How Powerpay Makes Payroll Easier for Retail & Hospitality

It’s payday on Friday, and for once you’re not buried in paper timesheets. Employees submitted their hours online, statutory holiday pay was calculated automatically, and payroll took 15 minutes instead of all night. 

That’s the difference the right tools can make. With Powerpay, retail and hospitality payroll goes from stressful to simple. 

How Can Retailers Ditch Paper Timesheets? 

Still chasing spreadsheets or sticky notes? That’s where payroll mistakes creep in. 

With Powerpay Time, employees log hours digitally — from their phone, a tablet, or a computer. Managers get notifications, review submissions, and approve with a click. Approved hours flow directly into payroll. 

That means: 

• No lost or coffee-stained timesheets
• No double entry between systems
• Fewer errors from retyping hours

And because each record is tied to the employee, you reduce issues like buddy punching or missed punches. Cleaner records = smoother payroll. 

How Does Powerpay Handle Statutory Holidays in Canada? 

Statutory holiday pay is one of the biggest compliance headaches for small businesses. Every province has its own requirements — and mistakes can be costly. 

• Ontario → Based on regular wages in the 4 weeks before the work week of the holiday divided by 20. Example: if your cashier earned $2,000 over that period, their holiday pay is $100.
• British Columbia → Based on wages earned in the 30 days before ÷ number of days worked. Part-time staff could actually receive a higher payout than in Ontario.
• Quebec → The eligibility rules are stricter than BC, but share common features with Ontario. To qualify, employees must work their scheduled shift before and after the holiday (unless they have a valid reason, like illness).

As Powerpay develops, you won’t need to continue calculating holiday averages. Starting with Ontario, the system rules are being built-in to automate the holiday average calculation. 

How Does Integration Save You Time? 

Retail and hospitality owners already juggle POS systems, schedules, and accounting software. Powerpay brings payroll, time, and reporting together in one place. 

• Update an employee’s pay rate once — it’s reflected everywhere.
• Export payroll costs into accounting with a click.
• Get real-time dashboards on labour costs and overtime trends.

No more reconciling multiple systems. Everything talks to each other, so you spend less time on admin and more time serving customers. 

How Do Employees Benefit?

Payroll isn’t just about saving you time — it’s also about giving employees a better experience. 

With self-service access, employees can: 

• Download pay stubs anytime
• Check vacation balances
• Access T4s/RL1s directly

That means fewer “Can you send me my pay slip?” emails for you — and more transparency for them. Happier employees = lower turnover. 

Why This Matters 

When payroll just works: 

• Employees are confident they’ll be paid right, every time.
• You save hours each week and avoid compliance stress.
• Customers benefit from happier, more focused staff.

Your Next Step 

Ready to save hours every week and stop stressing over payroll? 

Try Powerpay Time — built for Canadian retail and hospitality SMBs that want payroll to just work. 

Or, if you’d like to see what’s next, stay tuned for Part 3 of this series: How Modern Payroll Can Give You a Competitive Edge in Retail & Hospitality.