With the release of Time Off in Lieu, Hub Planner customers can now track accrued Time off in Lieu directly within Timesheets and visualize it on the Vacation dashboard. Create multiple company policies, manage resource settings, and easily request TOIL.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, flexibility and work-life balance are more important than ever. That’s why we are excited to introduce Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) to Hub Planner. TOIL allows employees to accrue hours for overtime worked and use them as leave at a later date, providing a flexible alternative to traditional overtime payment.

What is time off in lieu (TOIL)?

Time off in lieu, or TOIL, is an alternative for the employers to give time off for the employees instead of paying for overtime. If you have a big project coming up followed by a slow period, it can be cost-effective to ‘pay’ for the overtime hours with compensatory time off.

How Does TOIL Work in Hub Planner?

TOIL is straightforward to use and integrates seamlessly with your existing workflow:

  • Accrual: Employees log their overtime hours as usual. These hours are then automatically converted into TOIL, based on pre-set accrual rates determined by your company’s policy.

  • Usage: When employees need to take time off, they can choose to use their accrued TOIL hours instead of their regular vacation hours.

  • Management: Administrators can easily track and manage TOIL accruals and usage through a dedicated dashboard, ensuring transparency and ease of access.

With TOIL, not only do employees gain another option for managing their time off, but employers also benefit from a more motivated and balanced workforce.

Customizing and Managing TOIL Policies

In Hub Planner, setting up and managing TOIL policies is highly customizable. Administrators can establish different accrual rates for different groups of employees or based on different conditions. This ensures that the TOIL system can be tailored to fit the unique needs and regulations of any organization.

Best Practices for TOIL

Implementing a Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) policy can be beneficial for both employees and employers. Here are some best practices to consider:

  1. Clearly Define the Policy: Establish a clear and concise TOIL policy that outlines the eligibility criteria, accrual rates, and usage guidelines. This ensures that everyone understands how TOIL works and what is expected.
  2. Communicate the Policy: Ensure that all employees understand the TOIL policy and its benefits. Regular communication, including reminders and updates, helps avoid confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page.
  3. Set Realistic Expectations: Manage employee expectations by setting realistic targets for TOIL accrual and usage. Avoid over-promising and under-delivering to maintain trust and satisfaction.
  4. Monitor and Track TOIL: Implement a system to track and monitor TOIL accrual and usage. This helps identify trends, prevent abuse, and ensure fairness across the board.
  5. Provide Flexibility: Offer flexible TOIL options, such as taking time off in lieu of overtime or using TOIL to cover shifts. This flexibility can enhance employee satisfaction and work-life balance.
  6. Review and Adjust: Regularly review the TOIL policy and make adjustments as needed. Solicit feedback from employees and management to ensure the policy is meeting its intended purpose and remains effective.

Integration with Other Features

TOIL is seamlessly integrated with other Hub Planner features such as Timesheets and the Vacation dashboard. This integration helps in monitoring and managing employee hours and leave requests efficiently, making it easier for managers to maintain a balanced workflow and for employees to take time off when needed without disrupting project timelines.

The Benefits of Implementing TOIL

Implementing TOIL can significantly enhance workforce management by increasing employee satisfaction and retention. It offers a fair and motivating way for employees to manage overtime, reducing burnout and improving overall job satisfaction.

“Intense projects and overtime are a regular part of our work, often driven by the fast-paced nature of our industry. Time off in lieu compensates for these demanding periods, and with Hub Planner adding the TOIL feature, this becomes seamlessly integrated with the rest of our resource management. It brings balance and boosts flexibility, helping us and our employees efficiently recharge after demanding periods.”

image 86Peter Scott, Managing Director @Cityscape

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FAQ’s

TOIL refers to a policy where employees can take time off work in exchange for overtime hours worked, instead of being paid for those hours. Historically, the term ‘toil’ as a noun was an obsolete word meaning ‘strife’ in British English, highlighting the evolution of language over time.

Implementing a TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) policy offers numerous advantages for both employees and organizations. It allows employees to accumulate compensated time off for overtime hours worked, providing them with the flexibility to balance their work-life commitments more effectively. The present participle form of ‘toil’ is ‘toiling’, which describes ongoing hard work or laborious tasks. This flexibility can lead to enhanced morale and increased job satisfaction, benefiting the overall workplace environment.

Hub Planner automates the accrual and usage of TOIL through Timesheets, ensuring accurate tracking of overtime hours and their conversion into TOIL. This system minimizes errors and ensures transparency with its dedicated dashboard for both employees and administrators.

A TOIL system can help evenly distribute work during peak times while allowing employees to rest and recuperate during slower periods. This helps maintain employee morale, reduces burnout, and can contribute to a more dynamic and responsive staffing strategy.

Tailoring TOIL policies to fit specific organizational needs involves setting clear guidelines on accrual rates, maximum accrual limits, and TOIL usage. Best practices include considering industry standards, legal compliance, and employee input to create a policy that is both fair and beneficial

TOIL has the potential to positively affect employee engagement by providing an additional choice for how overtime is compensated. Employees who value flexibility may find TOIL to be a beneficial option, which could lead to increased satisfaction and a more engaged workforce.