From Scheduling to Payroll: The Best Tools for Managing Your Restaurant Staff

Struggling with staff scheduling headaches? Tired of tracking employee hours manually? What if you could manage your entire team with just a few clicks?

Running a business comes with endless workforce responsibilities. You have to ensure shifts are covered, track employee hours, and manage payroll. And the list goes on and on. 

The good news is that AI-powered scheduling, real-time staff performance management, and seamless payroll integration can boost productivity, reduce admin work, and keep your team happy.

This guide breaks down the best staff management tools that make running a business smoother. Let’s dive in!

7 Key Features to Look for in Restaurant Staff Management Tools

Managing staff effectively goes beyond scheduling shifts. The right tool should increase productivity, simplify daily tasks, and reduce administrative burdens. Here are the must-try features to look for:

1. Clock-in & Clock-out Systems

Manual attendance tracking is outdated. A digital system ensures accurate clock-ins, minimizes time theft, and simplifies payroll processing. Whether you run a coffee shop or a convenience store, tracking work hours should be seamless.

2. Time Tracking

Tracking employee work hours can help optimize schedules and reduce unnecessary labor costs. This is particularly useful for businesses like cloud kitchens and specialty stores that rely on efficiency.

3. Staff Absence Management

Last-minute scheduling conflicts can disrupt operations. A staff absence management tool that tracks vacation days, sick leave, and time-off requests in one place prevents gaps in staffing.

4. Performance Management

Employee development drives business success. A tool with goal-setting, feedback, and performance-tracking features helps managers recognise top talent and improve underperformance.

5. Role-Based Access

Not all employees need access to sensitive business data. A system that allows role-based permissions ensures security while giving employees access to what they need.

6. Scheduling Automation

Automating schedules saves time, prevents conflicts, and keeps shifts organized. It is essential for quick service restaurants, pizzerias, and food trucks where schedules change frequently.

7. Payroll & HR Integration

Seamless integration between staff management and payroll reduces manual errors and ensures timely payments.

5 Best Staff Management Tools for Businesses

Whether you run a small business or a large one, these staff management tools can simplify daily operations:

1. OneHubPOS: A Comprehensive Staff Management Solution

For small business owners looking for a powerful all-in-one solution, OneHubPOS stands out.

Clock-in & Clock-out System

Say goodbye to manual attendance sheets. Employees can clock in and out with a tap. This ensures accurate work-hour tracking. It is an ideal feature for restaurants, pizzerias, and cloud kitchens where shifts change frequently.

Time Tracking

Monitor employee productivity in real-time. For example, in a liquor store, managers can use a POS to track employees working late shifts or handling peak-hour rushes.

Tip Pool Management

Distribute tips fairly among staff members using tip pooling and sharing. This feature is perfect for restaurants, bistros, and food trucks. With this our POS, staff receive their fair share automatically, eliminating manual calculations.

Employee Profiles With Role-Based Access Control

Limit access to sensitive information based on roles with easy steps to set up roles and permissions. A restaurant manager can access payroll data. On the other hand, waitstaff can only view their schedules.

Best for

• Restaurants, pizzerias, bistros, and food trucks
• Retail and liquor stores with rotating staff‍
• Small businesses needing an easy-to-use system

2. BambooHR

If your business needs HR management with strong reporting and onboarding features, BambooHR is a top choice. Here are some of its key features:

• Employee Records – A centralized system to store and manage employee information
• Workflows & Approvals – Automates approvals for leave requests, promotions, and other HR processes
• Reporting & Analytics – Provides insights into staff performance management, turnover rates, and HR trends
• Mobile App – Allows employees to access schedules, submit requests, and check records on the go
• AI Assistant – A smart assistant to answer HR-related questions and speed up processes
• New-Hire Onboarding – Simplifies the hiring process with automated paperwork and welcome workflows
• Time Tracking & PTO Management – Ensures accurate work hour tracking and easy leave requests
• Payroll & Benefits Administration – Streamlines salary processing and benefits management
• Employee Satisfaction & Wellbeing Features – Includes tools to measure employee engagement and offer rewards

BambooHR is best for:

• Small and mid-sized businesses looking for a well-rounded HR and staff management solution
• Ideal for retail stores, restaurants, and convenience stores that want to automate HR tasks while focusing on business growth

3. Deputy

For businesses with shift-based employees, Deputy simplifies scheduling and compliance. Here are some of its key features:

• Employee Scheduling – Drag-and-drop shift planning to avoid conflicts and optimize staffing
• Time Tracking & Time Clock App – Employees can clock in and out with accuracy, reducing payroll errors
• Demand Forecasting – Uses data to predict staffing needs and decrease labor costs
• Fair Workweek & Labor Compliance – Helps businesses comply with labor laws and provide fair schedules
• Leave Management – Tracks vacations, sick leave, and unplanned absences
• New Hire Onboarding & Document Management – Ensures a smooth hiring process with digital document storage

Deputy is best for:

• Businesses with shift-based employees, such as quick service restaurants, food trucks, and ghost kitchens
• Particularly useful for businesses that must comply with labor regulations and need an efficient way to manage rotating shifts

4. When I Work

When I Work is an easy-to-use tool that makes scheduling effortless. Here are some of its key features:

• Employee Scheduling – A user-friendly interface that simplifies shift planning
• Time Clock – Tracks work hours and attendance without manual entry
• Team Messaging – Allows real-time communication between employees and managers

When I Work is best for:

• Ideal for small businesses with a few employees, such as bistros, specialty stores, and convenience stores, where scheduling and communication are top priorities.

5. Hubstaff

If you manage remote or field workers, Hubstaff offers advanced tracking features. Here are some of its key features:

• Online Payroll & Payments – Automates salary processing and ensures timely payments
• Time Tracking & Employee Timesheets – Keeps an accurate record of work hours, decreasing discrepancies
• GPS Time Tracking – Useful for businesses with delivery staff or field employees
• Workforce Analytics & Productivity Tracking – Provides insights into staff performance management and project costs
• Billing & Invoicing – Tracks billable hours and generates invoices for client-based work

Hubstaff is best for:

• Businesses with remote employees or field workers, such as small businesses with delivery services, liquor stores with mobile sales teams, or cloud kitchens that manage multiple locations

Manage Your Staff With OneHubPOS Easily

Staff management goes beyond tracking work hours; it ensures smooth operations, compliance with labor laws, and reduced administrative workload.

The right staff management tool helps with scheduling, tracking hours, managing time-off requests, and even handling payroll. You shouldn’t be stuck fixing errors or sorting through paperwork. The right system lets you focus on growing your business rather than dealing with employee management hassles.

If you need an all-in-one solution, OneHubPOS makes staff management effortless. With real-time attendance tracking, tip pool management, and role-based access, it’s designed to keep your operations running smoothly, without the extra hassle.  

Want to make staff management easier? Book a demo with OneHubPOS today!