/month/unlimited employees.

Connecteam

Connecteam is the best employee scheduling software for deskless workforces (field services, cleaning, delivery, etc.). Employees can clock in/out with GPS, see tasks, fill forms, and chat in a dedicated app (offline mode supports work in low-connectivity areas). The software is free to use for up to 10 people in your team.

Tools:

• Forms and checklists.
• Employee training.
• Work chat, phonebook, and events manager.
• Payroll integration.
• Safety reports and job completion logs.
• Timesheets + GPS tracking.

Who can use it? Hospitality, field services, logistics.

Cost: $29/mo/for the first 30 users + $0.5 / month for each additional user.

Paycor

Consider Paycor over tools like When I Work or similar if you’re looking for a complete HR, payroll, and workforce management instrument for teams. Unlike many similar software, it includes applicant tracking, onboarding, benefits administration, and performance reviews. Scales well as your company grows from 50 to 500+ employees. Paycor is great for businesses that manage complex job roles.

Tools: 

• Сompliance tools, such as ACA tracking, labor law compliance, and audit trails.
• Employees can easily access schedules and receive notifications in the app.
• Breakdown of hours worked and expenses by week or month.

Who can use it? Manufacturing, healthcare, education, and multi-location franchises.

Cost: N/A

Sling

Sling is a rather affordable employee scheduling and communication tool suitable for on-site and remote workforces. It serves you best in the retail, hospitality, and service industries.

All you need is there – shift planning, time tracking, and internal messaging, with built-in labor cost tracking to help control your budget. Sling can handle shift swap and track attendance.

Tools:

• Free plan with core scheduling features.
• Easy shift planning.
• In-app team messaging and announcements.
• Time clock with GPS and mobile access.
• Labor cost and overtime tracking.
• Time-off requests and unavailability management.
• Shift swap approvals and open shift claiming.
  

Who can use it? Cafes and restaurants, retail shops, gyms and fitness studios, cleaning services, nonprofits, and event crews.

Cost: $1.70 per user per month for time tracking and reporting.

Conclusions – How to Choose the Best Employee Scheduling Software?

Which one among these top-notch options will work for you? It pretty much depends on your type of business, team size, budget, and tools you need to integrate. Do you need full-scale onboarding and HR tools? Look for solutions like Paycor. Small teams will enjoy the must-have affordable packages offered by BookingPress or Homebase. Connecteam perfectly works for field services with GPS tracking, checklists, and real-time communication.

Focus on growth starts with optimizing your workflow with great employee scheduling software!

Related articles:

• 7 Handy Tools Your Staff Can Use in BookingPress for WordPress
• How to Enable Clients to Tip Your Staff
• 3 Easy Ways to Upsell Services on WordPress