9 Best Employee Scheduling Software 2024

Looking for top employee scheduling software? Here's a quick rundown of the best options for 2024:

1. Deputy: All-in-one solution with AI scheduling
2. When I Work: Great for hourly workers
3. Connecteam: Scalable with free option
4. Homebase: Ideal for retail and service industries
5. Sage HR: Links scheduling with HR functions
6. Shiftboard: Handles complex scheduling needs
7. 7shifts: Built for restaurants
8. QuickBooks Time: Perfect for QuickBooks users
9. Planday: Strong in shift planning and communication

Quick Comparison

Choose based on your business size, industry, and specific needs. Most offer free trials to test before you commit.

How We Chose the Top 9

We didn't just pick these employee scheduling tools out of a hat. Here's our process:

1. Ease of use

We tested each tool ourselves. Could we set up schedules quickly? Make last-minute changes? The best ones were a breeze for both managers and staff.

2. Features

Basic scheduling? Not enough. We wanted more:

• Real-time updates
• Mobile access
• Payroll integration
• Labour law compliance tools

3. Cost

Good news: You can get solid scheduling software for as little as £0.79 per employee per month. Some even offer team discounts.

4. Industry fit

Retail needs are different from healthcare. We made sure our picks could handle various sectors. For example, in food service, staff need to manage their own availability.

5. User reviews

We didn't just trust the companies. We dug into real user reviews to get the full picture.

6. Support

Schedules can't wait. We favoured platforms with 24/7 support, like Deputy, HotSchedules, and Humanity.

7. Scalability

Whether you have 5 employees or 15,000, these tools can handle it.

8. Integration

The best scheduling software plays nice with other business apps, especially payroll and billing systems.

9. Compliance features

With ever-changing labour laws, we looked for tools that help keep you on the right side of regulations.

9 Best Employee Scheduling Software Options

Let's look at the top employee scheduling software for 2024. We'll cover features, pros and cons, pricing, and ideal business types for each.

1. Deputy

Deputy is a full-featured tool that goes beyond scheduling.

Key features:

• AI-powered scheduling compliance
• Team messaging
• Time off management

Pricing: From £2.50 per user, monthly

Best for: All business sizes wanting a complete solution

Users rate Deputy 4.5 stars. One said: "The mobile app is brilliant for managing operations on the go."

2. When I Work

This tool makes life easier for hourly workers and managers.

Key features:

• Mobile clock-in/out
• Shift swapping
• Time-off requests
• Quick schedule creation

Pricing: Starter plan at £1.50 per location per month

Best for: Small to medium businesses with hourly workers

When I Work has a 90% satisfaction rating from 1,454 reviews.

3. Connecteam

Connecteam offers more than just scheduling.

Key features:

• Time tracking
• Task management
• Employee scheduling
• HR functions

Pricing:

Best for: Businesses wanting a scalable solution with a free option

4. Homebase

Homebase excels in schedule-making and payroll connections.

Key features:

• Easy schedule creation
• Payroll integration
• Time tracking

Best for: Retail and service industries

5. Sage HR

Sage HR combines scheduling with performance tracking.

Key features:

• Shift scheduling
• Performance management
• Leave management

Best for: Businesses linking scheduling with HR

6. Shiftboard

Shiftboard handles complex scheduling needs and rule compliance.

Key features:

• Advanced scheduling tools
• Compliance management
• Reporting and analytics

Best for: Industries with complex scheduling, like healthcare or manufacturing

7. 7shifts

7shifts is built for restaurants.

Key features:

• Staff management
• Sales forecasting
• Team communication

Best for: Restaurants and food service

8. QuickBooks Time

Great for QuickBooks users.

Key features:

• Time tracking
• GPS tracking
• QuickBooks payroll integration

Best for: QuickBooks users wanting seamless integration

9. Planday

Planday offers strong shift planning and staff communication.

Key features:

• Shift planning
• Staff communication
• Time and attendance tracking

Best for: Retail, hospitality, and service industries

Each tool has its strengths. Choose based on your business needs, size, and industry. Try free trials to find your best fit.

Software Comparison Table

We've put together a table comparing 9 top employee scheduling software options. Here's what you need to know:

All options offer mobile apps and drag-and-drop scheduling. When choosing, think about:

1. Your budget
2. Workforce size
3. Industry needs
4. System integration
5. Mobile access importance

Many offer free trials or demos. For example, Deputy and 7shifts have sandbox accounts for specific industries.

Fun fact: Workforce scheduling software use jumped 40% from 2014 to 2015. Businesses are catching on to the power of automation!

Important Features to Look For

Choosing the right employee scheduling software can make or break your operations. Here's what you need to focus on:

Auto-scheduling: Algorithms do the heavy lifting, creating schedules based on availability, skills, and laws. It's a massive time-saver.

Shift swapping: Let employees swap shifts without your approval. It's a win-win: they get flexibility, you get less admin work.

Real-time updates: When the schedule changes, everyone should know. Instantly. No more confusion or missed shifts.

Mobile access: Your team's always on the move. They need an app to check schedules, request time off, and clock in from anywhere.

Time and attendance tracking: Keep tabs on who's working when. It makes payroll a breeze.

Reporting and analytics: Good software gives you the dirt on labour costs, overtime, and scheduling patterns. Use it to make smarter decisions.

Here's how some top options stack up:

Pricing? It's all over the map. Deputy starts at £2.50 per user per month. 7shifts ranges from free to £34.99 monthly.

Scheduling Needs in Different Industries

Employee scheduling isn't one-size-fits-all. Let's look at how it varies across healthcare, retail, and hospitality.

Healthcare

Healthcare needs 24/7 coverage. This means:

• Complex shift patterns
• Skill-based scheduling (mix of nurses, doctors, specialists)
• Compliance with labour laws and union agreements
• On-call rotations for emergencies

Retail

Retail scheduling is about matching staff to customer demand:

• Handling seasonal rushes
• Managing multiple locations
• Balancing full-time and part-time staff

The rise of omnichannel retail adds new twists. A McKinsey study found 75% of U.S. consumers tried new shopping behaviours during the pandemic. Now retailers need to schedule for:

• In-store service
• Online order fulfilment
• Click-and-collect

Hospitality

Hospitality faces its own scheduling challenges:

• Unpredictable demand
• Mix of full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers
• Coverage for various roles (front desk, housekeeping, food service)

Different approaches are used:

Choosing the Right Software

When picking scheduling software, consider:

• Healthcare: Compliance features and skill-based scheduling
• Retail: Multi-location scheduling and demand forecasting
• Hospitality: Flexibility for changes and easy shift swapping

The right software matters. From 2014 to 2015, workforce scheduling software adoption jumped 40%. This shows how important tailored solutions are becoming across industries.

Setting Up and Connecting the Software

Setting up employee scheduling software can transform your business. But it's not always easy. Here's how to do it right:

1. Pick the right tool

Make sure the software fits your needs. If you're in healthcare, you'll want things like skill-based scheduling and compliance features.

2. Plan it out

Create a timeline for setup, training, and full use. Get key people involved to ensure everyone's on board.

3. Move your data

Transfer your existing employee info, schedules, and other important data to the new system. This step is key for a smooth switch.

4. Connect with other systems

Linking your new scheduling software with HR and payroll can be tricky. Here are some common issues and fixes:

5. Train your team

Teach all staff who'll use the system. Cover basics like viewing schedules, asking for time off, and swapping shifts.

6. Test it out

Before going all in, try it with a small group. Use their feedback to make improvements.

7. Offer ongoing help

Have someone ready to answer questions and solve problems as they come up.

Why bother? Manual scheduling eats up 20% of a manager's time and can lead to 174% more turnover due to mistakes. Good software fixes that.

What's Next for Scheduling Software

The future of employee scheduling software is about to shake things up. Here's what's coming:

AI-driven scheduling

AI and machine learning are changing the game for shift planning. Take ShiftLink, for example. This platform uses AI to:

• Guess staffing needs based on past data
• Match shifts to employee skills and availability
• Show managers how likely shifts are to be filled

This smart approach helps businesses avoid having too many or too few staff on hand.

Flexible scheduling options

Workers want more control over their schedules. Future tools will likely offer:

• Self-service scheduling
• Shift choice and splitting
• Easy shift swaps

People want flexibility. In fact, 86% of workers across industries would switch jobs for better schedule options, according to PageGroup's 2023 Talent Trends Report.

Fair shift allocation

Fair scheduling is becoming a big deal. New tech will focus on:

• Unbiased shift distribution
• Following labour laws
• Balancing what employees want with what businesses need

Travis Shipley from Shiftboard says: "Workforce scheduling is changing. It's driven by new employee expectations, tech advances, and a focus on fairness and worker well-being."

Integration with other systems

Future scheduling software will play nice with:

• HR systems
• Payroll platforms
• Time and attendance tracking

This will cut down on admin work and reduce errors.

Mobile-first approach

As more people work on the go, scheduling software will focus on mobile access. Employees will be able to:

• Check schedules
• Ask for time off
• Swap shifts

All from their phones.

These changes in scheduling software will make managing workers easier, fairer, and more employee-friendly. Businesses that jump on board early could have an edge in attracting and keeping talent.

Wrap-Up

Picking the right employee scheduling software can make a big difference for your business. We've looked at the top 9 options for 2024, and each has its own strengths.

Here's a quick list of our top picks:

1. Deputy
2. When I Work
3. Connecteam
4. Homebase
5. Sage HR
6. Shiftboard
7. 7shifts
8. QuickBooks Time
9. Planday

When you're choosing, think about:

• What your business really needs
• How easy it is to use
• If it works with your other tools
• If it can grow with your business
• If it works on mobile

Bad software can be a real problem. A study found that 25% of employees thought about quitting because of poor software. And 1 in 8 actually did quit.

To make a good choice:

• Try out free trials
• Read what other users say
• Make a list of features you must have
• Think about what you'll need in the future, not just now

Related posts

• 2024 Roundup: Best Practices in Estate Management
• Facilities Management Software: A Comparative Guide
• 10 Essential Tools for Facilities Managers in 2025
• 5 Common Facility Issues and How to Solve Them