Customer overview
CDS Labour is a trusted labour provider specialising in shift-based staffing for businesses that operate around the clock. Supporting thousands of shifts each month, CDS Labour serves clients across the farming, fresh produce, and horticulture sectors—delivering drivers, packers, pickers, and more, even during peak seasonal surges.
With staffing volumes ranging from 3,600 to nearly 8,000 shifts per month, CDS Labour needed a system that could keep up with real-world complexity—without slowing down operations or burdening internal teams.
The challenge
As CDS Labour grew, they found that their previous system wasn’t evolving with their needs and increasingly felt limiting. Operational needs, like small changes to shift setup or reporting, often required full-system updates, making it hard to be agile. Departments were siloed, with different teams responsible for narrow parts of the process, such as booking or worker assignment. This lack of cross-training meant the system couldn’t flex easily in response to day-to-day changes.
The situation was made more frustrating by how feature development was handled. Any custom feature CDS needed was charged back to them, only to later become part of the standard product for everyone. Despite the investment, the platform didn’t feel like it was evolving with them. As volumes fluctuated and client expectations rose, CDS needed a tool that would let them simplify their internal processes, support their frontline teams, and operate more collaboratively—without being boxed in by rigid system constraints.
The solution
After evaluating alternatives, CDS Labour adopted JoinedUp to improve agility and coordination across their shift staffing operations. JoinedUp offered a more flexible platform where multiple methods could achieve the same outcomes—allowing teams to work in the ways that suited them best. The platform’s structured worker profiles, clear booking views, and client templates made it easier to streamline assignments and reduce friction. With built-in shift confirmation messages, CDS Labour was also able to ensure that workers received legally required onboarding info without the need for separate emails, calls, or on-site check-ins.
The Results
Since onboarding JoinedUp, CDS Labour has been steadily replacing manual tasks with automated processes and gaining more control over how their business runs day to day.
- Shift planning has become more consistent across teams, with a shared understanding of workflows and a move away from siloed responsibilities.
- Worker onboarding now feels more professional and reliable, thanks to verified contact details and automated messaging that clearly outlines job expectations.
- Daily communications are faster and clearer, particularly through the use of worker shift confirmations that double as assignment messages—reducing the need for follow-up emails, texts, or on-site coordination.
- Administrative burden is being reduced by migrating manual workflows into JoinedUp, including plans to automate transport planning using custom reporting tools.
- Client perception has improved through the use of a centralised, tech-enabled staffing process, helping CDS Labour present itself as a modern and dependable partner.
Why It Worked
For CDS Labour, JoinedUp wasn’t just another system - it was a platform that matched their own pace of innovation. The flexibility to design workflows around their needs, combined with consistent platform support, gave them the confidence to evolve how they manage shifts. CDS also appreciated that JoinedUp offered clear structure without forcing a rigid, one-size-fits-all model—allowing the team to make the system their own.
As CDS looks ahead, their focus is on migrating more of their operations into JoinedUp, reducing duplication, and building out reporting capabilities to improve visibility and performance tracking.
Looking to simplify shift-based workforce management at scale? Discover how JoinedUp can help. Book a demo today.
