Category: Tips

  • 5 Software Tools You Need to Manage Your Startup

    5 Software Tools You Need to Manage Your Startup

    Getting started with a start-up is easy, but it’s certainly tough to sustain with the same. There comes a wide range of challenges that these startups often have to confront. On such occasions, no startup can imagine functioning without having reliable tools and technologies. The startup culture in modern times is indeed much evolved with evolving scenarios of virtual workplaces and growing emphasis towards remote operations.

    Evidently, the use of right software has turned out to be the distinguishing factor for successful startups from the rest. Needless is to say that a startup enriched with high-end tools can achieve results in a much quicker time upon keeping things organized. For example, someone enriched with a professional vacation tracker is obvious to be more systematic in terms of dealing with customers, rather than those handling things manually. Naturally, they can be more productive than the others.  

    Importance of being strategic to find the best startup tools

    It’s true at the same time that there is a range of options that a startup can find in modern times regarding tools and technicalities. However, not all these can be equally trusted or relied upon. In addition, there remain budget constraints associated as well. After all, a start-up can’t just go with any of the hugely buzzed software that the top rankers often do boast. At the same time, they can’t also go with any random tool just because it is available for free.

    It can be confusing sometimes for a startup to find out the best option on such occasions. Well, being a little strategic can be helpful for the company to come up with the best options. In this context, it is advised that the approach should be about finding effective tools for the key segments of the business, like HR management, that actually matter for productivity, rather than investing in anything that could be dealt with manually.

    It can be understood that a startup might not always get enough time to think and figure out the best options. In this context, here we have come up with 5 best options that can actually make things easier for the startups in terms of easing down their functionalities for all domains, starting from HR management to communication. The best part, these tools can thoroughly align with the business goal of the concerned startup, irrespective of its scale. Streamlining the process, these tools can make things easier for the concerned startup to take the right business decision.

    Day Off Leave Tracker For Employees’ Leave and PTO Tracking

    Needless is to say how much it matters for a startup to make the most of its employees. In this context, Day Off app can be an incredible recommendation. This is one of the finest leave trackers in order to keep track of the leaves of the employees, as well as for tracking the PTOs.

    It can incredibly save the valuable time of the startup, as well as their efforts in terms of tracking the absence of the entire company in one place. In fact, one can establish the complete policy for leave as well as vacation aspects in a matter of few seconds. The tool can make things look absolutely easy to handle workflow approvals. 

    PTO tracking software has its mobile app for the managers, as well as for the employees. The app can be excellent in terms of keeping track of the vacations and requesting the same from anytime and anywhere. Through it, one can easily direct the leaves of employees to the most appropriate person.

    One can claim that it provides complete control in the hand of HR to handle its managers, as well as employees. If you are looking for reliable PTO tracking software, then also this can be your one-stop solution. Rather, it can be claimed that it’s currently the most popular PTO tracker at the moment.    

    There remains a comprehensive HR dashboard for greater control. There is a calendar view option available for the company, as well as its employees. It enables them to keep track of the vacations, as well as the time offs. Generating a comprehensive report for any period can be done quite easily through this incredible leave tracker app.

    The tool enables users to create a company account quite easily. All that one needs to provide is company details, ranging from name, mail id, location, to password. That’s all it takes to create the company account. It enables the users to add teams within the company with distinct configurations for every team. Next, one can add to every team a dedicated manager, as well as employees. All in all, this time off app can greatly ease down the work pressure from the HR department.      

    Flock

    Be it about a start-up or an established company; effective communication has been the key behind success of each. Better is the communication between the teams, or within the team, greater is the prospect of its growth. In modern-day scenarios, with growing reliance upon virtual communications, technology certainly has started playing a major role.

    This is the reason that the start-ups often remain in hunt for the most effective communication techniques that can provide them the needful ease and effectiveness. Keeping all these things in mind, Flock can undoubtedly be one of the finest recommendations. Just like the incredible employee time off tracker tool cited above, Flock too is also high on demand among modern-day start-ups.

    The best part about Flock is that it is much advanced as a tool than a mere messenger. Specifically, start-up houses looking for a powerful tool for facilitating effective team communication can indeed find it a great option. Rising above being another mere message sending tool, Flock has turned out to be a powerful concept making business collaborations happen with incredible effectiveness.

    It can facilitate things much faster than startups could imagine. It’s a completely unique tool that has changed the way start-ups would communicate with their teams. Be it about facilitating direct communication channels, through group messaging channels, through video sharing, through file sharing, upon preparing customized lists for mailing, to company directories; Flock can be the all-inclusive solution for all.    

    Flock has it all that a small business would need for facilitating effective communication, as well as collaborations. Interestingly, there is a free version available for it as well, along with a Pro edition that costs around 4.5 USD for each user per month.

    With growing dependency upon video conferencing for effective communication on all levels, Flock has turned out to be one of the finest recommendations for start-ups. It enables small businesses to host meetings, as well as webinars over the web. In fact, it enables the businessmen to initiate a video call straightaway through a conversation channel, as well as in sharing the screen through a live presentation. With Flock, it is possible to communicate along with anyone directly on-face in real-time, irrespective of the place. 

    Slack

    Slack can be another incredible tool for start-ups. In fact, it is currently one of the most popular names, at the same time being the fastest expanding software explicitly for the start-up in recent times. There are millions of users of Slack around the globe for connecting with their teams through a single platform. Interestingly, it is possible to develop several channels in order to discuss various projects or matters.

    At the same time, Slack can be a fantastic tool for those who prioritize one-to-one chats as well. A distinguishing aspect of Slack is its flexibility. The tool lets the users integrate the same along with various other popular applications like Gmail and drive. It can be integrated with Trello as well. The tool is quite user-friendly in nature that can be helpful in discovering messages as well as notifications.

    The factor that makes things explicit about Slack is the ease it provides for the users in simplifying things. In fact, a huge number of startups do make use of the software for facilitating effective communication, which includes Airbnb. Slack doesn’t just facilitate conversations; rather, it makes things thoroughly organized.

    One of the distinguishing features of the tool is the searchable history feature, which can be incredibly useful in assessing things. The tool is fantastic from a collaboration perspective as well. No matter you want to collaborate directly or through the shared screen, the software can be useful in all aspects. With well-incorporated file sharing features, it helps the start-up in maintaining thorough coordination among the team.

    Slack doesn’t disappoint users from price perspectives as well. To be specific, its standard plan starts only at $3.20 per month, which can range up to 6 dollars per month when it comes to the plus plan. However, for greater assurance of the start-ups, the software Slack comes up with a free edition as well.

    This free edition is meant for the smaller teams. In fact, the free edition can be enjoyed for an infinite period. However, one can expect greater perks through the Plus plans. Noteworthy here is that the Slack Plus plan starts at 12.50 USDs for every user per month.  On the other hand, the Standard plan starts at 6.67 USD per month. 

    Hootsuite for startup in Social Media

    Marketing is certainly an integral part of any business. Irrespective of scale, it is impossible for a business to survive without effective marketing and promotional strategy. Specifically, a lot of importance is being given to online promotions or digital marketing.

    For a start-up, it’s quite obvious for them to look for ways of promoting and marketing things for free or at lower costs. This is the reason that so much emphasis is being given to social media by start-ups. However, it’s true at the same time that the competition over social media is quite immense. One can’t just expect success with social media strategies without being strategic.

    This is the reason that marketers often emphasize using high-end tools. In this context, Hootsuite can indeed be a fantastic recommendation for startups. This is a high-end research tool that can even enable companies to know the way a user thinks about their products or services. Needless is to say, how it is valuable for any company to know the exact mindset of the customers. Where top companies spend billions for such data, there are tools like Hootsuite providing the same details at a comparatively much lesser budget.

    The interesting aspect about Hootsuite is that it is incredible in terms of managing social media account. It’s pretty much an all-in-one tool on this aspect, enabling users to handle the entire network of social media through just a single dashboard. It can make things simpler regarding scheduling as well.

    In fact, one can prepare the schedule of future posts well in advance over a range of social media platforms. Not just for scheduling, the tool is incredible in terms of tracking the contents over different platforms. The software can ease down things to a great extent regarding engagement with the followers. It can be the all-in-one tool for handling an entire team of social media.   

    There is a range of features that make the tool stand out. Automated scheduling of posts is one such fantastic feature. It comes with vital performance metrics for greater analytics of things. Its flexible workflows approval is another key feature that makes things strategic to manage things. Its custom analytics can be incredibly helpful for effective decision-making. One can export the reports as well through the tool for the entire team. 

    The good news is that there is a free edition available, though for 30 days of a free trial. However, one needs to go with the paid plans onwards. For a single user, the professional plan starts at just 17.56 USD per month, which can range up to 627.04 USD per month. Here it is available for about 5 users. Along with employee leave tracker app and video conferencing tool, this one is also one of the highly recommended tools presently among the experts for start-ups. 

    Canva (Design) is the best for startup

    Needless is to say, how crucial it has become for a startup to have an effective online presence. From this perspective, designing a catchy website enriched with incredible graphical elements has become extremely important. Startups emphasizing this aspect should definitely consider Canva. It can be a useful tool for fulfilling a whole range of graphic design demands. Be it about blog posts, social media posts, or any kind of design needs, Canva can fulfill all types of graphic design needs.

    Interestingly, Canva comes with a massive library as well having millions of photos and fonts, as well as the icons to select from. There is flexibility for the users to pick a suitable design template for creating a site from scratch. In fact, it is quite user-friendly in nature, where one can simply drag and then drop to get the job done. It can be an effective tool for all types of editing jobs as well.

    Coming to the pricing, the Pro plan starts at 9.95 USD per month, in which one can enjoy over 4 million photos. Well, just like the free time off tracker, there is a free edition available for it as well. One can use it to design just anything through this free edition.

    Conclusion

    Modern-day technology goes far beyond simply simplifying business operations, it empowers organizations by offering immediate access to critical data, streamlining decision-making, and enhancing overall efficiency. For startups in particular, leveraging the right digital tools isn’t just a convenience, it’s a strategic necessity.

    In today’s competitive environment, early-stage companies must prioritize building a solid tech foundation that supports both their short-term operations and long-term growth. Whether it’s managing team communication, handling finances, or tracking employee time off, having access to the right software solutions can mean the difference between scaling efficiently and falling behind.

    The tools mentioned above cater to a wide range of operational needs, from a free vacation tracker that helps manage leave policies effortlessly, to platforms that facilitate secure video conferencing, seamless collaboration, or smarter financial planning. These solutions are designed to work for businesses across various industries and team sizes, offering scalability, automation, and real-time insights that help startups stay agile and informed.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • Tips to manage leaves of different time zone teams

    Tips to manage leaves of different time zone teams

    The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced every business across the world to let employees do remote work. On the other hand, the experts have been predicted that the remote work facility will rise in the coming days. Instead of going office, experts are expecting a long-lasting shift to the remote workers where employees do remote work from different places and from various time zone.

    Remote working has become a new way of working. On the other hand, since the recent COVID-19 crisis, it has also become a new normal for most employers as well as employees. While this facility has brought a lot of benefits, HR managers are now facing challenges in managing leave of different work-from-home teams with different time zones.

    So, when it comes to working holidays as well as taking time off, employers can get a lot of requests. However, the fact that leaves for the remote working teams can be different than the leaves for the physical teams as well as a regular team. For example, a PTO related to COVID-19 needs to be tracked in compliance with federal, state, and local governance.

    Across the world, every company is performing all possible things to keep up with this. After all, this is a time when ignoring leave management can be a costly affair for the company. So, how to deal with all these things? How can the HR management manage the leaves of the different remote working teams?

    Well, the advancement in technology has made it a little easier for employers and companies. Now, one can easily manage the leave requests from multiple teams by using professional PTO tracking software. Now, let’s discuss this in detail and explore some tips to manage multiple leaves.

    Before diving deep into the matter, let’s understand why employees prefer to work remotely. Here are some reasons to consider.

    A great level of flexibility and freedom

    It has been proven that most remote workers with different time zones love their freedom. Why? While working remotely, they can easily plan their Day that will match their home and work life. Having a decent level of flexibility to visit the hospital, spend time with family, and attend to their important task can lighten the load. On the other hand, there is no need to seek permission or follow other members while working. This will lower the pressure. When companies offer such a level of freedom, it develops the trust factors, and employees enjoy a better level of job satisfaction.

    It is cost-saving

    A lot of employees think that going to the office can be a little expensive. For example, they are going to the office means dealing with the cost of travel, coffee, snacks, colleague presents, work clothes, and more. With remote working across different time zones, they can easily save on such expenses. As a result, they will save more money. Besides, it has been proven that remote working can also help in lowering childcare costs. Why? Well, parents will get more time to take care of their children.

    No location restriction

    Another major benefit of remote working with different time zones is that employees can work from any place they want. Employees don’t have to be in a particular city. As a result, they can easily avoid unnecessary traveling. In fact, they will get more time to work.

    Better health and happiness

    Different studies show that traveling each day and staying in the office for hours is not the healthiest way. The remote teams with different time zone have the biggest advantage of not getting into contact with other people. This is something quite crucial during this pandemic. Besides, remote working also facilitates better mental health.

    Why are some companies emphasizing remote working?

    It has been seen that some companies are now giving importance to the remote working model as they have understood that this is an ideal way to attain a higher level of productivity. Let’s talk about some other major benefits of having remote teams.

    Better productivity

    Different studies have proved that remote employees can easily complete an entire day’s work each week compared to other employees. Remote team members with different time zones can work during the time that suits them the best and can stay out of the regular office distractions. So, they can concentrate on the task without being disturbed. They can set their own working environment that can inspire them. So, it can be said that remote working can easily lead to a greater level of productivity among the employees

    Of course, to enjoy the maximum benefits, the company needs to offer all the facilities to the members, including Day off facilities.

    Efficient communication

    Gone are those days when frequent catch-up and unnecessary meetings can affect working hours. It has been proven that remote teams with different time zones meetings are to the point and purposeful. Meetings are organized with a clear goal, action plans, agenda, and more. In general, advanced video software programs are used to organize meetings. The employees will get more time to work as they will spend less time on those unnecessary matters.

    Creative unleashed

    To begin with, some businesses may feel comfortable letting their best employees work remotely with a different time zone.  Why? This way, the best employees can be offered perfect work-life flexibility. The best part of remote working is that companies can bring out the best in their employees.

    Easy access to the global talent

    When a company follows a remote working model, the company no longer needs to keep the recruitment process limited by a particular physical location. Besides, the companies don’t have to compromise in locating the right talent for the post. A company can get access to the vast pool of talented candidates and choose the best one.

    Well, with all such amazing benefits, the remote working model can look very attractive. But when it comes to managed leaves, companies face trouble. So, how to deal with leaves and enjoy the remote working model? Keep reading to know more.

    Why is vacation or leave important?

    No matter whether it is for physical employees or remote teams, vacation or leave is a good thing for both the business and the employee. Some studies have proved that every year, around 700 million leaves go unused by employees. Besides, around 200 million leaves were forfeited by staffers.

    Some employees think that taking leave will make them appear less dedicated to their company. On the other hand, some worry about leaving their unfinished tasks. It has also been seen that some companies don’t encourage their employees to utilize their leave. But this is not a good idea.

    Different studies have proved that offering vacation time as well as encouraging them to use it can promote a healthier workplace. Offering required time to employees to refuel is a great way to prevent burnout. However, there are also some other benefits.

    Researches prove that employees who work for companies that encourage leave are happier than those who work for silent companies about taking time off. Some other studies reveal that around 70 to 72 percent of managers think that employees can handle extra time if they are offered time off facility. Most of the managers think that employees return from a holiday with a better level of creativity and focus.

    So, if you want to maintain the perfect growth of your company and keep your employees motivated, then giving them a vacation will be a great idea. Now, here are some tips for managing the leaves.

    Some of the best ways to manage the leaves

    Create a clear leave policy

    If you don’t have a leave policy, then it’s time to work with your HR department to determine what type of framework the leave policy should follow. For example, you can create a policy considering different factors, such as accrued time, rewards for tenure, and you can also set the maximum number of leaves for employees doing remote work. Once done, distribute that policy to all. This way, your employees will know when they can apply for leave.

    Stick to the leave requirements

    As per the BLS- Bureau of Labor Statistics, American employees, on average, get ten days of PTO- Paid Time Off every year. However, the number can go down or up based on the region and industry. In general, the days off increase with the employee’s service period. In some companies, every five years, employees can earn around three to four additional days off every year based on their longevity. 

    For cultural celebrations, special occasions, and holidays, there is a huge requirement for managing days off. Besides, some industries follow the vacation regulations set by the government. Fair Work in Australia, the UK’s Good Work Plan, and Fair Workweek in the U.S., all these regulations talk about the maximum number of leave an employee can take.

    You can make leave compliance easier using a professional Day Off app that comes with a built-in compliance feature. Using this, you can easily block the time off or leave requests automatically for the dates when you want your employee to be there to work without affecting the leave requirements.

    Make sure the work can get done

    Most of the companies, as well as teams, don’t have the required deep bench. What does that mean? Well, then, one is on leave, the others need to find out how to get the work done with one less person.

    So, what should you do here? Well, you need to ensure that you are encouraging all your employees to collaborate as well as cross-training. As a result, if one employee is out, other employees on the team can quickly fill that person’s place and complete the task. Remember that you don’t make a single employee so critical that if that particular employee is taking a leave, it can affect the entire team.

    Another way to ensure that work doesn’t suffer from the leave is that the team needs to make sure that the work is completed before the vacation. For this, you should provide every member with a checklist so that they can know that they need to finish before they can take leave. You can easily do that by using a well-designed PTO tracking software. The checklist should include:

    • Important deadlines
    • a summary of their ongoing projects
    • location of the important files
    • Important contact information

    When you have all the information, you can enjoy peace of mind by knowing that the work will be completed on time.

    Set a deadline for the leave requests

    To avoid staff shortage issues, you need to make sure that the remote working team members submit their vacation requests before a fixed day. This will help you in understanding how many employees have applied for the lead. If you think you will lack coverage, you can ask some employees to postpone their leave requests. Besides, you will get enough time to find out why so many employees want to leave at the same time.

    Consolidate the leave requests on one platform

    Text messages, emails, or sticky notes, what method do you use to manage the leave requests? Well, the fact is that you will not get enough time to manage this thing using spreadsheets, papers, or voicemails. However, you can use a Free vacation tracker to manage the leave from just one place.

    When you have a professional time-off app that can offer you a centralized leave management feature, you can easily view leave balance, different leave types, and more in one place. With this, you can make the process of applying for leave comfortable, and you can also easily approve the requests.

    You need to encourage the employees for planned leaves

    It has been proven that unplanned leaves can greatly affect business activities and can also lead to financial losses. On the other hand, planned leaves can help you in developing an efficient attitude among the staff.

    So, it will be better for HR managers to encourage both physical and remote employees to plan their PTO or leave in advance. This is where a company can use an Employee leave tracker app. Using such apps, companies can track the leave balance and current time off status. As a result, it will be easier to maintain a better workflow for the team and employees.

    Offer ongoing communication using a simple tool

    To maintain a smooth business operation, you need to keep all the lines of communication open. This is very crucial. Let the employees know when they should or can contact you for the leave questions. You need to create an environment of understanding. Besides, make sure that the team knows there is no need to worry about asking for time off when they urgently need it.

    It will be better for you if you can set a time limit between the actual days off and the leave request. Unless the condition is extreme, the employee should not apply for a leave request just one day before the actual date of leave. Using a Vacation tracker, you can check this thing.

    It’s time to use leave management software to manage leave efficiently

    A leave management system, or you can say an Employee time off tracker or software, is designed to provide both employees and the company with the ability to manage leaves. Many automated leave management software programs enable employers to view the leave balance and leave status.

    Using a vacation tracker, you can easily save valuable time and track leaves in one place. Besides, you will be able to set the vacations or leave policies within a few seconds using a Free time off tracker like Day off.  By automating all the tasks, you won’t face any issues in managing leaves and looking for the best app. Well, it’s time to try our Day Off app.

    Conclusion

    Remote work across time zones isn’t a hurdle, it’s an opportunity to build a healthier, more productive culture when time off is managed well. Clear, compliant policies; early, planned requests; cross-training and handoffs; and open communication keep coverage steady and burnout low. The right PTO tracking software centralizes requests, balances, approvals, and compliance rules (including COVID-19–related leave), so HR isn’t juggling spreadsheets and managers can see gaps before they happen.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • How to Plan Your Vacation!

    How to Plan Your Vacation!

    Did you know that more than 50% of the U.S. workforce leaves some portion of their PTO or vacation time unused? Some companies have employed a “use it or lose it” policy on vacation days, meaning anyone who didn’t use up their time would lose the benefits of PTO. 

    A vacation is important not only to the employee but also to the employer. After working nonstop for an extended period, our brain tends to burn out. You are mentally and physically fatigued, and the efficiency is just not there. Take a vacation to release the excess tension and come back more productive, oftentimes creative.

    How to Plan Your Vacation

    The first step to planning a vacation is to dedicate time from your schedule to the cause. Don’t keep it off for later; no one will question your dedication to the job, trust us. Plan your vacation properly to get the most out of your hard-earned PTO.

    You might argue that planning and organizing something would suck the fun out of a vacation, but you don’t want to mess up your work and anger your employer on the journey. 

    Learn how to plan your vacation the right way.

    Get a 1-page day off calendar 

    In all honesty, any regular calendar would do. The benefit of a one-page calendar is that you can see your entire year in one place, making it easier to map out important occasions, peak business days, holidays, and more.

    Cross all the holidays your employer marks as “paid time off”

    Make sure to validate your vacation list with your employee to ensure that you are going in the right direction.

    Check the times when it will be harder to get time off work

    In all jobs, there is a certain time of the year when you won’t be able to get a day off, no matter who you are (mostly). This happens mostly in cyclical jobs. For instance, before Christmas, New Year, and other long holidays, companies usually have to rush to get things done.

    This is also the time when most people apply for leave, so chances are, you won’t be granted PTO during this time. Plus, it’s easier to get your colleague to cover for you when there’s too much on either party’s plates.

    In simple words, the job transition won’t be as much, and neither will it be as hectic.

    We suggest you cross these days off from the calendar. Sometimes, a conflict may arise where you have to be away, like for a family event. If you know which days these are in advance, you will be better equipped to plan.

    Determine how many paid time off days you have left

    A vacation tracker would be one of the biggest assets for a company’s HR. Not only does it automate the entire process, but it also connects all employees on a common platform.

    An employee leave management software, such as the Day Off app, lets an employee know the number of PTO days they still have to avail themselves. Your HR will also be able to keep tabs on everything from the HR dashboard, simplifying the process further.

    Keep in mind that HR will also get to know how much balance remains in each account. If your firm implements a “use it or lose it” policy, make sure you don’t have vacation days unscheduled.

    Allocate days of PTO for the year

    The fun part starts now! If you don’t know any better, you allocate your PTO days without much consideration. Let’s assume that you get 15 days or 3 weeks of paid time off. When do you like vacationing?

    Do you want to take at least two days off per quarter? What other commitments do you have for the remaining time? Who will be your travel partner 9if any), and do they have any time constraints that could affect your vacation?

    Consideration 1


    Sort your priorities. When do you truly need time off? Think of all the demands that have been made in your spare time. Are some commitments going to require you to take time off and leave the town?

    Do you celebrate any religious holidays or personal events for which you would possibly want a vacation?

    If yes, mark them on the calendar. Your vacation pool should only reflect the days you are available to allocate. Deduct absolute commitments from the list. An easy way to get this done is by using a PTO tracking software.

    Consideration 2

    What are your ideal vacation dates? A lot of people like taking a long vacation at the end of the year. Some like reserving all their vacation days for the end of the year. And then there are the folks who begrudgingly avail of the paid time off towards the year-end because they don’t want to lose the benefits it entails. 

    Here’s a thought. Since so many people are out of the scene towards the end of the year, shouldn’t that make for a better work environment? There’s not as much chaos or stress, meaning you will get work done more easily.  

    A popular season for vacation is during early summer and later spring. The weather is great, and that’s a natural feel-good factor contributing to a generally good vacation. You might be a fan of the chilly days, so consider your preferences when setting the dates. Consider the days when you will enjoy your vacation the most.

    Consideration 3

    Let’s talk travel, buddy. Who do you plan on vacationing with, and what sort of constraints do they have? Coordinating with someone on a vacation schedule as adults is challenging, to say the least. But you have to be respectful of the other person’s time constraints; that’s a given.

    If your travel buddy also uses an employee time off tracker, the job gets much easier. You can compare your schedule against theirs, see how many PTO days they still have to delegate, and make the decision based on that.

    The Day Off App lets you make a leave request to your supervisor directly from the app – super convenient. In essence, pick a time after mutual agreement. 

    Consideration 4

    Employee vacation benefits – but make it better with some cool length hacking tips. Fortunately, there are a bunch of ways you can achieve maximum benefits from your PTO days. These tips will help you plan longer trips despite consuming fewer vacation days.

    Tip 1: Apply for an entire week of vacation so you can get the best of both worlds – the beginning and trailing weekends. For instance, taking five days off starting Monday and lasting up to Friday allows you to get four weekends off along with it.

    This technique, which we will refer to as “Sandwiching,” lets you have a Saturday and Sunday before your designated vacation days, as well as the Saturday and Sunday after your time is over. SO, in total, you get nine days off while asking for only five.

    Tip 2: Look out for holidays close to weekends so you can extend the length of your vacation days without having to apply for too many days. Too confusing? 

    Let’s say you want to go on a week-long vacation, and you applied tip 1 as stated before. Within that week-long trip, what if there was a national holiday in the middle, like July 5th? Thanks to this unique loophole, you will have nine days of vacation time off by using only 4 PTO days.

    Tip 3: Travel on the job! It’s easier than it sounds. If you’re clever, you can vacation anywhere by stretching your work trip. You will need to have a word with your employer beforehand to ensure there are no policies opposing this, though.

    If you’re lucky, you could get an opportunity to spend an additional day after a work event or training. In this case, you’re hitting two birds with one stone: you can skip the time you would need to travel back to your home, and you could save yourself and the company a few bucks. 

    For example, let’s say you have to attend a conference in one of the places you’ve always wanted to visit, Miami. Your conference finishes on Thursday, but you want to hang back a few more days, possibly explore the beautiful location. Your employer could allow you to fly back on Sunday, for instance, when plane fares are cheaper for the company.

    You get to take Friday and Saturday all to yourself in your dream vacation spot by only paying for your room fare, food, and entertainment. Take this time to enjoy what life (and Miami) has to offer to a solo traveler.

    Consideration 5

    Considering you know where you want to go, it’s time to ask yourself when the best time to go there is. You don’t need to vacation during a time the destination offers the most, but who wouldn’t like that? 

    Let’s say that you would love to get a good tan on a beach in Mexico. Consider early summer when the heat isn’t too scorching but a subtle warmth to bronze the skin. Forests are best to visit during the monsoon if you’re a true enthusiast of greenery. Early fall or late summer are strong competitors too.

    Pro Tip: Planning a vacation well ahead of time lets you avoid the peak seasons. Unless you’re a fan of crowds, there’s not much scope for enjoyment during these times.

    Also, peak travel weeks/months are much more expensive. However, this isn’t by accident. You can plan your trips sensibly by knowing when you wish to go instead of just jumping headfirst into it.

    Form a draft of a plan based on the above considerations

    We’re inching closer to the end of the planning phase. Now, you’re going to want to finally set the dates after dealing with the considerations.

    As you fix the dates, tick (or circle) them on your calendar. At the same time, strike out the available days from your vacation pool that were explained in step 4.

    Get a PTO tracker like Day Off. This is actually a free time off tracking software designed to help you manage all your leaves with the least fuss. Another quick tip:” Set aside time for when you’re guaranteed to be occupied with something, but you’re not exactly sure which dates those fall on. Cross these off as you’ve delegated them, but simply haven’t set a date for them.

    Apply for time off work and start the final countdown to a great time!

    After a lot of careful planning and allocation, your time to reap the benefits has arrived. Bear in mind that you’ve already considered times that reduce your effect from being away. You’re now free to plan the trip! It’s always best to transition important assignments with rigid deadlines to a coworker before leaving.

    That way, you can unplug without any worry as the work is being done in your absence. It also makes it easier for you to pick up from where you left off.

    Consider getting some work done before leaving so you’re not pummeled by the weight of assignments and projects after returning.

    Within the enjoyment, don’t completely forget about your job! An unforeseen circumstance could force your HR to cancel your leave at any moment. Sending approval, requests, and notifications is a total breeze on the vacation tracking software, Day Off. Give it a whirl!

    You’re pretty much good to go! 

    Bottom Line

    Vacation doesn’t have to be stressful when you prep a little. Set clear handoffs, confirm priorities, and leave a solid out-of-office so work keeps moving while you’re away. A quick reentry plan, what to read first, and who to sync with, makes coming back easier.

    And don’t underestimate taking time off. Your brain and body need recovery to stay sharp and avoid burnout. Protect your boundaries, choose activities that genuinely recharge you, and return with fresh energy.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • Mastering Team annual Leaves: Work Life Tips

    Mastering Team annual Leaves: Work Life Tips

    Work-life balance is now more relevant than ever. With mental health and wellness on the line, employees have to take time off every now and then to maintain efficiency. Apart from doing the obvious, which is reducing the stress level in employees, leaves boost morale.

    There are a bunch of mental and physical benefits linked to annual leaves, so it’s pivotal for a company to make sure the employees are using up their quota.

    HR managers often struggle with keeping track of yearly leave, especially since there are different leave cases complicating the process. Stress leave, sick leave, and parental leave are some of the many options. Finding a system that allows easy monitoring of employee availability within the business is key.

    Manual record-keeping is time-consuming and expensive. Consider utilizing a smart leave management system to keep digitized data. Collecting data from a leave tracker at the end of the year is much easier. Assume Day off app as an example. The employee leave tracker app lets HR admins keep track of employee availability, balance, and much more.

    What is Annual Leave?

    Before we get into annual leave management tips, let’s be better acquainted with the concept of annual leave. It’s basically paid time off that employees get in work life. They can use it for whatever purpose they wish.

    Now, this raises an important question: “Are part-time employees and full-time employees entitled to an equal number of leaves in Work life?”

    How Employee Leave Is Paid

    The rate for time-off payment for an employee is the same as their regular wage. Based on the country, part-time workers are given 4-week vacations. But, this isn’t a set standard; it’s not in the USA. Typically, casual workers don’t get any vacation entitlement. Instead, they get a compensatory amount to make up for the annual leave payment.

    Are Employees Entitled to Time-Off?

    There is no state or deferral statutory minimum paid public holiday or public vacation. The employer decides whether they want to grant paid leave or not. Some companies do, some don’t. Needless to say, the former is definitely more liked by the workforce. 

    The average count of paid leave days granted by private employers is ten days after a year of service, two weeks after five years, 17 days after ten years, and 20 days after 20 years. In comparison to paid leave in Europe, the numbers are quite shocking for the USA.

    Statistics suggest that the United States has many of the most toxic work environments in the world. 

    Neighboring nation Canada gives employees at least a week or two of paid leave per year. In Australia, full-time employees are entitled to 20 annual accrued days. 

    Reasons Annual Leave Management Can Be an HR Nightmare

    By its very nature, annual leave management is challenging for small to medium businesses. It doesn’t matter if they manage small teams.

    According to the process, someone from the team has to review the remaining leave days and balances. Based on Work life, they must decide whether to approve leave requests or not.

    Just one decision made by a single entity can turn the entire business cycle upside down if the holiday requests overlap with each other. Besides, manually keeping accounts and updating them every time there’s a request is too lengthy to be effective. This is where a good PTO tracking software can be a true savior.

    The Issue with Annual Leave Management

    Many companies still rely on the conventional Excel staff leave planner to conduct annual leave management. A few more orthodox businesses will use on-the-wall calendars too. However, these methods have proven to be both ineffective and error-prone in the long run.

    Wall calendars quickly become overwhelming, and the seemingly never-ending amount of post-its doesn’t help. Plus, they don’t track disposable leaves or the balance.

    You might now ask, “What about Excel leave planners?” Surely those are better at tracking employee absences in Work life, but they can still be prone to error. One incorrect formula is all it takes for the whole spreadsheet to be full of mistakes. 

    Most employees will request absences by email, paper forms, or even just inform the manager physically without any official documentation. 77% of employees hope to get routine tasks like requesting leaves done more easily, making it increasingly important to find and establish an effective annual leave management system.

    Tips to Form the Best Annual Leave Management

    A leave management software, such as a vacation tracker or PTO tracker, combined with a bit of human intervention, is what your company needs to make annual leave management most convenient. Here are some tips to keep you at the top of the game in Work life.

    Create a Fool-Proof Annual Leave Policy

    The first step to making an effective annual leave plan is creating a clear policy that is easily accessible to the staff. The policy should outline what’s permissible while the administration makes sure the management and staff is all aligned.

    When employees are sure about what’s expected of them and how to do it, they are more likely to stick to the best practices.

    Ask yourself what would be in the best interest of your business. If you’re expecting a rush period at any time of the year, it’s best not to grant leaves during that time unless emergency absences are requested. 

    Once your policy is fixed, share it with the staff. Upload everything to a shared drive so anyone concerned can access it at any time. Make sure it’s included in the onboarding process.

    Communicate the Policy through Training

    Only when everyone is aware of the policies can the annual leave management policies be successful. Set expectations and communicate those properly.

    Let new hires know that getting leaves during peak periods could be hard. Encourage them to inform HR of their holiday plans in advance so you can stick to the annual leave management goals.

    Make Leave Transparent

    HR departments and managers can be rather squirrely with annual leave trackers. Closed documents, secret files, and whatnot,  but this isn’t the wisest decision.

    Make leaves visible so your employees can see who is available and who isn’t in Work life. The process shouldn’t be too long nor too short to the point that it doesn’t include necessary information.

    Monthly emails are a good way to do this, but you can try investing in a vacation tracker for the best results. Day Off is a time off tracking software with a great pro version for an affordable rate of a dollar per employee per month.

    Employees can check out how many leave days they have and send in requests from the mobile app. It will be redirected to the right person.

    Streamline the System

    Can your staff apply for annual leave easily? A common reason why the staff chooses to wait till the end of the year to apply for leave is that requesting one day off is too time-consuming and complicated. Set up a new system or streamline the existing one – make it easy to use and simple in Work life. 

    The request forms can be made available online so employees do not have to bother HR for them. Alternatively, a rota-planning software such as Day Off will allow staff to directly send leave requests to the manager via the app.

    Whichever option is selected, be transparent about it and make sure all the staff know.

    Start the Annual Leave Policy from Autumn

    Employees tend to lose track of their early leave and then try to avail of whatever is left at the end of the year in Work life. This could coincide with a peak pre-Christmas period when more than half of the office is away.

    Try to start the annual leave policy in autumn. That being said, it’s natural to deal with many requests for leave during Christmas, but hopefully, it won’t be a case of employees desperately trying to get time off to empty out the last of their leave allowance. 

    In addition, when you start the annual leave sometime during September, employees are already thinking about Christmas leave. Therefore, they’re more likely to inform in advance.

    Encourage Vacation Planning Well in Advance

    Depending on the industry you’re in, the timeframe to plan holidays will vary. For example, employees are asked to plan their vacations for the coming year in the manufacturing sector. In healthcare, medical professionals are expected to plan 3 to 5 months. 

    Some employees can feel burned by the thought of planning for an entire year from the start. Encourage them to inform you four to five weeks before their leave so you can adjust operations better. But at the same time, try to remain flexible.

    The Perfect Digital Solution

    Day Off is the perfect employee time off tracker that’s both affordable and effective. A digital approach to HR management issues like annual leave will help the administration to free up more time to focus on other important topics. This is why you should use the free vacation tracker:

    • Make a company profile and customize it.
    • Employees can make leave requests on any device from anywhere. It will be directed to the assigned person for super-fast processing.
    • Send email notifications to the whole team from one place. Define leaves and allowances for those leaves. Vacation, PTO, time-off, or make something of your own. Assign employees to the set policy and maintain vacation accruals.
    • Enjoy auto-updated leave balances free of error. The remaining absence balances of employees can be checked from a single source. 
    • The dashboard provides a clear overview of leave applications, which may overlap with public holidays as well as other leave appeals.
    • See the consolidated calendar showing the entire business’s annual leave. Employees can synchronize it with their calendars.
    • A centralized overview of yearly data provides information to make correct decisions based on employee behaviors and trends. Know when employees are becoming unavailable the most and try to adjust the workload according to that.
    • Say bye-bye to paper records. You can now save your storage space and save annual leave management data in a digital, clutter-free zone. 
    • Create sub-teams and define leaves for each member.

    Employees can send requests from the Day Off app from their mobile on the go. Any sort of unforeseen emergency calls for instant information.

    What to Know Before Granting Holiday Requests

    You, as an employer and manager, must be aware of a few important things before granting a vacation request to your employee.

    A business usually has adequate resources to fill the absence of the employee in a way that productivity isn’t harmed. An employer and employee should discuss and mutually decide on leave.

    HR has to make sure not too many employees are on holiday simultaneously and/or that there aren’t many conflicting requests.

    You can always go for the “first-come, served” approach when sorting through leave requests, but a better, more efficient system would do much for the company. Poor annual leave management decreases employee satisfaction and raises the chance of employee turnover.

    Unused Annual Leave

    While it’s good for employees to get off work once in a while, not everyone needs the break sometimes. There are the typical workaholics who are too dedicated to the task. Or employees just couldn’t take a break because the company was short-staffed during a particular period.

    Employees at the end of the year are often concerned about what happens to their unused accrued days. Do they lose that or can they roll those over into the next time?

    Usually, companies don’t allow the leaves from the previous year to be rolled over into the next. You should outline that clearly in the policy so the managers and employees can refer to it on the online employee portal.

    Bottom Line

    Employees who work nonstop burn out faster, get sick more, and ultimately produce less, bad for people and for business. That’s why absence and leave management is a core HR function, not a nice-to-have. A modern time-off app centralizes balances and requests, reduces spreadsheet errors, and gives everyone real-time visibility. It also encourages planned time away, improves coverage, and provides simple reports for smarter staffing. The result: healthier teams, smoother operations, and better retention.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • Things Employees Need to Do Before Long Vacation

    Things Employees Need to Do Before Long Vacation

    Breaking the monotony of the daily schedule, you’re finally going on vacation. Congratulations! This is your chance to be away from all the stressful work and focus on the moment with long vacation, take in the scenery and give your mind and body a break. Say goodbye to cubicles, regardless of how little time it might be. It’s time to pack your bags and relax.

    However, leaving things unfinished or scattered before leaving will only put you in a worse position after your return. Leaving any loose ends at works do you more harm in the long run.

    Things Employees Need to Do Before a Long Vacation

    To truly a vacation to the fullest, you must plan your work before, during, and after it. Good planning is the first step towards a stress-free holiday. Make sure to check your vacation tracker software to keep track of how many days you can actually be away. Here are some tips to make your trip more enjoyable by handling the pressure at work:

    Be Strategic 

    Interestingly enough, a common reason behind many people not going on leave is that they fear the immense work pressure before and after the vacation. They struggle with wrapping everything up before leaving. After their return, they are overwhelmed with the workload. It’s of utmost importance to schedule time properly.

    Prepare a list of what needs to be done before leaving, as well as all the projects that have to be completed right after you get back from your holiday. Share your plans with HR well ahead of time so both parties are on the same page on what has to be done.

    Work ahead to ensure everything on your list is checked off before the actual date of the trip. But try to keep the day before departure empty for other personal errands. Sacrifice occasional lunches by eating at your desk, but strike tasks off your list one by one.

    Spend a few late nights at your workplace if that means your deadlines will be met. You don’t want to miss out on relaxing holiday fun, worrying about tasks. 

    Make a Checklist

    If you like staying organized, you probably make a checklist for everything. It’s simple to use and convenient. Attach your checklist to a board or keep it inside a file. Aside from the part of getting any job done, the satisfaction of striking something off the list is truly something different. 

    Send an Email Notification before and During Leave

    Don’t just leave out of the blue the moment your leave gets granted. Notify your co-workers, manager, clients, and anyone who is professionally associated with you. Give it distinctiveness by making it bold.

    Early notifications will save you from a world of plans when you come back to work. All employees are interconnected in the business cycle so everyone has their place. Even though you’re supposed to be on vacation, your employees or managers might require a bit of your time at any moment.

    It can be pretty annoying, but you don’t want to harm your work and the company for 5 extra minutes of relaxation. Your office can be seriously mad at you for not leaving any contact information at all. 

    Through email notifications, you can also have your co-workers or managers send in potential concerns. It’s best to solve everything before leaving (if the problem is fixable).

    Set an auto-reply in voicemail and email containing a message about your absence. 

    Handover Tasks and Deliberate Responsibilities

    There’s a great thing about businesses that allow interchangeable work. Your work has to be done by someone else in your absence. Try to appoint everything to one person only.

    If it’s a competitive project, you don’t have to hand over every detail. They just need to know the following:

    • Issues or risks to anticipate
    • Deliverables during that time, if any
    • Sponsors’ and stakeholders’ contact information
    • Decisions that must be taken

    The list can be customized based on the project at hand. Try your best to bring your colleague(s) up to speed about them. For that, arrange a short meeting with the co-worker of choice.

    Compile all the required data in one document that they can use as a reference when they need help with a situation. Make sure the priority is set correctly so they stick to what’s most important. Lastly, keep in mind that they have to finish their tasks too/

    Some companies provide their employees with automated software to track their project progress. If you use one that the organization uses as well, provide your co-worker access to it.

    Trust and Empower Teammates

    Are you leading a team on a certain project? Vacation is a great time to practice handing over control to another person within the team. The more comfortable you are with delegating tasks to your team members and trusting they will do it, the more successful your vacation will be.

    Have faith that they will be able to finish the tasks properly and learn when to let go. Micromanaging everything will have repercussions for both you and your teammates. Observe but don’t feel the need to interrupt. 

    Contact High-priority Customers and Clients

    A week before your vacation, tell your top clients about your plans. Ask them if there is something that needs to be done before you leave.

    This gesture lets them know that they are important – that they were on your mind. In case a problem does arise, it’s best to solve it before embarking on your vacation, if possible. 

    Clean Your Workspace

    It’s nice coming back to a tidy, inviting workstation. After all, returning to work may not be the best feeling for some. Take a few minutes to clean up your desk before leaving.

    Arrange the important documents, label anything that you could forget about later, and just get rid of any clutter. The sight of a clean cubicle after returning makes you feel energized. Plus, you won’t struggle to find the necessary mail or paperwork.

    Sort through Email

    Pre-vacation is the perfect time to sort through your inbox so it doesn’t give you a headache upon return. Take a few hours to:

    • File old emails
    • Complete tasks in the designated folder
    • Delete unnecessary emails

    Another helpful trick is to make important emails “unread.” Your email service will keep the message at the very top in a bold inscription.

    That way, you’ll remember to give them a read when you get back after a week or two.

    Plan Method of Communication

    A few questions need to be answered before your departure. In addition to that, ensure your co-workers are in the know, too.

    • Am I accessible through email?
    • Will I check my voice mail often? If yes, set a message to let anyone know why you won’t be readily available.
    • How frequently will I entertain calls or texts?
    • How much will I check in on my project in progress?

    Don’t lose track of time in the process! Utilize PTO tracking software to maintain an account of how many leaves are available to you. HR may cancel your leave at any moment due to unforeseen situations.

    Under those circumstances, the software will generally send a notification through phone and email. The Day Off app keeps you connected to your co-workers and superiors. 

    Thanks to the boon of technology, you can now choose whether you wish to be active with work during your vacation or not. Given how easy it is to finish tasks on a phone, it really depends on your concept of “work-life balance.”

    Do you want a vacation completely devoid of work stress? Are you fine with spending 30 minutes a day with your laptop in the hotel room to check in with the office? Or perhaps, you are amazing at multitasking and don’t mind working? Answer these questions.

    Why You Need a Leave

    A day off once in a while promotes better mental and physical health in the workplace. Not only that, but it also improves work-life balance.

    But what are the exact reasons you should drop your files and head to spend some quality time on vacation? Personal reasons aside, there are other factors too. Yes, there are legal obligations involved.

    The Law Demands It!

    When you are accurately tracking your pay and leave, you are under the official protection of the Holidays Act 2003. Under this law, all employers are required to keep precise records of the daily hours an employee puts in and their designated pay for those hours.

    In addition, they must keep data on entitled leave, leave accrued, and leave taken. Types of leaves are:

    • Annual leave – A minimum of four weeks per year after every 12 months of employment
    • Public holidays – A Maximum of 11 holidays per year, given that those days would normally work
    • Sick leave and bereavement leave – Generally, after six months of employment
    • Parental leave – A combination of unpaid and paid leave determined by eligibility

    Over the past few years, multiple studies have concluded that calculating annual leave payments has become a major concern for businesses, both big and small. Some have been caught for severely underpaying the employees on leave.

    Accurate leave tracking will save companies from a fine imposed by the Employment Relations Authority (ERA. If they’re extra unlucky, they might get caught red-handed by a Labor Inspector and end up on the news.

    Cost Reduction

    For a company, effective leave management and tracking can reduce costs to a great extent. It is exceptionally convenient on both ends. Your PTOs have a major financial impact on your company’s accounts, as well as many other indirect implications.

    Administration costs increase on one hand, while they run the risk of overworking their staff. It goes without saying that overexerting yourself will make you vulnerable to multiple safety and health problems.

    Most of the time, the tracking process is slow since it’s done manually. By using a time off tracking software, employers and employees can optimize the system.

    You won’t have to run to your HR for a leave application, nor will you have to have an uncomfortable conversation with them for it. Plus, a leave tracker takes the paperwork out of the equation, making the procedure cheaper and easier for everyone involved.

    Proper Leave Planning

    Sick leaves are harder to control, but you can surely control when you get a little time off. Let’s be honest, no matter how much you love your job, you will need a moment to step back and enjoy life as it is.

    Properly planning your leave lets you prepare well in advance for any impact your absence might have. Planning holiday cover and annual leave in advance will significantly decrease work disturbance. 

    Confidence and Well-being

    Your organization has multiple ways to show you it cares. A primary one among those is offering enough paid time off and vacation days. This makes employees happier, more dedicated, loyal, and engaged in their tasks. Many of the newer, better leave management systems (Employee time off tracker) let employees check their leave balances and apply for time off electronically. This process is much more transparent, and the automation cuts admin costs from the business.

    Reduced Absenteeism

    Leaves are important for your mental and physical health. Work-life balance is a burning topic right now. All work and no play make Jack a dull boy – keep that in mind. Satisfied, recharged employees are less likely to unexpectedly ask for leave or be sick.

    So, if you want to maintain solid productivity at work, know when to take time off. The logic seems reversed, but it works!

    Bottom Line

    Even a workaholic can enjoy a great vacation if they plan properly. Find the right time and follow the steps mentioned before stepping out of the office. You are sure to have a great time. Keep a close eye on the employee leave tracker app to make sure everything is running smoothly.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

    Sign up for free
  • Top 5 Employee Self-Service Apps

    Top 5 Employee Self-Service Apps

    Employees can use an employee self-service (ESS) app to update their details on the go, download pay slips, apply for a day off, check PF/TDS data, view leave balances, and more from anywhere, anytime. Pairing ESS with PTO tracking software gives teams real-time visibility into balances and approvals while reducing manual errors.

    Apps like Day Off make leave management simple and stress-free, easing HR workload and saving hours each week. In this article, we highlight the top 5 employee self-service apps and the key factors to consider before choosing the right one for your team.

    Top 5 Employee Self-Service Apps

    We’ve listed the 5 best employee self-service apps below. All of these apps are beneficial to employees as well as HR professionals.

    Namely

    Namely is a one-stop shop for HR management while executing self-service features. Businesses can easily enhance their HR policies while remaining compliant with this platform. It is used by over 1,400 organizations throughout the world.

    The program is marketed as a “people operations platform.” From this unified platform, you can easily manage all of your HR policies. Its basic features are-

     

      • Hiring and onboarding

      • Self-service and managing workflows

      • Customizing tasks and setting goals

      • Database management and e-signature

      • Monitoring performance

    Namely appeals to us since the software is intended to boost employee engagement. It provides your employees with simple access to all HR information they may require through an employee portal.

    The Namely app allows you to access the program from anywhere. Namely can also be used to distribute corporate news, enhance communication, and create a company directory.

    There are also add-ons and extensions for benefits administration, payroll, time and attendance, and recruiting, among other things. In general, Namely is a strong match for medium businesses.

    BerniePortal

    BerniePortal provides everything you could possibly need in terms of managing your employees. It might not be as popular as most of the other self-service HR apps, but it’s in our top choices for some reasons.

    BerniePortal should be your best shot in case you want to leverage technology to improve your workers’ complete lifecycle management.

    BerniePortal was formed in 2008; thus, they have more than a decade of HR software expertise. It has been installed in over 5,000 HR departments across all 50 states, with over 210,000 active users.

    What is the purpose of BerniePortal? Let’s take a deeper look at the features of this HRIS software:

     

      • Managing employee performance and their compliance

      • Self-service access with mobile phones

      • Monitor productivity and engage with employees

      • Monitor and custom hiring policies

    You can even utilize BerniePortal to file IRS tax returns. While the program does not have payroll functions, it can work in tandem with your current payroll system.

    BerniePortal has a free version that may be used for employee monitoring and recruitment.

    If you want to pay monthly, it’ll charge you $11 per month per employee. The charge will be $9 per month per employee if you’re taking it for a year.

    APS

    Payroll is APS’s expertise, but it’s an automated self-service app for employees. The abbreviation “APS” stands for “Automatic Payroll Systems.” But, as previously said, APS is not a separate payroll software; it is an all-in-one HR and payroll solution.

    APS provides HR capabilities for recruitment and onboarding, employee self-service, performance management, payroll management, compliance, and many more.

    Restaurants, healthcare, wholesalers, manufacturing, nonprofits, financial services, hospitality, and other niche industries have their own solutions. Basic features of APS are:

      • Improve tax compliance via wage garnishment, timeliness, and accuracy

      • Reduce your tax load and risk by automating your system

      • Paycheck reconciliation cuts down on the time spent processing payroll

      • Automate tax filings at the federal, state, and municipal levels

      • With paperless payroll processing, you can increase your efficiency and save on costs

    On both the employee and administrative sides, the self-service capabilities supplied by APS are exceptional.

    APS is used by over 2,000 companies in a variety of sectors. APS should be your best shot if you’re searching for an all-in-one HR and payroll solution.

    The minimum monthly billable fee of APS is $250, which covers any combination of services. Any relevant taxes are not included, and your costs may rise as you make more transactions.

    Workday

    Workday is a well-known HR platform with a twist of self-service features. Every aspect of the tool revolves around money. It allows you to manage your HR operations from a single platform, keeping your objectives in mind.

    In a wide number of sectors, industry leaders utilize the software. Toyota, Visa, Salesforce, Charles Schwab, Adobe, CE, and Target are just a few of the well-known firms that use Workday.

    Overall, Workday is quite adaptable. Talent management, employee management, expenditure management, labor and payroll management, and more are all covered by the program.

    Workday is a powerful tool that is yet quite simple to use. You’ll have access to features such as:

      • Tools for time-tracking

      • Elimination of manual tasks and increasing productivity

      • Improved engagement and communication

      • Self-service programs and directories for employees

      • Top-notch algorithms for guiding decisions

    Workday’s HR solutions are industry-specific, and their use in a variety of sectors is another reason for their high ranking on our list.

    Government, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, professional services, insurance, and other industries are among the sectors where Workday is being used.

    Pricing of Workday is customizable based on each client’s needs. However, the basic package starts with $100 per year per user.

    Kissflow

    Kissflow is one of the easy-to-use HR platforms for employee self-service. It’s a top pick for companies looking to improve their human resource management.

    Among its in-built programs, employee hiring, onboarding, offboarding, leave management, attendance management, applicant tracking, etc., are all included in the program.

    You’ll get features and capabilities like these with Kissflow:

      • Effective employee self-service features

      • Feedback and evaluation programs

      • Customizable HR policies

      • Top-notch employee engagement

    For 10 users, Kissflow will charge $16 per month per user in the basic plan. The charge is $22 in the Advanced plan, and $30 in the Fully Loaded plan.

    Kissflow’s disadvantage is that it is not a genuine all-in-one HR solution. It concentrates on a few areas but lacks effectiveness in others, such as payroll. Still, Kissflow has a large number of connectors, allowing you to sync it with most of your existing platforms.

    Why Should You Use an Employee Self-Service App?

    Apps like Day Off are extremely helpful for HR professionals. As it comes with a dashboard that can be accessed by both HRM and employees, it saves a lot of time that can be used somewhere more useful.

    Also, employee self-service apps allow your employees to update, amend, and manage their personal information. You may eliminate a range of mistakes and issues in the lives of your HR personnel by using this function. Employees may update their profiles on their own, minimizing the need for HR to do so.

    HR doesn’t have to go under employees’ backs for every minor issue. When each employee fills out his own information rather than having one HR person fill out countless forms, there are fewer chances of errors.

    HR is a difficult department to run. There are hundreds of duties to handle between interviewing, onboarding, perks, and compliance.

      • What to do when an employee requests a copy of a previous paystub?

      • What is the best way to find out about someone’s benefits or vacation days?

    It’s a pain for everyone if they don’t have the appropriate technologies. And it’s for this reason that specialist employee self-service apps have grown in popularity.

    These solutions are being used by businesses of all sizes to increase productivity while also improving the employee experience.

    How to Choose the Best Employee Self-Service App

    There is no such thing as universal HR software. Everything has evolved to satisfy the demands of companies facing a wide range of difficulties. Some businesses require a system that allows them to find and hire hundreds of people per month. Others just want a solid payroll and benefits system.

    You have a greater understanding of your company’s condition than anybody else. So, which competencies will have the greatest impact on HR and employees?

    Let’s take a look at some of the most important aspects of employee self-service apps and how they may help you.

    Effective Self-Service and HR Control

    In today’s world, an HR app with a self-service portal for employees is a must-have. Without having to call, email, or visit the HR department, your employees will have access to critical information through this site.

      • Do you need a copy of the employee handbook?

    Log in and search for it!

      • Do you have any concerns regarding your benefits?

    It may be found in the gateway!

      • Do you need to take a day off?

    It’s only a few mouse clicks away!

    All of these are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So, if any of your employees needs to check at an old paystub on a Sunday night while at home, they don’t have to call HR at 9:00 a.m. Monday morning.

    With this, your entire office will be much more productive. It will also no longer make your HR department waste time answering inquiries all day.

    Easy Access

    The self-service app that you choose should be free for your employees and easily available. It will also be included with the top HR software.

    This app may be used by employees to use the self-service capabilities listed above, but it can also be utilized by administrators.

    HR functions will not be confined to a physical location. To access real-time information and execute duties from anywhere, admins and HR officials will be able to log in at any time they need.

    You may even use these applications to interact with your staff in some situations. They can choose to have notifications delivered directly to their devices, which is faster than email.

    Automated Features

    The fundamental principle behind using an employee self-service app is efficiency. Automating repeated activities is the most efficient method that will help your entire office.

    Seek out an app that removes the need for human work. Some HR software, for example, will track and compute government filings, taxes, time-off requests, and more automatically.

    Consider how much money you’ll save if you can cut these chores out for just 5-10 hours each week. The cost reductions are enormous when done on a large scale.

    Payroll Administration

    The majority of HR platforms allow you to perform payroll directly from the platform. This isn’t always a deal-breaker; it all depends on your specific requirements.

    However, because HR and payroll are often linked, many organizations seek a solution for both. It’s fine if you’re pleased with your existing payroll system and don’t want to move. See if you can locate HR software that works with the payroll system you’re using.

    Your employees and HR team will appreciate having everything in one location.

    Size of the Company

    Another approach to limit down your options is to seek an app that is appropriate for the size of your company.

    A company with 15 workers will not have the same HR requirements as a company with 200 workers or a company with 1,500 workers. Although it appears to be a straightforward concept, many businesses miss it.

    Larger companies will have more complicated HR demands, which some technologies won’t be able to handle. Small firms, on the other hand, are unlikely to require all of the functions given by HR software.

    So, make sure you choose an employee self-service app that aligns with your company’s HR needs based on the number of employees.

    Conclusion

    Employee self-service apps like Day Off and others are beneficial to all businesses. This concept is true regardless of the size or sector of your business.

    The options suggested in this article are the ideal places to begin your search. Go through the procedure outlined in this article before making a final decision.

    Assess the parameters we put forth to see which sort of HR app best suits your needs. It won’t take long, and you’ll be able to guarantee that you’re selecting the best employee self-service app that will match your needs.

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  • Tips for Better Annual Leave Management

    Tips for Better Annual Leave Management

    Work-life balance is now more relevant than ever. With mental health and wellness on the line, employees have to take time off every now and then to maintain efficiency. Apart from doing the obvious which is reducing the stress level in employees, leaves boost morale.

    There are a bunch of mental and physical benefits linked to annual leave so it’s pivotal for a company to make sure the employees are using up their quota.

    HR managers often struggle with keeping track of yearly leave, especially since there are different leave cases complicating the process. Stress leave, sick leave, parental leave are some of the many options. Finding a system that allows easy monitoring of employee availability within the business is key.

    Manual record-keeping is time-consuming and expensive. Consider utilizing a smart leave management system to keep digitized data. Collecting data from a leave tracker at the end of the year is much easier. Assume Day off app as an example. The employee leave tracker app lets HR admins keep account of employee availability, balance, and much more.

    What is Annual Leave?

    Before we get into annual leave management tips, let’s be better acquainted with the concept of annual leave. It’s basically paid time off work that employees get. They can use it for whatever purpose they wish.

    Now, this raises an important question: “Are part-time employees and full-time employees entitled to an equal number of leaves?”

    How Employee Leave Is Paid

    The rate for time-off payment for an employee is the same as their normal regular wage. Based on the country, part-time workers are given 4 week’s vacation. But, this isn’t a set standard; it’s not in the USA. Typically, casual workers don’t get any vacation entitlement. Instead, they get a compensatory amount to make up for the annual leave payment.

    Are Employees Entitled to Time-Off?

    There is no statutory minimum paid public holiday or public vacation. The employer decides whether they want to grant paid leave or not. Some companies do, some don’t. Needless to say, the former is definitely more liked by the workforce. 

    The average count of paid leave days granted by private employers is ten days after a year of service, two weeks after five years, 17 days after ten years, and 20 days after 20 years. In comparison to paid leave in Europe, the numbers are quite shocking for the USA.

    Statistics suggest that the United States has many of the most toxic work environments in the world. 

    Neighboring nation Canada gives employees at least a week or two of paid leave per year. In Australia, full-time employees are entitled to 20 annual accrued days. 

    Reasons Annual Leave Management Can Be an HR Nightmare

    By its very nature, annual leave management is challenging for small to medium businesses. It doesn’t matter if they manage small teams.

    According to the process, someone from the team has to review the remaining leave days and balances. Based on that, they must decide whether to approve leave requests or not.

    Just one decision made by a single entity can turn the entire business cycle upside down if the holiday requests overlap with each other. Besides, manually keeping accounts and updating them every time there’s a request is too lengthy to be effective. This is where a good PTO tracking software can be a true savior.

    The Issue with Annual Leave Management

    Many companies still rely on the conventional Excel staff leave planner to conduct annual leave management. A few more orthodox businesses will use on-the-wall calendars too. However, these methods have proven to be both ineffective and error-prone in the long run.

    Wall calendars quickly become overwhelming, and the seemingly never-ending amount of post-its doesn’t help. Plus, they don’t track disposable leaves or the balance.

    You might now ask, “What about Excel leave planners?” Surely those are better at tracking employee absences, but they can still be prone to error. One incorrect formula is all it takes for the whole spreadsheet to be full of mistakes. 

    Most employees will request absences by email, paper forms, or even just inform the manager physically without any official documentation. 77% of employees hope to get routine tasks like requesting leaves done more easily, making it increasingly important to find and establish an effective annual leave management system.

    Tips to Form the Best Annual Leave Management

    A leave management software, such as a vacation tracker or PTO tracking software, combined with a bit of human intervention, is what your company needs to make annual leave management most convenient. Here are some tips to keep you at the top of the game.

    Create a Fool-Proof Annual Leave Policy

    The first step to making an effective annual leave plan is creating a clear policy that is easily accessible to the staff. The policy should outline what’s permissible while the administration makes sure the management and staff are all aligned.

    When employees are sure about what’s expected of them and how to do it, they are more likely to stick to the best practices.

    Ask yourself what would be in the best interest of your business. If you’re expecting a rush period at any time of the year, it’s best not to grant leaves during that time unless emergency absences are requested. 

    Once your policy is fixed, share it with the staff. Upload everything to a shared drive so anyone concerned can access it at any time. Make sure it’s included in the onboarding process.

    Communicate the Policy through Training

    Only when everyone is aware of the policies can the annual leave management policies be successful. Set expectations and communicate those properly.

    Let new hires know that getting leaves during peak periods could be hard. Encourage them to inform HR of their holiday plans in advance so you can stick to the annual leave management goals.

    Make Leave Transparent

    HR departments and managers can be rather squirrely with annual leave trackers. Closed documents, secret files, and whatnot – but this isn’t the wisest decision.

    Make leaves visible so your employees can see who is available and who isn’t. The process shouldn’t be too long nor too short to the point that it doesn’t include necessary information.

    Monthly emails are a good way to do this, but you can try investing in a vacation tracker for the best results. Day Off is a free time off tracker with a great pro version for the affordable rate of a dollar per employee per month.

    Employees can check out how many leave days they have and send in requests from the mobile app. It will be redirected to the right person.

    Streamline the System

    Can your staff apply for annual leave easily? A common reason why the staff chooses to wait till the end of the year to apply for leave is that requesting one day off is too time-consuming and complicated. Set up a new system or streamline the existing one – make it easy to use and simple. 

    The request forms can be made available online so employees do not have to bother HR for it. Alternatively, a rota-planning software such as Day Off will allow staff to directly send leave requests to the manager via the app.

    Whichever option is selected, be transparent about it and make sure all the staff know.

    Start the Annual Leave Policy from Autumn

    Employees tend to lose track of their early leave and then try to avail of whatever is left at the end of the year. This could coincide with a peak pre-Christmas period when more than half of the office is away.

    Try to start the annual leave policy in autumn. That being said, it’s natural to deal with many requests for leave during Christmas, but hopefully, it won’t be a case of employees desperately trying to get time off to empty out the last of their leave allowance. 

    In addition, when you start the annual leave sometime during September, employees are already thinking about Christmas leave. Therefore, they’re more likely to inform in advance.

    Encourage Vacation Planning Well in Advance

    Depending on the industry you’re in, the timeframe to plan holidays will vary. For example, employees are asked to plan their vacations for the coming year in the manufacturing sector. In healthcare, medical professionals are expected to plan 3 to 5 months. 

    Some employees can feel burned by the thought of planning for an entire year from the start. Encourage them to inform you four to five weeks before their leave so you can adjust operations better. But at the same time, try to remain flexible.

    The Perfect Digital Solution

    Day Off is the perfect employee time off tracker that’s both affordable and effective. A digital approach to HR management issues like annual leave will help the administration to free up more time to focus on other important topics. This is why you should use the vacation tracker software:

    • Make a company profile and customize it.
    • Employees can make leave requests on any device from anywhere. It will be directed to the assigned person for super-fast processing.
    • Send email notifications to the whole team from one place. Define leaves and allowances for those leaves. Vacation, PTO, time-off, or make something of your own. Assign employees to the set policy and maintain vacation accruals.
    • Enjoy auto-updated leave balances free of error. The remaining absence balances of employees can be checked from a single source. 
    • The dashboard provides a clear overview of leave applications, which may overlap with public holidays as well as other leave appeals.
    • See the consolidated calendar showing the entire business’s annual leave. Employees can synchronize it with their calendars.
    • A centralized overview of yearly data provides information to make correct decisions based on employee behaviors and trends. Know when employees are becoming unavailable the most and try to adjust the workload according to that.
    • Say bye-bye to paper records. You can now save your storage space and save annual leave management data in a digital, clutter-free zone. 
    • Create sub-teams and define leaves for each member.

    Employees can send requests from the Day Off app from their mobile on the go. Any sort of unforeseen emergency calls for instant information.

    What to Know Before Granting Holiday Requests

    You, as an employer and manager, must be aware of a few important things before granting a vacation request to your employee.

    A business usually has adequate resources to fill the absence of the employee in a way that productivity isn’t harmed. An employer and employee should discuss and mutually decide on leave.

    HR has to make sure not too many employees are on holiday simultaneously and/or that there aren’t many conflicting requests.

    You can always go for the “first-come, served” approach when sorting through leave requests, but a better, more efficient system would do much for the company. Poor annual leave management decreases employee satisfaction and raises the chance of employee turnover.

    Unused Annual Leave

    While it’s good for employees to get off work once in a while, not everyone needs the break sometimes. There are the typical workaholics who are too dedicated to the task. Or employees just couldn’t take a break because the company was short-staffed during a particular period.

    Employees at the end of the year are often concerned about what happens to their unused accrued days. Do they lose that, or can they roll those over into the next time?

    Usually, companies don’t allow the leaves from the previous year to be rolled over into the next. You should outline that clearly in the policy so the managers and employees can refer to it on the online employee portal.

    Bottom Line

    Employees who are constantly working experience quicker burnout, lower productivity, workplace illness, stress, and more. Absence leave management is a crucial function of HR. A time off tracking software will help keep records of annual leave better than manual processing.

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  • A Guide to Efficient Leave Tracking for Global Teams

    A Guide to Efficient Leave Tracking for Global Teams

    Remote work is a newer concept for many companies. Thanks to the COVID-19 epidemic, many of these organizations were forced into the whole thing. Two MIT surveys concluded that about half of the American workforce has gone remote. 

    Regardless of size, companies have had to incorporate the work-from-home option into their operations. Apart from the obvious safety and health concerns, another important factor is childcare. Until educational institutes are conducting offline classes again, employees might need to be physically present in their homes. 

    The point is, having a plan for remote work is just the prudent thing to do; it doesn’t matter if your state has allowed in-person working or not. As long as there are employees who get work done outside the workspace, you need to consider leave tracking and PTOs.

    With that comes the responsibility of tracking said leaves properly. If the company falls under government assistance criteria, they may also need to track emergency leave and sick leave. 

    But leave tracking for remote teams is different than leaves for regular, physical teams. For instance, a recent PTO curveball requires leaves related to COVID-19 to be tracked separately in compliance with local, state, and federal governance.

    Companies are doing everything in their power to keep efficiency at an all-time high despite the limitations. In a time like this, ignoring leave management is a certified death wish for any organization.

    So, how exactly does tracking work for remote teams?

    A leave policy has to be made for all kinds of employees, whether they drive into work or get everything done from home.

    How Much Vacation Time Should Employees Get

    The answer depends on the company. There’s not a fixed number as employers aren’t required to offer paid or unpaid leave. Vacation time is another form of time off to consider. Some companies only grant vacation leave tracking to full-time employees. In contrast, others sanction leave for all levels of employees.

    An agreement between the employer and the employee determines the vacation pay. It could either be a collective bargaining agreement, an employment contract, or a company policy.

    The Many Advantages of Having Remote Teams

    A remote work model is the only method to achieve higher productivity in a few industries. However, even if you don’t necessarily have to form remote teams, there are quite a few pros of telework. To name a few:

    There’s no commuting cost, as well as a decreased need to operate from a physical workspace. This can increase savings.

    Less stress for employees and improved work-life balance are the other alternatives. In times like COVID-19, mental peace is important. The more satisfied the workforce, the more likely they are to give their best efforts and stay loyal to the company. Employee turnover rate can be expected to decrease.

    New generation employees greatly value flexibility. When a business is willing to hear and value new ideas, it attracts talent from all across the world, adds diversity to its teams, and ultimately increases competitive advantage in the long run.

    However, a prerequisite to gaining these advantages is managing the telecommuting teams properly and ensuring that the employee(s) is/are available when needed. Many big businesses rely on PTO tracking software or leave trackers to monitor which employees are unavailable and how many days they have left in their leave calendar. A good employee leave tracker app will also include payments and other important data.

    Before making any plan, the remote team’s characteristics must be taken into account; that’s a pivotal step. Not all teams will react to the same practices equally. Finding the one that aligns with them is essential.

    On that note, let’s explore a few options, shall we?

    A Complete Guide to Managing Leave for Remote Teams

    Implement a Smart Leave Management System Early

    A distinguishing factor of remote teams is the increased degree of flexibility. The very premise of telework relies on employers trusting their employees enough to know they will be able to perform their assigned tasks efficiently. This means that, in addition to choosing where they want to work, remote workers can also decide when to work. 

    With that said, devoid of any control, a commuting team’s progress can slow down, and they may go off track. A manager must ensure that the employees are putting in the right amount of hours daily and their schedules are accommodating effective communication. Performance bottlenecks are the last thing you want. 

    A time tracking solution can be implemented for the former issue. For the latter, it’s crucial to adopt a top-notch system for leave management and team schedules, as such a system offers the most convenient way to plan employee availability and timetable.

    Take Day Off as an example. This employee time off tracker comes with plenty of helpful tools for streamlining worker absence management. You can make sub-teams while setting different policies, working days, and balances for each. Once a leave request comes in, HR can get a consolidated view of the entire workforce’s vacations.

    The automated system allows employees to apply for leave directly from the mobile app. They can also check how many days they have available while helping the business set up the right workflow for the teams and employees.

    Let Employees Know What’s Expected of Them from the Start

    A leave management system is only as effective as the organization’s rules and policies. You can’t progress without structure, that’s an open invitation to chaos. The managers must communicate expectations of remote work to their team members.

    Designing and implementing a telework policy is one of the best ways to handle that. The document should cover issues like cybersecurity, communication, conditions of employment, occupational safety, and more. For improved leave management outcomes, discussion of the company’s leave requests, scheduling processes, and other relevant matters is key.

    You have to answer questions like:

      • How many hours should employees work on a daily or weekly basis?

      • Should employees be performing at a specific time of working hours?

      • How quickly is the leave approval process?

      • Which tools do they have to use to inform supervisors or managers about alterations in their personal routines?

    Consider the additional expectations you have when it comes to absence and schedule management in the business, and try your best to clearly communicate them to the remote team. Apart from the set telework policy, this can be done through group and personal discussion.

    Encourage Planned Leaves

    SHRM says that unplanned absenteeism cuts down on productivity as well as other financial processes of a business. On the other hand, planned leaves promote an efficient attitude in employees, letting them plug off to recharge only to come back with more zeal.

    Thus, managers are advised to encourage remote employees, in general, to plan their time off and PTOs in advance. Longer breaks are better.

    It’s good to utilize a vacation tracker app for this as well. For example, the Day Off app makes it easier for HR managers to track employees’ yearly balances plus approval status. You will now be able to set up a better workflow for your employees and teams.

    The app also lets you define an unlimited number of vacation types. All in all, it allows for error-free and effortless planning of PTO.

    Unplanned leaves are harder to avoid completely; employees will fall sick once in a while. Not to mention, unprecedented personal emergencies require utmost attention immediately. Circling back to a previous point, this is why staying flexible in terms of leave requests and scheduling is extremely important when dealing with remote teams.

    Organize Meetings and Video Calls Regularly

    Generally, team members are physically located quite far from each other. They may reside in different cities or even hail from different countries and continents. It’s natural for remote teams not to feel a strong sense of connection amongst the members.

    Employees can feel isolated from colleagues and lonely, and as a consequence, may be much less engaged in teamwork. In fact, they might not even be committed to their company as a whole.

    Situations like this can force remote employees to take more unplanned leaves or even resign from their jobs. There is no substitute for insightful long-distance communication for successful leave management in remote teams. 

    You can encourage employees to interact with their remote colleagues face-to-face using web-based conferencing tools. Organize brief daily video calls where employees will talk about their current performance and discuss any problems their team members are facing while working. 

    Furthermore, video calls can serve as a great means to increase team cohesion and boost employee morale. It doesn’t always have to be a serious discussion. Gather the employees in a chat room to engage in light-hearted conversation with them once a month. It will help everyone feel like a valuable part of the team and establish meaningful human relationships.

    Always Be Available

    A leader of a remote team must always be available for multiple reasons:

    When managers are present at work and show a great deal of attention to their managerial duties, employees become more motivated to produce the best results, too.

    Newly remote workers will experience troubles every now and then. If they do not have a superior to help them out instantly, chances are, they will become discouraged. Consequently, they might start to invest less time and effort into work when they feel nobody cares about the output or wants to support them.

    Without consistent manager-employee communication, it’s difficult to understand actual worker contributions. A manager can only provide unbiased constructive feedback and praise achievements when they’re constantly in touch with their team. In general, staying connected with employees is highly rewarding in any work environment.

    You, as a leader and manager, must be available to your remote teammates all the time and be prepared to help them.

    Inform employees how they can reach out to you throughout the day and try to provide multiple contact options: phone number, email, social media handles, etc. This simple yet effective measure will go a long way in making everyone feel heard and supported. 

    Gather and Analyze Employee Leave Tracking Data

    Data on any factor of team performance is extremely informative and useful to businesses. Employee leave statistics will show how good the management approach is when analyzed against the growth and output data.

    This way, you can identify the problems in a remote team’s conduct and fix those. Knowledge like that can help you enhance team management strategies in addition to fostering numerous improvements with a better approach.

    With the free time off tracker Day Off, employee leave data is readily available to the HR managers. Employees can self-serve and keep a better track of the leaves available to them. 

    One of the best time off apps available, Day off allows companies to input their information and customize everything according to need. Once done, all that can be accessed from the central HR dashboard.

    As a result, companies have greater transparency in the sector of leave management for remote teams. Collected data provides deeper insight into leave trends.

    A smart leave management system will optimize management as a whole. And the best part about it is that it’s a free vacation tracker. You can pay $2 a month for one employee to get the pro features. That will come with perks like a half-day balance. Startups and companies on a budget will find this app extremely useful.

    Bottom Line

    Don’t feel like you have to make all management decisions alone. As you try to come up with the best leave management policies for remote teams, feel free to get the input of your employees.

    Is there a certain policy you think will serve the interests of the company and employees the best? Communicate and educate the employees about the policies you will establish to put your business in a superior position.

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  • Tips to Set Leave Policy in Your Company

    Tips to Set Leave Policy in Your Company

    Employees need a day off now and then to recharge, rejuvenate, and return to work with a stress-free mind. It’s their right to get leave for important matters. Some companies have set the standard for amazing leave policy that keeps their employees happy while maintaining the workflow smoothly.

    However, others have gained a bad reputation in the industry for their vague, often questionable leave policies. When a company starts valuing its work over its employees at all times, it loses credibility with its workers.

    What these companies fail to understand is that just because employees need leave, it doesn’t mean their absence has to create a huge dent in the operations. A well-planned leave policy gives the employees their rightful days off while making sure the company doesn’t accumulate major losses. 

    Leave tracker, otherwise termed vacation tracker, is a great way to monitor which employees are available at any given time. But before that, you have to know what an effective leave policy looks like. 

    Why Do I Need a Leave Policy in My Company?

    Today’s world is all about balance. Employees’ lives don’t revolve around their workplace. Leaves help them break away from the monotony of their regular work and focus on other aspects of their life. It’s a part of being human.

    Apart from that, there are certain laws in every country dictating the rights of employees when it comes to leave policies. Straying from that hurts the employer’s reputation, and it can also cost you fines from the government. 

    A Leavy Policy is a set of rules outlining all possible protocols and procedures for employees to avail leaves. Your workforce is the biggest asset of your company.

    Absence of a proper leave policy can result in:

      • Lower productivity

      • Unapproved leaves of employees

      • Decreasing productivity hours

      • Missing important deadlines, targets, etc.

    All this and more can be solved with a good leave policy. For instance, if an employee goes on leave suddenly without any prior notice, their work suffers since the company wasn’t prepared to handle the unprecedented absence.

    On the other hand, if the stakeholders were aware of it beforehand, the work could be distributed among the other employees to handle the loss of productivity. This is where a solid PTO tracking software could do wonders for the company’s recording process.

    When drafted and implemented properly, a Leave Policy delineates an understanding between the employees and the employer(s) as to how they can avail themselves of leave during their tenure.

    A leave policy:

      • Defines the number of leaves an employee has.

      • The kinds of leaves they are eligible for.

      • How employees can apply for leave

    From the employee’s end, a leave policy gives them the assurance that their company will grant them leave to:

      • Recover from physical complications

      • Handle any issue they’re facing

      • Go on vacation and enjoy

      • Celebrate their cultural and religious festivals

      • Simply break off from work to relax

    The leave policy needs to be mentioned explicitly in the document of the hiring policy. Your employees must know the dos and don’ts of applying for leave. Furthermore, it’s important to ensure the employees aren’t taking advantage of the holidays and paid leaves offered by the company, which helps maintain a steady level between employee satisfaction and productivity. 

    If you’re struggling with falling numbers due to employees’ tardiness and sudden leaves? Ensure a proper leave management system using Day Off, a free vacation tracker.

    The Purpose of a Leave Policy

    As mentioned before, the purpose of a leave policy is to let employees know when they can ask for leave, the process of it, what leave with pay is, and what leave without pay is, and so on.

    All regular employees of your company are eligible for the leave policy.

    Guidelines of the Leave Policy

      • Employees cannot claim leave as a matter of right. They must know that any form of leave can be refused, as it can be granted depending on the company’s requirements. 

      • Taking a leave from work without receiving approval for it will subject employees to disciplinary action.

      • The calendar year lasts from January to December. 

      • Employees’ leave records shall be maintained in an optimized HRMS tool. 

      • They shall be eligible for Earned Leave after completing their probationary period. After confirmation, that shall be credited to the employee’s account.

      • A limit of 9 paid leaves can be brought to the next year.

      • An employee is free to avail paid leaves based on the leave balance they have. Also, unpaid leave starts from when the leave balance is over, but an employee is still in need of leave. The approval can be granted by a manager, HOD, or HR.

      • An employee cannot use the leave until it has been approved by the reporting manager.

      • Leave without approval shall be counted as leave without pay.

      • Weekends, as well as holidays falling within the sanctioned leave periods, shall be excluded and not be considered as earned or casual leave.

      • Leave for the upcoming year cannot be used in the present year.

      • It is the employee’s responsibility to apply for leave in advance in case of a planned leave. But if it’s an unplanned leave, an employee has to regularize leave under two days of resuming duty.

      • LTA leave is counted as earned leave, not casual leave.

    Cancellation of Leave

    An approved leave can be canceled at any time, depending on the company’s demand, but cancellations must be within reason. Once canceled, the notice will reach the HR and the employee through an automatic message. HR will update the leave balance.

    Leave Extension 

      • Due to any unforeseen circumstance, if the employee has to extend their leave, they must inform HR beforehand. 

      • If an employee overstays without gaining proper approval, that will be considered as absence from duty and call for disciplinary action.

      • An extended leave without permission shall be treated as a loss of pay.

    Calculating Leave on Termination/Resignation

    In case an employee is terminated from the company or resigns, privilege leave shall be calculated until their final working day. They will be paid in full.

    Types of Leave Policies

    A number of leave policies could be effective for your company. Generally, leave policies fall within one of these three types:

    Fixed number of credited leaves

    This kind of paid leave policy fixes the number of paid leaves an employee can get on a fixed date. Thus, following company guidelines, you can grant (credit) all the leaves at the beginning of the calendar year or the financial year.

    Set the amount of accrued leaves on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis

    A specific number of leaves is accrued based on a daily, weekly, or monthly calculation.

    Unlimited leaves

    There is no fixed number of leaves. Employees can use an unlimited number of leaves.

    How to Choose the Best Leave Policy for Your Company

    The three types of leave policies entail a different set of rules and regulations. As the main decision-maker of the company, you have to consider a few things to know which leave policy would work best.

    Ask yourself: which leave policy would do the most for your employees? It goes without saying that the unlimited/flexible leave policy encourages employees to apply for as many leaves as they want, whenever they feel like it. However, there is no limit to this policy, meaning employees may abuse this opportunity.

    Thus, industry leaders recommend that companies take the opinions of their employees on the leave policy. This will make employees realize that they are valued and kept in the loop while the company will be able to narrow down on the policy serving the best interests of their workforce. 

    Why You Should Create Varying Leave Categories

    There are a bunch of reasons an employee would use their paid leave, such as personal emergencies, sickness, vacations, and maternity or paternity leave. Once you know which leave policy would suit your company the best, you need to know how to categorize them.

    The majority of companies like having distinguished leave categories like earned leave and sick leave, as clean differentiation helps them to track employee absence better. Plus, you would be abiding by Labor Laws.

    Now, how do you decide how many leaves to account for each leave category? The count of casual and privileged leaves that your employees are entitled to is decided by the State you are operating in. The number is determined by the State’s Shops and Establishments Act.

    Considerations about Leave Management

    At this stage, you’ve already implemented the best leave policy. The next step is to learn how to manage leave accruals and leave applications alongside calculating leave balances. An employee leave tracker app, such as Day Off, can help you track everything from one place conveniently. It’s best to use digitized methods as manual recording is time-consuming and takes too much effort.

    Managing Leave Applications

    Designing a process for applications

    The key to a smooth employee leave management process is timely organization and clear communication. Leaves play an important part in activities such as payroll, which is why it’s even more important to set a fixed process for applying for and approving leaves.

    You might ignore this procedure as you think it’s too obvious, but clarity will do wonders for your company. It’s as important as the job description.

    Administer the approval power

    You must then decide who will be responsible for approving employee leave applications. Is it going to be their immediate supervisor or the HR manager? Employees need to know where to send their requests to decrease processing time. 

    Tracking Leave Requests

    Leaves are directly connected to the payroll process. Collating leave requests at a month’s end from leave request slips or emails is a crucial task. Track these efficiently on an employee time off tracker app to manage everything with the least amount of effort and time. 

    How to Track Leave Requests Efficiently 

    Using an intuitive employee time off tracker, such as the Day Off app, helps companies track employee leave applications quickly and efficiently. Here are the reasons you should consider this time off tracking software.

      • For starters, you can get this service for free! Set up your company profile and fill in the information for a unique, personalized experience.

      • The mobile app is super convenient. It keeps the managers and employees connected to the database at all times.

      • The system automatically sends the employee leave request to the appropriate person.

      • HR has total control over the workflow. That means defining teams, managers, and employees.

      • Increase transparency between line managers and employees.

      • The HR dashboard – Calendar view for both employer and employee. You can monitor workflow and team absence, generate detailed and consolidated reports for any period, and send notifications to the team. 

      • You can add new leave types and define balances for each. There is also a half-day option.

      • Manager’s Web Dashboard – Get a full overview of the team, their leaves, and statistics from one point. 

    Small businesses will love this impressive free time off tracker. You can also upgrade to the Pro version for the affordable price of $1 per employee per month. The free version has some of the basic options you would want in any PTO tracker, while the Pro version comes with some exciting features that would take your HR game to the next level.

    Final Thoughts

    A company that neglects the leave policy is directly ignoring the needs of its employees, and we know that’s the first step towards the fall of an organization. Do not take it lightly, as leaves are enough to get you sued too!

    Make sure to go through all the rules and regulations the state has set. It’s best to mention them in your company policy too. Lastly, have an attorney look at the policies. If they approve, you should be good to go. However, try to stay flexible for the best results.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • Paper vs. Software in Leave Management

    Paper vs. Software in Leave Management

    The Day Off software or application allows you to tackle the absence, track PTO, vacations, and leaves, as well as enjoy an overview, saving your hours of effort and headache. You can easily scroll through the leave and vacation policies associated with your company using the application. If you are the employer, it can be quite useful as well. Let us take the topic of Leave Management, for instance, to take the Paper vs. Software decision

    Paper vs. Leave Management Software is a complicated, yet integral issue for all kinds of companies. Payroll and leave management, Paper vs. Software need to run hand in hand for the company to work efficiently, and it can sometimes be a challenge to do everything on paper. Yet, many companies today find it difficult to use software for this purpose.

    We have compiled this guide to talk about the different ways of managing the day off of employees within companies.

    Paper vs. Software, pointing out the pros and cons associated with the advancement of technology, which highlights the ability of software to do so.

    Why is Leave Management Necessary?

    If you own a business or work in the HR department, you must know the importance of leave management: Paper vs. Software. It can be quite challenging to deal with such day-offs, PTOs, or vacations across different departments. Starting with the different types of leaves. Distinguished laws specific to states, and the added tensions of teams regarding the time-offs of some employees, can be quite a headache.

    Though it might seem quite straightforward to handle leave management within smaller companies, it can start to become both expensive and complex with the increasing number of employees.

    Paper leave management remains a viable option for small businesses, but when the number of employees goes over 20,000, the companies start switching to outsourcing leave management. This might also differ between industries, but it is an issue for most.

    Leave Management through Software vs. through Paper

    When we are talking about leave management for employees, we are talking about a huge amount of data. There is probably going to be quite a lot of paper documentation crammed in the office cabinets, where you can find tons of employee information that has to stay undamaged and easily accessible. That might be one big reason why HR systems, even today, avoid going paperless.

    It is essential to understand that the more you rely on paper, the greater the effort you have to put in to manage it all. One solution can be attempting to scan all the hard copy data into a soft copy format.

    This can take some time to kick off, but once done, the integration of the paper-based content can be quite simple with a software HR system, for day-off trackers, PTO trackers, etc.

    Some managers argue that paper is no hassle, given the fact that all the printed documents are usually filed in a relevant sequence, more often than not according to the name of the employee. You can, however, maintain this sequence when converting the papers to a digital form to track the information well.

    Sometimes you may wonder why software is essential to management or tracking the leave of employees when you have dedicated HR within your company to keep an eye on the issue. We have some benefits here that you might consider.

    Time and Energy

    At the end of the day, you need your company to run all its operations in a streamlined manner. This means you need to save the time as well as the effort that your employees put into it. When you use the software as your PTO tracker and leave tracker, you can integrate both the payroll systems and the leave-management parts of your company and reduce the double work of data processing.

    Since both payroll and leave-management systems deal with the information of the same employee, it makes sense to have them handled through a database or software instead of having an individual go through different paper files to keep the account.

    You can simply enter the information once and easily track attendance, leave, pay, and all kinds of records. It can automate a lot of the functions that would take hours through the paper system. Sometimes, employees can also enter their details, hence saving time and effort for your HR.

    More Accessible

    Usually, the vacation tracker, PTO tracking software, or leave tracker app can be installed on different devices. When the software is available in the form of an application, for instance, an Employee leaver tracker app or an Employee time off tracker, it is easily manageable through different smartphones, tablets, iPads, etc.

    Accuracy and Compliance

    The computer software or application is likely to make fewer mistakes in terms of calculating payroll based on PTO or leaves than paper leave-management methods. The latter runs the risk of more mistakes occurring due to human error.

    When you are required to stick to paper for handling leaves, it increases the bureaucracy. Someone who wants to apply for leave first has to complete a form, hand it to the manager, and wait for him or her to sign and approve. The manager then has to pass it on to payroll for further processing. This tends to be quite inefficient and risky, requiring additional labor.

    The paper management can require between 73 and 124 minutes, while the software or application will cost you a maximum of 30 minutes. In the latter case, you simply have to make the minimum number of steps.

    Even considering that you make multiple changes, it will take less than 1 minute to update the online form. The system is automated to go into contact with the relevant parties whenever any change arises. The redundant tasks will be avoided.

    If there is an error in the leave management, it can badly harm the business. In the worst situations, business owners or HR can even be sued or fined for miscalculations or underpayments for the smallest of mistakes in timekeeping systems.

    Limited Manual Interventions

    There have been issues faced by several businesses, whereby some people have made unauthorized changes to the leave management system through manual interventions in the paper-based system.

    This results in fraud- employees taking a vacation, a day off, or leave and then removing the record, or taking one day less than how it should be, or manually making changes to the number of leave days available to one individual.

    When you switch to a software or application, this opportunity to commit fraud is easily minimized.

    Transparency

    When you use software or an application to input planned vacations or unplanned leaves, all the data can be accumulated by a comprehensive dashboard. This will allow you to have a clear overview of all the metrics related to the day-offs of your employees.

    There is no way the approval of the managers can be skipped. Furthermore, you can also track if anyone is abusing the policies associated with leave or underutilizing the vacation hours, and even working below standard.

    In short, the application or software, unlike the paper management system, can easily spot the leaks in employee performance or tackle the issues of absenteeism more efficiently. You can also see if your company needs any specific improvement and make changes to the current approach depending on the requirements.

    Customizable for every location

    If you have employees working in different parts of the globe, a free time off tracker or Day Off App can highly benefit both your employees and your company. The free vacation tracker can help both of you keep an eye on the status. These apps can also be customized (with the required settings) for different locations across the globe.

    Furthermore, when you have an overview through the app,

    HR can ensure that key employees plan their leaves at the same time. You can also try to make the settings suited to your preferences.

    Cost

    You can highly contribute to saving on the cost of paper,

    time, as well as disputes arising from leave and vacations of your employees. The cost of hiring extra professionals to run the leave balance or HR overheads can be avoided with the software versions. It can also help to remain fair in enforcing the policies related to PTO and leaves.

    Reporting

    When all the day-offs are planned using the Day Off App or through an employee time off tracker,

    you can have all the employee-related data and company-wide information in one place. Most of these applications come with an integrated reporting module that makes it quite simple to analyze patterns,

    as well as to get the proper insight into the employees.

    Data Loss

    Even if your company goes through an accident,

    like an unavoidable fire or a simple spilling of drinks on the paper lying around, if you depend on software for leave management, you can avoid the data loss. You can store the information in the cloud and access it anytime from anywhere you allow.

    Values

    With software or an application working as a leave tracker or time-off app, you can start to build a strong company culture, where you highlight transparency and compliance as the main factors that cultivate trust among the employees, regardless of who they are.

    You can start to promote other company values based on these aspects as well. If you do not have these strong values, you will soon end up with people working in your business for nothing more than the remuneration.

    Simpler Audits and backward reviews

    You can easily keep an eye on what edits and audits have been made to the different leaves or vacations associated with the different employees throughout your company if you are using the software system. This is quite impossible or difficult to do easily when you depend on paper for leave management.

    You may need to check the archived information, for instance, when making a deal or agreement with an employee or former employee, the employee rights control agencies, or some external parties, by checking your audits. The software can be regarded as a more reliable source of providing this information in the most convenient and fast manner. You can avoid penalties or even earn a better image in the eyes of the investing organizations and individuals.

    Environment

    Paper is better than plastic- we often hear. Indeed. But it is still a waste that needs recycling. Why not go paperless altogether when possible? It will not only minimize the workload of the HR management but also help your company act more responsibly towards our planet.

    You can eliminate unnecessary waste. When converting the paper to digital form, you can decide to remove and get rid of the ex-employee data altogether. 

    A recent report depicted that the negative impact on climate brought about by cutting down over 350 trees, carbon dioxide emissions, energy consumption, production of solid wastes as well as extensive wastage of water due to office paper use. An honest switch to a software system for handling leaves in your company can help to combat such negative impacts.

    The leave management through software can be seen as an all-in-one hub that can take care of maintaining all the requests relevant to employee vacations, whilst also ensuring that their operations run smoothly.

    To summarize, you can get rid of paperwork, reduce manual interventions, improve communication, get a real-time overview of the status, ensure compliance with the law, and reflect on the organization’s health all at the same time when you use the software.

    Concluding Remarks

    The online or software method of leave management, or a mobile Day of the tracker, can serve as the perfect example of a feature that can perform great in the back-end without any effect or any distinct visibility in the main activities of the company.

    It can serve as the perfect optimization tool for your business, delivering the advantages as discussed in the guide. Once you start trying it out, you will soon realize how irreplaceable this application, Day off, can be and how your company can benefit from it.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • Things to Do at Work before Taking a Long Vacation

    Things to Do at Work before Taking a Long Vacation

    Although it might be a refreshing thought for you when you are about to take a long vacation from your work, it might not be the case for your colleagues. Even the management might bear the hassle of an unplanned long vacation of the employee if he or she plays a significant role in the workplace.

    Every employee of an organization plays a vital role in his or her assigned work as an individual. The absence of one single block creates a void in the complete system, and the management has to fill that void by putting other team members to their work or hiring part-time workers in that position.

    Things to Do at Work before Taking a Long Vacation

    Due to the lack of a workforce, the management has to provide extra payment to the people working overtime for you while paying for your paid time off. Therefore, it would be best if you do a few things at work before taking a long vacation.

    However, you can use a free vacation tracker as your time-off tracker for tracking your progress before leaving for the vacation. You can also sign in and input your vacation days on your company’s personalized Day Off app, used as an employee leave tracking app.

    This PTO tracking software will assist the HR manager in monitoring the absence and calculating the approximate work distribution beforehand. In this article, we have assembled a few essential tips for you to make your checklist of things to do at work before taking a long vacation.

    Prior Notice to Your Boss

    Since your HR manager manages your company’s leave management, they might have to plan and settle for a replacement in your absence.  Informing your boss or manager before going on leave is necessary to maintain a good relationship with your workplace senior.

    It will help your manager to assign your work to other coworkers and track the leave. Check in with him or her and provide an outline of your tasks. This will help your higher-ups maintain the leave management and save you from unnecessary queries and work calls during your awaited vacation.

    Informing Colleagues

    Always remember to inform your colleagues before going on a long vacation because they have to shoulder the work you might have handled on regular days. Your coworkers and team members are your work pals. So informing them about your long vacation before leaving is mandatory.

    As they may have already had their tasks to complete, it would come as an extra burden on them. Therefore, knowing it beforehand would help them to be prepared for taking it and keep their hand free of other priorities for that time being. It will show your sense of responsibility and build trust among colleagues. Doing otherwise may cause mismanagement and workplace dissatisfaction.

    Contacting Clients

    Make sure to contact your clients and inform them before you take an extended vacation from work. There might be clients and customers who have a close connection with you to provide an effective service with your work. In addition, they might not feel the same comfort as other team members while dealing with the result.

    Therefore, contacting them before taking a leave is essential for giving them a heads up and acquainting them with the coworker who will follow up on that project. It would make the communication work easily for your colleagues.

    Complete the Tasks on Hand:

    If you are already working on any project, make sure to complete it before leaving for your long break. Other people who will be assigned to the work may not follow up with your working style, and the quality of the work may degrade. Using a free vacation tracker to track your progress will help you check your advancement.

    These are the most crucial list of things you should do at work before taking a long vacation. We have further discussed this article to make a complete checklist, keeping some other necessary points in mind.

    Purpose of Doing This Planning

    There are many purposes to plan and do things at work before going on a long vacation. We have closely discussed the primary purposes of planning these things out.

    Not Arousing Mismanagement

    Not arousing mismanagement at the workplace is essential for planning the list of work to do before leaving on an extended vacation. If you do not perform the part of your duty to inform relevant authorities and people associated with your work, mismanagement might occur.

    The HR manager will fail to monitor the paid time off to distribute the job efficiently. It will eventually impose an excessive workload on other employees and cost the productivity of the company.

    The productivity of other workers may slow down because of added workloads and imbalanced work distribution to poor leave management caused by this mismanagement. Employees face burnout due to overworking and lose productivity in the process.

    Managing Your Work Relations

    Managing the employee-to-employee relationship is a great communicative asset in a workplace. For maintaining this relation between coworkers, good communication is mandatory.

    Therefore, it is essential to inform your colleagues of your plan for a long vacation. Give them an approximate idea of your pending and upcoming work.

    It will let them surmise the amount or type of work they would be assigned. Sharing this with your colleagues will build trust between coworkers and help to maintain good relations with them.

    Keep Your Work Spirit Intact After the Vacation

    It is imperative to meet the deadlines of your pending work to enjoy a worry-free long vacation with your family.

    Worrying about meeting the deadline right after your vacation and getting work queries during your vacation might be very unpleasant. In contrast, coming from a hassle-free vacation will keep your work spirit high after the long break.

    For Enjoying a Comfortable Vacation

    Whenever an employee is on leave, follow-ups on the employee’s attendance, leaves, and day-offs might be a great hassle if not managed properly. Due to work needs, the employer may contact the employees during the vacation. In addition, he or she might be called out for any uncertainties at work.

    These things might hinder a holiday that the employee might have taken after being long overdue. However, as an employee, you may have contributed to this poor leave management.

    Therefore, do prior planning to avoid taking your work on your trip. Do the necessary things and submit the work outlines beforehand to enjoy a comfortable vacation on the go.

    How to Execute the Planning at Work before the Long Vacation

    Inform Your Manager

    Inform your manager if you are going to take leave before going on a long vacation. Later on, knowing it might displease your HR, he or she can lose reliance on you for hiding it. If your company or HR manager follows a time-off app, make sure to input your vacation tab on that software.

    You can use this excellent software as a service named Day Off App to keep track of your workdays and track the date before you leave. It will make the process easier for you to notify your boss.

    Input your vacation information on the employee time tracker app, and it will be easier for your manager to distribute the work between your colleagues beforehand, so the workflow will remain intact.

    Check in with Your Team

    Many business firms and companies do not follow a day-off app to track their leaves. If it is the case for your organization, make sure to inform your colleagues before going on an extended vacation.

    Checking in with your colleagues and letting them know about your upcoming long vacation would ease their stress while shouldering your works. Otherwise, your coworkers might fall into hot water if they are imposed with the extra workload while having their deadline to meet and work to complete.

    This will also assist you in confirming any queries and sealing any pending deals with their assistance. Therefore, give prior notice to your colleagues about your long-anticipated vacation.

    Notify Your Clients

    Notify your important clients about your long vacation from work. If some of them work with you regularly, make sure to inform them of your availability for the time being. If you are going on leave for an extended time, you can also acquaint them with other coworkers. Give them the contact information of another colleague for any emergency response. This will help you manage your clients in the workplace for the long run.

    Prioritize Your Checklist

    Make a checklist of your work to do and prioritize them to complete all of them before going on your extended trip. If you have deadlines to meet, focus more on them to finish them on time.

    Use a free vacation tracker or our Day-off app to track the deadlines during your workdays and after your extended vacation. Outline your upcoming projects to advance your work gradually.

    So you can return home at peace from a long vacation. Make a to-do list of your forthcoming work during the vacation to assist your boss and coworkers. Anticipate any follow-up questions upon informing them about the vacation.

    Set an Automated Reply

    Set an automated reply on your contact system to notify the stakeholders who are depending on your service. Create a concise text or audio to inform others about your vacation and mention a date or time of your availability after the vacation.

    Clean Your Workstation

    Keeping your workstation tidy creates a good impression of your work. Therefore, always remember to clean your desk before taking a leave. Before leaving for a long vacation from your work, clean out your workstation on your last day. Wipe the dust off your table, clean your trash bin, and cover your accessories with a cloth to avoid dust buildup.

    Maintain a Tracker

    Maintain a vacation tracker to keep track of your vacation days. You can use the Day Off tracker app. It will allow you to set a particular section for tracking your workdays. In addition, this time off app will let you check your progress on the PTO tracking software to meet your deadlines.

    With growing industries and the size of enterprises, the requirement of a faster data collection process, including employee budget, leave management, paid time offs, etc., has increased. Keeping track of a hefty load of employees and registering their leave information in a manual or paper-based process is a hectic course for your manager.

    A modern-day innovation of this ‘Software as a Service’ known as SAAS platforms provides great assistance in these cases. Our Day-Off software works as a great leave tracker to ensure your leave records’ accuracy and helps you maintain transparency as an employee.

    There are many benefits of software-based leave trackers over the ancient paper forms. It provides a minimal effort cloud-based system with an easy user interface. Our Day-Off app is easy to use and easily accessible to users. You can use this PTO tracking software from anywhere and any device option.

    You can also use them on your Android, iOS, and personal computer. The website or app allows a precise and one-stop location for tracking the leaves. Moreover, the dashboard on this PTO tracker informs your boss and colleagues about the long vacation.  

    Final Thoughts

    Informing your colleagues and boss, completing any scheduled tasks, and notifying your clients are the main things you should consider and do at work before taking a long vacation. Doing these works will show your workmanship and respect towards your higher-ups and colleagues at your workplace.

    You can make a checklist of your work and vacation days on our Day Off App. This will be great assistance as a free vacation tracker on managing your tasks smoothly. This process works as an all-in-one employee leave tracker to ensure effective leave management within a short time and helps you do things at work before the long vacation.

    Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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  • HR and Leave Management Tips for Startups and SMEs

    HR and Leave Management Tips for Startups and SMEs

    Leave management becomes troublesome when you are at the first stage of your business.

    Whether you run a startup or an SME, employee management is tough. This initiates urgency for the right HR management tips to maintain the workforce.

    This article will help you step-by-step on setting up leave policies. You can use some outstanding tools to manage better. Keep reading to find out what they can be!

    Tips for HR Management in Startups and SMEs

    Managing people is a hectic task. Even in the smallest company, you will need to maintain your workforce effectively. Otherwise, you might end up losing precious time from your work life.

    So, whether you are a business owner or an HR manager, you should follow some management tips. Here, we have a few HR management tips you can check. These guidelines will make your HR job easier than before!

    Receive Updates on Regular Reviews

    Reviewing the performance of your employees is a must for any HR personnel. We encourage checking up every three to six months. This will allow you to evaluate if the business goals are being met.

    So, you must track the performance and engagement of the team. For this, you can use software to ease the process. Software helps to automatically boost appraisals and update both parties. This will help to increase employee morale and work for the growth of your business.

    A time off app can be very handy in this case. Employees can track their request status in the company workflow. The company can set up the correct amount of workflow for the employees as well. 

    Using a paid time off tracker is much efficient. Day Off has a well-designed time off tracker, which can benefit both employees and HR.

    You might want to use a free time off tracker if you have a very low investment. Still, you won’t regret using one as it balances the workflow much smoothly.

    Secure all the Documents in a Cloud Software

    With the pandemic hitting, almost everyone now works remotely. As such, recording and retrieving all of the working documents became necessary. In this crucial time, you certainly have nothing but to provide extra flexibility to your employees. This means you have fewer options to control the wide range of work.

    In order to synthesize workflow, you must secure all the documents in a cloud software. By accessing the software, the employees will be able to work from home. At the same time, you can supervise how they are working.

    There is a benefit to this idea. Both employees and the authority can access those files whenever they want. This will tremendously boost productivity. Also, it’s easier to measure who is really serious about his/her work.

    Not to mention the benefits, reminders, and alerts promote. You will get your task done at the right time. Time management is safely secured!

    Use Software for Everything

    We all used spreadsheets at some point in our work lives. It’s not really an inconvenience, but you should adopt better measures to make things faster.

    As an HR or business owner, try switching to different management software instead of spreadsheets. This will provide you a huge advantage in the long run. Recording employee information, keeping up with the training schedules, and assigning tasks all of them becomes easier.

    You will be able to save time and focus on other revenue focused work. Also, some software enables users to automate the regular tasks. Tasks will get reduced and you will find the perfect work life balance.

    Maintain Leave Requests Appropriately

    We’ll now introduce the most crucial tip, leave management. Your employees will take leaves. They can either request leaves according to their convenience or the company may arrange some paid leave policies.

    For startups and SMEs, it might be hectic at times to manually manage this. It usually becomes a problem when the workforce is huge and diversified.

    So, the best way to tackle this problem is to use leave management software. For example, the Day Off app allows organizing employee leaves and requests in one place.

    To maintain employee leaves, you can follow the basic steps below:

        • Keep a calendar to update employee leaves.

        • Assign leave allowances for each employee.

        • Use software to track leave requests.

        • Share the leave planning updates with the workforce. It will help to mitigate the upcoming clashes of tasks assigned.

      This is just a glimpse of how to manage leaves in a startup or in an SME.

      Don’t worry, we’ll provide more in depth leave management procedures in the next section.

      Leave Management Tactics in Startups and SMEs

      There is a reason for us to emphasize leave management too much. It’s because employee sentiments and salaries are related to leaves. Whether your employees take a paid leave or an unpaid leave, both will tremendously affect your business.

      And if you are unorganized regarding this matter, it will cost you both time and money. You don’t want that! Do you?

      This leads to the fact that you must devise a full-proof leave management policy. These policies must be in favor of the company as well as the employees.

      While devising these policies, you must keep in mind the following.

          • Employee Salary

          • Performance

          • Appraisals

        Step-by-step Employee Leave Policy

        Set Eligibility Criteria for Taking Leaves

        Before you sanction any leave to an employee, you must ensure if the employee is eligible to take a leave. Not all employees will receive the same facilities. You have to clearly state rules for each position an employee belongs.

        Let’s jump on to the factors that influence Leave Management Policies.

           

            • Leave during probation period

            • Taking leaving while serving a notice

            • Simultaneous leaves

            • Entitled annual leaves

            • Quantum of approved leaves at a time

          Another most crucial indicator is the type of leaves. Every leave has a different pattern and timeline. A maternity leave and sabbatical can’t get the same weightage. So, you must ensure that you are devising the correct policies for each type of leave.

          Some crucial leaves are:

          Statutory leave

          This type of leave is built by the government to provide facilities to the working class. Government and private firms have different rules and regulations to measure statutory leaves. An employee has the right to get these leaves and get paid in due time.

          Maternity leave

          Maternity leaves are for expected mothers. Even after the baby born, mothers get maternity leaves. The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) states that US companies are bound to allow unpaid maternity leave for 12 weeks. In this case, the company must have 50 or more employees.

          Paternity leave

          Along with maternity leaves, firms now also allow paternity leaves. It is to encourage fathers to take care of the newly mother in this crucial time. Thanks to Facebook that helped in raising such good initiative. The leave type varies from company to company. In the US, some companies even allow up to 17 weeks of paid paternity leave.

          Bereavement leave

          Companies should focus in valuing the employees’ emotions too. Bereavement leave allows employees to take a week (minimum) leave for the death of a close family member. By being emphatic, companies can increase employee morale and receive better output from them.

          Roll-over leaves

          Sometimes employees work more than their usual leaves. Where every employee has some fixed leaves, some just do their work without hesitation. As they are providing value to the company, they deserve to get a little sensitivity. In other words, companies can issue roll-over leaves for these employees.

          Sabbaticals

          It’s hard to continue job at a stretch. To retain work life refreshments, companies offer sabbaticals to employees. This type of leave allows an employee to take a long-term vacation.

          Structure all these leaves on a week or monthly basis. It will help you to build up a strong engaging management style.

          Now, let’s move on to the real deals!

          Build a Requisition Form

          First of all, let’s be clear what a requisition form is. A requisition form is a document that describes the type of leave an employee wants to take.

          Here, you must include the purpose of the leave clearly. Ask your employee to provide details on his vacation and rejoining date.

          This form will work as a record for the employee’s performance. Also, it can help you to dictate work availability for other employees.

          To sum up, maintain a requisition form to be updates on when and why your employee is taking a leave.

          Grant Leave Approvals to the Eligible Candidates

          Let’s be honest. It’s not possible to provide leaves whenever an employee wants. As the authority you must check if an employee is meeting all the criteria to take a leave.

          Here’s when you evaluate the requisition form, we discussed about earlier. Smaller organizations can authorize about this matter with the help of only 1-2 HR professionals. On the contrary, larger organizations should set up an approval authority for expediting the process.

          You can also keep records using an employee leave tracker app. It will cut your budget and time in case of leave approvals.

          You might have noticed the tech talk a couple of times by now. It’s because we think, incorporating technology to your business can smoothen all your work. Keeping this in mind, we will show you some tracking systems to speed up your leave management techniques.

          Incorporate Tracking Technologies for Leave Management

          A leave tracker is efficient in maintaining leave policies. There are a lot of tracking software which will allow you to document every information regarding leaves.
          Use a vacation tracker when your employees seek long-term vacations. In this case, we recommend for the free vacation tracker to cut the budget. It is mostly useful for small businesses.

          Try keeping a PTO tracking software to ease Paid Time Offs. Day Off has a wonderful PTO tracker tool that helps both the employees and HR professionals.

          Want to know how? Let us walk you through the path in short.

              • As an HR, you first have to download the app

              • Invite all of your employees

              • Provide proper guidelines on how employees can request Time Off and vacations

              • Evaluate the requests. Make sure direct managers are also involved

              • View all the reports and balance workflow accordingly

            Remember, Paid Time Off is only for those countries that support the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Example: The USA.

            Similarly, an employee time off tracker measures the requested leaves. It analyzes employee salaries and appraisals to properly evaluate time off.

            Set the Right Guidelines for Your Employees

            The effectiveness of your leave management techniques depends on the application. You might have several brilliant technologies to support you. What if your employees are not quite clear how to use them?

            Suppose, even if they know how to use them, they are using for personal benefits. They pull out the loop holes which directly affects your revenue. This will be huge threat to your business.

            That’s why, it’s important to set industry level guidelines. You must research the industry norms and then devise a policy.

            The policy must be flexible for employees to increase employee retention. But it can’t be something that jeopardizes your business.

            So, in order to devise a guideline, you must keep in mind the following rules.

                • Guidelines must be bold and straightforward

                • Cut off any ambiguous word from the guide

                • Prepared well-organized documents and circulate among all employees

                • Define the culture, location, location, ethnicity, and diversity of the company in detail

                • Input all the eligibility criteria to take a leave

                • Ensure transparency among the employer and employees

              Final Words

              In summary, using different types of leave management tools can help you to be ahead of the game. You manage your employees well and also save yourself precious time. We encourage applying the techniques above for better results. Only your strategic gestures can bring success to the business.

              Smarter time off tracking starts here.

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