Picture this: a vibrant morning huddle in your conference room, team members discussing the day’s tasks and goals, and maybe a bit of friendly banter. Sounds like a perfect workday, right? However, last-minute scheduling conflicts and changes can disrupt the whole process.
To avoid that, stop punishing yourself with manual scheduling and try employee scheduling software for small businesses today!
Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders
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Our analysts did in-depth research to curate a list of the best employee scheduling tools for small businesses. I tried and tested each of those products to explore the ease of use, scheduling and time tracking, employee management, and other unique features like mobile scheduling and geofencing. I accessed Sling, Homebase and Shiftbase via their free starter plans. For When I Work and WhenToWork, I relied on free trials to get a feel for each solution and test its effectiveness.
Here’s a quick overview:
Best Employee Scheduling Software for Small Businesses
According to our analysts, these are the five best tools for small business employee scheduling based on value for money, usability, features and vendor support programs.
Sling
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Manage calendars and schedules from anywhere with the mobile-optimized platform. Source
Our Analysis
| Highest Rated Modules | Features Not Supported | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Capabilities | 100 | Leave Blackout Periods | Not Supported |
| Reporting and Analytics | 95 | Bulk Actions | Not Supported |
| Employee Management | 87 | Multiple timezone Support | Not Supported |
| Shift Management | 87 | Auto-Scheduling | Not Supported |
| Collaboration | 82 | Schedule Filters | Not Supported |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Shiftbase
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Embedded training resources guide you through sign-up to let you start scheduling in minutes.
Our Analysis
| Highest Rated Modules | Features Not Supported | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Leave and Absence Management | 91 | Leave Blackout Periods | Not Supported |
| Schedule Management | 84 | Group Chat | Not Supported |
| Mobile Capabilities | 83 | Read Receipts | Not Supported |
| Reporting and Analytics | 81 | Auto-Scheduling | Not Supported |
| Shift Management | 79 | Compliance Warnings | Not Supported |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
When I Work
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Organize your scheduling dashboard with color-coded layouts, labels and tags. Source
Our Analysis
| Highest Rated Modules | Features Not Supported | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Capabilities | 100 | Message Read Receipts | Not supported |
| Shift Management | 96 | Leave Blackout Period | Not Supported |
| Employee Management | 87 | Custom Tags | Not supported |
| Schedule Management | 85 | Biometric Time Clocking | Not Supported |
| Leave and Absence Management | 83 | Shift Tracking | Not Supported |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
Homebase
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Define rules to auto-assign the next best employee in case of last-minute cancellations. Source
Our Analysis
| Highest Rated Modules | Features Not Supported | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Collaboration | 100 | Leave Blackout Periods | Not supported |
| Mobile Capabilities | 100 | Workflow Automation | Not Supported |
| Schedule Management | 90 | Mobile Collaboration | Not supported |
| Employee Management | 87 | Custom Reports and Visualizations | Not Supported |
| Leave and Absence Management | 83 | OSHA Compliance | Not Supported |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
WhenToWork
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Customize layouts to track shift coverage across every position and department. Source
Our Analysis
| Highest Rated Modules | Features Not Supported | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule Management | 89 | Leave Blackout Periods | Not supported |
| Shift Management | 82 | Workflow Automation | Not Supported |
| Reporting and Analytics | 81 | Document Sharing | Not supported |
| Leave and Absence Management | 79 | Custom Reports and Visualizations | Not Supported |
| Employee Management | 62 | Broadcast Messaging | Not Supported |
Platform:
Company Size Suitability: S M L
How We Choose Products
For the scope of this article, we only considered the freemium version of a product or solutions that are completely free to use. We haven’t included products that only offer a free trial. Using that starting point, our analysts used an in-depth research process to understand the market. They then recommended the best 5 products based on a range of criteria.
We looked at the following criteria: feature comprehensiveness, product popularity, user reviews and ratings, SelectHub in-house data, hands-on experience, market analysts’ reports, thought leaders’ opinions and information available in the public domain.
Products with better user reviews were given preference, provided they adequately met the other criteria listed.
Learn more about our research methodology and editorial standards.
What Is Employee Scheduling Software?
Employee scheduling software is a platform that helps you create, manage and share employee shifts from a mobile screen. You can design task templates and use drag-and-drop tools to craft shifts and labor budgets. The system tracks vacations and breaks within schedules and sends alerts for scheduling mistakes, PTO conflicts and labor cost distribution.
Small businesses often have limited time and resources, and scheduling software is vital to optimize staff levels without unnecessary costs. It helps create efficient schedules, manage overtime per staffing budget and automate compliance with labor laws and worker protection programs.
Primary Benefits
Maximize Cost Efficiency
Employee scheduling systems allocate staff efficiently according to demand, availability, skills and preferences. You can use demand planning tools to align workforces and prevent understaffing during peak seasons or overstaffing during slow periods.
Improve Employee Experiences
Empowering employees with self-scheduling options helps enhance autonomy, job satisfaction and work-life balance. These platforms let you create a flexible work schedule, which, according to 52% of desk workers, is the best way to support their productivity.
Streamline Compliance
Automation minimizes the risk of legal issues. You can define rules to comply with state laws, federal regulations and workers’ union demands. The system maintains records of communications, schedules, timesheets and worker information, facilitating quick and efficient reporting and audits.
Promote Accountability
Time tracking, clock-in kiosks and geofencing tools allow you to accurately track staff productivity and movement throughout your facility. It ensures accurate payrolls, reduces errors and helps you avoid malpractices.
Get our Employee Scheduling Software Requirements Template
Key Features
Here are some of the most important features you should look for in an employee scheduling tool:
| Collaboration Modules | Broadcast messages and customizable news feeds help you communicate important updates. A centralized document library and manager logbook streamline collaboration across departments.
You can send direct messages, turn on read receipts for messages and track schedule viewings. |
| Scheduling Tools | Use intuitive tools to configure multi-location schedules and sync employee calendars. You can define rules to let AI auto-schedule based on employee availability, skills and preferences. |
| Shift Management | You can create multiple types of shifts like rotating, open, split and recurring. Employees can bid on open shifts and swap tasks with colleagues. The system automatically sends notifications to concerned parties for new shifts or swaps. |
| Leave and Absences | Customize your leave policies, set blackout dates and define PTO request application procedures. The system automatically tracks employee leaves and sends you conflict alerts during scheduling. |
| Time Tracking | Define automation to prevent early clock-ins and use biometric access to prevent unauthorized logins. Staff can manually input work hours or use the mobile app to track time.
The system automatically clocks out when a shift is over to prevent unnecessary overtime. You can define break hours within a shift, and the platform sends break reminders to employees. |
| Reporting | Custom dashboards, visualizations and reports help you track labor costs, budget, performance, overtime and ROI. The system automatically generates audit reports to maintain compliance with labor regulations. |
| Payroll Integration | The platform maintains timesheets and syncs data with payroll systems to efficiently calculate and pay employee salaries. |
Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders
Software Selection Strategy
The global employee scheduling software market is expected to grow at a 14.74% CAGR by 2028. It’s important to note that there isn’t one best solution in such a growing industry. What works for others may fail miserably for your business and vice versa.
The key is to start by gathering your business executives and identifying the pain points you’re trying to solve with the new software. Follow it up by preparing a requirements checklist that ranks the employee scheduling software features per your needs.
Here are the crucial factors you should consider when compiling the checklist:
- Scalability: Choose a solution that can scale with your increasing workforce and evolving scheduling needs.
- Ease of Use: Intuitive interfaces and straightforward functionalities contribute to smoother implementation.
- Integrations: Check if the software connects with other tools your business uses, such as performance evaluation systems, recruiting software, eLearning modules and other HR tools.
- Mobile Accessibility: A responsive mobile app allows you and your employees to access scheduling information, make changes and receive notifications on the go.
- Customer Support: A responsive support team can address issues promptly and ensure smooth software operation.
- Customizations: Customization options contribute to the software’s adaptability to your specific industry and operational needs.
- Security Measures: Encryption, secure logins and data backup are essential for a safe environment without data breaches.
- Trial Period: Testing the platform within your business environment allows you to assess its compatibility and effectiveness before committing to a long-term contract.
For additional assistance, consider our nine-step software selection process called the Lean Selection methodology. It ensures you dot your i’s and cross your t’s while assessing internal requirements and analyzing the market to find the best fit for your business.
Questions To Ask
Here are some model questions you can ask yourself to identify your requirements:
- What are my current scheduling challenges?
- Which areas can benefit from automation?
- How many employees will use the software?
- What are my key operational pain points?
- Which features will address those pain points?
Here are a few questions to ask potential vendors to help you learn more about their software and services:
- How many years of expertise do you have in the industry?
- What customer support and training do you offer?
- What company sizes do you typically work with?
- Is the product customizable to specific business needs?
- What data security features does the system offer?
Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders
FAQs
There are several key steps involved in a small business’s employee scheduling process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Understand Business Needs: Analyze peak hours, customer demands and operational requirements to determine staffing needs.
- Collect Employee Availability: Gather availability information from each employee, considering their time-off requests and other constraints.
- Create a Template: Develop a basic schedule template outlining regular working hours, breaks and shift patterns.
- Consider Employee Preferences: Take into account employee preferences and skills when assigning shifts to promote job satisfaction and work-life balance.
- Distribute Work Equitably: Ensure fair distribution of tasks and shifts, considering factors such as employee experiences and responsibilities.
- Communicate Clearly: Share the schedule with employees through a preferred channel, whether it’s a physical notice board, email or a dedicated scheduling platform.
- Handle Time-Off Requests: Manage requests efficiently, balancing employee needs with business requirements. Communicate approval or denial promptly.
- Be Flexible: Allow some flexibility in the schedule by incorporating options like shift-swapping, open shifts and shift biddings to accommodate unexpected changes.
- Regularly Review and Adjust: Review schedules to identify and address any issues. Be open to employee feedback and make adjustments to improve overall effectiveness.
Remember, simplicity is key, especially for a small team or business. As your workforce or business grows, you may explore more advanced scheduling tools or practices to enhance efficiency.
No, QuickBooks itself doesn’t offer scheduling features. But QuickBooks Time is a cloud-based time tracking tool that helps small businesses create schedules, manage timesheets and sync data with payroll and accounting modules.
However, it’s easy to outgrow this platform as it offers limited scheduling functionalities. You need to shift to a more robust option for advanced features like chat portals, auto-scheduling, workforce demand predictions and PTO management.
Yes, there are plenty of free scheduling tools available. Some platforms offer a free and open API that you can download off the internet, while others have a free pricing plan or trial period that gives you a feel of the platform before moving onto a paid plan.
According to our analysts, these are the top 5 contenders for the best free employee scheduling software:
- Homebase
- When I Work
- 7Shifts
- OpenSimSim
- Sling
Compare Top Employee Scheduling Software Leaders
Next Steps
Investing in employee scheduling software for small businesses can transform your workday narratives from chaos to cohesion. As we wrap up our journey here, we’d like to leave you with our free comparison report. It lets you analyze the market’s top contenders based on custom criteria to find what works for you.
Assess your options, make the shift and watch as your vibrant morning huddles become not just a daily routine but a testament to the synergy of a well-scheduled team.
What aspects of your business could benefit most from employee scheduling software? What are your thoughts on the impact of AI in your scheduling workflows? We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below!
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