2024’s Essential Features Every Restaurant HR Software Should Offer

Did you know that 62% of Gen Z prefer dining out at least once a week?

This trend highlights a shift in how younger generations view dining as a social and leisure activity. For restaurants, this means crafting unique experiences that resonate with Gen Z, from ambience to service style.

With their affinity for sharing experiences on social media, restaurants that capture this market can benefit from organic word-of-mouth promotion and increased foot traffic. To meet these demands, restaurants are incorporating various technologies, HR tools & software into their operations.

In fact, on average, restaurant employees use a minimum of 3 technologies to manage everything from reservations to inventory. This technological integration is vital for ensuring smooth operations and improving overall efficiency.

From point-of-sale systems, payroll software and online reservation platforms to inventory management software in restaurant management solutions, these HR tools help streamline processes and enhance customer service.

As the industry continues to evolve, think of cooler dining experiences, flawless inventory, and smart data insights. It’s no longer a choice but a must if you want to shine in the restaurant biz.

So, what are the must-have features of restaurant HR software in 2024? Let’s check it out

Why do you need restaurant HR software in the restaurant industry?

A restaurant owner can better answer that. Restaurants have multiple challenges owner needs to go through from the hiring process to the managing payroll.

Challnges usually restaurant industry faces:

• Employee Turnover dilemma: Managing a restaurant means dealing with the frequent loss of key employees, often due to hiring teenagers who tend to leave quickly. This high turnover is costly, as replacing trained staff involves more expense than simply retaining old one.
• Staffing Shuffles: Finding skilled and reliable employees who can handle tasks efficiently, helping to keep turnover low and productivity high.
• Payroll Hurdles: Contract employees make payroll management complex. Festival and weekend overtime can result in errors when handled manually, causing employee dissatisfaction.
• Inventory Wastage Issues: Managing inventory involves many complexities and frequent changes. Ingredients, being major expenses, have short shelf lives. Tracking inventory details, such as location and expiration dates, without accurate information is tough.
• Demand Forecasting: Inaccurate stock records can hurt revenue. Precise demand forecasts for materials can reduce input costs and prevent losses from over-ordering and food waste.
• Admin Work Challenges: While customers see the dining experience, the real work happens in administrative tasks. To manage a restaurant effectively, you must handle customer forecasts, delivery volumes, popular versus unprofitable items, and profit margins.Too many issues, huh? However, employee management software for restaurants can help.

Think of restaurant HR software as your digital assistant, handling those boring tasks like restaurant management solutions, time tracking, managing payroll, and benefits administration, so you have to focus on the fun parts and the tasks that will help you to grow the business.

With automated scheduling and easy-peasy communication tools, you’ll transform the employee experience and keep things running like a dream. Your team will appreciate the organized chaos too

Key Features to Look for in Restaurant HR Software

1. Employee Scheduling and Shift Management

Flexible Scheduling: The restaurant HR software should offer features like shift management of employees, drag-and-drop scheduling, swap shifts, automated reminders, best payroll features, and automated scheduling of employees based on peak hours.

It’s all about making your life easier so you can spend more time doing what you love—running a fantastic restaurant

Comprehensive Labor & Availability Management: Managing labor and availability has never been simpler.

The restaurant HR mobile app platform offers an intuitive way to stay compliant, allowing employees to update their availability and empowering managers to create accommodating schedules. No more juggling schedules manually – everything’s streamlined and user-friendly!

2. Time and Attendance Tracking

Accurate Payroll Processing: Restaurant HR software takes the hassle out of payroll by accurately tracking employee hours, so paychecks match what’s worked. This reduces errors and fosters trust between management and staff.

With dependable payroll systems, restaurants can focus on offering top-notch dining experiences.

Reduced Administrative Work: Running a restaurant is challenging enough without getting bogged down by admin work, right? Let’s say you’re the manager of a lively diner and are drowning in administrative tasks like tracking vacation days and overtime.

With Restaurant HR software, you can streamline these processes. For example, the system can automatically calculate and apply overtime pay based on your staff’s hours, freeing you up to focus on delivering top-notch service instead of crunching numbers

3. Employee Self Service

Request Time Off: Ever wished requesting time off was as simple as sending a text? With Restaurant HR Software, it’s just that easy. You can quickly put in your request, check your balance, and get approvals—all from one handy platform. Imagine being able to request your vacation days right from your phone or computer, without the hassle of going through endless paperwork.

It’s like having a personal assistant for your time-off needs

View their schedules: You can view your work schedules online, right from your phone. This means if you’re out with friends and need to plan your week, just pull up your schedule on your phone and see exactly when you’re working. No more waiting around to see the paper schedule posted on the wall.

This means more time to focus on serving our amazing customers and less time worrying about when your next shift is.

4. Payroll Integration

Effortless Payroll Management: The payroll software makes switching payroll systems an easy task.

This software solution designed to handle tips, overtime, and varying labor costs with ease. Ideal for the hospitality industry, it ensures a smooth transition so you can keep your operations running effortlessly.

Direct Deposit and Tax Compliance: Why stress about payroll? With Restaurant HR software, you get direct deposit that makes payday quick and painless.

And this employee management software restaurants take care of all the tax compliance stuff – from local to federal regulations, we handle it, so you don’t have to. Enjoy peace of mind and a smoother payroll process in the restaurant industry and get back to what you love.

5. Comprehensive training modules

Onboarding Solutions: Engage new employees with innovative training modules introducing them to various features, ensuring rapid integration and ongoing skill enhancement for all staff members.

This innovative approach helps employees get up to speed quickly, making them feel valued and empowered from day one.

Watch Out for Buddy Punching: Keep an eye on new hire employee progress through training programs to prevent buddy punching, ensuring every minute spent is productive and not time-consuming.

By doing so, you maintain accountability and make the most of your workforce’s time, fostering a culture of transparency and productivity

6. Performance Management

Aligned Goals with Fair Rewards: As your restaurant begins utilizing paid plans, features like direct deposit and tip pooling become integral to ensuring timely and fair compensation for your staff, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement and transparent communication.

Investing in HR software that offers these capabilities helps your restaurant to efficiently manage payroll, minimize errors, and build trust within your team.

Holistic HR Approach: Boost employee morale and engagement by implementing self-service recognition programs alongside HR performance analytics.

Reward high achievers and use payroll data to identify trends and areas for improvement, aiding strategic decisions.

7. Recruitment and Onboarding

Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Looking for a way to make hiring less of a headache? An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is here to save time.

Restaurant owners can use an ATS to automates the boring stuff like interview scheduling, and run background checks, all while boosting employee experience to retain workers.

Simplify onboarding: In the competitive world of restaurant industry, attracting and retaining top talent is essential. An automated onboarding process ensures that new employees feel welcomed and supported from day one.

Through mobile-friendly portals, they can find all the information they need in one place, making it easier to settle into their roles and understand the company culture.

8. Integration Capabilities

POS: When your HR software is synced with your POS system, everything from clock-ins to employee shift management becomes an easy task. The software automatically tracks work hours, eliminating the need for manual timecards.

This not only saves you time but also reduces errors and ensures that payroll is accurate.

Accounting Software: Restaurant’s HR software and POS system work hand-in-hand to ensure your operations run smoothly. Integrating these systems allows your restaurant to efficiently handle tasks from employee management to sales tracking.

When your staff clocks in, their work hours are automatically recorded in the employee management software restaurants, and sales data is updated in real-time, giving you a clear picture of your business’s performance.

9. Tax Management 

Tax Filing Support: Tax filing doesn’t have to be a complex chore. The restaurant HR software streamlines the entire process, from generating all the required documents to uncovering every credit and deduction you might qualify for.

It’s designed to save you time and keep your team running smoothly. No more tax headaches—just efficient, hassle-free filing!

Tax Compliance & Reporting: Taxes got you stressed? Don’t worry!

The restaurant HR software POS system makes it super simple to stay on top of state and local taxes. And, with handy third-party integrations, you’ll get detailed tax reports effortlessly. It’s like having your own tax expert right in your system

Benefits of Using HR Software in Restaurants

Automated Payroll Management

Remember the old days of sitting with a calculator, sweating over a payroll process? Those days are over.

With restaurant HR payroll processing solutions, it’s like having a super-efficient restaurant management solution for restaurant owners like time tracking, employee data management, employee self-service, and benefits administration.

Accurate Time and Attendance Tracking

Juggling shifts and roles? The restaurant HR software simplifies employee logging hours with automatic reminders and easy direct deposits, making it easy to log clock-ins and clock-outs

Improved Compliance and Regulations Adherence

The Employee management software restaurants keeps you on the right side of the law by automating compliance checks and updates. It ensures your practices are always up to date, reducing the risk of costly fines or legal issues.

Real-Time Reporting and Analytics

HR software for restaurants offers real-time reporting and analytics that provide valuable insights into your people management.

Restaurant owners can track employee performance, process payroll, and access legal assistance, helping you make informed decisions to drive your business forward.

Reduced Administrative Burden

With the usage of full-service HR software, available on a free plan, administrative load can be lightened, such as data entry and record keeping, freeing up working hours for your team to work on projects that add value to your business.

Enhanced Security and Data Privacy

With HR software for restaurants, large and small businesses can keep their restaurant running smoothly by securely managing payroll and safeguarding personal data.

The Journey with KNOW’s Restaurant HR Software Begins Here!

To stay competitive in 2024, having HR software that seamlessly integrates payroll services, handling fluctuating staffing & shift swapping, turnover and employee data management is a must for restaurant owners.

With KNOW’s Restaurant HR Software and a range of people management add-ons, all your HR headaches can be easily solved and give your employees the support they deserve

Here’s what you can look forward to

Unified Resource System:

Keep all your training resources securely in one location, easily accessible through your mobile device. This user-friendly software minimizes errors, improves communication, and ensures managers and employees are always aligned.

Online Training Modules:

KNOW restaurant management solution makes it simple to distribute innovative training content that empowers your restaurant team to perform at their best. Effortlessly monitor their progress and achievements with instant insights.

Automated Staff Coordination:

Transform your approach to staff attendance and scheduling with KNOW Restaurant HR Software. This robust tool automates the management process, guaranteeing that your team is perfectly aligned with your operational needs.

Digital Audits:

From pest control to fire safety and equipment quality checks, digitize every aspect of your restaurant’s safety and compliance processes. This innovative software ensures that your restaurant is always up to code, reducing manual paperwork and improving efficienc

Accurate Payroll Processing:

With KNOW Restaurant HR Software, enjoy accurate payroll processing that eliminates errors and saves valuable time. The straightforward interface handles employee hours and tax deductions effortlessly, letting you focus on what’s important running your restaurant.

Direct Deposits:

Are you tired of complicated payroll processes? With this HR software for restaurants, you can simplify everything with seamless payroll integrations and mobile access. Effortlessly set up fees and direct deposits for hassle-free payments to your staff. And, with the ability to manage turnover efficiently, you’ll keep your team stable and satisfied.

That’s quite an impressive range of benefits, isn’t it?

So, Why wait? Begin your journey with KNOW’s Restaurant HR Software today and transform your HR benefits administration processes into a seamless, efficient experience.