Convenience store owners and managers know employees are important assets—and that the management of them and all the related HR processes is a critical—and albeit often time-consuming and costly—task.
Hiring alone is a perfect example. According to the NACS 2019 State of the Industry (SOI) Compensation Report, the cost to hire an hourly full-time associate in 2019 was $1,716, a number that increased by more 30% since 2016. To complicate the hiring process even more, the average turnover rate was 81% for full-time employees—and the part-time associate rate is nearly double that.
Just imagine, with high turnover rates like this, how time-consuming it is for store managers to hire, train and retain a full staff. One way these managers can ease this burden is to take advantage of readily accessible document scanning for all paper-based HR processes.
Streamlining HR tasks for time-pressed managers
While many stores are using online HR processes, physical documents are still a large part of the job. But the management of these document doesn’t need to be a hinderance, especially when HR employees can take advantage of a small-foot print scanner in their stores.
For instance, any employee-related documents such as IDs, applications and work visas can be scanned right at the point of interaction with a potential worker, and handed right back. The documents can then be effortlessly integrated with back-end HR, accounting or content management software programs. With advanced document imaging software, data can be accurately captured and extracted from the scanned documents, making it easy to organize, store and ultimately search for the paperwork.
Here are a few examples as to how this might work in a typical convenience store.
Hiring. Convenience store owner and managers want to employ the best people for their businesses, and one of the first steps in doing so is making the application process as seamless as possible. Resumes, along paper-based applications as well as employment eligibility and consent forms, can all be scanned during an interview with a potential employee without interrupting the process. Different forms of identification, such as licenses or passports—no matter the size or thickness of the documents—can be scanned just as readily, and handed back to the candidate. All this information can then be tagged, making it searchable so once hired, electronic folders can be created for each employee.
Onboarding. Once a person is hired, there will be more forms to fill out—such as employee withholding allowance certificates (IRS Form W-4), employee or contractor contracts, non-disclosure agreements or other back-up documentation. All of these documents can be easily and quickly scanned at the point of engagement as well, without using up more of a manager’s or employee’s time. After they are scanned, these documents can also be efficiently stored online with an employee’s hiring forms.
Incident reporting. Situations may arise in a store that may require either disciplinary or compliance actions. For instance, if there is an incident with a customer that may later result in an insurance claim, an employee can quickly grab an incident report, fill it out and then scan it right at the point of need, recording and storing all the information in near real time. Store managers have the accurate information that they need at their fingertips so they can then take further action.
Scheduling and payroll. Many stores still use paper-based scheduling and time stubs. Once these are filled in, they can be scanned and shared almost immediately with the people that need the information. A scanned schedule could be emailed to each employee before posting in a centralized location. Time stubs can be forwarded to the accounting staff, so paychecks can be executed without error and on time. Additionally, when it comes time for taxes, all the payroll information will already be scanned so reporting and filing will require less effort.
Central office communication. For any store that is part of a franchise or chain of convenient stores, all the above information can be shared with head offices, eliminating the time and costs associated with collecting and mailing HR documentation. Concerns about lost documentation are eliminated, ensuring greater accuracy.
The perfect scanners for any convenience store
When convenience stores look for a scanner, they need something that is compact, fast, easy to use, and reliable, with high imaging quality and excellent paper handling capabilities. Here are a few that meet those requirements.
- The fi-800R is a is a perfect choice almost any convenience store. It’s an ultra-compact, yet highly efficient scanner that has a small footprint, ideal for use in small spaces. It features two ways to feed documents—Reverse Path accommodates thick documents such as IDs or passports and the U-turn Path scans batches of various sized documents such as invoices, receipts and packing slips. The fi-800R can scan up to 40 ppm and up to 4,500 sheets a day so you can scan more in less time.
- The ScanSnap iX1500 is capable of digitizing large volumes of papers quickly. It simplifies the scanning process for a variety of documents, saving store manager’s time. It comes with wireless connectivity, an intuitive 4.3-inch touch screen and advanced software that scans documents and automatically turns paper into fully editable files which can be accessed from commonly used back-office applications. With its various automation functions, it intelligently adapts to a user’s preferences, enabling people to work smarter and faster.
- The fi-7300NX is a network scanner that includes Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, which creates efficiencies in convenient stores. It can be remotely placed in the front of a store, or the receiving area, without the need for a desktop computer that would take up valuable counter space. The fi-7300NX includes authentication methods for data security so approved store workers can quickly scan any appropriate documentation to speed up handling and minimize interruptions. This scanner also features a simple touch screen with customized job buttons, so even the least experienced employee can use it. The fi-7300NX can scan up to 60 ppm, giving valuable time back to employees.