Funlab levels up employee experience with Dayforce

At Funlab, fun isn’t just a business model—it’s a way of life. Whether it’s mini golf under neon lights, high-energy arcade battles, or mind-bending escape rooms, Funlab’s venues are designed to bring people together. But behind the scenes, the company faced growing challenges around managing a workforce as dynamic as the experiences it creates.

With approximately 2,700 employees across Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, most balancing shifts with university, second jobs, or social commitments, HR operations were stretched. Payroll, scheduling, and employee records were spread across multiple systems, including Google Drive, spreadsheets, and multiple disconnected platforms. New hires took up to five days to appear in the scheduling system, while managing labor laws across borders added complexity.

“We had a system for everything. And if we didn’t have a system, we had a manual process, with each task completely disconnected from the next,” says Chelsea Mannix, Chief People Officer at Funlab. With the business expanding rapidly, Funlab began looking for a single platform that could keep up with its workforce's fast-moving, mobile-first nature while improving efficiency behind the scenes.

Disconnection that slowed growth and engagement

With 70% of employees working on a casual or part-time basis, Funlab needed an accessible, centralized system that employees could access anytime. Many are under 25 and expect workplace information to be available on their phones. Instead, they juggled multiple logins and struggled to find basic information.

Onboarding was another major issue. New hires waited between two and five days before they were fully set up in the system, creating delays in rostering and frustration for managers.

As Funlab continued to grow, the limitations of its disconnected systems became more apparent. Employee data scattered across multiple platforms and spreadsheets made it difficult to access real-time insights. Routine tasks like answering payroll queries or tracking compliance became more time-consuming, slowing down HR operations. 

“It was really hard to communicate with our people and to get a holistic overview of someone’s employee information, so that was a really big challenge for us,” says Johanna Persson, HRIS Specialist. 

A single, mobile-first solution that works

Before working with Dayforce, Funlab had been disappointed by the promises of integration. “We found that, yes, everything could integrate, but does it do so effectively and efficiently for our people? We didn’t want to come up against the integration challenges we’d come up with in the past,” says Mannix. This time, Funab wanted a single platform that could support all of its HR operations across its diverse workforce.

With Funlab’s rapid expansion across Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, the company needed an HR system that wouldn’t hold the business back. Compliance support and innovation were non-negotiable requirements.

“We needed a single system with a global coverage that could meet our compliance needs across the board,” says Mannix. “We also wanted to have open dialogue and partner with a team we could collaborate with to discuss what’s working well and what we would like to see improved.”

By consolidating payroll, time and attendance, and talent management into a single system, Funlab reduced the inefficiencies caused by disconnected platforms. Employees now had one login for everything, making accessing schedules, payroll, and HR resources easier than ever.

"It’s a much better experience for our people. Instead of having to keep track of different logins to access different types of information, there’s one login and one app for everything, which is a total game changer," says Persson.

Faster onboarding, smarter operations, and happier employees

The transition to Dayforce delivered immediate, measurable improvements across Funlab HR operations.

• Onboarding, which previously took between two and five days, has been significantly reduced. New hires are now efficiently added to the rostering and scheduling system, simplifying access to schedules, pay information, and HR resources.
• Having a single system for HR operations has significantly improved efficiency. Previously, key employee information was scattered across four separate systems, along with additional records stored in filing cabinets, Google Drive, and spreadsheets. Now, all workforce data is accessible in real time, providing a comprehensive up-to-date overview of employee status, performance, and payroll.
• Payroll processing has also improved, with real-time data updates enhancing visibility, decision-making, and supporting compliance across all locations.
• Access to information on the go has improved the employee experience and met the demands of the young, mobile workforce.

“Adopting Dayforce has been really rewarding for us. We know we made the right choice in finding a system that is accessible for our people and is there when they need it,” says Persson.

Advice for HR leaders

For HR teams struggling with multiple disconnected systems and outdated processes, Funlab’s advice is simple: don’t wait to modernize. The shift to a single system isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about improving the employee experience.

“Dayforce has literally changed our lives. We have full transparency,  we can access everything we need at our fingertips, and our people know exactly what’s going on with their shifts and their pay,” says Mannix. “It’s rare to have a system roll-out and have people across the business agree that this has absolutely made their lives easier.” 

As Funlab continues to evolve, so do the challenges of keeping employees engaged and informed. The company has long sought a way to communicate directly with employees through the same platform they use for scheduling and payroll, a challenge most HCM solutions haven’t solved.

“We shared an ongoing problem with the Dayforce team, who found a solution and are releasing a new communications module,” says Mannix. “It’s really important that we work with a vendor that listens in and wants to help us meet the constantly changing expectations of the workforce.”