More online www.thecaterer.com Barworks takes on the task of scheduling with Deputy


Tanja Sonja Schönberger started as a waitress at Barworks 15 years ago. Today, she is an operations and HR manager for the east London-based independent pub, bar and restaurant group. “We don’t hire managers externally.


We build our general managers from the ground up. Ideally, we want our people climbing the ranks here,” she says. Barworks was founded in 1995 by


entrepreneurs Andreas Akerlund, Patrik Franzen and Marc Francis-Baum. Mare Street Market in Hackney is its flagship venue and the group operates a further three London venues. Francis-Baum is also the co-founder of Camden Hells and Camden Town Brewery. Schönberger says: “We know how hard it is mentally and physically to work behind a bar, and so the support systems we have in place come from a deep understanding of how the industry works.” With a commitment to nurturing a dynamic,


healthy, upwardly mobile work culture, Barworks has harnessed the power of technology to elevate its operations. Software from Deputy supports Barworks’


focus on employee wellbeing. Schönberger explains: “One of the exciting aspects of Deputy is its capacity to create tailored schedules that factor in each employee’s availability and preferences. This flexibility enhances our staff’s work-life balance and boosts their morale and engagement.” Deputy streamlines scheduling and time


tracking but also facilitates transparent and effective communication. Schönberger appreciates how Deputy reduces frustrations by keeping all communication and tasks on one platform. “Deputy enables us to connect with our


Watts appreciates having information readily


available and the ability to run reports that summarise data in a digestible manner. “It’s the ease of having everything at your fingertips. Before, if we wanted a document, we’d have to walk to the hotel or ask for it to be emailed, whereas now, it’s there – audits, spot-checks, contracts, salary increase letters. There’s a huge amount we can report on: labour turnover, retention, 90-day quit rate, absence reports – we can pull the information off the systems and turn it into something digestible.” On the recruitment front, Resident Hotels has signed up with Recruit Genie, an applicant tracking system (ATS) that integrates with the Fourth platform. Recruitment requests will go straight into the ATS and then be advertised and when a new team member is recruited, the paperwork will upload automatically. The company’s Learning Hub, provided


by Talent LMS, includes content created by team members, and continuous professional development is encouraged via multiple links to the Learning Hub from Engage.


www.thecaterer.com 26 January 2024 | The Caterer | 29


staff, ensuring they are informed about their schedules and tasks without feeling overwhelmed by WhatsApps and emails.


“Deputy enables us to connect with our staff, ensuring they are informed about their schedules and tasks without feeling overwhelmed” Tanja Sonja Schönberger, Barworks


This leads to a calmer, more collaborative and synchronised team,” she says. The intuitive interface offers employees a


comprehensive view of their accrued leave, pending requests and utilised time off. “We had lots of problems with leave


management and holiday accrual, but now there’s a straightforward and transparent holiday approval process. Staff can see the status of their requests, there’s less confusion and accruals are automatically calculated,” she says. Deputy also looks after payroll processes,


reducing the three hours managers used to spend on payroll every first day of the month. With a fourth site scheduled to open in


King’s Cross, Schönberger says: “We want to maintain our unique identity, straddling the line between restaurant, bar and event space. We want to open more spaces and explore opportunities.” In addition to workforce management, Deputy


provides an applicant tracking system (ATS), onboarding and document management. By automating parts of the hiring process, Deputy is streamlining Barworks’ efforts to scale.


SHUTTERSTOCK/ARTEMISDIANA


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