HFX Workforce Management Solutions

HFX and its Imperago workforce management platform

HFX is a British software company that has spent more than fifty years building and refining a workforce management system now marketed under the Imperago name. The product is a cloud SaaS platform organised around four core modules — time and absence management, rota management, employee self-service and flexitime — complemented by additional tools for forecasting, budgeting and site access. The company states that the solution has been implemented in over 500 organisations across sectors and sizes.

HFX positions Imperago as a system that sits between HR and payroll software, integrating with both, while concentrating on the operational side of staffing: recording attendance, planning shifts and controlling working-time schemes.

Core modules

• Time and absence management: fully configurable rules, exception management and multiple data capture options, with integration to HR and payroll systems.
• Rota management: rostering by location, department, skill or job contract, rapid filling of roster gaps and real-time visibility of rota costs, including multi-site operations.
• Employee self-service: round-the-clock access from any device, management of rotas and holidays, publication of overtime availability, balance consultation and messaging.
• Flexible working and flexitime: configurable flexi schemes with balance calculation, attendance recording and management of flexi leave and absence.

Forecasting, budgeting and additional tools

A forecasting and budgeting module models and simulates different staffing patterns against planned workloads in real time, showing the cost of each scenario and whether it stays within budget. Beyond the core, HFX offers additional modules for door access control, visitor control, fire roll call, workforce design and time recording devices. The company describes the integrated access control module as one of its distinguishing features as a time and attendance provider.

Sectors addressed

HFX presents tailored versions of Imperago for metals and mining, manufacturing, the hospice and care sector, transport and logistics, food production manufacturers, construction and UK prison services. It also offers a mobile option, Imperago On-the-Go.

History and ownership

HFX was founded in 1973 and, according to the company, became a leader in flexitime solutions before extending to a full workforce management offering by 2004. In 2012 HFX Ltd was acquired by Smart Business Investments Ltd, with a plan to move the technology to a SaaS cloud platform and broaden the software. In 2018 HFX acquired Autotime, described as a market leader in time and attendance for the SME commercial sector for over 45 years, which doubled its customer base.

Hosting, integration and implementation

Imperago runs entirely online through a web browser, without locally installed software or on-site servers. Customer data is stored in the United Kingdom, at an NTT Ltd. data centre in Hemel Hempstead. HFX reports proven integrations with most HR and payroll systems. Implementation timelines are set per project: the company cites anything from a few weeks for a straightforward configuration to a few months for more complex deployments.

Pricing and customer results

Imperago is billed as a monthly SaaS subscription whose price depends on the modules and features required; the company indicated a typical range of £3.50 to £7 per employee per month at the time of writing this profile. HFX cites customer cases including an annual payroll saving of £2 million with Imperago, an annual cost saving of £240,000 year on year, and an estimated nine-month return on investment. It also refers to halving payroll preparation time among its customers. These figures come from the company's own account of its case studies.