The Nowsta Blog

Let’s face it. Doing payroll is nobody’s idea of fun. Whether you’re a business owner or a manager, you probably aren’t looking forward to the process of calculating wages, withholding taxes, and filling out IRS forms.

But, as is the case for many tedious but necessary business processes, technology can automate parts of the payroll process for you. How much can it take off your plate? That depends on the software you’re willing to invest in. You have three options:

Workplace absenteeism is a significant problem across the entire economy, and an expensive one at that -- experts estimate it costs businesses more than $84 billion a year in lost productivity. Sometimes, of course, employees simply can’t help but miss work: We all have to call out of work sometimes due to family crises, health problems, car trouble, and other unavoidable issues.

But what employers can’t afford to excuse is the dreaded “no call, no show.” We’ve all the experience of a team member -- whether a peer, subordinate, or supervisor -- not showing up for work without letting anyone know beforehand. It throws the entire shift into disarray. After all, managers don’t build the daily roster with extra fat to cut. They schedule exactly as many people as the business needs, and no more. When a shift starts without someone who was scheduled, managers have to scramble to reallocate jobs and every coworker has to pick up the slack.

Most people picture retirement as their Golden Years: a time when they can kick back, relax, and lead the lifestyle of their choosing. The ability to realize that dream, however, is largely dependent on one’s financial situation.

Unfortunately, that situation is bleak for many. In a recent study on retirement readiness, Northwestern Mutual found that 67% of Americans expect to outlive their retirement savings. It’s becoming increasingly clear that many will need to earn supplemental income during retirement to maintain their current lifestyle.

But financially tenuous retirees may have a savior: the gig economy. Millions of Americans are supporting themselves by taking on a steady flow of short-term jobs that allow them set their own schedule and be their own boss. You’ve likely heard of this in the context of apps like Uber and Airbnb. However more traditional jobs in retail and food service, as well as a plethora of opportunities in professional and consulting work, are increasingly being outsourced to independent workers. 

One of the most difficult parts of running a business is managing your employees, and I don’t mean in the traditional sense of motivating or coaching them (though these are difficult, crucial undertakings in their own right). I’m talking about basic logistics like getting them in the right place at the right time and making sure they get paid.

In many ways, these are bare minimums to operate as a business. But to consistently grow and thrive, you need to do more than the bare minimum -- you need to solve these problems more efficiently than the competition. That’s where workforce management comes into play. Workforce management is the set of tools and processes businesses use to deploy their employees efficiently, keep labor costs in check, and track staff performance.

We’re excited to announce that we’ve re-launched the Nowsta blog! Every week, we’ll be bringing you day-to-day workforce management tips, labor market insights, and all the latest news on Nowsta. We also plan to roll out analytical white papers, longform guides, and free business diagnostic tools to help you be a more effective manager.