When it comes to employee scheduling, most people turn to Homebase as a viable solution for all their business needs. It is important to set up an easy-to-understand and effective platform for employees to be compensated accurately and for all shifts to be covered accordingly. With Homebase, you can create employee schedules catered to generate revenues and scale your business. It is complete with free online tools, scheduling features and administrative solutions to better manage your employees.
Homebase works with several third-party applications; these integrations further expand its functionalities. This includes ADP, QuickBooks, Toast, Clover and Square. What these integrations do is power up your business to accomplish more. With these, you can benefit from point-of-sale and payroll integrations.
This software solution is suitable for a wide range of industries and organizations. This includes coffee shops, gyms, restaurants, bars and retail stores. Basically, it is a good solution for local businesses that have employees who work by the hour. It has all the essential features needed in an employee scheduling software solution, helping the HR team manage schedules, report the hours for payroll and hire the best employees for the job.
Homebase Features
Below, you will find Homebase’s top five features:
Scheduling
This feature allows you to create work schedules in no time at all. Homebase’s scheduling features make it easy to update and change anything as needed. Moreover, it helps you forecast labor costs, ensure you are always filling every open position and keep your employees happy with accurate payroll.
A mobile application is also available here. This allows your workforce to check their schedule through their phone through email or text. If their schedule does not work well for them, then they can reach out and notify their managers ahead of time.
Time tracking
Homebase helps you track your hours and labor costs to ensure an accurate payroll system. Employees do not have to worry about not being able to clock on time. They can clock in using nearly all devices such as computers, tablets, time clocks, mobile phones and POS systems. If there comes a time where an employee forgets to clock in or out, then a manager can edit this for them.
Hiring and onboarding
In hiring and onboarding fresh hires, you can enlist the help of Homebase to get you started on the right track. This feature lets you publish job postings at job posting sites, hire the best person for the job and train them online, which is more hassle-free compared to paperwork-related tools. You can post your open jobs to the following sites: Craigslist, Google and ZipRecruiter.
Team communication
Establishing a steady and seamless communication within your team is crucial in maximizing your resources to ensure a successful business. In line with this, Homebase offers a messaging app that helps your employees keep up to date with their shifts and tasks. When it comes to managing schedules, you can double-check with your team about who is available and who needs to get their shifts switched. It also lets you know which members have seen or read the messages that have been sent.
HR and compliance
When hiring new people, it is important to comply with and follow existing policies and laws. This keeps you out of trouble and ensures everybody’s forms and documents have been filled out. On the first day of your new hire’s job, everything has already been prepared for them thanks to the HR and compliance tools offered by Homebase. This also gets you connected with an HR expert who will guide you in reviewing existing policies and on-demand training.
Homebase Benefits
When using Homebase, you benefit from:
A cost-efficient software solution
Homebase provides one of the most flexible pricing packages in the current market. This is because it bases its prices on locations instead of business size. Within a single location, a company can add an unlimited number of employees into their account.
An easy-to-navigate user interface
This software solution is simple and straightforward. Everything you need is combined into a single, unified platform. You do not have to worry about getting confused or lost amidst numerous features and functionalities you need to take note of. Instead, you can manage all performance-related tasks without having to leave the comforts of Homebase.
A paperless method for your business
One of the many benefits of software solutions is its paperless method. With a few clicks, you are directed to the exact page you want to be at. This is extremely helpful in tracking schedules, employees, payroll, shifts and messages. At the end of the day, you can quickly catch up and update to the needs of your employees. This means being able to trade shifts, change schedules and approve or decline requests.
Homebase Pricing
Three pricing packages are made available by Homebase. This provides the necessary tools and solutions for businesses and organizations to manage their team well. However, if you want to test out Homebase first before subscribing to any plans, then you can check out the free version. This lets you own an account where you can benefit from features that are charged by other software solutions. This includes time and attendance, applicant tracking, time clocks, employee mobile apps and scheduling beyond 10 days. The free account works for more than 10 employees, which fits those businesses that are just starting up.
But if you are looking for more functionalities, then you should consider the following:
Essentials
The first package, just as the name suggests, provides the essential features in Homebase. For the monthly package, it is priced at $19.95 per location. However, under the annual plan, it is priced at $14.00 per month and per location. It has the tools your teams require to work better and safer. You can also benefit from performance management, communication, productivity and lastly, health and safety screening.
Plus
The next package Homebase offers is Plus. For a monthly price of $49.95 (which is decreased to $35.00 under the annual plan), this package has everything offered in the previous plan. But it is a better way to manage labor costs, team operations and project budgets. You can benefit from advanced features such as time-off policies, departments and their corresponding permissions, compliance options and budgeting tools.
All-in-one
The last package is considered the best value. For the monthly billing cycle, you are charged $99.95 per month. Under the annual plan, you get to save more since you are charged $70.00 per month and per location. The all-in-one, as stated in the name itself, offers the most comprehensive and complete toolkit for you to work with. Not only does it have everything offered in the previous plans, but it also has the following features: onboarding, document storage, API access and HR Pro advisors with training.
You can also add more services to your plan for a more and improved solution. They are as follows:
- HR Pro advisors and resources – $99.00 per month
- Onboarding and document storage – $49.00 per location
- Job posting boosts – $79 per post
Conclusion
If you are looking for a platform to ensure all your resources are maximized to their utmost potential, then you should consider Homebase as a viable solution for your business needs. Not only does it help you schedule and track your workforce’s working hours, but it also ensures they are trained properly and paid for accurately. It also offers reasonable pricing packages, depending on the level of functionality and advanced features you require. Overall, it is a good product to have in giving your business the necessary tools to arrange their schedules, change shifts and be updated on important changes.
