Associated Retail Operations (ARO) will roll out Phase 1 of its Blue Yonder Workforce Management (WFM) Mobile App on Feb. 1, giving all 3,519 ARO team members access to key employee self-service tools directly from their mobile devices.
The launch follows the successful completion of system testing and marks the first phase of a broader workforce technology initiative aimed at improving access, flexibility and efficiency for both team members and managers.
“This is a major step forward in how our team members interact with their schedules and time information,” said Val Christensen, ARO’s workforce management director. “We’ve focused on making essential tools easy to access, intuitive to use and available anywhere.”
Beginning Feb. 1, team members will be able to download the app and use Employee Self Service (ESS) features that include viewing work schedules, checking vacation and sick time accruals, submitting time-off requests, requesting changes to availability and reviewing time punches.
Managers will have the ability to switch between the manager view and the employee self-service view within the app. Manager tools include reviewing and approving time-off requests, as well as submitting their own time-off requests.
“The goal of Phase 1 is to put everyday workforce tasks into the hands of our teams in a simple, mobile-friendly way,” Val said. “This reduces friction for team members and saves time for managers, while maintaining accuracy and accountability.”
ARO leaders said additional phases of the app rollout are planned, with future enhancements building on the foundation established in Phase 1.
“We’re excited to move from testing to implementation,” Val said. “This launch represents months of collaboration and feedback and it sets the stage for continued improvements to how we support our teams.”
The Blue Yonder WFM Mobile App will be available for download on Feb. 1. For those who prefer not to use the mobile app, in-store options are still available.