The Sobeys People Portal has become one of the most important digital tools for managers across Sobeys stores. It brings scheduling, attendance, performance tracking, payroll visibility, training supervision and team communication into one connected system. Store leaders use this portal every day to make better decisions, save time and improve team productivity.
New managers often feel unsure about where to begin inside the portal. This guide explains every important function in a simple and clear way so that managers understand what the system does, how it supports daily operations and how it improves overall performance.
This blog post focuses on real managerial tasks and explains how the Sobeys People Portal helps leaders manage schedules, track performance, prevent attendance problems and guide employees with accurate information.
Why the Sobeys People Portal Is Important for Store Managers?
The portal exists to support three major goals for managers:
- Better workforce planning
- Accurate scheduling and attendance tracking
- Performance monitoring with clear analytics
The portal acts as a total workforce management system with features that help managers oversee time, schedules, productivity and labour within their teams.
This guide explains how each of these tasks works in detail. You will learn how managers use scheduling tools, analytics pages, dashboard insights and employee profiles to make daily work easier.
Understanding the Core Features Managers Use in the People Portal
Manager Dashboard Overview
The manager dashboard is the centre point for workday actions. Managers see quick information about:
- Attendance alerts
- Missed punches
- Shift coverage gaps
- Overtime risks
- Schedule approval requirements
- Performance notices
- Training progress
These insights help store leaders respond quickly to time sensitive tasks.
Employee Profile Access
Each team member has a detailed profile that displays:
- Position
- Hourly rate
- Current schedule
- Attendance record
- Time punches
- Approved training
- Performance notes
- Shift availability
- Requested time off
Managers use these profiles to review performance, approve requests and assign the right shifts to the right employees.
Analytics Insights
The portal offers analytics that help managers understand:
- Labour usage
- Team performance trends
- Productivity compared to store goals
- Attendance patterns
- Overtime hotspots
- Coverage gaps
Analytics help leaders make smarter scheduling decisions and improve performance outcomes for their departments.
How Managers Use the Portal to Create and Manage Weekly Schedules?
Scheduling is one of the most time intensive responsibilities for Sobeys managers. With the People Portal, this task becomes more accurate and much easier.
Setting Up the Weekly Schedule
Managers start scheduling by looking at:
- Predicted store traffic
- Department needs
- Employee availability
- Labour budget
- Skill levels of team members
- Part time and full time balance
They then build the week using the scheduling grid.
Assigning Shifts Based on Skill and Availability
The People Portal shows who is available, trained and qualified for each position. This ensures the right people cover the right responsibilities. It reduces coverage mistakes and prevents last minute staffing issues.
Approving or Adjusting the Schedule
Managers can drag and drop shifts, review conflicts and confirm final schedules. The portal sends updates directly to employees. This process reduces confusion and makes weekly planning smooth.
Using Attendance Tracking to Improve Team Reliability
Attendance is one of the strongest indicators of employee performance. Managers use the portal to review detailed attendance records.
Attendance Overview for Managers
The system displays:
- On time arrivals
- Late punches
- Missed punches
- Absence patterns
- Sick leave usage
- Time off trends
This helps managers identify employees who need coaching and those who always show strong reliability.
Punch Review and Correction Tools
Managers can:
- Approve punches
- Adjust incorrect punches
- Add forgotten punches
- Review flagged late punches
- Track repetitive patterns
This improves wage accuracy and prevents mistakes that affect payroll processing.
Monitoring Overtime Usage
The portal alerts managers when employees approach overtime. This helps store leaders manage labour cost and ensure all employees stay within policy.
How Managers Use the Portal to Track Employee Performance?
Performance tracking is one of the strongest tools inside the People Portal.
Performance Dashboard Information
Managers can view:
- Productivity trends
- Completion of assigned tasks
- Training progress
- Department goals
- Team output levels
- Achievement indicators
These insights help managers coach employees with accurate information.
Performance Notes and Coaching Logs
Managers can add notes such as:
- Positive performance moments
- Customer compliments
- Improvement points
- Training needs
- Behaviour concerns
These notes become helpful during annual reviews and coaching checklists.
Training and Development Tracking
Managers can check:
- Completed training
- Outstanding training
- Training deadlines
- Certifications required
- Skill development progress
This helps leaders schedule training sessions and support employee growth.
Managing Time Off Requests Through the Portal
Time off management is often complicated, but the People Portal makes it easier.
Submitting and Reviewing Requests
Employees request time off digitally. Managers see:
- Requested dates
- Reason for the request
- Staff coverage levels
- Conflicts with department needs
Approving or Declining Requests
After reviewing staffing needs and availability, managers approve or decline the request. The system automatically updates the schedule.
Viewing Vacation Balances
Managers can also see employee vacation entitlement and remaining balances to ensure correct approvals.
Using Team Communication Tools in the Portal
Clear communication prevents many scheduling issues.
Sending Messages to Employees
Managers can send:
- Schedule reminders
- Policy updates
- Training messages
- Team instructions
Messages go directly to employees inside the portal.
Viewing Employee Acknowledgments
Managers can see who read the message, ensuring the team stays informed.
Labour Management and Store Productivity Tools
The portal supports better labour planning through accurate data.
Labour Forecasting Tools
Managers can review:
- Historical sales
- Peak hours
- Projected customer flow
- Seasonal traffic patterns
This helps ensure the right number of staff is scheduled.
Performance and Productivity Comparison
Comparing results helps managers find:
- Understaffed hours
- Overstaffed hours
- Low productivity shifts
- Improvement opportunities
Reducing Errors Through the People Portal
The portal reduces mistakes in shift planning, payroll and attendance.
Fewer Scheduling Conflicts
The system highlights conflicts such as:
- Double bookings
- Overtime risks
- Untrained employees assigned to roles
Accurate Punch Data
Automatic tracking reduces payroll problems and ensures employees are paid correctly.
Cleaner Performance Records
Managers maintain accurate coaching and performance notes.
How the Portal Supports Better Employee Experiences?
A strong team depends on fairness, communication and clear expectations. The portal supports these outcomes.
Fair Scheduling
Employees view scheduled hours in advance which reduces confusion and improves trust.
Clear Performance Feedback
Employees understand expectations and progress.
Improved Training Management
Staff complete training on time and stay current with role responsibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the People Portal help managers schedule shifts?
It organizes availability, skills, labour budgets and staffing needs in one place.
Can managers track attendance inside the portal?
Yes, the portal provides full attendance records including late punches and missed punches.
How do managers review employee performance?
The performance dashboard shows notes, task completion, training and productivity trends.
Can managers approve or decline time off requests?
Yes, all time off requests appear in the portal for review and approval.
Does the portal improve communication between managers and employees?
Yes, messages, schedule updates and reminders all happen digitally in the system.
Conclusion
The Sobeys People Portal is a valuable tool for store leaders. It provides complete control over schedules, attendance, training, performance and labour planning. Managers use it every day to support operations and guide employees. When managers understand how to use each feature, they improve team efficiency, reduce errors and build a stronger workplace culture.