Switching HR Systems in 2026: A Guide for Hospitality Leaders

Switching HR systems often gets postponed - even when the current system may be costing hours of time and thousands in labour costs every week. The reality? The right HR system transforms how you operate and directly impacts your bottom line.  

Success in switching HR systems isn't just about features - it's also about the support you get before, during, and after implementation. Here are the critical factors that will make or break your installation. 

1. Implementation Process: Getting Up and Running

The biggest concern when switching systems isn't usually the software itself - it's the disruption during implementation. Will your team be lost? Will you lose critical data? Will the transition take weeks longer than promised? 

This is where the quality of your implementation partner becomes critical. 

Look for providers who offer: 

• Dedicated team of implementation specialists (not just a generic support team)  
• A clear project plan with milestones and timelines 
• Collaborative setup sessions where they work through your specific workflows
• Data migration support to ensure nothing gets lost in the transition  

2. Post-Installation Support: The Critical Hand-Holding Phase

Going live is just the beginning. The real test of a provider comes in the weeks and months after implementation when your team is learning the ropes and questions inevitably arise. 

This matters more than you might think. When you're in the middle of payroll processing or trying to solve a rostering issue, you need answers fast - from someone who actually understands hospitality operations. 

What to look for in ongoing support: 

• A dedicated Customer Success team
• Real humansupport with fast response times  
• Proactive check-ins during your first few months 
• Ongoing guidance as you discover new features and optimise your workflows

3. Training and Learning Resources: Empowering Your Team

As Nicholas, a HR Manager in hospitality in Ireland, candidly noted: "Like any system, when you've used a different system for so long and change to a new system it will take you time to get used to the new way of doing things." That's just reality. 

The question is: does your provider give you the tools to make that learning curve as smooth as possible? 

Look for systems that offer: 

• A dedicated learning academy or training portal
• Self-paced courses your team can access anytime 
• Role-specific training (what a supervisor needs to know vs. what floor staff need) 
• Video tutorials and step-by-step guides for common tasks

The best providers understand that hospitality staff work irregular hours. A learning management system like the Alkimii Academy means your night shift supervisor can review a training course whenever they have questions allowing for more self-directed problem resolution and individual autonomy. 

4. Integration Capabilities: Ensuring Your Systems Talk to Each Other

Your HR system doesn't exist in isolation. It needs to work seamlessly with your payroll provider, property management system, and other business-critical tools you already use. 

Before committing to a new system, verify: 

• Compatibility with your current payroll provider - whether through direct integration or reliable export functionality 

• Ability to connect with your property management system for room and maintenance data 

• Options for integrating with applicant tracking systems, employee benefits, energy management platforms for example 

• Information on how data flows and what the export/import process looks like 

The goal is to eliminate duplicate data entry and reduce the margin for human error. Whether that happens through real-time connections or streamlined export processes, what matters is that your systems work together reliably. 

5. Mobile App: Meeting Your Team Where They Are

Your hospitality team isn't sitting at desks all day. They're on the floor, in the kitchen, managing guests, handling service. If your HR system requires them to log into a desktop computer to check their rota or request annual leave, you've already lost. 

Essential mobile features: 

• A dedicated mobile app (not just a mobile-responsive website)  
• Ability to view rosters, request leave, and swap shifts from a phone 
• Push notifications for roster changes or important updates 
• Access todocumentson the go without needing a desktop 
• Built-in messaging to keep work conversations professional and separate from personal messaging applications

Mobile accessibility isn't a nice-to-have anymore. It's essential for engaging your frontline team and reducing administrative bottlenecks. 

Making the Decision 

Switching systems is an investment of time, money, and energy. But staying with a system that's holding you back has its own cost. 

The right system doesn't just solve today's problems, it scales with you as your operation grows. Most importantly, it should come with a team that's genuinely invested in your success - before, during, and after implementation. 

If you're ready to explore what switching could mean for your operation, start by quantifying what your current system is actually costing you. 

Ready to see the numbers? 

Check out the Alkimii Savings Calculator here to estimate how much time and money you could save by making the switch. It takes just a few minutes and gives you a clear picture of your potential ROI. 

When you're ready for the next steps - request a demo below!