“I’m tired of managing vacations” is probably the most absurd sentence anyone can say. Well, anyone except HR managers.

For them, managing employee leave involves plenty of things that go beyond finding the cover for the missing employee. Managing employee leave means they need to be sure others won’t suffer due to an increased workload, that deadlines will be met, and that everyone gets their equal share of vacation days throughout the year. HR managers know that managing employee leave needs to be done with precision and razor-sharp focus. Otherwise, everything might fall apart.

Luckily today we have a wide array of HR software that can help HR managers automate this process, become more efficient and productive, and decrease the number of possible mistakes. For that reason, we decided to provide you with nine reasons why you need PTO tracking software for managing your workforce.

Reason #1: It increases flexibility.

A vast majority of PTO tracking software allows users to connect via different devices and in multiple locations, giving them greater flexibility when it comes to working. For instance, workcations have become increasingly popular over the past few years and having a PTO tracking software allows employees to combine leisure and work, making the most out of both worlds. Furthermore, employees sometimes need to stop their work to finish non-work-related chores. Knowing they can log their hours whenever they feel most productive, and combine their engagements in a way that aligns with them the most, can positively influence their motivation and productivity at work.

Reason #2: Streamlines leave scheduling.

If you manage your organization’s leave at some point, you know how daunting this task might be. Leave tracking can be time-consuming and energy-draining even for the most skilled workers, and we can agree there are better things to worry about. Hiring a PTO tracking software can help you streamline this process more effectively, allowing you to focus on more pressing tasks that require your attention. Furthermore, this type of software can help you decrease mistakes, make business plans much quicker, and put an end to scheduling nightmares.

Reason #3: It increases transparency.

When there’s a PTO tracking software in place that automates leave management, employees have a more transparent overview of their coworker’s vacation and leave requests, and they’re more likely to go along with management’s decisions. Compared to other leave tracking methods, PTO tracking software leaves no room for mistakes as managers and employees have a clear overview of used and unused days off, sick days, and other types of leave.

Reason #4: It’s a cost-effective solution.

Managing leave takes time and precious energy and leaves less space for HR managers they can put into managing more important tasks. Using a tool that automates this process saves energy, but also money, as it allows human workforce management to focus their efforts on solving more complex problems.

Reason #5: It increases productivity.

A lot has been said about burnout over the past years. When an organization fails to track leave in an effective way people might suffer, as they might take fewer days off than they need to recover and unwind. This can lead to burnout and poor productivity. However, a PTO tracking software provides a clear overview of staffs availability, used and unused days off, which can serve as reminders for managers to incentivize them to use their vacation days and increase productivity.

Reason #6: It saves time.

Asking for some days off might take some time, depending on the business’ size. However, when there is a vacation tracking software in place, this time-consuming process is turned into a few minutes’ adventure. By employing leave tracking software, an important part of business operation is automated, leaving time and energy for other, more pressing tasks.

Reason #7: Increases accountability.

Having a PTO tracking software increases employee accountability as employees and managers don’t have to rely on verbal agreements they have. Instead, they can just look up the software and see staff’s availability, ensuring there’s no miscommunication along the way.

Reason #8: Boosts employee morale.

Having a leave tracking solution increases employee morale since it streamlines the leave scheduling process. Depending on the size of an organization, requesting leave usually means knocking on several doors and waiting for approval. This takes time, but also makes people nervous about whether their leave requests will be approved or not. Having a solution that speeds up this process, decreases the anxiety employees might have and increases their morale.

Reason #9: Helps in making more informed business decisions.

One of the biggest benefits of using PTO tracking software is its reporting functions that provide users with clear and concise information about employees’ behavior. By using this feature, employers can easily see patterns in their employees’ behavior, discover absenteeism issues, and create better workflow management based on vacation trends (for instance there are usually popular dates when employees take vacations). This information can help business leaders to make better-informed business decisions, which will allow them to seamlessly scale their business.

Ana Mladenovic

A cat enthusiast and a cupcake maniac, Ana is a freelance Content Writer passionate about HR, productivity, and team management topics. When she’s not at her keyboard, you can find Ana in the kitchen, trying to make delicious cookies.