Tools for workforce management in the hospitality industry - an overview

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Tools for workforce management in the hospitality industry - an overview

Good staff planning doesn't happen by itself. If you take New Work seriously in the hotel, you need more than just nice mission statements – you need systems that support everyday life. Digital workforce planning systems are no longer a luxury for large chains. They are the basis for flexible working models to function at all.

The market has developed significantly in recent years. In addition to international solutions, there are now a growing number of providers that are specifically tailored to the needs of the German-speaking hospitality industry – from small guesthouses to hotel groups with several properties.

What these systems do

Modern workforce planning systems think far beyond the roster. They combine demand forecasting, shift creation, time recording and payroll preparation in one interface. Employees can use the app to enter requests, swap shifts or report short-term absences, without making a call, without paperwork, without misunderstandings.

That sounds trivial. But it's not. A company that still communicates duty rosters to its employees via notice boards today is losing out in the competition for good staff. On the other hand, those who plan transparently and actively involve their teams create trust. And trust is the underestimated lever in employee retention.

In concrete terms, this looks like this, for example: a city hotel in Munich uses gastromatic, a solution from Germany that specialises in the catering and hotel industries. Shifts are created based on the reservation occupancy rate, employees receive their schedule via the app, and overtime is automatically recorded and directly incorporated into payroll preparation. What used to take two hours of planning per week now runs largely automatically. Time that the restaurant manager now uses for training and feedback.

Or internationally: the Swedish platform Quinyx – now also active in the German-speaking market – is used, among others, by large amusement park operators and hotel chains for shift planning in around 30 holiday resorts. The system combines AI-supported demand forecasts with an employee app that teams can use to communicate internally, swap shifts and access documents.

What types of systems are available and who they are suitable for

Not every establishment needs the same thing. Roughly speaking, four categories can be distinguished:

Fully integrated hotel and personnel systems combine rostering, housekeeping, payroll and evaluation under one roof. They are particularly suitable for smaller and medium-sized establishments that want to manage as few interfaces as possible.

Forecast-based planning systems use occupancy and sales data to automatically suggest and adjust shift schedules. These are particularly useful for properties with highly fluctuating occupancy or several outlets with different staffing requirements.

Communication and shift management platforms are less about traditional planning and more about team engagement: shift swaps, internal messages, task lists, and rapid distribution of information. This component is crucial, especially in larger establishments with frontline teams who rarely sit at a desk.

Payroll- and HR-oriented systems focus on time management, contract management and the clean transfer of data to payroll accounting. Anyone who still works with Excel for time recording and regularly violates the Working Hours Act in the process – often without knowing it – will find the most direct solution here.

Finding the right system for your business

The question is not: Which system is the best? The question is: What do I need first?

A boutique hotel with 20 employees and a manageable structure is often better served with a lean solution such as Papershift or Dyflexis than with an enterprise system that requires an IT officer for implementation. On the other hand, a hotel group with five properties, its own payroll office and various collective agreements needs something that grows with it and includes interfaces to the PMS, the POS system and payroll accounting.

Three questions help you find your bearings: How complex is my staffing structure today – and in three years? Which systems are already running in-house, and how well can they be integrated? And: Will my employees actually use the app – or do we need a different solution first?

On this last point: the best system is useless if the workforce does not accept it. Market overviews therefore recommend first piloting new tools in one department, obtaining feedback, and only then introducing them fully. This saves frustration on both sides of the planning process.

Workforce planning as a retention strategy

If you want to retain employees, you have to take them seriously. This includes them knowing their roster in good time, being able to express their wishes, and feeling that their situation is being acknowledged. Digital planning systems are not a substitute for good leadership – but they create the conditions for leadership to take place in the first place. If you spend three hours less a week planning at your desk, you have three hours more for your team.

What the numbers say

The global market for staff planning software in the hospitality industry was around USD 4.6 billion in 2024 and is growing by more than 11% annually. In the German-speaking HR software market, record sales of around 2.65 billion euros were recently recorded – an increase of over eleven per cent compared to the previous year. The market is growing because the pressure is growing. Those who invest now will gain a head start.

Conclusion

Staff planning systems form the technical foundation for New Work in the hospitality industry. They are what make flexible working models manageable in the first place, create transparency for staff and provide the data needed to make better decisions. Anyone wishing to invest in HR strategy and corporate culture cannot do without a suitable digital foundation. Without it, New Work remains what it still is in many organisations: a well-intentioned idea that falls at the first hurdle of the rota.