TeamSeer | John Lewis Direct use TeamSeer software to manage holiday & absence management

“TeamSeer is a boost to our planning and scheduling”

John Lewis

"Thanks to TeamSeer, we have seen a common and potentially serious problem removed."

UK retailer John Lewis Direct has chosen TeamSeer software to simplify and automate holiday approvals and absence management. Working alongside its in-house HR system, TeamSeer gives teams and managers the information they need to maximise productivity and results.

The Challenge

Like many large organisations, managers at John Lewis Direct found staff holiday and absence management a constant distraction. The company’s HR system, designed to provide detailed information to the HR department, would benefit from the way TeamSeer gives team managers and their staff visibility of planned absences.

Before TeamSeer, teams were compelled to construct their own departmental spreadsheets to track their member’s whereabouts. But these spreadsheets had noticeable limitations, updates would often go unnoticed, approvals processing was hit-and-miss, and key staff could easily end up away at the same time.

The Solution

John Lewis Direct realised they needed a simple solution which would replace departmental spreadsheets, open up information and empower teams to make informed decisions. Specifically, they wanted a software solution capable of integrating with Microsoft Outlook and providing every individual with an overview of the whole team.

They chose TeamSeer, a collaborative, web-based, management tool, which required no installation and could be easily set up to work with Outlook, and function as a complement to their HR system. Using TeamSeer staff can now easily see their colleagues’ whereabouts when making their own plans, meaning potential holiday clashes are greatly reduced. The management approvals process is now fully automated, and team leaders can make decisions at a glance based on staff availability, holiday allowance and business requirements. “People being absent is always an issue, but having advanced knowledge and formalised processes that update Outlook automatically is a big boost to our planning and scheduling,” says Waine.

The response to TeamSeer has been highly positive. Staff and managers agree they would never go back to using spreadsheets or to their old approvals procedures. “TeamSeer comes with my full recommendation; it has surpassed my expectation,” concludes Waine.

Staff now benefit from a new level of convenience, and managers have a simple and powerful team management tool, a real help in maintaining day-to-day excellence in management and results.