The Grand Hotel

CONTACT: NICOLA LAWLESS / HR MANAGER

 

At a Glance

Sector: Hospitality

Employees: 180

Product Installed: TMS (Time and Attendance software)

Client Objectives: Support recent growth, monitor punctuality and absenteeism, reduce costs

They say: Accurate and efficient system – has increased productivity and dramatically reduced the salary bill.

Need to Track Absenteeism

The Grand Hotel is located in Malahide along the north east coast of Dublin. It is an impressive, well-maintained hotel that is ideally located with beautiful views of Howth Head and Portmarnock beach. The current owners have owned the hotel for the past 30 years with 180 members of staff. 

The recent growth of The Grand Hotel’s business caused a demand for more up-to-date approach to staffing and a more efficient way of scheduling and rostering staff. Prior to installing Advance Systems’ time and attendance system, TMS, all staff signed in on a time sheet that was then signed off by the manager of each respective department. These sheets were then entered manually into a payroll package. There was no way of tracking anomalies such as absenteeism and lateness. 

Salary Outlay Higher Than Necessary

The company was paying for an eight-hour shift for each employee and had no way of checking if the employee actually had worked the hours. All employees work a two-week roster and some have the option of working on Sundays, paying double time. There was no forward rostering and the requirement of Sunday staff was unknown – this costed the hotel a higher salary outlay as a higher than necessary number of staff worked the extra time. 

Mr Al Ryan, Hotel Proprietor, decided Advance Systems’ time management software was the best choice for his hotel. It was initially installed in payroll, sales and reception. It worked so well in these areas that it was gradually introduced throughout the hotel. 

Dramatic Reduction in Salary Bill

Catherine Day, Payroll Manager, said: “It is now possible to forecast the requirement of staff in advance for Sundays as each manager can run reports - this has dramatically reduced the salary bill." Ms Day ran a test for a two-week period, combining the old system along with the new time management system. She said, “I was amazed how accurate and fast the new system was.” 

Reduces Absenteeism

Employees reacted very well to the new swipe card system. It gave them ownership of their hours, they felt responsible, and it improved lateness and absenteeism. Managers of different areas were able to run reports instantly allowing problematic areas and anomalies to be highlighted and dealt with immediately. 

Accurate and Efficient Time Tracking

"Tracking lieu time and holidays improved fantastically," said Nicola Lawless, HR Manager. "Advance Systems’ time management system is so accurate and efficient." Ms Lawless had previously worked with three other time and attendance systems and states that TMS was the best she had ever used as it had everything she required. She said the reports and the variety of letters available to her was so helpful and time saving.

The Grand Hotel and The Marine Hotel are part of the same hotel group, and both hotels use Advance Systems’ TMS.