--- title: "Restaurant staff retention: three ways our Self Service App can help" description: "Simplifying time entry, scheduling and shift coverage will make your restaurant staff’s lives a lot easier. Here to help: Payworks’ Self Service App!" image: https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/BlogPost_SelfService-Restaurant_Jan13.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://blog.payworks.ca/restaurant-staff-retention-three-ways-our-self-service-app-can-help#maincontent) [Skip to footer](https://blog.payworks.ca/restaurant-staff-retention-three-ways-our-self-service-app-can-help#footer-en) ![Say “Yes, Chef!” to easier time entry (& more!) for restaurant staff. ](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/BlogHeader_SelfService-Restaurant_Jan13.jpg) # Restaurant staff retention: three ways our Self Service App can help Jan 13, 2026 [Innovation](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/innovation) ![Payworks](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/inTheLoop-ring-150px.png) Payworks Share this article [![Share this on Facebook.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/button.gif)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://blog.payworks.ca/restaurant-staff-retention-three-ways-our-self-service-app-can-help) [![Share this on Twitter.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/button.gif)](http://twitter.com/share?text=A%20great%20article%20from%20Payworks!&url=https://blog.payworks.ca/restaurant-staff-retention-three-ways-our-self-service-app-can-help) [![Share this on LinkedIn.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hubfs/Payworks%20February%202019/Images/button.gif)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.payworks.ca/restaurant-staff-retention-three-ways-our-self-service-app-can-help&title=&summary=&source) *Summary: By simplifying time entry, scheduling and shift coverage, you can make your staff’s work life easier – which frees them up to bring their best selves to work for your customers and each other! The Payworks Self Service App is here to help.* Whether they’re front of house (FOH) or back of house (BOH), your crew’s got a lot of responsibilities “on their plates” (see what we did there?)… but dealing with clunky admin tasks shouldn’t be among them. The easier you make it for them to [work at your restaurant](https://blog.payworks.ca/restaurant-operators-make-scheduling-paying-your-staff-a-piece-of-cake?hsLang=en-ca), the better they can show up for you and your customers, and the more likely they are to stick around! That’s what we’re here to help enable – particularly through our [Self Service App](https://blog.payworks.ca/smarter-employee-admin-starts-with-our-self-service-app?hsLang=en-ca) when used in conjunction with our [Time Management](https://www.payworks.ca/solutions/time-management) and [Absence Management](https://www.payworks.ca/solutions/absence-management) solutions. Here’s how: ## 1. Convenient, accurate time entry: Sure, on-site punch clocks are great for your FOH staff (and we’ve got [plenty of options!](https://blog.payworks.ca/tracking-employee-time-doesnt-have-to-be-complicated-we-promise?hsLang=en-ca))… but what about the BOH folks starting their shift with offsite vendor meetings or supply runs? ![A mobile phone showing Web Time clock in/out functionality in the Payworks Self Service App.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/ProductShots_PayworksApp_Phone_WebTime_Oct10_2025_EN-1.png?width=260&height=512&name=ProductShots_PayworksApp_Phone_WebTime_Oct10_2025_EN-1.png) Through our [Self Service App](https://blog.payworks.ca/smarter-employee-admin-starts-with-our-self-service-app?hsLang=en-ca) on their mobile phones, they – and the rest of the team, for that matter – can use Web Time to clock in, clock out, and log breaks. For added peace of mind on your end, Web Time includes the option to capture GPS location data at the time of the punch, so you’ve got confirmation where and when work is taking place. Alternatively, employees can use the Self Service App to log and submit their hours in Timesheets. You set the submission deadline; they fill in the data from their device – yep, it’s as simple as that! ### Why they’ll love it: They’ll appreciate the ease of clocking in, the transparency into how many hours they’ve logged, and the confidence of knowing their pay actually reflects their time worked (did we mention that all time data flows directly into Payworks [Payroll](https://www.payworks.ca/solutions/payroll), eliminating the inevitable errors that come from re-keying data from one solution into another)? *Photo: Staff can clock in and out from anywhere (with GPS location data available to be captured at the time) with Web Time in the Payworks Self Service App.* ## 2. Easy access to up-to-date schedules (and time-off bookings): Let’s be honest: that grimy whiteboard with the schedule on it isn’t doing anyone any favours. It’s hidden![A mobile phone showing Time Off Request functionality in the Payworks Self Service App.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/ProductShots_PayworksApp_Phone_TOR_Oct10_2025_EN-1.png?width=260&height=512&name=ProductShots_PayworksApp_Phone_TOR_Oct10_2025_EN-1.png) away in the back, it’s way too easy to accidentally erase, and staff may not check it enough to see that a coveted extra shift has become available. With our Self Service App, staff can view the schedule in the palm of their hand, including upcoming shifts, pending time off requests… and yes – when their bestie is working next. They can also receive a notification if they’ve been approved to work an open shift that they had requested. They can even use the App to submit and update time-off requests (and when it’s easier for them to give you plenty of notice of when they’ll be away, it’s easier for you to work around it). Why they’ll love it:  They don’t have to wait until they’re in the restaurant (or bumping into   you!) to figure out what their work life looks like, and can plan their   well-deserved off-hours accordingly. And that feeling of empowerment   and respect goes a long way!  *Photo: Submitting time off requests is simple in the Payworks Self Service App.*   ![Two chefs wearing aprons working in a commercial kitchen.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Freepik_Restaurant_2025.jpg?width=6707&height=4471&name=Freepik_Restaurant_2025.jpg) ## 3. Simplified shift coverage ![A mobile phone showing Available Shifts in the Payworks Self Service App.](https://blog.payworks.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/ProductShots_PayworksApp_Phone_AvailableShifts_Oct10_2025_EN-1.png?width=260&height=512&name=ProductShots_PayworksApp_Phone_AvailableShifts_Oct10_2025_EN-1.png) On the other hand… sometimes life happens and they need to find someone to cover their shift – right now. Well, thanks to the Self Service App, you no longer have to drop everything to facilitate the change; they can initiate requests for shift coverage themselves from wherever they are. Through the App, staff can mark their shift as available for their coworkers to pick up – and you can set it up to either auto-approve (if the coworker who wants the shift is eligible to take it) or ping you for final signoff. And communication is quick: those looking for more hours can opt in for notifications any time a shift is up for grabs. Why they’ll love it: They’ll feel grateful knowing there’s one less detail to stress about when the unexpected hits, which takes serious weight off their shoulders (and sticks with them – who doesn’t remember the folks who made life easier when the road got rough?).  *Photo: Picking up shifts is quick and easy in the Payworks Self Service App!*   If you’re already up and running with Time Management and Absence Management, getting started is a snap: just ask your crew to download the Payworks Self Service App in the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/payworks-self-service/id6504584369) or [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ca.payworks.pssprod&hl=en_CA&pli=1) today. Not a client (yet)? There’s no time like the present to see for yourself how much easier [managing your workforce](https://www.payworks.ca/solutions/overview) can be when you lean on Payworks’ suite of payroll, HR and time solutions: [https://www.payworks.ca/landing-pages/campaigns/book-a-demo.](https://www.payworks.ca/landing-pages/campaigns/book-a-demo) Key topics in this article: [Innovation](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/innovation)[Business Owner](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/business-owner)[SME](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/sme)[Franchisee](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/franchisee)[Hospitality](https://blog.payworks.ca/tag/hospitality) These articles are produced by Payworks as an information service. They are not intended to substitute professional legal, regulatory, tax, or financial advice. Readers must rely on their own advisors, as applicable, for such advice. 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