#fresh-start

6 reasons to update your absence management system


Practically, almost every organization has now implemented some system for managing the leaves. Sometimes, this system is just an Excel file, but it still counts as a software system. Most likely, it has been working perfectly for many years. So why change something that works?

In the following lines, we will share several reasons that might make you reconsider.

What is a specialized leave management systems exactly?

Leave management systems are software products that allow organizations to:

  • Track employee absences;
  • Plan leaves;
  • Maintain information about remaining paid, unpaid, and other types of leave;
  • Analyze historical data on absences.

So these systems help the organization to know at any time the current and planned availability of human resources, and accordingly plan and adjust its work plans.

Leave management systems should also facilitate the application and approval of leave requests, thereby reducing the administrative costs of the organization.

In fact, leave management systems play an important role in the strategic, operational, and financial management of an organization.

How to determine if you need a more adequate software solution?

A good leave management systems makes the process of applying for and approving leave highly efficient, fast, and accurate. They do not waste the time of employees and managers. And they are easy to implement and adjust subsequently.

Here are a few indicators that it is probably a good time to update your current leave management system:

1. Manual data entry and calculations are required

Manual data entry and processing have several very significant disadvantages. First, it is extremely time-consuming. The larger the organization, the more time it takes. Second, manual data processing carries a much higher risk of errors and omissions. And last but not least are the efforts that manual processing requires to keep the data on remaining leaves reliable and accurate.

2. Employees lack sufficient information about their leaves

If employees have to ask Human Resources every time they need information related to their leaves or available days, your leave management system is not the best.

When people cannot independently access the information they need and do not have the opportunity to freely apply for their leave, they lose time and something more important – motivation.

3. Approval of leaves takes too much time

Another cause for disappointment can be the delay in responding to leave requests. This can be due to different reasons. For example: the request may get lost in the endless email flow. Or it could be buried under a pile of paper. Or gathering information and calculating remaining days to use takes too much time. It might also be that the process goes through too many steps and too many people.

But whatever the reason for the slow response, the long waiting time could be extremely frustrating. The delay can be perceived as a sign of disrespect and can quickly lead to dissatisfaction and again – a drop in motivation.

4. You fail to manage absenteeism

Absenteeism (or unplanned absences) is a very serious problem for any organization, as it disrupts the rhythm of all work processes. Suppose you diligently record each leave in Excel or a specialized program, but still do not have a complete picture of absences in the organization.

It is difficult to analyze large volumes of data if your system does not summarize and present them in a readable format or understandable charts, in which you can easily identify trends and anomalies. Electronic spreadsheets and calendars may do the job for tracking absences, but they are not sufficient for more in-depth analysis and investigation of the periods of the year when unplanned leaves most often occur.

5. Your system does not support information about where people are working

Before COVID-19, working from home was more of an exception than a regular practice. Since it was a rare occurrence, there was no need to monitor and track it. But now in many organizations, even in government structures, remote work is a daily routine. So it became important for the organization to always know how many people are working in the company's premises, and how many are working remotely. Can you quickly tell during a fire safety training event how many people should gather at the assembly point? If your absence management system does not support information about where your employees are working from, then it's time to change it.

6. No mobile access

In 2021, mobile access to information is no longer even considered modern. Submitting a leave application without having to come to the office should not be seen as extravagant. If your leave management system does not have mobile access through which you can check your remaining paid annual leave days or directly send a picture of your sick leave note to the notification, then the time for a new system has come.

What is the best solution and what should you do if your current system exhibits any of the listed signs?

The best solution is to replace it with a specialized software system that:

  • Can automate processes
  • Allows your employees to independently inform, apply for, and approve leaves
  • Moves applications as quickly as possible between all participants in the process
  • Provides detailed, understandable, and convenient reports
  • And, in addition to everything listed here, meets all the requirements of the local legislation

One such a system is TIMEOFF.GURU. Check out the detailed information about the solution to find out how much time and money can you save with our system.



If you wish to do something good both for the organization and for the people, to simplify the leave of absence request process, to minimize the expenses, and to better coordinate your teams, then TIMEOFF.GURU is created exactly for that reason.

Show the solution to your colleagues and see for yourself how convenient and easy everything becomes with TIMEOFF.GURU. With just a few clicks, you have a request, approval, report, and a view of the overall absence calendar. Without unnecessary bureaucracy, without piles of paper, without hours of processing.