Running a business with multi-skilled staff working variable shift patterns is challenging. When it comes to rostering, spreadsheets won’t cut it. Even market-leading off-the-shelf scheduling solutions won’t have the functionality you need.
You need a bespoke solution that adapts as your business grows. It needs to be flexible enough to accommodate hours that change weekly for each employee. It needs to be able to change shifts last minute in response to adverse weather conditions. And it needs to integrate seamlessly with payroll, so your people get paid correctly every time — regardless of the complexity of their shift patterns.
This was a familiar challenge for Advantage NRG, a specialist labour-only sub-contractor based in Preston, which builds and maintains electrical transmission systems. Having tried multiple off-the-shelf solutions to roster its multi-skilled staff, its leadership team was struggling to accurately manage time and attendance, payroll calculations, time off in lieu (TOIL) and scheduling.
The diverse shift schedules of its multi-skilled, multi-location workers required a flexible and accurate rostering system. But the manual processes it was using for time tracking and salary calculations were time-consuming, error-prone and inefficient, leading to delays in payroll processing.
The situation became even more complicated in winter, when projects were often halted due to bad weather, and staff were compensated with TOIL. As accurate time tracking was critical for compliance with labour regulations, a solution was needed urgently to mitigate operational and reputational risk.
Our solution
Tired of the limited functionality of the off-the-shelf solutions it had relied on for years, Advantage NRG trusted Nextra to build a bespoke time and attendance and payroll management solution. Within weeks of its implementation, our software significantly boosted the efficiency and accuracy of the company’s workforce management.
By automating the time-tracking process, we eliminated the need for manual data entry, reducing errors and accelerating payroll calculations. Our real-time approach to data capture ensured that timesheets were accurate, leading to fewer payroll discrepancies and enhancing employee satisfaction.
We installed the Nextra app, which includes geolocation capabilities, to manage the complexity of staff recording time against projects at various locations. This ensured that their pay was accurately calculated and adjusted in line with various criteria. For example, drivers might have their pay enhanced for having to stay overnight, dealing with bad weather or working out of hours. The mobile nature of the app provided workers with the flexibility to log their hours from various project sites.
Our smart rostering and scheduling tool allowed workers and managers to manage various shift patterns with ease, while ensuring that all jobs were covered according to staff availability and skill sets. Using the dynamic rostering engine, managers were able to adjust schedules in real-time to accommodate changes in project timelines or staff availability, ensuring that project needs were consistently met.
We designed a bespoke system to accurately track TOIL, allowing staff to save and use their time off when necessary, particularly during the winter months when it was most needed. Automated alerts and detailed reports helped managers plan for adverse weather events, ensuring both project continuity and staff wellbeing. Changes were seamlessly integrated with the existing payroll system, vastly reducing discrepancies and disputes.
We empowered Advantage NRG’s leaders to make intelligent, data-driven decisions by giving them access to custom payroll and timesheet reports. Tailored in line with their strategic priorities, these reports provided a detailed analysis of payroll and timesheet data in an engaging and easily-digestible format.
Finally, to manage absenteeism, we implemented Bradford Factor tracking to more accurately understand the attendance of Advantage NRG employees. This allowed its leadership team to identify and address absenteeism issues promptly, providing timely support to staff and maintaining compliance with labour regulations.
The results
Nextra’s bespoke time management and payroll solution brought substantial improvements to Advantage NRG, transforming the company’s approach to workforce management.
Firstly, it dramatically boosted organisational efficiency. Automated timesheets and payroll calculations were processed 50 times faster than before, saving valuable administrative time and cutting costs. This allowed the company to focus on strategic business activities, rather than spending hours on manual payroll tasks.
Our automated and integrated solution also brought huge gains in data accuracy, significantly reducing payroll discrepancies. Employee disputes were reduced as the more reliable system resulted in an increased sense of satisfaction across the company.
Nextra’s geolocation feature provided enhanced flexibility, which was particularly valuable for a workforce spread across various project sites. This feature allowed for accurate time tracking regardless of location, ensuring that all work hours were properly recorded and giving employees the flexibility to log their hours from different sites.
The system’s accurate tracking of TOIL enabled staff to save and use their time off more effectively, which in turn improved project planning and boosted employee morale. By having a clear understanding of available TOIL, managers could better allocate resources and ensure that project deadlines were met without overburdening the staff. Meanwhile, the implementation of Bradford Factor tracking mitigated the risk of absenteeism, ensuring compliance with labour regulations and boosting operational efficiency.
Nextra’s solution transformed Advantage NRG’s workforce management processes – empowering it to meet the needs of its highly specialised and dynamic workforce while cutting costs, boosting productivity and mitigating risk.
