While WhatsApp has some advantages as a powerful sales and marketing channel, as a workforce management tool or even a basic shift scheduling tool, it can fall short.
WhatsApp can be handy for sending messages to staff and co-workers quickly, but there are several reasons why you should avoid using WhatsApp for shift scheduling. Here are 10 of them, as well as 10 reasons why you should consider making the shift to Deputy.
Not Built for Scheduling: WhatsApp is not an official shift scheduling app and wasn’t designed for workforce management or shift scheduling.
Inefficient: Notifications for new shifts may not be received in time if employees are off duty.
Lack of Clarity: It can be difficult to keep track of who is scheduled for which shift when there are multiple conversations happening simultaneously.
Lack of Visibility: Scheduling messages can get lost in an employee’s chat history.
Manual: You cannot create recurring shifts or templates in WhatsApp.
Poor Communication Boundaries: It can be difficult to communicate with employees who are on duty without involving everyone else or managing multiple group chats.
Internal Communication Burn Out: It encroaches on your team’s personal life when they are not at work. WhatsApp is a personal messaging app and some employees may feel uncomfortable receiving work-related messages through it.
Non-compliant and Security issues: Employees and managers using WhatsApp to conduct business related correspondence can unwittingly fall foul of GDPR. For example if confidential business sensitive information like contracts and shift schedules are shared via WhatsApp this information will be stored in one of Meta’s data centres. In 2021, WhatsApp was fined £193 million by Ireland’s data watchdog for breaching privacy regulations.
Time Consuming: If your team’s schedules rarely change you can get away with WhatsApp, but the reality usually is that this isn’t the case. Most likely your schedule changes frequently. WhatsApp creates a lot of noise and it can lead to great confusion rather than helping.
Disjointed Communication: no central record keeping exists and no way of mapping hours worked to payroll, and juggling multiple group chats can create more confusion and chaos.
So while WhatsApp promises a more direct way to connect with your staff, it can also be an operational headache, as well as present a potential compliance issue.
So, what can you use instead?
How Deputy Helps Streamline Communication and More
Free up time. With Deputy you can build rotas in minutes, schedule the right staff, at the right times, across different roles and locations. Easily fill shifts based on employee availability, training, and cost.
Accurate, transparent time tracking. You can capture accurate timesheets using our flexible clock-in options, so everyone has a reliable record of the hours worked.
Effective communication. With NewsFeed your staff can stay informed, share important messages and contribute to the workplace conversation without intruding on their personal time and spaces.
Accurate timesheets. With our time clock software you can record time on shift, verify time and attendance and approve and export timesheets individually.
Payroll efficient. Integrate with your existing processes and data by synching with your existing payroll system and integrating with your point of sale solution.
Simplified shift swaps. Manage rota changes easily and quickly by allowing staff to swap shifts among themselves and claim open shifts you post.
Easy onboarding. Give your staff a great experience by managing your entire onboarding process in Deputy.
Optimise your labour costs. Deputy gives you a clear view of how your wage costs compare to sales so you can improve your labour cost percentage.
Stress free leave management. Set up leave entitlements with a few clicks, track accurate balances, request and approve leave from any device, and when staff are absent, find replacements with one tap.
Stay on top of your team’s mental health. With Shift Pulse you can check in on your employee’s wellbeing without being intrusive.
Deputy is rotas and timesheets without the usual headaches, and is an intelligent workforce management platform that helps you to attract and retain talent.
Use Deputy to meet all your employee scheduling needs, streamline communication and improve wellbeing.
