CHARLESTON, S.C. -- PeopleMatter, a leading talent management platform specifically built for hourly workforces in the service industry, has unveiled PeopleMatter Schedule, an online labor management system that the company hopes will end paper scheduling.
Schedule's mobile app and online tools help service-industry workforces manage shifts, stay connected and take control.
PeopleMatter unveiled at a product launch event yesterday in Charleston, S.C., and online via a live webcast.
At the event, president and CEO Nate DePore and other PeopleMatter executives conducted a live demonstration showing how an employee can call up the app and request a day off. Meanwhile, a second employee can take the shift via the app. And then lastly, the manager can be on the app to confirm the shift changes.
DePore went on to demonstrate how an employee without a smartphone can use a landline or flip phone to request scheduling changes via a voice-activated response system.
"When you can download an app, there's no need to be around a computer. And the next generation is already using their phones and not computers to get on the internet," he told attendees.
Schedule's web-based technology allows managers to create, share, update and optimize schedules automatically, 24/7. Organizations can easily configure rules and preferences by specific locations or company-wide to help improve compliance, increase schedule-accuracy and prevent unplanned overtime and costs. A free iPhone and Android app lets employees access schedules, trade shifts and view updates right on their smartphones.
With smartphone usage nearly tripling in 2011 and more than half of its typical employee base (18-29 year-olds) device owners, the service industry must adopt solutions that cater to this tech-savvy generation's values in order to attract and retain top talent. PeopleMatter's app allows organizations to capitalize on the mobile epidemic and helps streamline communication with on-the-go workforces.
Schedule is the third module on the PeopleMatter Platform, which also includes PeopleMatter Hire and PeopleMatter Learn. With these integrated solutions, employers can manage all of their applicant tracking, hiring, onboarding, training and scheduling processes online within one system.
In other company news, PeopleMatter has announced a $14-million Series C round of venture funding led by Morgenthaler Ventures. This financing will continue to accelerate PeopleMatter's product-innovation and customer-acquisition strategies. Existing investors Noro-Moseley Partners, C&B Capital, Intersouth Partners and Harbert Ventures also participated in the round.
Gary Little, partner at Morgenthaler Ventures and new PeopleMatter board member. "This is a $2.5 billion market that's underserved and rapidly growing. There is a huge opportunity here."
"The PeopleMatter Platform isn't just an HR software system; it's a way to connect and communicate with today's mobile-social employees," Little added. "These solutions offer a whole new level of engagement and will fundamentally change how employers and employees interact in the workplace."
In a statement, DaPore said, "At the end of the day, we want to be the platform of choice for the service industry. We want PeopleMatter to be the only name employees think of to manage their schedules, build their career and connect with the industry. There's still a way to go, but working with Morgenthaler is a big step in that direction."
The service industry, which the company said has previously been overlooked for targeted talent management platforms, includes foodservice, convenience store, hospitality and retail verticals.
"Now, admins can require new-hires to complete a training course before store managers can put them on the weekly schedule. Real-time alerts and color-coded shifts make it easy for managers to prevent overtime … before it hits the bottom line," said Kay Lucas, vice president of product management for Charleston-based PeopleMatter.
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