7 Workforce Headaches (and How to Fix Them)

Running a business today takes stamina and a steady hand. The work itself is enough, but managing people adds a whole new layer of pressure. Labor issues shift fast, and compliance rules never sit still. If you have felt stretched thin or worried you might miss something important, you are not alone. Below are some of the most common struggles owners and managers face along with simple ways to get ahead of them.

Tracking Employee Time

Labor often makes up close to 70 percent of a company’s total budget. That means every hour matters. But you cannot manage what you cannot see, and inaccurate time records make it almost impossible to control labor costs.

Manual timekeeping creates risk. It invites honest mistakes and, at times, intentional misuse. Timecard errors alone account for as much as 8 percent of total payroll. Time theft drains over 11 billion dollars from U.S. businesses every year, and employers lose close to 4.5 hours per employee each week due to this issue.

If your team still uses paper timesheets or a patchwork of manual tools, it may be time to switch to automated timekeeping. A digital platform captures hours in real time, cuts errors, and protects the budget you worked hard to build.

Scheduling Employee Shifts

Filling shifts can feel like a constant puzzle. You need the right people in the right place at the right time, yet the work behind the schedule can take a surprising amount of energy.

Take restaurants as one example. Managers spend an average of 2.64 hours each week on scheduling. If they rely on spreadsheets, that number climbs to more than three hours. That is nearly 7 percent of their workweek spent shuffling boxes and chasing availability.

Most managers do not have time for that kind of manual process. Tools like WorkforceHub help by simplifying each step of scheduling. You can build schedules faster, fill gaps without stress, and give employees the power to request and swap shifts inside the platform. You get time back and customers stay happy.

Handling Paid Time Off Accruals

Paid time off is one of the benefits employees value most. But PTO tracking can get complicated, especially when policies vary by role or when rules change.

An automated accrual system removes that burden. You can set it to mirror your company’s policy so balances update behind the scenes. When timekeeping, scheduling, and accruals live in the same place, you avoid spreadsheet chaos and reduce the chance of errors that frustrate your team.

Dealing with Unplanned Overtime

Even with a solid schedule, unexpected overtime can sneak in and inflate your labor spend. It puts pressure on your budget and leaves supervisors scrambling to adjust shifts.

Notifications can help stop the problem before it starts. Automated alerts warn you when someone is approaching overtime. Managers can then shift coverage or adjust hours before a small issue becomes a costly one. It is a simple fix that protects your bottom line.

Maintaining Compliance with Labor Laws

Labor laws shift often and can be tough to track. Rules around meals, breaks, pay, and scheduling vary widely across industries and regions. Without clear records, you cannot demonstrate compliance, and that leaves your business exposed.

WorkforceHub captures time and attendance along with meal and break activity. It stores schedule history and offers clean reports you can use during reviews or audits. This level of detail can be the difference between a smooth process and a long legal challenge.

Getting Everyone Paid

Payroll comes around fast, often twice a month. When it does, accuracy matters. Every hour worked needs to flow into each paycheck without delay or confusion.

WorkforceHub integrates with many payroll systems to streamline that task. The Payroll Review Wizard helps employees and managers confirm time entries before payroll runs. Missing punches and errors surface early so they can be fixed before they become expensive. Payroll week becomes a routine you can trust instead of something you dread.

If you are ready to take these challenges off your plate, we are here to help. Contact us at 251-273-4754 or visit LNJ Employer Services to learn more.