Member Article

Workforce management platform enjoys record growth as UK SMEs embrace digital transformation

Deputy, the leading workforce management platform, has announced its global customer base of SMEs added more than 25,000 new shift workers to its platform in April.

The news highlights the growing number of people needed to fill hospitality and retail roles at a time when cities like London, Sydney and San Francisco are experiencing a talent shortage fuelled by the loss of international labour from industries during the peak of the pandemic.

The UK contributed more than 3,300 workers to the unprecedented growth in April, as hospitality and retail businesses began to work towards reopening, meaning Deputy is now used by more than 138,000 shift workers in the UK and more than 1.1 million worldwide.

Over the two year period from the end of April 2019 to the end of April 2021, Deputy has grown by almost 75% in the UK.

David Kelly, General Manager for EMEA at Deputy, said: “The pandemic accelerated multiple strands of digital transformation and shift work is no different. A lot of businesses are considering how mobile technology can improve efficiency and help them to be more flexible than ever as they build their way back. Data visibility, fast decision-making and great communication are all vital for success.”

In their efforts to survive the turbulence of the last year, businesses have been adopting technology to help manage their workforce. New technology is removing the administrative burden of scheduling rotas and managing payroll, whilst improving internal communication and staff engagement.

Clapham Leisure is an award-winning hospitality company that focuses on premium casual dining in neighbourhood areas of London. Jayke Mangion, co-owner, said: “Like all, it’s been a long difficult year but we’re now focusing on coming back stronger. We are always open to new tech in hospitality and the last 12 months has seen a flood come to market. We see a shift in hospitality, and it is being disrupted like many industries. Anyone wanting to take their business to the next level needs to be open minded to this.”

Over the past 12 months, Deputy has also been brought on board for more than 20,000 residential care workers across 500 social care facilities in the UK, as more and more care homes turn to scheduling software to take the pain out of managing unpredictable staff rotas and last-minute changes.

Specialising in providing nursing with dementia care, Aspen Hill Village is one of the biggest care homes in Leeds, with 242 staff and service for up to 180 residents. It’s part of a group of five care homes operated by Armighorn Capital, which is run by Navjot Singh and his partner Shahzada Ahmed. Their strategy is simple. “It’s all about creating a better experience for residents and staff,” says Navjot “When you’re dealing with different issues across the business, it’s very disruptive to be tied up doing admin tasks the old-fashioned way.”

David Kelly adds: “We’ve seen a sharp rise in care homes using software to manage their workforce in a more agile and structured way. For example, if someone calls in sick, a manager can find a replacement quickly. Our app advertises available shifts instantly to all qualified staff who are not already due to be working and also offers a shift swapping feature, which reduces the need for expensive agency cover.”

Deputy makes it easy for teams to connect, communicate and navigate the changing world of work. It simplifies scheduling, managing labour costs, complex reporting and other time consuming tasks creating more efficient workplaces. Deputy’s compliance engine automates wage calculation in accordance with local workplace legislation ensuring employers meet their obligations and employee rights are protected.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Thomas .