Best-in-Class Workforce Management Software from Industry Experts
Header

3 Tips On How To Use Big Data Effectively

June 27th, 2017 | Posted by ATS in ATS TimeWork OnDemand | Time and Attendance Canada | Time and Attendance Toronto | Workforce Analytics | Workforce Management Solutions - (Comments Off on 3 Tips On How To Use Big Data Effectively)

Big Data is not a “Johnny-come-lately” tool, it is in fact, it comprises of massive amounts of information that we use every day – in other words, it encompasses, vast zetabytes of data flowing from our computers, mobile devices, and machine sensors. With the right Big Data tools, your organization can store, manage, and analyze this data – and gain valuable insights that were previously unimaginable.

3 Tips On To Use Big Data Effectively

Below are 3 tips on how to use Big Data effectively from an article, by Jordan Kasteler for Inc called: Supply and Demand: The Effect of Big Data. It reads, in part:

 

“1. Let data make decisions for you

Before we had data at our disposal, decisions were made based on emotions or gut feelings. As a result, the rationale for each choice might now look murky in hindsight.

Nowadays, nearly every decision can be backed up with hard numbers. Managers are able to make educated judgments, and they can justify their moves with proven results–past or present.

  1. Put your expenses under the microscope

Every organization has some form of “spend data” to analyze. “Spend” refers to operational costs across business functions such as planning and budgeting, inventory management, product development, and compliance.

For large, global enterprises, this data can run into millions of transactions. Analyzing it can help procurement managers identify spend patterns by category, vendor, region, and more. It can uncover opportunities to drive bottom-line savings and more value from their procurement spend. Data analytics can help managers analyze extremely large volumes of spend data much more efficiently and accurately.

  1. Love your vendors, but don’t woo them

The “Age of the Customer” is here and booming. Many consumers now expect businesses to seamlessly meet every aspect of every need without hesitation.

When incorporating big data, both suppliers and procurement clientele stand to benefit. For instance, suppliers can glean valuable, data-driven insights to allocate resources more accurately and better formulate logistical strategies.”

Today’s companies are acutely aware of the potential big data can provide them. And, when they see the enormous ROI their competitors get by using big data, they make every effort to ensure the solutions that they deploy, includes Big Data.

ATS Time and Attendance has built-in, feature-rich Big Data analytics to provide deep insight across a company’s workforce management solutions requirements. The solution is embedded within ATS core solutions and can power reporting, analytics and a wide range of  features, can help transform decision making and your business.

To download a brochure about ATS Time and Attendance Big Data Workforce Analytics go to our website. To reach ATS by phone call; 866.294.2467.

, ,

What You Should And Should Not Wear In The Office During Summer

June 21st, 2017 | Posted by ATS in HR | Leave Management | Productivity | Time and Attendance Canada | Time and Attendance Toronto - (Comments Off on What You Should And Should Not Wear In The Office During Summer)

Every year summer along comes summer with its high temperatures, and we all scramble for our shorts, tank-tops and other casual wear, but not wearing the right clothes in the office can send the wrong message. Many of today’s technology organizations tend to be more relaxed about employee work attire and it’s not unusual to see employees wearing jeans and tee-shirts at these companies. And, although this is usually a happy time, you should still be cautious about what you choose to wear during summer in the office.

What You Should And Should Not Wear In The Office During Summer

In a Career Builder article, summer attire taboos, here are 8 tips for maintaining your business-casual and/or professional look during those hot days.

  1. Flip-flops
    Professional or dressy sandals are acceptable in many workplaces, and you know better than anyone if you work in such a place. Flip-flops and other recreational footwear are rarely acceptable for the same reason blowing a bubble with gum in a meeting is inappropriate: You look out of place and inconsiderate to your audience. Plus, that annoying sound of the flip-flop slapping against your heel will not make you any friends.
  2. Sunglasses indoors
    You’re not Bono. Yes, the sunlight is blinding when you walk outside or drive to work, but sunglasses don’t belong indoors. People can’t tell if you’re paying attention to them when your eyes are hidden behind dark lenses, and everyone will wonder if your pupils were just dilated.
  3. Shorts
    Shorts automatically take the professional image down a notch, which could be a good thing for some places. For example, if you walk into a store that sells surfboards and wetsuits, you want to be greeted by someone in shorts and a tee, not a suit and briefcase. In most workplaces, however, shorts detract from a professional demeanor. Even nice shorts that are more suited for a day the country club than an afternoon painting your kitchen aren’t as pulled together as a pair of trousers.
  4. Tank tops
    Regardless of the season, you should be wary of showing too much skin. In the summer, tank tops are prevalent in many wardrobes, and you might be tempted to sport one to work. Don’t. From an aesthetic standpoint, tanks make people think of a six-pack of beer, not of a six-figure salary. A professional look should lean more toward the latter.
    Another issue that exists in some organizations is the idea that no one, male or female, should have bare arms. Remember when Michelle Obama took flak for her sleeveless blouses? As with many of these tips, use your best judgment. Unless your occupation involves some form of labour where sleeves affect your work, you should keep your upper arms covered.
  5. Funny shirts or shirts from your vacation destination
    Your “I’m Not as Think as You Drunk I Am” shirt might make your best friends laugh, but your boss, colleagues and customers or clients will disagree. Clothing shouldn’t announce itself, so steer clear of humor. And shirts bearing the name of your last vacation destination will probably make your overworked colleagues begrudge your time off.
  6. Not being prepared
    Even if you’re allowed to be casual during the summer, have a backup outfit or piece of clothing to dress up your attire. If you’re in jeans and a plain T-shirt and your biggest client calls a last-minute meeting, it wouldn’t hurt to have a least a blazer or nicer shirt on hand. Being prepared is never a bad thing.
  7. Anything see-through
    Another tip that should go without saying, but just in case: Skin and undergarments should not be seen through the fabric you’re wearing. Lightweight linen that’s breezy and comfortable on the beach is inappropriate at work, not to mention uncomfortable for your co-workers.
  8. Testing the limits
    If your employer gives you wiggle room with the dress code by using words such as “appropriate” and “reasonable” to describe acceptable attire, use your brain. A ketchup-stained T-shirt, scandalously short shorts and dilapidated tennis shoes are acceptable in your personal life, but not at work. And you know that. So don’t ruin summer wardrobes for everyone.

Most people are happy during summer after the dark months of fall and winter. However, you should always make sure do not go more casual than your company culture allows. And, when in doubt, look around you and observe how other people are dressing. If you are still not sure and your company does have an employee handbook, ask your boss or the company’s HR manager.

, ,

Want To Remain Nimble And Increase Profits? Cloud Is The Way To Go

June 13th, 2017 | Posted by ATS in ATS TimeWork OnDemand | HR | Leave Management | Payroll | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Canada | Time and Attendance Toronto | Workforce Management Solutions - (Comments Off on Want To Remain Nimble And Increase Profits? Cloud Is The Way To Go)

Every company wants to maintain its competitive edge by making sure its payroll costs is not too high while always looking for ways to increase its profits. Sometimes, that’s easier said than done. For example, a drastic cut to a company’s workforce or outsourcing of a department, might lead to decrease customer satisfaction and low employee morale. In other words, while it’s not impossible to achieve both objectives, it is sometimes easier on paper than in reality.

If your company is using a cloud-based business management software, the possibilities are endless. Today’s workforce is different from yesteryear and successful companies regardless of size or industry, know only too well, that in order to keep their position at the top they must find ways to improve productivity and streamline payroll costs. And, with the right cloud-based time and attendance solution, companies can do a whole lot more.

Want To Remain Nimble And Increase Profits? Cloud Is The Way To Go

Here are 3 ways companies can remain nimble and increase productivity and profits:

24/7 365 Days A Year-Availability:
In today’s every increasing competitive business landscape, not having access to data whenever you need it, equals lost decreased productivity and profits. The right cloud computing application is available no matter where your finance, payroll and HR managers are. As long as their device is connected to the Internet, they can gain access to data in real-time, respond to employee vacation and other leave management requests.

Adhere to compliance needs:
Changes in compliance and other workforce regulations continues to shift and companies need to ensure they are using a software application that is update all the time and meet the complexity of these changes as they occur. In a world of Big Data, cloud computing, using an application like ATS TimeWork OnDemand you get immediate compliance updates that’s pushed out automatically to the entire organization- as soon as they’re available. In short, this simplifies the process of keeping your time and attendance solution up-to-date and it also ensures that all users has access to the most current information and tools to do their jobs effectively.

The Cloud Propels Productivity:
When IT resources are focused on maintaining and fixing old Servers with existing antiquated solutions, they are essentially always playing defense. By deploying ATS cloud-based time and attendance your IT resource can focus on spending their time on other important initiatives.

In closing, when compared to on-premise solutions, cloud computing applications like ATS TimeWork OnDemand will help to grow your business profitably, and will provide your compare with more reliable information all in -real-time, drive faster decision-making, and thus, enabling you to quickly meet changing market demands to stay ahead of all your competitors.

To learn about ATS TimeWork OnDemand, go to our website. You can also register for a bi-weekly webinar or download a demonstration.

, , , , , , ,

Hot Potato, Hot Potato And The Minimum Wage Debate

June 8th, 2017 | Posted by ATS in Economy | Minimum Wage | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on Hot Potato, Hot Potato And The Minimum Wage Debate)

The recent announcements of a $15.00 per hour minimum wage in several jurisdictions across North America have left those for jumping for joy and those against it seething. On radio talk shows and, in online forums the debate is like a hot potato. At this point, both sides feel so strongly about their position on the matter, it’s unlikely they will engage in a healthy debate about the subject.

The arguments for and against the wage increase is far reaching.  One of the many groups against the wage hike is The Oakville Chamber of Commerce based, based on feedback from its members, and writes the following;

“Chamber members share the Government’s desire for broadly inclusive growth. However, in order to achieve this, we need to ensure that we are not risking job losses, rising consumer costs, and economic hardship as a result of over-regulation.

The cost of all of these benefits will be borne by small business owners.  We believe the government has not yet fully understood the unintended consequences of these changes.   Chamber members have expressed their frustration and concern over rising costs and over regulation.

Higher costs for employers will inevitably lead to higher prices for consumers.  If the businesses cannot transfer these new costs to the consumer, employers will be looking to reduce overhead by cutting staff hours and possibly cutting the number of staff.  This will reduce the job opportunities available to youth and other low-skilled individuals who need employment.

Hot Potato, Hot Potato And The Minimum Wage Debate

While we understand the commendable intentions of these proposals, it is clear that the government can’t legislate prosperity.  Instead of creating more opportunity for workers, changes like these often have the opposite effect by reducing jobs and increasing the cost of living.”

Arguments in favour of the minimum wage hike:

In a recent interview, venture capitalist and critic of income inequality, Nick Hanauer did not mince words:

“The fundamental law of capitalism is that when workers have more money, businesses have more customers and need more workers… [There’s been] essentially 100 years of wealthy owners telling workers that if wages go up, employment will go down, but in fact it never happens.

The only thing that’s really true about the claim that when wages go up, employment goes down, is that if people like me can get people like your listeners to believe it’s true, it will work out really, really well for people like me. The truth is that this claim really isn’t a description of reality. It’s more of a scam or an intimidation tactic. It’s essentially a threat that powerful people use against not powerful people to scare them away from higher wages.”

Look back historically to the moments when wages went up and take a look at what happened in the past…What you will always find is that when wages go up, particularly when wages go up for everyone all at once, what you find is robust, economic growth.

You have to understand, from the point of view of an individual business owner, paying more wages is bad. Who wouldn’t want to pay their workers poverty wages and keep profits high? But the problem is, everybody can’t have that deal. If no one pays their workers good wages, then who will buy the stuff and who will pay the taxes? The people who are defending these low wages today, essentially are free riders. They’re parasites on the larger economy.”

We will give Don Lee the last word. In his article for the LA Times A new dawn for the minimum wage he writes;

“Community activists and politicians see a $15 minimum wage as the antidote to the ills of rising inequality, a way to reduce poverty and stimulate the overall economy. Business owners warn it will tie their hands in downturns, drive small employers out of business and lead to millions of layoffs.

The reality is not that simple: An increase to $15 an hour would ripple through the U.S. economy in some unexpected ways that are, generally, not as bad nor as beneficial as each side claims.”

Keep current with ATS:

, ,

Is The Customer Always Right?

June 6th, 2017 | Posted by ATS in HR | Time and Attendance Toronto | Workforce Management Solutions - (Comments Off on Is The Customer Always Right?)

The topic of customer service always brings out a difference of opinions from some who believe the employees come first and then customers-and there are others who remain resolute in their belief that the customers always comes first. Whichever camp you are in, it’s clear that no business can prosper without its customers.

Here are some excerpts from Sharlyn Lauby, creator of HR Bartender, addressing the subject, of whether the customer is always right or not:

“There are times when the customer is absolutely right. The company messed up big time and they need to take responsibility for their mistake. Organizations have a huge opportunity to win a raving fan, instead of gaslighting the customer into thinking it was their own fault or simply apologizing without accepting responsibility. Organizations should invest in customer service and problem-solving training to help employees work directly with customers. I don’t believe customers expect perfection. They do expect to be treated with respect; and ignoring service challenges isn’t the way to do it.

There are also times when the customer is wrong. Often, it’s because the customer doesn’t understand the rules. Great examples are industries like health care, telecommunications, and government. They have unique regulations, lengthy contracts and forms, and it takes some time before we get the hang of working with them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bashing those industries. It’s who they are and, as a consumer, we need to educate ourselves on how to work with them. We have an obligation to understand what we’re buying. But at the end of the day, the customer is still the customer. And there’s not an unlimited supply of them.”

Is The Customer Always Right?

In a world of competitiveness that spans all industries, getting customers and hanging onto them is paramount. The Internet has allowed today’s customers to browse and compare before buying online for such things as; banking services, cars, hotels, time and attendance, and vacation getaways. In short, today’s customers have no patience for anything short of stellar service.

The most poignant part to that article reads in part; “At the end of the day, the customer is still the customer. And there’s not an unlimited supply of them.”

To learn more ATS time and attendance solutions, you can download a prerecorded demonstration. And, to connect with us directly call, 866.294.2467 or follow us on Twitter, Pinterest or Google+

, ,

How Can ATS Workforce Management In The Cloud Help Our Business?

June 1st, 2017 | Posted by ATS in ATS TimeWork OnDemand | Cloud Computing | Overtime | Software-as-a-Service (saas) Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off on How Can ATS Workforce Management In The Cloud Help Our Business?)

Simply put “Cloud” simply means that your software/application, or data, (as it is commonly referred to) is hosted remotely via the Internet, by ATS Team. ATS Workforce Management in the Cloud helps lowers payroll and operational costs, while remaining seamlessly scalable. In other words, your organization only pays for what it needs, and can expand or change services based on business demand—with no capital outlay.

ATS Workforce Management in the Cloud is a robust, best-of-breed time and attendance application, with a 99.9% service level that ensures best-in-class uptime— that’s readily to your business anytime and anywhere you need it.

The benefit to your organization when you deploy ATS Workforce Management in the Cloud includes; control labour costs, reduction of  manual processes, and simplify compliance for all of your employees, locally, regionally and globally.

Here are some additional benefits to deploying this solution for your business:

Capture Employee’s Time
ATS Workforce Management In The cloud will capture the time in/out of employees: Flex-time, full-time, non-exempt, and part-time as well.

Easy to Use
Payroll, HR and operational managers will love the modern, intuitive user interface, accessible from any workstation or mobile device that’s connected to the Internet.

How Can ATS Workforce Management In The Cloud Help Our Business?

Always Current Cloud Application
Your company can take advantage of advanced technology—as they become available. Think about this, you never have to go through a tedious and disruptive process in order to get an upgrade to your system.

Manage Employee Time and Hours by Exception
Instead of going through each employee time card, your users can manage by exception. For example, who is approaching overtime, scheduled to receive a premium or stat holiday pay.

Easily Adhere to Payroll Compliance Rules
ATS Workforce Management In The Cloud can be easily configured to adhere to collective bargaining agreements, and will support the needs of local and global workforce rules.

ATS Workforce Management In The Cloud purpose-built for your industry to help drive business outcomes by engaging your employees, streamlining payroll costs, increasing productivity, and minimizing compliance risk. You can manage your workforce with this powerful and a proven cloud platform that is secure, scalable, and mobile — allowing you to do business when or where you choose to access its power.

To learn more, you can download the app, or demonstration. And, to connect with ATS, you can find us on Twitter, Pinterest or Google+

, , , ,