Distribution and logistics leaders face a daunting task when it comes to planning and managing their workforce. Creating rosters, tracking attendance and absences and ensuring accurate time tracking are difficult enough for single site businesses, with little variability in their production. The average distribution or logistics company operates across multiple sites and must continually change staffing in line with fluctuating supply and demand, massively increasing the complexity of workforce planning. With the industry facing a skills crisis, frontline workers must also be satisfied with the way that their hours are planned and tracked, to improve chances of their retention. Therefore, operations leads are constantly looking for ways to improve and streamline their logistics workforce management.
Among discussions of people planning efficiency, “cloud-based” is a ubiquitous term. But what actually is a cloud-based workforce planning solution, and how can it benefit your distribution and logistics team?
What is cloud-based workforce management?
Cloud solutions deliver IT resources on-demand over the internet. In most cases, this means large-scale cloud service providers like Amazon and Google hosting programs for smaller businesses.
Whilst some cloud solutions provide internet platforms for businesses to build their own software on top of, Software as a Service (SaaS) refers to when applications are offered pre-built alongside internet hosting. When applied to workforce management, this usually means software for rostering, time tracking, absence management and people planning and costing, all available for purchase on a subscription model via the internet.
What are the benefits of moving your workforce management to the cloud?
1. Access anywhere
With a cloud solution, users can conduct digitalised operational tasks – like time tracking - anywhere, as long as they have access to the internet and a browser. You employees do not have to be onsite to use the IT resource. This also applies to managers accessing this information; they can see how the system is being interacted with and observe data in real-time.
In distribution and logistics this is especially important, as workforces are likely to be spread across multiple locations. Drivers, for instance, need to be able to track time, record absences and see their rosters whilst in transit. A cloud-based workforce planning tool improves worker experience and operational success by allowing users to access it from portable phones and devices anywhere, as well as on any site.
2. IT solutions can be scaled up and down to meet demand
Cloud-based workforce planning usually involves signing a contract with a SaaS provider, rather than investing in a fixed-size solution. This means that you can scale the amount of resource – i.e. user accounts – needed in response to the number of workers you have. This also applies to scaling up the breadth of people management services you need your cloud software solution to provide – with many SaaS providers allowing you to add new functionalities as your needs change.
For distribution and logistics businesses faced with unpredictable changes in demand and a fluctuating market, staff levels are likely to change from year to year and it is hard to predict a steady level of people power needed. With a cloud system, it is relatively easy to only pay for the workforce management software you need at any one time, a far more cost-efficient option for an unpredictable sector.
3. Tap into wider security resource
Most cloud-based systems allow for a level of security that is unfeasible for a localised, on-premise platform. Economies of scale mean that cutting edge data encryption, access controls and two-factor authentication are offered by the SaaS provider, when developing these defences on a smaller scale would be time-consuming and difficult.
The security of the modern software world relies on updates, as new breaches are noted and fixed. Choosing a cloud-based workforce management system simplifies the process by which these updates are enacted, with them often taking place automatically or at the touch of a button. Going for a cloud-based model effectively means a trusted leader in the industry deploying the very latest security technology for the benefit of your company, protecting your employee and company data.
Time & Attendance with OneAdvanced – Cloud-based workforce management at its finest
Time and Attendance is a workforce management system that includes automated rostering and time tracking, absence management, and people planning and costing functionality. Its cloud capabilities mean that employees can self-serve at their ease, taking control of their absence requests and checking holiday entitlement and shifts from anywhere that has access to the internet and a browser, in real-time.
A cloud-based system means your staff can clock in anywhere. You can choose between formats that cater to offsite and onsite staff: desktop portal, mobile app or hardware. Staff time will then be tracked automatically based on this clock-in data, with managers able to view it in real-time, wherever they are.
The beauty of Time & Attendance being a cloud solution means we can implement it for your whole business remotely without setting foot in your office, removing health and safety headaches and allowing you to get up and running as quickly as possible.
The flexible nature of SaaS means you can integrate new modules as your needs change as a business – adding our HR module or integrating our Payroll software with Time and Attendance, connecting your business functions
Hosted on Azure cloud, routine security tasks are automated and it makes use of a variety of Azure cyber detection tools, to block or identify any issues before they become problems. It is a flexible, scalable and secure choice for distribution and logistics leaders – unlocking all the myriad benefits of cloud computing.
Interested?
Start a live chat with us here to start your journey to cloud-based workforce management.
