Human Resources Software

Middleton Fire Department Benefits From Faster HR Reporting and Increased Communication

“Everything is right there, all in one spot, which makes it so much easier to find employee information.”

Capt. Thomas Martinuk – EMT-P, Fire Prevention Officer
Middleton Fire Department, Massachusetts

Customer Profile

The Middleton Fire Department, located in Middleton, Massachusetts, employs 35 firefighters, dispatches, and paramedics and serves a community of 9,000 people.

Situation/Challenge

The Middleton Fire Department implemented Visual Staff Scheduler® Pro (VSS Pro), from Atlas Business Solutions, Inc., to create their employee shift schedules. After realizing increased efficiency in staff scheduling, they wanted to further computerize and streamline their processes, so they decided to implement Staff Files® HR Software, offered by the same software developer.

Solution

“It only took a few hours to implement Staff Files and it was very easy to learn,” says Capt. Martinuk, EMT-P, Fire Prevention Officer. “Staff Files is very self explanatory. It meets our current needs and I know there’s so much more we can do with it, if needed.” To stay up-to-date with product features, Capt. Martinuk subscribes to the Tip of the Month e-newsletters because they refresh his memory of what the software is capable of and because he learns new ways to use Staff Files.

The Middleton Fire Department uses Staff Files to record time-off accruals, such as vacation and sick time, and store general contact information, such as name, address, position, and hire date. Capt. Martinuk also sets up reminders for anniversaries and birthdays. Anniversary reminders are helpful for remembering step raises and additional time off for employees that have worked at the Middleton Fire Department five years or longer. Birthday reminders are a fun way to boost camaraderie among the employees.

Benefits

Capt. Martinuk noticed increased efficiency shortly after starting to use Staff Files HR software. Prior to implementing Staff Files, employee records were kept by hand, which meant lots of physical paperwork. “We save so much paper by using Staff Files to record time-off accruals and by emailing reports instead of printing them,” says Capt. Martinuk.

“The Accruals feature is easy to use and so much quicker than recording time-off on paper,” explains Capt. Martinuk. He emails time-off reports to the staff on a monthly basis, which helps streamline communication. “Staff Files makes it easier for me and our employees,” says Capt. Martinuk. “It saves me time answering questions and they save time because they don’t have to ask me as many questions as before.” And, when an employee notices a discrepancy between the reported and actual time-off hours on a report, it can be cleared up right away.

Capt. Martinuk also benefits from the faster reporting when communicating to his supervisor. Reports are ready instantly since there is no more need to flip through paper to find the details required. “Everything is right there, all in one spot, which makes it so much easier to find employee information,” concludes Capt. Martinuk.