The cost-of-living crisis is having a significant effect on the wellbeing of many workers, with nearly a third seeking extra hours to make ends meet.
A recent poll shows that 31 per cent reported working more hours and extra shifts over the last few months because of the increased living costs.And 46 percent attended the workplace when sick because they couldn’t afford to lose out on earnings.
New research[1] from Wagestream shows the majority of UK workers (57%) are bringing money worries to work every day, something that employers are increasingly aware of and responding to. 93 % of UK companies now plan to put a financial wellbeing programme in place, up from 51% a year ago.
And it’s paying off - data now shows that businesses which do implement a financial wellbeing plan see significant impact – hiring people 27% faster, reducing turnover by 16% and increasing shift uptake by 26%[2].
As the cost of living crisis continues to take its toll on workers, it's more important than ever that managers in hospitality, retail and healthcare find ways to support their shift workers. It’s a sign of a good employer to invest in caring for your staff during this difficult post-pandemic period. In order to keep up with the cost of living, shift workers often have to work extra hours, which can take a toll on their health and personal life.
There are several ways that Deputy helps managers support their shift workers during this time of crisis.
Here are 6 tips for how you can do just that.
Offer payroll flexibility: Flexiblepay platforms such as Wagestream can make a difference. 86% of employees using Wagestream reportedly feel less stressed as a result. The Wagestream Deputy integration makes it simple to implement on demand pay, so employees can pay themselves whenever they want with no impact on your payroll.
Simplify meal and rest break planning: Ensure your employees are taking the breaks they need and ensure there’s clarity on what those breaks are so they can get paid accurately as well as recharge for the day ahead. With Deputy’s break planning feature you can schedule the right breaks for your team - including paid or unpaid breaks and different break types within the same shift. So you can keep your team rested - without sacrificing service
Check in on their mental health: According to the 2022 State Of Shift Work report, an annual survey of thousands of workers in the shift work economy, 86% of employees can identify ways to improve their work environment. Yet, while most shift workers feel supported by their managers, over two-thirds of shift workers still hold back in sharing their opinions at work. Read the full report here. With our Shift Pulse feature, staff can provide insightful feedback on how they’re doing. Shift Pulse™ is included at no extra charge for Deputy Premium and Enterprise customers. Learn how to turn it onin your account.
Ensure payroll is accurate: Now more than ever accurate payrolls matter. With our time clock feature you can increase payroll accuracy by giving your staff a clear picture of their exact hours. “The Employee Time Clock has been a big plus. There are no surprises or shocks in their payslip. They know what to expect, ” says Sub Iyer, Head of Openings and Transitions at Atlas Hotels.
Provide clarity on leave benefits: Encourage your employees to take a break. Staff burnout is real. Clarity on their leave entitlements should ease any anxiety on how it would affect their pay. You can set up leave entitlements with a few clicks and track accurate balances. “A huge benefit with Deputy is greater holiday visibility — they can book directly on the app and see how many days they have available. Staff have a much better view of their rota,” confirms Sub.
Simplify employee onboarding: As more people seek part-time shift work to navigate the crisis, make employee onboarding as straightforward and stress free as possible. Our new employee onboarding feature helps streamline the experience for a new employee, and save time for everyone.
With employee onboarding a hiring manager can:
request an employee upload key documents, for example driver’s licence, from any device and straight into the employee's new Deputy profile
share important documents, forms and contracts with employees, such as the employment contract, Employee Handbook and bank details, and request the new hires signature or acknowledgement
create templates for frequently used forms like Employment Contracts to standardise the agreements that are in place for full-time, part-time and casual workers and reduce ambiguity around entitlements
track and manage the status of each of the items mentioned above, so you’re not cursing yourself for missing an important step in the onboarding process
ask custom onboarding questions, like "What size uniform do you require?''
You can try out our Employee Onboarding feature by starting a 30-day free trial. If you’re already a customer, read this helpful guide on how to use this feature.
With the cost of living on the rise, it’s more important than ever that shift workers are given the support they need to thrive. Deputy offers several features that can help managers do just that.
Our 30-day free trial gives you a chance to see how our software can make your life easier and help you take care of your staff.
