In today’s dynamic retail environment, empowering employees to manage their work schedules and tasks is a strategic imperative. As the industry continues to evolve, C-suite and HR leaders increasingly recognize the value of providing self-service tools that allow employees greater control over their working lives.

A recent survey conducted by Propeller and commissioned by Legion Workforce Management found that 96% of hourly employees said that schedule flexibility is the number one benefit motivating them to take a new job. On the flip side, 48% of managers said schedule flexibility is the most challenging part of retaining their current hourly workers.

At the heart of delivering on this employee empowerment transformation lies workforce management software. The benefits of implementing such technology in large-scale retail operations with 500 or more employees extend beyond just efficiency. By offering more autonomy, these solutions foster employee engagement and satisfaction—two critical elements for maintaining high-performance teams in highly competitive markets.

Workforce management software provides an array of self-service tools designed to empower your team members. These features give them direct access to important information like shift schedules, time off requests, availability changes, and other relevant data points—right at their fingertips.

Employee Empowerment Through Self-Service: Key Takeaways

• When employees feel empowered to make decisions and contribute their ideas, they become more engaged and committed to achieving the company’s goals, leading to overall organizational success.
• Flexible schedules, schedule control, early access to earned wages, modern communication tools, and recognition are all ways to empower your employees.
• Legion’s Workforce Management (WFM) Platform features will get your employees on the path to empowerment.

 

Leveraging Workforce Management Software: Legion WFM Software

A leader in this field is Legion WFM, whose innovative workforce management solution harnesses advanced analytics and intelligent automation capabilities to optimize staffing decisions while simultaneously fostering a culture where everyone feels valued.

The result? A win-win situation where companies enjoy increased operational efficiencies alongside happier, more engaged staff who feel empowered rather than micromanaged—a key factor in retaining top talent in today’s fast-paced retail landscape.

Why Self-Service Matters for Employee Empowerment

Self-service is key to empowering employees in the workplace. Companies can give their teams more control over their work lives and show that they trust their employees can handle it.

Let workers manage schedules, swap shifts, and access important information from their phones. This freedom leads to a stronger sense of ownership and commitment.

Companies with strong employee engagement strategies report 18% higher productivity. Empowered employees tend to be happier, more motivated, and ready to go above and beyond for customers—and that all starts with self-service capabilities at their fingertips.

Workforce Management Software Empowers Employees

Workforce management aids in striking a balance between operational efficiency and employee autonomy. In an era where job satisfaction is directly linked to flexibility, giving workers control over their schedules with tools like Legion WFM is essential.

Flexibility to Access Pay

Providing employees with better financial security and control is a major benefit of WFM software. Legion InstantPay allows employees to access their earned wages as soon as they finish their shift rather than waiting for a biweekly paycheck.

When employees know they can access wages when needed, job satisfaction climbs, and turnover decreases. Plus, staff can view potential earnings from open shifts, creating more incentive to cover them.

While employees enjoy this new freedom over their paychecks, businesses will notice better operational efficiency thanks to intelligent automation that keeps everything running smoothly.

Modern, Intuitive Mobile Apps

Today’s employees crave tools that are as modern and easy to use via an app on their phones. When choosing a WFM software that will empower and retain your employees, a top priority should be one with a user-friendly app that employees will use.

What makes an app ‘intuitive?’ Employees should be able to navigate the platform easily because it follows common design principles and is engaging. Legion Workforce Management Software has been designed with adoption in mind, ensuring employees can jump right in with minimal training and will use the app regularly.

A user-friendly interface boosts engagement, as employees won’t be frustrated trying to learn new complex processes. Instead, they’ll accomplish tasks more quickly and efficiently. Embracing such mobile solutions translates into higher adoption rates of the tool itself—a win-win for employees and management.

Better Work-Life Balance

With tools like Legion’s Automated Scheduling, workers can easily swap shifts or pick up extra hours even at other locations.

This gig-like flexibility is not only about swapping; it’s about setting preferences, too. Employees define when and how often they want to clock in and the locations they’re available for. It’s empowerment at its finest—making choices without manager approval for every move.

By automating these options, companies give time back to their people to enjoy their lives. Plus, it gives time back to managers, who can spend less time managing each employee’s schedule.

Transparent, Clear Communications

In the hustle of daily operations, clear communication can slip through the cracks. Using Frontline Communications through Legion’s mobile app makes keeping your team on the same easier.

Managers and employees can communicate easily all in one place. They can share important updates or changes, send kudos, and get real-time feedback on team engagement with polls and surveys. Because the app is embedded in WFM, there is no new app to learn, and employees have one app to manage schedules, pay, communications, and more.

With clock-aware communications and moderation tools built-in, businesses can provide modern tools without the risk of violating compliance rules.

Better communication translates into tangible benefits like retention, faster pick-up of open shifts, and more engaged teams because everyone is in the loop.

Give Recognition

Acknowledging hard work and effort is a great way to motivate and engage your team, which Legion WFM makes easier through Performance and Rewards. This product lets managers provide instant feedback and recognition, letting employees know they’re valued in real-time.

Elements of gamification through challenges and rewards can make work more fun for employees. When performance peaks are automatically recognized with messages or bonuses, it keeps spirits high to know hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

By offering these transparent metrics, everyone knows where they stand, making success clear-cut and fair.

Empower Your Employees With Legion WFM

Legion’s platform allows you to give your employees better control over their work-life balance. When you do this, you unlock potential that skyrockets productivity and boosts team morale.

With Legion WFM, every team member can tap into their schedule through an intuitive mobile app—no more back-and-forth emails or missed messages. They see when they’re working next, easily swap shifts, and even grab extra hours if they want them. Plus, they can access wages as needed and always be kept in the loop.

If that’s not convincing enough, remember that all of the benefits to your employees are benefits to your managers and the company as a whole. A happier workforce that feels respected and empowered shows on the bottom line.

Give your team the power of Legion WFM. Book a demo today to find out more.