Workforce management software helps organizations plan, manage, and track employee work, including labor requirements, employee schedules, and paid time off (PTO). Workforce management platforms offer a variety of features that enable users to optimize workforce efforts. Companies use workforce management software to forecast labor demand, create and assign employee schedules, track attendance, and report on workforce efficiency.

Workforce management solutions are commonly implemented in HR departments, though some standalone products may be used by businesses without a traditional HR department. Many workforce management solutions offer self-service options that enable employees to check PTO balances and request days off on their own without interrupting normal HR workflows. Workforce management software can be implemented either as part of an integrated HR management suite or as a standalone solution. Workforce management software frequently integrates with third-party HR applications, with core HR systems in particular acting as a central repository for workforce data.

To qualify for inclusion in the Workforce Management category, a product must:

• Allow users to forecast labor demands and develop workforce contingency plans
• Help administrators manage employee schedules, PTO, and leave requests
• Enable reporting on labor activities with workforce analytics capabilities
• Track employee attendance and workforce competencies