By alisonbarlow|Jun 17, 2024|5:14 pm BST

Fourth’s Onboarding App is designed to optimise the transition from applicant tracking to employee onboarding. Part of our June Level Up product release, which introduced significant upgrades across our product range, the app delivers a simple and intuitive onboarding experience to ensure new hires get off to the best possible start.

Maximising staff experience is increasingly important since labour shortages remain an issue for hospitality operators. Exacerbated by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic—which saw many workers exit the industry—a lack of staff is an ongoing headache for the sector. It leads to understaffed shifts that in turn foster poor customer service, burned-out teams, and lost sales.

It’s an issue that’s in danger of becoming the status quo, with labour shortages expected to continue into 2025. As of the end of Q1 this year, job vacancies in the sector were 15% above pre-pandemic levels, with around 8% of hospitality roles unfilled. Little wonder, then, that 91% of industry leaders are concerned about labour shortages, which create a fiercely competitive job market.

The ongoing high demand for workers means that individuals can afford to ‘shop around’, moving between employers offering more benefits, greater flexibility, or better pay. It’s not unheard of for workers to accept multiple job offers and decide later which employer they intend to work for. So, a smooth onboarding process and a great first impression could be the factor that wins the coin toss between one potential employer and another.

Current onboarding processes within Hospitality can often be slow, fragmented and laborious, with HR teams often relying on outdated and rudimentary processes for communication, data gathering and contract signing. This leads to errors, incomplete information, unnecessary iterations, which ultimately slow down the process of getting new employees onboard. Improving the onboarding process is a simple but effective way to ensure you get your new recruit off to a great start.

Get it right from day one

Fourth’s Onboarding App makes the transition from applicant to employee as frictionless as possible for both HR teams and individuals, creating a professional and organised first impression for new hires.

Individuals can quickly upload personal information, such as their name and address, banking details in the app which is then automatically uploaded into the Fourth HR & Payroll system. They can also sign their contracts and other documents, like health and safety policies, directly from their mobile device. This streamlined process saves HR teams time and accelerates onboarding while providing new hires with all the information they need upfront to feel supported and valued from day one.

The Onboarding App seamlessly integrates with Applicant Tracking Systems, and is currently available with Fourth’s own and Talos, with more to follow over time.

Maximising the employee experience

With job vacancies still high, operators are competing for the very best talent—and it’s not a battleground they’re likely to be able to leave anytime soon.

Fourth’s Onboarding App gives HR and management teams the tools to effortlessly deliver the best possible experience for new hires, offering a seamless transition from applicant tracking to onboarding. It provides brands with everything they need to present themselves as desirable employers and ensures new hires feel supported and informed before they’ve even punched in for their first shift.