Time Off Request and Approval

Background

Our client is a large-sized company employing thousands of staff and temps. They currently use a paper-based system for managing employee time off requests, which employees rarely used. In most cases, employees verbally requested time off with their supervisor, which is causing a lot of inefficiencies and errors. As a result, they have decided to develop a digital tool to streamline the process.

 
 

Objective

The objective is to create a user-friendly time off request tool that allows employees to easily request time off, view their time off balances, and track the status of their requests. This will be implemented into the web-based tool that is used to submit timecards and view PTO and Sick leave balances

 
 

Research

To develop an effective time off request tool, we need to understand the needs of the users and their pain points. The following research methods were used:

  1. User Interviews: We conducted interviews with a sample of employees across different departments to gather insights into their current time off request process, what they liked and didn't like about it, and their expectations for a digital tool.

  2. Stakeholder Interviews: We also spoke to HR personnel and managers to understand the current process from their perspective, the challenges they faced, and the features they would like to see in the tool.

  3. Competitive Analysis: We reviewed similar tools used in other companies to identify best practices and areas where our tool could differentiate itself.

 
 

Key Findings

Through my research, I identified the following key findings:

  1. Employees found the current paper-based process time-consuming and confusing.

  2. Employees often resorted to verbally requesting time off directly with their supervisor. Yielding many last-minute or forgotten requests and days when too many employees took time off.

  3. HR personnel and managers faced similar challenges, but also had concerns about the visibility of requests, managing multiple requests at once, and ensuring the accuracy of balances.

  4. Most competitors had similar features, such as a request form, a calendar view, and a balance tracker. However, some tools also had unique features like automatic approval based on availability, reminders, and the ability to view coworkers' time off.

Design

Based on my research, I developed the following design solutions:

 
 

  1. User-Friendly Request Form

  • The request form was designed to be simple and intuitive, with only the necessary fields and clear instructions. Users could select the type of time off, and the dates, and add any necessary comments.

 

2. Clear Balance Tracker

  • The tool includes a balance tracker that is easy to understand and always visible. Users can view their remaining balances for each type of time off, such as vacation, sick leave, or personal days.

 

3. Real-Time Status Updates

  • Users receive real-time updates on the status of their request, including whether it is pending, approved, or denied. They can also view their entire request history.

 

4. Manager Dashboard

  • HR personnel and managers have access to a dashboard that allows them to view and manage multiple requests at once. They can also set up automatic approval rules and send reminders to employees who haven't used their time off.

 
 

5. Team Calendar

  • Employees can view their coworkers' time off in a team calendar view, which helps them plan their own time off and avoid conflicts.

 

Prototype

We developed a high-fidelity prototype of the time off request tool using Figma. The prototype included all the key features we identified during the research and design phase.

Employee Dashboard

 
 

Admin Dashboard

 
 

Testing

We conducted usability testing with a sample of employees and managers to gather feedback on the tool's usability, functionality, and design. Based on the feedback, we made several improvements, such as adding more contextual help and streamlining the request form.

Launch

The time off request tool was launched to all employees and managers. Initial feedback has been positive, with employees finding it easier to request time off and HR personnel finding it easier to manage multiple requests at once