When I Work

People Management

6 Key Principles For Managing Millennials

Managing Millennials, the generation born between 1980 and 1996, is a unique challenge. They want a secure job, but they aren’t looking to make one job their life’s work. They are on track to being the most educated generation, rising to meet a new knowledge-based economy. If you want to be a good leader, you […]
Newsletter, Productivity

Labor Demand Forecasting: What Is It And How To Use It

The pressures of managing a fluctuating workforce might be getting to you. Maybe you’re struggling to balance employee schedules with customer demand. Or perhaps one of your shifts is always understaffed, leading to employee burnout.  No matter the situation you’re experiencing, labor demand forecasting could be the solution you’ve been searching for. By predicting your […]
Payroll Resources

Free Quarterly Payroll Report Template

Are you tired of sorting through dozens of paper logs every quarter? If so, it’s time to incorporate a quarterly payroll report template into your accounting workflow. Our template can save you time, reduce the risk of errors, and help you keep your budget balanced. How to use the quarterly payroll report template Step 1: […]
Newsletter, People Management

Can Seasonal Employees Collect Unemployment? In Short—It Depends.

You’re running a seasonal business, with all the work of a full year compacted into a short amount of time, and you need to know. Can seasonal employees collect unemployment? The best answer we can give is that it depends. Whether or not your seasonal employees have unemployment benefits is a matter decided by your […]
Human Resources, Newsletter, People Management

5 Steps To Build An Effective On-The-Job Training Program

Let’s start with a terrifying fact for employers: 40% of employees who receive poor (or no) on-the-job training leave within the first year of employment. And when employees leave, it costs you. You need to have an on-the-job training program in your business. On-the-job training is an investment of time and money, but it’s also […]
Newsletter, Payroll Resources

How To Pay Employees: 4 Methods

Thinking about starting a new business? Already launched your venture? Either way, you’ll have lots of big decisions to make. One of them is deciding how to pay your employees.  There are multiple ways to tackle this important process. You can issue paper checks or pay them in cash. Alternatively, you can go with a […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Employee Break Schedule: How To Schedule Breaks For Employees

For some businesses, employee break schedules are like the Wild West. They are disorganized, unstructured, and often burdensome to the company and its customers. The good news is you don’t have to fall prey to this trend.  Want to become a master break scheduler? Learn how you can track, structure, and optimize staff breaks in […]
Newsletter, People Management

The Ultimate Guide To Crafting The Perfect Employee Information Form

In this article, you’ll get a guide through the essential steps and considerations for creating an employee information form that’s specifically tailored for businesses managing shift-based teams. Ensure you capture everything necessary while maintaining your employees’ trust and confidence. Table of contents: Key takeaways As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to collect and store […]
Newsletter, People Management

10 Best Apps For Remote Team Collaboration In 2026 (Free & Paid)

In this article, you’ll learn about the best apps you can use for working with your team remotely. Whether everyone is far apart or some of you are in the office and some are not, it’s important to have good tools to keep everyone on the same page.  While working remotely has many advantages, like […]
Business Growth, Mid Market Blog

13 Facts About Work Every Manager Should Know

The workplace continues to evolve faster than ever. These facts about work highlight workforce trends and employee statistics. Here’s what every manager should understand.  We’re two decades into the 21st century, and the way we work has changed substantially from previous centuries.  In the past, limited technology meant that what we did was more directly […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy, Small Business Blog

Workforce Scheduling Optimization Guide: Tips, Software, & More

If managing employee schedules feels like one of the toughest parts of running a business, workforce scheduling optimization is here to help.  At times, building the work schedule can feel like doing a puzzle with missing pieces. If you’re struggling with coverage gaps and unplanned overtime, you aren’t alone. And there’s a way to make […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

Overcome The Labor Shortage

The labor shortage is something we’ve heard plenty about in the last few years, and for good reason. When businesses can’t find the talent they need to fill important vacancies, it creates a snowball effect that includes missed deadlines, disappointed customers, and lost revenue.  The labor shortage continues to challenge employers in every major industry. […]
Newsletter, Payroll Resources

How To Do Payroll Yourself: A Step-By-Step Guide

If you want to learn how to do payroll yourself, here are the key things you need to know first: Learning how to do payroll yourself can save money. You’ll also enjoy greater control over your business finances. Are you a small business owner handling payroll yourself? Our guide walks you through the process step […]
Newsletter, People Management

The 4 Biggest Employee Retention Problems And How To Solve Them

The last few years have been tough on employers trying to keep great workers on staff. Small businesses have been facing employee retention problems since before the pandemic, but the Great Resignation really showed how much workplaces can struggle without enough labor. Key takeaways From reduced operating hours to long customer wait times to closures, […]
People Management, Scheduling Strategy

Shift Swapping: How It Works & Tips To Manage

Every manager has been there. You just finished next week’s schedule, and two employees came to you with concerns about their assigned shifts. Now, you have to reconfigure the whole schedule, or you could let the two team members trade shifts and easily solve the scheduling headache. Enter shift swapping, the secret weapon to solving […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Flexible Scheduling In Healthcare: Key Benefits

The pandemic placed a huge spotlight on the healthcare worker labor shortage and the difficulty in staffing hospitals and clinics with top-quality candidates. Yet there are some healthcare organizations that don’t struggle as much—and their secret is flexible scheduling in healthcare. These hospitals stand out for their ability to hire top talent, whether those candidates […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Shift Bidding: 5 Best Practices That Actually Work

The hardest part of employee scheduling isn’t building the schedule. It’s filling open shifts in a way that’s fair while keeping your team happy and your business fully staffed. That’s quite the balancing act. Shift bidding puts managers in the driver’s seat while taking some of the pressure off them. Your management team won’t have […]
Human Resources, Newsletter, People Management

7 Best Practices For An Effective Employee Performance Review

Gain a comprehensive understanding of an effective employee performance review process. Explore its significance, best practices, and the potential impacts these reviews can have on both employees and the overall workplace.  Equip yourself with strategies to make performance reviews more effective and beneficial for all involved. Try When I Work free for 14 days, no […]
Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy, Small Business Blog

Contribution Margin Ratio: What Is It & How to Improve It

Tracking your contribution margin ratio (CMR) shows you how much of your sales revenue is available to cover fixed costs and drive profits. You might have great sales, but certain factors can make it tough to stay profitable. Rising labor costs and unexpected expenses are especially challenging these days. The good news is that you […]
Scheduling Strategy

What Is Advanced Scheduling? Here’s What To Know

Advanced scheduling is the practice of planning and publishing shifts weeks in advance. This approach allows you to account for employee preferences and changes in availability. Employees will have several weeks to make arrangements for child care or address family obligations. By providing ample notice, you reduce the risk of conflicts or last-minute changes.  Did […]
Newsletter, People Management

6 Ways To Handle Employee Conflict

Conflict is expensive. It leads to employees who, instead of working, are participating, avoiding, or trying to manage pointless conflicts with others. Employee conflict in your workplace affects productivity, morale, retention, and customer service. Learning how to handle conflict in the workplace before it escalates helps you protect your team, improve communication, and keep employees […]
Payroll Resources, Small Business Blog

What is payroll processing?

Any business owner or HR professional understands how time-consuming payroll processing can be. However, with so many laws governing it, employers can’t afford to make mistakes. Using an automated solution can help you avoid errors while saving you time and money in the process. Payroll processing involves much more than paying your employees on time. […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

5 Best Free Rotating Shift Schedule Generator Apps

Manually creating employee schedules can be time-consuming and error-prone. A rotating schedule generator free app streamlines the process, saving managers time and resources.  The best free rotating schedule generator apps offer user-friendly interfaces and robust features. They allow quick schedule creation, accessible employee communication, and real-time updates. This guide explores the five best free rotating […]
People Management, Scheduling Strategy, Small Business Blog

What Is Labor Forecasting? Definition, Examples, & More

As a manager, one of your biggest challenges involves ensuring you have enough people at work to keep things running smoothly, which requires effective labor forecasting.  That’s easier said than done. If you don’t schedule enough workers, your shift will be overwhelmed. Too many employees, and you’re paying for idle time. Overstaffing is especially concerning […]
People Management

Small Business Human Resources Guide

Key takeaways Human resources is one of the most important parts of running a small business because it affects almost every employee-related decision you make. Hiring, training, scheduling, time off, payroll records, workplace policies, and employee performance all fall under the HR umbrella in some way. For many small business owners, HR can feel complicated […]
Newsletter, Payroll Resources, People Management

How To Pay Employees In A Small Business

Knowing how to pay employees in a small business is one of the most critical, and most error-prone, parts of running a team. When it comes to finding the best way to pay employees, small business owners often feel like they don’t have many options. The good news is that’s simply not true. You can […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, People Management

How To Manage A Restaurant: 13 Proven Restaurant Management Tips

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to manage a restaurant with practical insights. You’ll also get proven restaurant management tips to help you manage your restaurant effectively.  You’ll find out how to maintain consistency in decision-making, proactively handle staffing needs, learn the operation by doing the work yourself, prioritize staff retention, and keep customer […]
Newsletter, People Management, Small Business Blog

How To Deal With A Toxic Work Environment

Learning how to deal with a toxic work environment is one of the most important skills a manager can develop. In this article, you’ll uncover the subtle signs of a toxic work environment and learn how it can be detrimental to both employees and the overall business. More importantly, you’ll be equipped with nine actionable […]
Business Growth, Newsletter, Small Business Blog

How To Improve Project Management Skills: 18 Ideas For Small Business Owners

Learning how to improve your project management skills, especially as a small business owner, is one of the best moves you can make.  Effective project management isn’t about working harder but smarter, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget. Explore 18 actionable ways to improve your project management skills and drive your small […]
Leadership, Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

9 Proven Ways For Reducing Overtime

Building an overtime reduction plan isn’t just about cutting hours, it’s about protecting margins and your team.  At When I Work, we focus on employee scheduling and time tracking. But we also offer ways to help you use forecasting and labor budgets, as well as overtime alerts, to help you keep labor costs under control.  […]
For Your Industry, Scheduling Strategy, Templates & Resources

Top 10 Police Officer Scheduling Systems: 2026

Choosing the right police officer scheduling system can feel like logistical gymnastics. Communities expect 24/7 protection, but you have to keep in mind things like Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime requirements, contracts, union agreements, training needs and requirements, staffing shortages, and tight budgets. Let’s not forget how emergency situations can easily shred the best […]
Newsletter, People Management

Free Employee Availability Template 2026

An employee availability template is the simplest way to stop scheduling conflicts before they start. We’ve built a free one you can download in seconds. Do you have a tough time keeping up with the availability of your team? If so, then you are no stranger to scheduling nightmares. Booking team members for shifts they […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, People Management

How To Run A Hospital: 5 Effective Hospital Management Tips

Hospital management is the magician behind the curtain. It deals with hospital administration, building, staffing, and legal compliance. When management gets it right, patients have no idea what’s happening behind the scenes. But making that happen takes a lot of work. You can make your hospital management easier. Understand the most common challenges in how […]
Newsletter, People Management, Templates & Resources

On-Demand Pay: How It Works & Benefits For Your Workplace

On-demand is changing the game for hourly workers and their employers, in ways that benefit both. Because of the way paydays have always worked, many Americans live with constant financial stress and instability. Today, 37% of all adults would have difficulty paying for a $400 emergency expense.  This means in tight times, millions turn to […]
Newsletter, People Management

Staffing Issues: Common Problems + 4 Attainable Solutions

Staffing issues are some of the most frustrating challenges you’ll encounter when running a business. Managing no-shows, coverage gaps, and overtime is a high-stakes balancing act.  One misstep, and things will start to spiral. In fact, you’ve probably seen how a single no-show can derail an entire shift at a late-night diner.  It’s okay to […]
Business Growth, Newsletter

How To Reduce Labor Costs: 9 Strategies

Learning how to reduce labor costs is one of the fastest ways to protect your bottom line. And with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be complicated. You’ll be able to quickly see how much overtime you’re using, and make changes on the fly to reduce your labor costs, right within the schedule. In […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy, Small Business Blog

Swing Shift: What Is It & How It Could Work For Your Business

Swing shifts help businesses extend their operating hours without burning out staff, but only when scheduled correctly. If your business runs 24/7 and you find it hard to cover shifts, you’ll find that the swing shift could be the answer you’ve been looking for.  In this guide, we’ll break down what a swing shift is […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Night Shift Schedule Guide: Examples, Challenges, And Tips

Managers handling night shift scheduling know the challenges that come with staffing businesses during late nights and early mornings. Decreased employee performance, low morale, and difficulty maintaining fairness are just a few of the issues you may be facing. Keeping your operations running smoothly and your employees happy requires the right night shift schedule. Here […]
Newsletter, Payroll Resources, Small Business Blog

Payroll Software vs. Payroll Services: 5 Key Differences

Payroll software and payroll services both aim to help business owners run payroll. Payroll software vs payroll services both aim to run payroll, but the two boast stark differences regarding cost, control, and security. When manual payroll is not an option, comparing these two alternatives will help. Here are five key characteristics to keep in […]
Newsletter, Small Business Blog

How to Use Employee Availability Forms Efficiently

You’re trying to schedule upcoming shifts, but you’ve had a problem with employees who inform you, at the last minute, that they can’t work a shift. You’ve also noticed employees dropping and swapping shifts. If scheduling has become a headache of last-minute call-outs and shift swaps, an employee availability form is the fix you’re missing. […]
Newsletter, People Management

Employee Discipline In The Workplace: 9 Steps To Discipline Employees Fairly

Employee discipline is one of the hardest parts of managing a team. Problems rarely appear all at once, they build over time. An employee starts arriving late, a shift gets missed, standards slip, and no one addresses it early enough. Left unchecked, these issues affect performance, morale, and trust across the team. React too harshly, […]
Newsletter, People Management

32 Employee Rewards To Motivate Your Team (Without Breaking The Bank)

Employee rewards are one of the simplest, most effective ways to boost engagement, morale, and retention. And they don’t have to cost much.  It’s more important to spend a minute showing your team members that you value the contributions they give to your company, every single day. You can start small—just make sure you do […]
People Management, Productivity, Small Business Blog

7 Proven Tips For Labor Cost Optimization

Labor cost optimization is one of the main ways business managers can boost profitability. If your labor expenses are rising and eating into your bottom line, you can get them under control.  You’re not the only manager dealing with this issue. There are proven strategies you can use to streamline your labor costs without compromising […]
Newsletter, Payroll Resources

Direct Deposit For Small Businesses: A Guide

Direct deposit for small businesses is easier than you might expect. Here are the key things you need to know: Thanks to modern tech tools, setting up direct deposit for small businesses isn’t just attainable—it’s pretty easy! You can pay your employees in a way that is more convenient for everyone. Explore the ins and […]
Newsletter, Templates & Resources

Labor Cost Calculator: Free Excel Template To Calculate Employee Costs

You need a labor cost calculator if you find yourself wasting hours every week trying to calculate employee labor costs? Or if you’re trying to figure out how to decrease overtime. However, you might not have the time or Excel know-how to build your own. Fortunately, you can take the hassle out of creating a […]
People Management

Best Motivational Books For Employees: 12 Picks

Finding the best motivational books for employees is one of the simplest ways to show appreciation for your team. You’re also investing in their personal and professional growth. As a small business owner, you know how important your employees are to your success. Recognizing your top employees is an important part of retaining the best […]
Human Resources, Newsletter, People Management, Templates & Resources

How To Calculate Vacation Pay For Hourly Employees

We’ve put together a guide to help you understand how to calculate vacation pay for hourly employees—and make sure you and your employees get the time off everyone deserves.
Scheduling Strategy

11 Work Schedule Types To Consider For Your Business

Choosing between work schedule types and creating a consistent and effective work schedule for your staff is one of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a business leader.  Here’s a deep dive into 11 of the best work schedule types. Discover which are worth considering for your business.  Here’s what you need to know about […]
Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

Employees Not Showing Up For Work? 5 Ways To Handle No-Call, No-Shows

When an employee is not showing up for work and doesn’t get prior approval for missing a day off, that’s called a no-call, no-show. In some cases, there’s a good excuse, such as a car accident. However, in most cases, employees not showing up for work requires attention from leadership. If you’ve found yourself frequently […]
People Management

What is Timesheet Approval? Tips & Examples

Timesheet approval is an important but often frustrating part of shift planning. You don’t want to waste hours of your week sifting through numbers and logging each worker’s time. There are so many more productive things you could be doing. If you’ve ever thought, “There’s got to be a better way to handle timesheet approval,” […]
Newsletter, People Management

Google Calendar For Employee Scheduling: 3 Free Methods

Google Calendar for employee scheduling is one of the most accessible free options for small businesses. WhatsApp and When I Work are also great calendars for work schedule options with their own respective strengths.  Dive into the step-by-step processes, benefits, and potential disadvantages of each, and learn how these tools can transform the task of […]
For Your Industry, Scheduling Strategy

Everything You Need to Know About Nurse Self Scheduling

An overburdened nursing department kills your nurses’ work-life balance. That leads to burnout and compromised patient care. Nurse self scheduling and workforce flexibility holds the key to preventing all that. 87% of nurses consider self scheduling the best solution for creating a flexible workplace. Nurses, nurse managers, and healthcare executives agree that more flexibility at […]
People Management, Templates & Resources

How To Write An Employee Handbook (Step-By-Step Guide)

What if there was one tool that could keep all of your employees on the same page, knowing exactly what you expected from them? That’s exactly what an employee handbook does. Your handbook is your uniform message and your all-purpose tool. Table of contents What is an employee handbook? An employee hand book is a […]
Leadership, Newsletter, Productivity

Time Management For Leaders: 5 Proven Strategies

Cringe when you hear the words “work-life balance?” Time management for leaders is complicated, but there are some things you can do. Half of all full-time employees work more than the standard 40 hours a week, and 4 out of 10 report working at least 50 hours a week. There isn’t a way to add […]
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