What is workforce management?

Workforce Management (WFM) is the strategic process of efficiently managing the workforce to meet business goals. In simpler terms, WFM ensures resources are allocated in the right place, at the right time—to ensure employee productivity and business growth.  
 
While Human Resource Management (HRM), focuses on hiring, long-term talent development, and workforce planning, WFM handles day-to-day operations such as scheduling, time tracking, compliance, and assigning employees to shifts. 
 
At present, hybrid and remote work arrangements have made workforce management even more challenging. This is where workforce management solutions come in. 

By leveraging technology, data, and automation, WFM simplifies complex tasks, reduces administrative burdens, and aligns operations with company goals. They also optimise processes like rostering, time tracking, and compliance, ensuring efficiency and adaptability in a constantly changing work environment. 

For employees, WFM provides better tools and experiences to: 

For businesses, WFM helps by: 

While Human Resource Management (HRM) and Workforce Management (WFM) are closely connected, they serve different purposes in an organisation. For business leaders, understanding the differences and significance of both HRM and WFM can unlock significant value. 
 
Human Resource Management (HRM) focuses on the strategic, big-picture aspects of managing an organisation’s people. It is about aligning talent with organisational goals for a productive, engaged workforce. HRM is critical in addressing challenges like attracting top talent or ensuring compliance with labour laws. Typical tasks include:

Workforce Management (WFM), in contrast, handles the tactical, day-to-day logistics of the workforce. It ensures that employees are in the right place at the right time, optimising schedules and processes to meet business demands efficiently. WFM is often the key to minimising costs while maximising productivity. WFM focuses on:

Human resource management provides the strategic direction to attract and develop talent, while workforce management takes on the operational side of things – together, they ensure businesses are making the most of employee potential and organisational efficiency.

Effective workforce management (WFM) is no longer just a tool for operational efficiency but rather a necessity. Modern WFM solutions are designed to adapt and meet the complex needs of today’s workplaces. 

Let’s explore the core components that make up WFM solutions: 

1. Forecasting workforce requirements 

Anticipating workforce needs is key to staying ahead of the curve. Without accurate forecasting, businesses risk being understaffed during peak periods or overstaffed during slower times, both of which impact productivity and costs.  
 
Modern workforce management (WFM) solutions address this by using data-driven insights to predict staffing demands. These tools analyse historical trends, seasonal patterns, and real-time operational data to forecast future workforce requirements, all in one place. 
 

2. Onboarding new employees 

Efficient onboarding is more than just paperwork—it’s a crucial step in making a strong first impression and setting new hires up for success from day one. A Gallup study reveal that only 12% of employees feel their company excels at onboarding, suggesting that the onboarding experience can make or break the employee-company bond from the start.  
 
WFM solutions streamline onboarding by automating data capture, document management, training scheduling, and performance tracking. These tools reduce manual tasks, minimise errors, and ensure compliance, while centralised platforms make it easier to manage remote or hybrid teams. By digitising onboarding, businesses save time, improve consistency, and create a smoother experience for new hires and the management. 
 

3. Rostering and scheduling management 

WFM solutions like Access Definitiv simplify rostering by automating shifts based on employee availability, skills, and fairness for smooth operations.  
 
Managers can track real-time updates, forecast demand, and optimise labour costs. The system also allows employees to access and adjust schedules directly, reducing the chances of last-minute changes. 

4. Enhancing employee experience 

Modern WFM solutions with mobile apps make managing administrative tasks easy and, on the go, just like mobile banking or any other business app. Employees are able to request leave, share availability, update timesheets, view payslips and annual statements, and input and update personal information from the mobile app. The experience becomes part of everyday life. 
 

5. Performance management 

Driving employee growth and aligning it with business goals can be challenging without the right tools. Traditional methods often lead to inconsistent evaluations and missed development opportunities.  
 
WFM solutions simplify this by helping managers set measurable goals, track progress in real time, and provide timely feedback. These tools also identify skill gaps, enabling businesses to offer targeted training and support that empowers employees to grow and succeed. 
 

6. Leave and absence management 

Manually managing employee leave can be a hassle—overlapping holidays, policy compliance, and endless paperwork make it error-prone and time-consuming. Automated leave management systems solve this by streamlining the entire process. Employees can submit requests, check leave balances, and get real-time approval updates, while managers gain clear visibility into team availability to plan workloads and avoid gaps.  
 
The system ensures compliance with company policies and labour laws, reducing risks and disputes. By automating repetitive tasks, it saves time for HR teams and boosts transparency for everyone involved. Explore our all-in-one workforce managemnt solution to managing employee leave requests online.  

7. Time tracking and timesheet management 

Manual timesheets are prone to errors, costing businesses thousands in payroll discrepancies annually. Modern WFM solutions offer mobile-friendly tools that allow employees to clock in, log breaks, and switch duties with ease, even offline.  
 
Automated systems create timesheets instantly, minimising manual mistakes and ensuring precise payroll calculations. Alerts help by notifying staff when it’s time to clock in or out, providing an added layer of efficiency and oversight. Lastly, certain systems even feature facial recognition for validation, boosting accountability while simplifying time tracking for both employees and supervisors. 
 

8. Compliance management 

Non-compliance with labour laws can result in hefty fines and reputational damage for businesses.  Between 2023-24, Fair Work Ombudsman recovered a sum of $473 million for close to 160,000 underpaid workers from Australian businesses, highlighting the importance of reliable compliance systems.

WFM systems tackle this challenge by automating compliance management, keeping up with labour laws updates, award rates, and workplace regulations. Additionally, these solutions also track employee hours, oversee leave entitlements, and generate precise payroll data, reducing the chance of mistakes or oversights. 

Imagine a world with efficient teams, fewer mistakes, and smoother operations. WFM make that possible, helping businesses work smarter, not harder. By automating tasks, improving visibility, and ensuring everything runs smoothly, these solutions empower organisations to focus on what truly matters—growth. 
 
Here are the top benefits of a workforce management system: 

Every organisation has unique challenges to solve, and the right workforce management (WFM) solution can be a game-changer. The first step to selecting one, employers must determine what problems they want to solve. However, implementing a WFM solution isn’t just about technology—it’s about people too. With so many options available, focus on meeting the needs of both employees and the business. 
 
Here are five things to look out for before choosing a WFM solution: 

1. Easy to use for employees 
A workforce management solution should make it easy for employees to access and manage their schedules and details. With self-service tools, workers can gain more independence and take control, while HR teams are freed from administrative tasks; which are often tedious and repetitive. This may look like: 

Access Self-Service Software simplifies these tasks by providing an intuitive platform that supports all of the above. 

2. Easy to use for HR and staffing managers 
Managing a workforce doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right WFM solution, leaders can handle tasks easily, reduce admin work, and stay organised—freeing up time for strategic work and growing the business. 

3. Compliance with Australian labour laws 
Ensure compliance with Australian labour laws by choosing a WFM solution that monitors records continuously and automates warnings of expirations. This minimises errors, prevents costly penalties, and keeps your workforce compliant with regulations. 

4. Integration with existing systems 
If available for your product, ensure the solution integrates seamlessly with your current HR software, payroll systems, and other business tools. Smooth integration reduces manual input, saves time and lessens errors. 
 
5. Scalability and flexibility 
Choose a system that can grow with your business over time; one that considers your business’ size, employees, locations and other complex needs.  

As workplaces continue to evolve, workforce management (WFM) solutions are adapting to meet the demands of modern businesses.

Here are the key trends shaping the future of WFM: 
 
1. Remote and hybrid workforce 
With remote and hybrid work here to stay, we expect to see more WFM solutions integrated into businesses as they now support location, time tracking, virtual collaboration, and flexible scheduling. 
 
Outcome: Greater flexibility reduced overhead costs, and happier employees. 

2. AI-driven scheduling 
AI takes the guesswork out of scheduling by analysing data to predict demand, optimize staffing, and balance employee preferences. 
 
Outcome: Increased productivity, lower labour costs, and fairer schedules. 
 
3. Employee self-service and mobile-first tools 
Employees want convenience and control. Mobile-first self-service tools let them manage schedules, submit leave requests, and track hours from their phones. 
 
Outcome: Higher engagement, reduced HR workload, and improved transparency.

In summary, workforce management can transform your business strategy through:  

By choosing the right WFM system, your organisation can gain deeper insights and efficiency—all while following compliance and building a culture of innovation. As the workforce landscape continues to evolve, embracing these strategies will position your business for long-term agility and resilience.