Green Dragon Manages the Entire Employee Lifecycle in One Cannabis HCM System

200+

Employees

12

Dispensaries

2

Cultivations

Green Dragon Cannabis Company is a premium recreational cannabis operation in Colorado. In 2018, they began to realize the disadvantages of utilizing separate systems to perform payroll, timekeeping, scheduling and applicant tracking. Their data collection became fragmented, their insights were unreliable, and they were ultimately dropped by their mainstream payroll provider. Wurk’s unified Human Capital Management system provided a solution, allowing Green Dragon to manage the entire employee lifecycle, develop strategic plans for expansion, and empower their people to engage through self-service features.

Challenge

• Payroll partner was not transparent about the industry they served and did not understand the unique processes involved in cannabis operations.
• Detached software systems to manage applicants, scheduling, timekeeping and payroll proved time-consuming and error-prone.
• Employees did not have the ability to self-serve, increasing administrative time and decreasing workforce accountability.
• Constant growth demanded reliable data to make informed decisions regarding hiring and budget.

Solution

Wurk’s unified Human Capital Management system allows Green Dragon to manage the entire employee lifecycle, develop strategic plans for expansion, and empower their people to engage through self-service features.

Benefits

• A partner that truly understands the cannabis industry and ensures Green Dragon provides accurate paychecks to all employees.
• A single database that provides easy access to all employee data and real-time ad hoc reporting allows managers to analyze data and plan strategically.
• Increase employee engagement by offering self-service tools that empower them to control their schedules, including filling open shifts and swapping shifts.
• Provide analytics that managers can apply to workforce planning, productivity, and cost containment.

The Story

In 2018, Green Dragon began to realize several disadvantages of utilizing separate systems to perform payroll, timekeeping, scheduling and applicant tracking. Managing multiple systems required duplicate efforts which was cost prohibitive and data collection was fragmented, so insights were unreliable.

The challenges of utilizing a payroll provider not intended for or designed to support the unique demands of the cannabis industry began to emerge. Uncertainty around the longevity of the partnership began to grow, and ultimately, Green Dragon was dropped by their mainstream payroll provider.

Leadership at Green Dragon regrouped and sought out to find a partner who provides a single solution for their workforce management needs and who was equipped to manage companies in the cannabis industry. Plus, with locations across Colorado, it was important employees had the ability to easily manage their schedules and time punches without constant communication with HR managers.

With over 20 years of HR experience with a leading retail clothing brand, Green Dragon’s Director of Human Resources, Stacey Newell, is no stranger to the number of HCM solutions available. After evaluating options, she was confident Wurk would be a reliable extension of their organization.

“I love the fact that Wurk understands what we’re up against every day in the cannabis industry. They provide many tools in one solution and meet our needs – even as we continue rapid growth,” said Stacey Newell.

A partner that understands and truly cares

Wurk’s solution is designed specifically for cannabis businesses, so Green Dragon can manage their workforce without the uncertainty of being dropped. Plus, they can generate custom reports that allow them to optimize their 280E labor deductions. And Wurk’s dedicated team of payroll, HR, tax and technology experts offer trusted support and communication to Green Dragon’s leadership.

“Wurk cares about their customers, their challenges, and will do what they can to remedy any issues,” said Newell. “They listen to their clients and make the necessary changes. This is a win for Wurk.”

Streamlined timekeeping processes across many locations

Leadership can easily track and manage employee time and attendance to reduce payroll inflation and manual errors through Wurk’s timekeeping solution. Insight into approaching overtime helps to better control labor costs. Enforcing and tracking complex compliance requirements minimizes risk.

“We’ve run into issues with time clock fraud, so the mobile app and geofencing feature help to hold our employees accountable. Ensuring time management is being done accurately and honestly is crucial, and Wurk gives us insight into those indiscrepancies,” Newell says.

Dependable and simple payroll processing

Integrated scheduling and timekeeping information saves significant staff time and ensures accurate paychecks. Step-by-step payroll processing checklists allow Green Dragon to pay employees with minimal effort. And employees can access all of their information – pay, credentials, benefits – in the unified solution 24/7.

“Payroll with Wurk is super easy. The checklist makes it foolproof and virtually impossible to miss a step with the way it’s set up. Even manual checks are easy to process,” Newell said.

Leveraging real-time employee data to improve and expand operations

Workforce performance is measured and analyzed in real-time, offering Green Dragon continuous visibility. Performance indicators that impact their labor costs and productivity are recorded in the cloud-based system for easy access.

“Wurk is fast and delivers reporting solutions I didn’t even know I was looking for,” said Newell. “They have made it really easy to report on the workforce data I need.”