Five surprising benefits of using rota software

You'd predict that using rota management software reduces shift mix-ups, cuts lateness, and saves you a whole bunch of time.

But the right scheduling tool can bring plenty of unexpected benefits too…

#1 Better working relationships

The rota is the cause of endless workplace disputes:

“I didn’t see my shift had changed.”

“I didn’t agree to swap shifts with Sheila.”

“Why am I down to work when I booked time off?”

“I definitely clocked in on time.”

...and so on.

Resolving these problems is something that most managers are resigned to having to put up with, and dealing with the fallout of such disputes is practically an everyday task.

But rota planning software eliminates these problems almost at once.

• Shift notifications and shift acknowledgement options mean staff are kept in the loop when their shifts change — and you can see that they’ve seen their shifts, too.
• Shift swaps are done through the software, and you can see a history of each shift to see who swapped with who, and when.
• Annual leave is shown directly on the rota, and you’ll be notified of any clashing shifts.
• Clock-in data is fed automatically into digital timesheets, and you can see if any manual changes have been made to the record.

“The staff love the way they can view their rotas online, on their phones, and request annual leave.” — George Jones, Registered Manager, Inspiration Care

#2 Lower staff turnover — because staff are happier

In your typical rota situation, staff get assigned shifts, and, perhaps after negotiating a few changes, they work those shifts. Some managers might listen to staff requests to leave them off a rota for a certain day, while others might ignore them and put them on to work anyway.

Overall, the traditional rota setup doesn’t give employees much control over when they work, simply because constantly changing the rota is more hassle than it's worth.

With automatic shift notifications sent out when the rota changes, rota planning software makes tweaking the rota a piece of cake. It’s much easier to adjust shifts based on employee requests, and you can even see how changes would affect your budget before committing to them.

Staff can also communicate their availability in advance through the software, so you can see when they can and can’t work as you build the rota.

Rota software just makes it easier to build a rota that works for you and as many of your staff as possible. There’s none of the friction caused by arguments over shift mix-ups, missing annual leave, or confusion over which version of the rota is up to date. And overall, staff should enjoy a better work-life balance.

With staff working on a rota that’s much more likely to work for them, they’re much less likely to jump ship and look for work elsewhere.

“We like to be viewed as a market leader in our industry. If our staff see that we’re putting in systems that make their lives easier and are moving with the times, then that’s certainly a plus.” — Steve Crawford, Co-Owner, Chicken & Blues

#3 Annual leave taken promptly

Rota software can manage absence too, including annual leave. In RotaCloud, staff can see their remaining allowance for the year and request holiday. That makes it far easier for employees to book time off, which means there’s less annual leave building up through the leave year. Unlike when it's skewed heavily to the end of the leave year, holiday taken steadily across the year is clearly less disruptive to your business.

“[With RotaCloud], holidays are taken on time — if employees leave it until the end of the year it really costs the business in the long run.” — Euan Noble, Founder & Commercial Director, Rokt Climbing Gym.

#4 Gain more clients

Yes, the humble rota can even help you gain more business.

Don’t take our word for it: here’s what Jane Laird, Director of Operations and Compliance of Next Level Security Services had to say on the topic:

“We had to give a presentation to one of our clients when we got our last contract,” Jane said. “One of their concerns was how we would source additional staff, and about the rota.”

“We showed them RotaCloud, and they were so impressed because the last company [they used] were just using WhatsApp, and ring-in, ring-off duty.

“This provided the client with the reassurance that we knew what we were doing.”

Whether you provide services to clients or customers, reliable staff coverage is crucial. Employee scheduling software can help you fill staffing gaps fast.

#5 More time to grow your business

Staff scheduling software like RotaCloud is built to make planning rotas, managing annual leave, and recording clocking in quick and easy. It automates scheduling processes, and removes the need for tiresome, time-consuming tasks like data entry.

What that means for you, the manager, is less time spent on admin, and more time spent growing your business, developing your staff, or putting smiles on your customers’ faces.

Our customers tell us time and time again that RotaCloud has freed up so much of their day that they can’t imagine life without it.

“I now have the time to focus on new projects and other parts of the business to make it sustainable for the future.” — Jessica Sciberras, Administrative Lead, GDoc