HR software for hospitality: How a Finance Director saved 20% of annual payroll admin time with Breathe

"We used to lose an entire day every week just processing timesheets. Breathe changed that completely, it’s freed us up to focus on strategic work, not spreadsheets.”

- Caleb, Finance Director 

Why HR software matters in hospitality 

In the fast-moving world of hospitality, the right HR software isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. From handling seasonal staff to onboarding new hires and keeping teams engaged, hospitality businesses face unique people challenges. 

Great HR software takes the pressure off by automating tasks like payroll, leave tracking, and compliance. That means less time on admin and more time focusing on your people. 

We caught up with Finance Director, Caleb Gray-Read, to find out exactly how Breathe HR has improved the ways of working at Blue Sky Leisure, a busy business in the hospitality and leisure industry. 

This shift allows finance teams and HR to focus on strategic initiatives rather than being bogged down by administrative tasks.   

Saving 10+ hours a week with Breathe 

Breathe is HR software designed to support sectors like hospitality, by tackling the unique HR management challenges hospitality businesses face every day. 

“It’s not just about saving time; it’s about being able to shift our focus onto what actually moves the business forward,” Caleb explains. 

The results speak for themselves: 

✅ 10+ hours saved weekly on payroll processing 

✅ 20% of payroll administrator time reallocated to strategic tasks

✅ Real-time reporting during operational meetings

✅ Empowered self-service culture across the team

✅ Effortless seasonal workforce scaling 

“We used to triple-handle everything: staff would fill in timesheets, managers would re-enter them, and then finance had to check them. Now it’s all done in one system, it’s so much cleaner and quicker.” 

🎯 The challenge: Spreadsheets and seasonal stress 

Running two busy holiday parks with a large seasonal workforce, Blue Sky Leisure knows all too well how demanding team management can get. 

With up to 150 staff during peak seasons, managing HR with spreadsheets caused chaos. Time tracking, payroll, onboarding, and performance tracking were manual, error-prone, and inefficient. 

“Our payroll administrator spent every Monday just reconciling manual timesheets. That’s 20% of their week gone before they even started anything else.” 

“Without a central system, it was frustrating. We were constantly playing catch-up, especially during busy periods,”

For a long time, HR and finance relied on manual spreadsheets to handle time tracking, payroll prep, and general people management.   

All those repetitive tasks and manual payroll processes really slowed things down for HR and operations teams, leading to inefficiencies and mistakes.  

For hospitality businesses like Blue Sky Leisure, not having access to integrated HR tools only made things harder, highlighting just how tough it can be to manage HR, operations and finance without the right support.  

Beyond just being time-consuming, the setup caused frustration, made workforce planning clunky, and left little space for process improvements.   

Maintaining HR compliance and meeting payroll and compliance requirements was also top of mind. Caleb and his team knew they needed more speed, visibility, and control. 

✅ The solution: A simple HR system that changed everything 

Blue Sky Leisure chose Breathe at first, after their previous system was retired.

But it quickly proved to be much more than that, functioning as all-in-one human resources software, with features like applicant tracking and integrated HR payroll.   

Breathe also helps with performance and talent management, making it easier for hospitality businesses to develop and keep great staff. Managers get access to useful tools like analytics dashboards and built-in compliance support.  

What started as a solution to one area, soon became the central pillar of a more modern (and efficient) way of working, helping to streamline HR processes by combining HR and payroll functions.  

“We were looking for a system that was easy to use and worked well with our payroll. Breathe ticked every box.” 

Rolling it out was refreshingly simple. With easy-to-follow setup instructions – and a bit of support from IT for those who needed it – even the less tech-savvy team colleagues got to grips with it in no time.  

Breathe includes HR apps for managing HR functions on the go, and the mobile app and self-serve options empower employees and managers to access payslips, manage documents, and handle HR tasks independently.  

“It was surprisingly easy to roll out. Even our least technical team members got up and running quickly,” Caleb notes. 

The real impact: Everyday wins that add up

1. Big time savings where it counts

The biggest win? Time. 

✅ 10+ hours a week reclaimed

✅ Less duplication, fewer errors 

✅ More accurate records and faster audits 

“The system now does what used to take someone an entire day. That time’s being reinvested into more strategic tasks.” 

The Breathe HR system has also improved the overall employee experience and helped improve employee engagement by streamlining processes and making HR tasks more accessible.  

2. Empowered managers, smoother reporting

Before Breathe, finance was shouldering the responsibility for tracking and correcting timesheets. Now, that ownership sits with managers.  

Built-in Breathe reporting tools now allow for: 

✅ Real-time budget tracking

✅ Instant insights for audits or leadership meetings

✅ Streamlined prep before ops discussions

“We don’t have to build spreadsheets anymore. The data is ready, accurate, and easy to access. 

If I’m meeting with the housekeeping team, we can pull a report on hours worked versus budget instantly. It’s made those meetings far more productive.” 

3. A self-service culture that works

Thanks to Breathe’s mobile app and intuitive interface, employees now: 

✅ Book holidays remotely

✅ Access rotas and payslips anytime

✅ Receive company updates directly to their phones

✅ Request time off and swap shifts easily, giving staff more flexibility and control over their schedules  

This shift has removed a lot of admin burden from managers and HR and helped people feel more in control of their own time.  

“People love being able to book holidays, check rotas, and get updates straight from their phones. It’s simple and empowering. 

We’ve cut out the bottlenecks. Now our teams can work smarter, not just harder.” 

Scaling with the seasons 

Seasonality is a huge part of life at Blue Sky Leisure. Staffing ramps up massively between Easter and late summer, then scales back in quieter months. 

“Adding new starters used to be a slog. Now, because it’s all in one place, the process is much faster and less error-prone. It’s a big time-saver during our busiest months.” 

Breathe HR's Rota, Time and Attendance (RTA) add-on has been a game changer: 

“Payroll used to grind to a halt if our admin was on holiday. Now HR can input new starters and rota data themselves. There’s no lag, no bottlenecks. It’s all instant.” 

Supporting seasonal staff and onboarding the smart way 

With half their workforce made up of seasonal employees, Blue Sky Leisure needed a flexible tool for hiring, onboarding, and managing shifting teams.   

This includes the ability to efficiently support the hiring process, employee development, and mandatory training to ensure compliance.   

The Breathe RTA add-on delivered: 

✅ HR and line managers can onboard new hires quickly

✅ Shift management is seamless with RTA

✅ Mobile access ensures even non-desk workers stay informed 

Caleb may not manage rotas himself, but he sees the benefits:  

“If someone’s off, HR can still keep things moving. There’s no lag, it’s all in the system.” 

Plus, with everything mobile-accessible, even team members without work email addresses stay informed and connected.  

Implementation and support: Getting started with ease 

Despite initial concerns, the transition to Breathe was painless.  

The flexible HR system is designed with UK businesses in mind and a support team that truly understands the needs of busy businesses.  

“Switching systems always feels like a big job, but Breathe made it simple.” 

👉 Concerned about switching or got a question? Book a demo with our friendly team

With expert support and intuitive setup, the rollout was smooth, even for those unfamiliar with digital HR tools. 

Even if you’re new to HR software, the easy-to-use interface and step-by-step onboarding make sure you’re never left wondering what to do next.  

“It’s not just about the system; it’s about the support behind it. We felt looked after from day one.” 

As your business grows, Breathe grows with you.

The flexible HR system adapts to seasonal changes, new hires, and evolving compliance needs, making it ideal for hospitality businesses and other dynamic sectors.  

And with everything securely stored in the cloud, your HR data is always accessible, up-to-date, and protected.  

Ultimately, Breathe’s approach to implementation and support means you can move away from repetitive admin and focus on strategic HR and operations management.  

The result? A happier, more engaged workforce, lower employee turnover, and more time for your HR team to drive business success.  

Why Breathe works for hospitality business, Blue Sky Leisure 

Caleb summed up the top five reasons Breathe was the right fit:  

✅ So easy, anyone can use it 

✅ Great support during and after setup 

✅ Plays nicely with their payroll system 

✅ Saves time and reduces errors 

✅ Scales with seasonal staffing 

“If you’re still using spreadsheets to run payroll and rotas, give Breathe a try. It pays for itself in time saved.” 

Value for money and long-term impact 

When asked if Breathe delivers a return on investment, Caleb doesn’t hesitate: 

“Absolutely. It’s saved us so much time, which ultimately translates into money. It’s streamlined how we work and allowed our teams to focus on the tasks that matter.” 

From better reporting and smoother collaboration to faster onboarding and clearer communication, Breathe is now a core part of Blue Sky Leisure’s day-to-day operations. 

“Breathe has changed the way we manage our people. It’s faster, easier, and much more empowering.” 

Advice for other finance professionals 

So, what would Caleb say to other Finance Directors still stuck in spreadsheets? 

“Give Breathe a try. If you’re spending hours on manual timesheets, or if payroll is constantly bogged down in admin, it’s a no-brainer. Breathe pays for itself in time saved. 

Focus on where your team spends most of their time, and if it’s on repeatable admin, it’s time to automate. 

We’ve saved at least 10 hours a week and given our team time back to do higher-value work. That’s a huge win in my book.” 

👉 Try Breathe for FREE for 14 days - full access to the system, no card details required.

Looking ahead 

Breathe continues to grow alongside Blue Sky Leisure. 

While a couple of manual processes, like holiday accrual for hourly staff, remain, the system delivers on every core need. 

“It’s not just HR tech. It’s a smarter way to run the business.” 

Whether it’s supporting employee development, improving communication, or helping with compliance, Breathe delivers to finance, HR, and the wider team. 

“It’s streamlined, it’s scalable, and it just works. That’s what we need in a fast-moving industry like ours.” 

Interested in HR software for hospitality that saves time and scales with your business? Discover Breathe.