Still using WhatsApp to run your business?
That group chat that was meant to organise rotas, share updates, and motivate the team? It's now just meme overload, unread messages, 1000s of groups, and someone asking “who’s got Tuesday off?” five times a week.
Truth is, most “employee apps” are just digital rota sheets. Functional? Maybe. Inspiring? Not a chance. Your team deserves better. You deserve better.
Let’s talk apps that actually talk back. Tools that build culture, train your team, and make ops less chaotic, without being just another glorified spreadsheet.
Scheduling's the least of your problems
Anyone can drag a shift into a calendar. But what about when the KP runs out of stock mid-service and nobody tells you? Or when your newest waiter can’t find the allergen binder, and nobody’s trained him yet?
That’s where most ops fall apart, not on what time people start, but what happens once they do.
You need better comms, learning, and operational tools. Tools that:
- Give your staff clarity, fast
- Help new hires get up to speed without shadowing Big Dave for 3 weeks
- Flag issues before they become “we need to comp the whole table” situations
So, here's a breakdown of the best hospitality employee apps that aren’t just about scheduling.
🧠 All Gravy
All-in-one. All about people. All branded to you.
What it nails:
All Gravy goes full TikTok meets HR. It’s a Gen Z, mobile-first app with chat, feeds, gamified training, badges, and AI tools like the AI Colleague that streamline your back office and answers every staff question instantly. Plus, it's branded to your business, so staff feel like part of something real, not another nameless shift on a rota.
Who it's for:
Operators who know Gen Z don’t check email, and want to reduce churn without throwing money at the problem. The coolest brands like Dishoom, Wahaca, Honest Burgers, Ottolenghi and Pizza Pilgrim, is who it's for.
When to choose it:
When you want more than just “plug in a schedule” and call it a day. Or an old dusty intranet or 2010'er employee app that feels corporate in the hands of your frontline staff. If you care about building team culture, automating ops, and training staff without 75 PDFs, this is it.
🗣️ Connecteam
Comms HQ in your pocket.
What it nails:
It’s like Slack, if Slack had a clipboard and ran the breakfast shift. Think instant updates, announcement boards, custom workflows, task tracking, and training modules, all in one quite tidy app.
Who it's for:
Multi-location operators or fast-paced teams where shouting across the kitchen doesn’t cut it anymore.
When to choose it:
When you’ve got too many people asking too many things, and you need one place to run the show. Bonus: there’s a free tier for up to 10 users, so you can try before you commit.
📲 Beekeeper
The comms app your staff actually want to use.
What it nails:
It’s got the look and feel of WhatsApp, but with pro-level muscle. You can push updates, share documents, translate into multiple languages, and integrate HR/payroll tools. Oh, and it works even if staff aren’t signed into email.
Who it's for:
Big hotels or venues with large, diverse teams who need fast, multilingual comms.
When to choose it:
When you're sick of posters in the staff room and missed emails. This is instant, clear, and impossible to ignore (in a good way).
🤖 Deputy
Smart ops with less human error.
What it nails:
While it’s known for scheduling, its real magic lies in how it flags compliance risks, monitors breaks, and automates key staff communications, so you don’t get a fine for something silly.
Who it's for:
Operators juggling legal requirements, multiple locations, or strict break policies.
When to choose it:
When you need a digital manager that spots problems before your actual manager can. A kind of AI assistant that won’t nick the last croissant.
🍴 7shifts
Built by restaurant people, for restaurant people.
What it nails:
Beyond the scheduling bit, 7shifts shines with labour forecasting, team chat, and “shift feedback” tools where staff can quickly report how things went, so you spot burnout or issues before they bubble up.
Who it's for:
Restaurants serious about team culture, tracking how shifts actually feel, and shaving off wasted labour hours.
When to choose it:
If you already have a POS and want an app that talks to it, plus one that keeps your staff looped in without drama.
🧾 Planday
Rota builder with people stuff bolted on.
What it nails:
Yep, it does shifts. But the real win? Its HR integration. You can track holiday, store contracts, send messages, and set up workflows, all in one place. Plus, it connects to your payroll so your ops and finance teams don’t fight.
Who it's for:
Hotels and venues with complex staffing rules or managers who want oversight without ten different logins.
When to choose it:
If you want a tool that powerfully runs complex ops in the background while you focus on service.
📚 WorkJam
Training meets tasks meets teamwork.
What it nails:
This one blends micro-learning, team comms, open shifts, and task lists. Think of it like a task list, training tracker, and messaging hub all rolled into one.
Who it's for:
Enterprise-level hospitality groups, especially hotels and resorts with layers of roles and responsibilities.
When to choose it:
When you're sick of paper checklists and want to turn “I didn’t know” into “I saw it in the app.”
📡 Blink
Your entire frontline, online.
What it nails:
Blink creates a “social feed” for staff that doesn’t feel corporate. They can like, comment, access all their tools, and give kudos, without needing to juggle 5 apps. Plus: custom forms, internal surveys, and single sign-on.
Who it's for:
Frontline-heavy businesses who want better engagement, and a bit of fun from a somewhat familiar interface, without losing control.
When to choose it:
If your team barely checks email, but would love a place to share updates, find forms, and get recognised.
🎉 Workvivo
A decent attempt at building company culture.
What it nails:
It’s like a social network just for your company. Run shoutouts, share updates, post photos from staff parties, track engagement, all while integrating with Zoom, Slack, and more.
Who it's for:
Hospitality brands that put people and recognition first. It’s especially good for groups and chains.
When to choose it:
When you want to make work feel less dull, not just shifts and spreadsheets.
🛠️ Xenia
Your operations brain in one app.
What it nails:
Xenia’s all about digital SOPs, maintenance work orders, dashboards, and issue tracking. Got a leaky ice machine? Log it. Need a daily open/close checklist? Sorted. Less talking, more doing.
Who it's for:
Hotels and high-touch venues where things break, and systems matter.
When to choose it:
When you want operations running without chasing someone to do the bin rota again.
📸 When I Work
Cheap, simple, and surprisingly clever.
What it nails:
Yes, there’s scheduling. But there’s also slick time clocks, photo clock-ins (so you know who’s really clocked in), shift messaging, and team availability tools.
Who it's for:
Small teams who want to ditch spreadsheets but aren’t ready for a big system yet.
When to choose it:
When you need just enough structure to keep things running, and want to stop your barback clocking in his mate who’s still on the bus.
Final word
The best employee apps are hard to find.
Your situation matters a lot - size, location, brand, etc.
Scheduling matters, sure. But it’s just the start.
To build a team that sticks around, you’ve got to talk to them, train them, and give them tools that actually help. Not just show when their next shift is.
A really strong starting point, and one that can follow you up to hundreds of locations is All Gravy.
When in doubt, go for All Gravy.
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