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

HCM cloud software is dynamic, and in ever-changing industry, with expectations and demands from customers changing at a fast pace. HR and payroll departments are no different, they have had to deal with legacy software solutions for many years. And, while some have been slow to migrate to the cloud, most have because of covid-19 — and remote work— due in part, to a new generation of workers, who value work differently than their parents.

The adoption of Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions has had a significant impact on HR and business processes. Modern technologies and software platforms, like ATSTimeWorkOnDemand HCM have allowed HR and payroll professionals to simplify employee lifecycle management and focus on organizational goals rather than administrative tasks.

ATSTimeWorkOnDemand is a 100% TrueCloud based HCM platform, that offers a suite of modules and functionalities, under one roof. And since it’s Cloud-based, ATS offers unlimited scalability of operations, without any major infrastructure costs involved.

Here are some other reasons why companies are embracing ATSTimeWorkOnDemand HCM:

Time Collection for Accurate Data
COVID-19 has increased work from home options and, as more companies, become dispersed and mobile than ever, a traditional time clock many not be a viable solution. ATS offers a variety of options for employees to clock in including: kiosk, web, tablets and mobile phones. And, with embedded geofencing you can ensure employees only punch in from certain locations, when reporting to or signing out from work.

Improve HR Service Delivery
ATSTimeWorkOnDemand HCM provides a suite of capabilities that make HR service delivery easier and more efficient for everyone, across the organization. With a single tool to manage employee time, accrual benefits, payroll and financials, organizations can eliminate third-party integrations, improve data accuracy, create a more engaging workforce experience and make better-informed decisions to tightly align workforce performance with business performance.

Intuitive Analytical Tools
ATSTimeWorkOnDemand HCM is equipped with Machine learning (ML) a subset of AI that is narrowly focused on the learning and inherent interpretation of data. ATS artificial intelligence tool, recognizes patterns and make predictions through data collection— thus, removing manual entry and guess-work out of the equation.

Reduce the Cost of Running Payroll
With ATSTimeWorkOnDemand HCM, you run payroll in minutes and post to your general ledger in real-time, while at the same time gaining access to workforce analytics. Within the application, the process for, employees to request time off and managers to approve requests, is automated. Time-off balances are automatically updated once requests are approved, and companies can set controls to enforce policies so employees aren’t taking too much time off. ATSTimeWorkOnDemand HCM performance metrics, empower managers— and employees to update their profiles, manage their teams — and securely view their own HR-related information.

ATS HCM Suite
ATSTimeWorkOnDemand suite has been adopted by global leaders in manufacturing, retail & hospitality, government entities, healthcare and engineering and construction to optimize their workforce, maintain compliance risks, and improve employee engagement. ATSTimeWorkOnDemand HCM connects HR and payroll data, project planning, talent management, budgeting and forecasting and procurement processes, that empower your executive and operational teams to make smarter and faster business decisions.

ATS has packaged the experience gained from thousands of deployments across the continent into a set of leading practices. These practices pave a clear path to success and are proven to deliver rapid return on investment (ROI) and get you live on ATS cloud applications in a predictable timeframe. Intelligent, stepped implementations begin with sales and span the entire customer lifecycle, so there’s continuity from sales to services to support.

To learn more, go to our website and download a demonstration. If you are interested in attending one of our bi-monthly webinars, register here.  And, to speak to an account executive, call 866.294.2467.

As proponents of artificial intelligence (AI), at ATS, we see how the technology can transform (when used the way its intended) HR departments and not to make them redundant. Essentially, many HR and other c-Suite executives already use the technology in some form or another, in their personal lives; whether it’s Siri, Alexa, or Cortana or a range of others on AI-based devices. In the workplace, AI is evolving into an intelligent assistant to help us work smarter. The technology also offers the potential to revolutionize key HR responsibilities, such as human capital management (HCM), talent management, benefits accruals, absence management, employee self-service, performance evaluation and onboarding for HR professionals.

A recent Gartner worldwide artificial intelligence forecast suggest that a whopping $62.5 billon in revenue is expected in 2022. And, a recently published article, by The HR Director, outlined 3 important ways that AI is being used in the world of talent management. They include:

  1. “Sourcing-AI is used to find and connect with talent more quickly, with the overall results of the sourcing being of better quality than before.
  2. Screening-with the help of AI screening tools, deriving important information is more efficient than ever – instead of going through and opening each and every resume, the tools will give you needed results in minutes.
  3. Interviewing –AI can be used for analyzing facial expressions of candidates during video interviews, giving the employer a better look into their personality traits, as well as using chatbots or pre-recorded videos to be more precise with checking the skillsets of candidates.”

Bottomline: Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration into human capital (HCM) management and human resources (HR) applications will make organizations better because these applications can analyze, forecast, capture data and diagnose to help HR teams make better decisions. Today, more than eve, more organizations are turning to power of AI and machine learning to streamline costs and improve productivity.

To learn about ATS Machine learning and AI software solutions, go to our website. To reach an account executive by phone call: 866.294.2467

When one of the requirements in online job ads states, that candidates will be hired based on ‘cultural fit’, this tends to favour the status quo in the company, whether that relates to socioeconomic, gender, age or one’s ability to join work colleagues at the local bar every Friday night.  And, when this happens, it makes it harder for anyone who doesn’t ‘fit the mould’ to get into sectors where they are currently under-represented. One of the problems with the words ‘culture fit’ is that its process, is both opaque and rife with biases – while keeping qualified candidates from roles they deserve.

In her article on the pros and cons of ‘Culture Fit’ Carla Bell of HR Dive solicited feedback from 3 experts in the field of HR and talent management. Here is a excerpt:

Jason Geer: What is culture fit? 
“I literally laughed out loud when I thought about the number of conversations, I’ve had with HR professionals and managers who described someone as not being a good “culture fit” for their respective organizations. They were saying, without actually saying, that “employee X” didn’t fit their narrow definition of how they should look and act. 

Culture fit is all about creating a culture centered around the “in group” philosophy of people who look, act and sound alike. It could be an organization’s interest and pursuit of candidates who will look, speak, act and work just like existing managers and employees. This is why so many companies are overwhelmingly white, and have similar academic backgrounds. It’s also the reason why diversity efforts in companies and organizations generally miss the mark. In an ideal working world, culture fit would be determined by that person’s ability to do the job.”

Lily Zheng: What is culture fit?
“Culture fit” is often used by HR professionals to describe the extent to which a candidate or employee has traits or characteristics in line with those promoted by the existing company culture. When those using this term lack awareness regarding their company culture, they may intentionally or unintentionally prioritize “fit” with extraneous criteria — e.g. the racial or gender composition of their company, the connection to prestigious schools or prior workplaces, friendship with existing leadership, etc. — and thus be engaging in discrimination.”

Andrew MacAskill: What is culture fit?
“When HR and other leaders talk about culture fit, they are talking about inviting people to work on their planet that won’t upset their ecosystem. They want people who can demonstrate that they align with the values and collective behaviors within the business as well as meeting the hard skills requirements of the role. This is a solid approach, but I feel as a business community we are now moving away from culture fit and evolving towards “culture add.” This is exciting because this is how we actively seek to recruit diverse individuals who will add something to the team through fresh thinking and perspectives, and that is where innovation and progress comes from.”

Bottomline: Of course, its important to make sure new hires abide by the policies and other day to day rules that govern a company. However, maintaining ‘cultural fit’, at all costs, means a company is not open to differing views — which in the end, means you are not maximising the potential of your talent and business.

Apex Time Solutions (ATS) is the global leader in delivering workforce management solutions in the cloud. Thousands of organizations that spans Canada, South America, US and Europe— including Fortune 500® — companies use ATS TimeWork OnDemand to control payroll costs, minimize compliance risk, and improve productivity.

Thousands of organizations across North, Central and South America and Europe- including more than half of the Fortune 500 – use ATS TimeWork OnDemand, Workforce Planning, Employee Scheduling HR and payroll solutions to manage their workforce. ATS cloud services offer rapid deployment, support services, software updates, and enhancements; and consulting and training services.

In the last several years, businesses and the IT world in general, has seen the increasing popularity of cloud computing, easily becoming the 21st century most talked about business application solution.

Cloud services that include; software and hardware have different options and pricing models, which in past, may have caused a few IT managers to be sceptical, about the technology and how it would affect their businesses. And, as a result, this may have also given rise to misconceptions about the realities of cloud computing and the many benefits it offers, including; business agility and cost reductions.

In this blog, we will debunk 5 myths about cloud computing:

Myth#1: All Cloud Software Solutions are the same
Different organizations have different needs and the best HCM cloud applications support those unique characteristics. For example, a food manufacturing company that creates products in small batches have different needs from a similar type of that manufactures the same product over and over.

Yet some businesses still believe that all cloud HCM solutions are the same and none of them are unique enough to suit their specific needs. Manufacturers with little knowledge of modern cloud computing solutions can sometimes get dazzled by buzzwords and perceived complexity. However, the cloud is not a platform that delivers a one-size-fits-all solution. The best cloud HCM providers offer flexibility, a wide variety of cloud-computing based functionality— and are designed by experts, with deep industry knowledge— who would not sell an application that’s loaded with bells and whistles that companies don’t need or would not use.

Myth# 2 – A Cloud Solution is too Expensive
We have heard this before, when in actuality, it will save you money in the long run. With ATS HCM cloud application, companies spend less on IT. Over a three- to five-year period, consider the hardware, software, implementation, customization, training, support and maintenance costs required for on-premise HCM application. It is easier to implement ATS HCM cloud, which doesn’t need large computers or onsite staff to maintain them.

Moving to the cloud means freeing up the extensive IT resources dedicated to the never-ending challenge of keeping the lights on in the server room. The burden of deploying, running, and upgrading systems shifts to ATS. This allows IT managers to become strategic shareholders, while driving innovation.

Myth#3 –It will be harder to Integrate to Third-Party Applications
Some companies still believe the myth that cloud HCM software is difficult to integrate with their existing systems. In fact, integration is much easier than you think. Third-party apps like, ERP, Payroll, Talent Management that is native to the same platform are easy to manage and integrate. They provide end-users with a consistent interface and experience. ATS makes use of the most updated API integration, and so your organization will have relevant, accurate operational data all in one place—in real time.

Myth#4 – An on-premise solution is better and is more secure
ATS Cloud offers the most powerful tools to help ensure top performance for your business. ATS HCM Cloud regularly updates its software to the latest and greatest without interruption to your business. Customers get the most up-to-date software delivered automatically. And all of this comes without having to put your IT staff through time-consuming updates and upgrades. ATS HCM monitors cloud performance 24×7 and scales to address demand.

One of the greatest benefits of using ATS HCM cloud is that your business always runs the latest version of the software. With ATS HCM cloud, you get the earliest access to new features, industry best practices, and competitive innovations. Not only does this keep you on the forefront of your industry, but it also sends security patches that effortlessly keep your system locked down.

Myth# 5 – Cloud Computing Applications are not as Secure
This is a persistent myth about the cloud that it is not secure. The early iteration of the cloud came with some concerns and rightly so. However, these concerns have dissipated with the way cloud applications system are hosted today, some of which includes firewalls, two-factor authentication, advanced encryption, frequent security updates, and detection. Data loss with an on-premise system can be permanent when a system fails. Cloud backup procedures ensures that downtime is not only rare but also temporary. Your data is protected and constantly backed up on the cloud.

Bottom Line:
As more companies deploy cloud applications, and continue to reap the benefits of increased efficiencies, improved productivity and increased profits, perhaps we may finally see some of these myths disappear.

About ATS
ATS offers a broad portfolio of time and attendance solutions that streamlines the collection, calculation, and reporting of employee hours for workforce management and eliminates the manual tasks of payroll preparation, increasing efficiency and reducing errors in corporate payroll departments.

Thousands of organizations across North, Central and South America and Europe- including more than half of the Fortune 500 – use ATS TimeWork OnDemand, Workforce Planning, Employee Scheduling HR and payroll solutions to manage their workforce.

Ageism is the practice of discriminating against someone because of their age. While some companies have made strides toward more transparency, accountability, and inclusivity there is still a lot more that can be done.

It is also not uncommon to hear that many companies post jobs with subtle and not so subtle phrases, reminding older workers that they need not apply. One explanation is that some companies, believe naively, that older workers; lack energy, are uneducated or unintelligent because of their age.

According to an article by Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Hiring in the Age of Ageism while HR professionals and talent recruiters might not intend to exclude older workers, the words used on their jobs postings say otherwise. The tech industry (while not the only one) have been accused of posting job ads designed to exclude older workers.

Below is a list of 7 common phrases (from the SHRM article) used, in some job postings that screams out; older workers, please don’t apply:

  1. Digital Native: May discourage qualified applicants who didn’t come of age with digital and mobile tech—even some as young as their 30s.
  2. High-Energy: Often a euphemism for young.
  3. Ninja/Guru: These trendy buzzwords are likely unfamiliar—or unappealing—to older candidates.
  4. GPA of 3.5 or higher: Sends the message that you’re looking for employees at a life stage where these assessments remain relevant.
  5. Overqualified: Since experience often correlates with age, this term can be used to mask age bias.
  6. Meals included: Implies an expectation that workers don’t have a family waiting for them to come home for dinner.
  7. Bad cultural fit: Can be problematic if your culture is overtly youth-oriented.

Ageism often begins with the hiring process. Every company has certain criteria when it comes to hiring, and HR and talent recruiters tend to hire people with certain traits. And, while that may not necessarily be a bad thing hiring managers should be aware of the value and benefits of a diverse workforce.

About ATS
ATS offers a broad portfolio of time and attendance solutions that streamlines the collection, calculation, and reporting of employee hours for workforce management and eliminates the manual tasks of payroll preparation, increasing efficiency and reducing errors in corporate payroll departments.

Thousands of organizations across North, Central and South America and Europe- including more than half of the Fortune 500 – use ATS TimeWork OnDemand, Workforce Planning, Employee Scheduling HR and payroll solutions to manage their workforce.

Several years ago, the mere mention of using time and attendance through the cloud was met with hesitancy and at times, worry. And, some across the IT world, gave tepid oks to the cloud, in part, because they were worried that it would take away their jobs as it removed the need to manage an on-premise solution. 

Fast forward to today in a world of remote work while battling COVID-19 and companies continue to swarm to cloud computing solutions, embracing it like never before. And, now it appears, that cloud computing has become all the more significant for companies both small and large- because it diminishes operational expense, brings elasticity, speed, easy deployment and rapid ROI.

The other part to this shift in cloud adoption, has to do with a swath of employees working remotely, because of COVID-19. This shift illustrates employees no longer need to be tethered to desks or physical locations to clock in/out and/or request time-off– even though, there is still nothing quite like sitting at a table with a bunch of people to commiserate and solve problems.

In conclusion, beyond 2021 and the coronavirus pandemic, companies will continue to rely cloud computing solutions like- ATSTimeWorkOnDemand for payroll, time and attendance, HRIS, talent management, employee self-service to track, manage and contain costs. The fear factor around cloud adoption, appears to have disappeared and, that is a benefit to all of us.

To learn about ATS cloud computing solutions, go to our website. To speak to an account executive, call 866.294.2467.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced business executives to anticipate and adapt to change—while navigating talent shortages and a shaky economy. And,while promises of cushy perks and pay are often used to compete for top talent— some employers struggle to develop and retain new hires.

How Talent Development Makes a Positive Impact on Your Business is an article written by, Jori Hamilton for online publication, Talent Culture. She offers the following tips on employee development:

Performance
Talent development is not only the key to retaining employees; it can also be instrumental in improving performance. This doesn’t just mean that your attention to their growth results in greater productivity — although that certainly occurs by acquiring new skills and understanding of productivity techniques. However, when your employees see you’re making efforts to support their growth, they tend to be more engaged with the efficient operation of the business. 

Innovation
One of the main errors a business can make is becoming stagnant. In the digital age, the world frequently changes. That often means that to retain the competitive edge, we must innovate. Talent development can introduce employees to new skills and new ways of thinking about the challenges they face – and overcoming them. As such, it is an essential element in building a sustainable culture of innovation within your company.

Company Insight
Provide them with opportunities to better understand the company; what it’s good at, and the not so good. This can include shadowing leadership, attending meetings, and being encouraged to ask questions (and being given honest answers). This helps the growth of new corporate operations skills and incentivizes deeper engagement within the company. 

Diversity
Innovation requires access to multiple perspectives and experiences. Studies show that companies that prioritize diversity tend to perform better than their more monocultural competitors. So, your talent development program must commit to nurturing diversity. Undoubtedly, part of this approach is ensuring a range of voices has opportunities to work with you. However, it’s also about encouraging those in the program to value diverse perspectives and adjust their own viewpoints accordingly. 

Curiosity 
Helping employees follow their curiosity, both within and outside of the business, is a cornerstone of talent development. Give employees opportunities to train with other departments and company time to work on personal projects. Add coaching to ensure employees feel guided and supported. By giving them space to explore and experiment, and encourage them even when they fail, you provide the tools necessary to contribute to innovation — and the confidence to experiment.

Loyalty
One of the greatest assets for any business is loyalty. Employees who feel connected to and supported by their company are more likely to stick with them in the long run. Loyalty isn’t about simple retention, though; it also means a dedication to the company’s ideals and becoming leaders who embody them. Employee development helps to both guide this process and reinforces the reasons why they should maintain their commitment. So, your talent development program must begin at onboarding. 

Bottomline: So, what’s the key to developing and retaining talent? When leaders open the lines of communication and address each employee personally it can help employees shape their learning and long-term contributions to the company, for the better.

To learn about ATS go to our website, where you can gain access to a product tour of our cloud HCM application. And, to reach us by phone, call 866.294.2467.

A common phrase used by some of today’s sports teams is, “trust the process”. That’s another way of saying that the team has a plan and if everyone embraces (including management) the plan it is, likely to succeed. Of course, plans do go awry sometimes so sports teams should always expect the unexpected. It’s no different with software implementation in business.

In the world of workforce management software, the central feature is that of a shared database that supports multiple functions used by different business units. In practice, this means that employees in different departments or locations, such as; distribution, engineering, HR, payroll and finance can rely on the same information for their business process needs.

Implementation stages
The process that encompasses workforce management software implementation can be simple or complex, based on factors like size of the company, the project’s complexity and expectations.

Workforce management software implementation that takes advantage of the cloud, can skip some of the traditional steps that an on-premises deployment involves. ATS manages the infrastructure, allowing organizations to focus on data migration, process changes and employee training. The added steps of hosting the application is handled by ATS.

Project Team
The project team is responsible for the overall health of the implementation project, overseeing day-to-day initiatives and timelines. And, depending on the size of the company, the project team will look different.

Complex implementations for larger enterprise will likely have a steering committee. The committee might consist of the senior executives and departmental managers, who will establish the strategy, goals and priorities that justify the investment.

The budget
The success or failure of a workforce management software implementation project can sometimes, hinge on a realistic budget. And, one of the reasons that a company might go over budget is the expansion and scope of the project.

Implementation Costs
Initial costs are typically much lower for cloud computing solutions like ATSTimeWorkOnDemand, because you only need to focus on the software requirements and connectivity to the system. And, that’s because ATS hosts and maintains the application, thus minimizing demands on time and IT resources.

Application Design
If your company is migrating to a cloud application from on-premise solution the new solution will need to connect with other platforms, like HR, talent management, CRM or payroll. The ATS programming team will need design and develop the APIs before any data integration is established.

Migration
Data migration is crucial to a successful implementation, but transferring data from one system to another can be cumbersome and present unanticipated roadblocks. The ATS project team can make this process more efficient by coordinating with a company’s project manager to ensure a smooth data and mapping analysis is performed.

Training
It’s important to unlock the benefits of your workforce management solution. In order to do so, you need to ensure your employees, understand how to leverage the new system. ATS training is comprehensive and is available to employees through a combination of online learning opportunities.

Testing
ATS software engineers and other users from your company’s project team test connections and validate data integrity, fine-tuning adjustments so the software solution runs as you would expect, before the final data transfer and go-live date.

And…We’re Off
By now, most of the glitches (if any) have been dealt with, the system has been configured according to specifications, data has been transferred and onboarding activities have occurred, and testing is complete.

Support
Post-implementation support is the final step in the project. Sometimes everything does not go as planned, you can rely on ATS team of industry experts to help you navigate through implementation wrinkles.

No matter the type of organization, implementing a workforce management solution is a critical project that demands careful planning and commitment from the entire organization.

To learn about ATS workforce management software in the cloud, go to our website. To reach an account representative, call: 866.294.2467

Enhancing the profitability of your organizational challenges gets more difficult every year—thanks in part to aging legacy applications and manual time tracking solutions that can’t keep up with today’s technology. Case in point, disconnected systems can hinder decision-making and lead to wasted resources and high payroll costs.

ATSTimeWorkOnDemand automates time tracking for hourly and salaried workforce and provides senior management with on-the-spot analytic reporting. With ATSTimeWorkOnDemand you can run your entire business in a single system of record, including: Talent Management, Time and Attendance, Payroll, ERP and HR and— receive updates on, production control, supply chain management, and more so you can be more competitive, efficient, and responsive to your customers’ needs.

Here are 5 reasons to deploy ATSTimeWorkOnDemand:

Scalable- Your organization will not have to worry again about database capacity, user license needs, adding another location, or how much storage or computing power you will need as your employee capacity and/or the size of your company increases. ATSTimeWorkOnDemand Cloud Computing application is infinitely scalable — expanding as needed.

Cost-ATSTimeWorkOnDemand lowers your cost of installing, maintaining and supporting your Human Capital Management (HCM) system – year after year. ATSTimeWorkOnDemand significantly cuts the cost of installing, maintaining, supporting and upgrading your system not just in year one, but throughout the lifetime of your relationship with ATS.

Secure-With ATSTimeWorkOnDemand, you get enterprise-class security at a low, predictable cost. You can trust that your data is safe—from ironclad firewalls and automated security sniffers to concrete walls and biometric control systems, ATSTimeWorkOnDemand solution is designed to provide the highest level of security.

State-Of-The-Art Technology-ATSTimeWorkOnDemand is built from the ground up with HR, finance and payroll practitioners in mind, and takes maximum advantage of cloud computing.  ATSTimeWorkOnDemand is designed for a “single instance, multi-tenant” implementation or across multiple sites across Canada, the US, Latin America or Europe. And, while the platform is shared among users and sites, security controls provide each tenant with sole access to its own data, in real-time, as well as full control over user and security administration.

Always-On-ATSTimeWorkOnDemand is available 24/7, 365 days a year— and promises to exceed the service levels and response time. Afterall, today’s businesses, simply cannot afford unscheduled downtime.

Tired of struggling with outdated and disparate software solutions?  Discover the many benefits of ATSTimeWorkOnDemand by downloading a demonstration of the application and you can see how this cloud application delivers a single solution that streamlines payroll costs, improve productivity and efficiently runs your business.

To learn more, you can contact us by phone at 866.294.2467 and/or also register for one of our bi-monthly webinars.

Accurate HR data delivered with up-to-the-minute analytics is vital to the success of an organization. ATS TimeWorkOnDemand cloud computing analytics application can help you make the right business decisions by providing a invaluable information and deep insights, using intuitive tools like automated real-time reports and easy to configure dashboards.

Here are 3 reasons why HR managers love ATS TimeWorkOnDemand:

Intuitive Dashboards

  • Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for the entire workforce through a set of intuitive dashboards
  • Create, update, and print reports in various formats and through the dashboards
  • Keep the executive suite and departmental managers informed across the organization, with scheduled up-to-the-minute reports and dashboards

Real-Time Insights

  • Enable rapid identification of trends using graphics with easy-to-use data visualization tools
  • Gain up to the minute management insights of workforce through comprehensive analytics. Drill down for more detail and utilize what-if analysis
  • Spot potential business problems before they occur, by gaining instant visibility with early warning systems reporting-so you can make better, informed people decisions.

Payroll and HR Compliance

  • Supports Canadian and US compliance and regulatory payroll, HR and collective bargaining reporting requirements.
  • Permission-based features designed to enable executives, managers, supervisors and employees to support both themselves and their teams, through self-service portals while ensuring that sensitive HR data is visible only to those who need to see it
  • Integrate HR, CRM, talent management, ERP and payroll applications with ATS TimeWorkOnDemand, giving one source of truth for your people data. Use on demand reports, dashboards and analytics to keep track of all payroll, compensation and employee benefits data

To view a demonstration of ATS TimeWorkOnDemand analytics, go to our website. And to reach an account executive by phone, call 866.294.2467.