Hiring and managing workforces got a lot more complicated quickly for businesses during the global pandemic. As we grapple with this new normal going forward, we believe that the market for innovative HR tech is full of potential.
We’re seeing this opportunity emerge in markets far and wide, as many companies and industries globally still lack access to digital tools needed for HR and hiring. That’s why we’re proud to support Kazakhstan’s Clockster, which creates affordable HR tech solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and service industry companies in Central Asia and beyond.
The Nuts & Bolts
Problem: HR tech is a growing market globally, with a wide variety of software services now available to help handle everything from payroll management to remote work. Still, we see room for these services to grow in markets where businesses are still embracing digitization, as well as a need for solutions tailored for different industries.
Although digitization and automation offer simple solutions to HR and hiring problems, many existing services and platforms can be expensive and geared more towards white collar jobs, which can make it unaffordable for many SMEs and companies with blue collar workforces. This can dampen productivity and impact service quality.
At the same time, SMEs and service industry companies, such as restaurants and retail stores face unique challenges when it comes to recruitment. These industries have high turnover, and using different recruitment channels can be expensive. Without a streamlined hiring process and access to a large pool of vetted job-seekers, companies with that level of turnover can easily get bogged down on recruitment.
Solution: Clockster’s platform automates and simplifies key HR functions, including the hiring process for customers in Central Asia and beyond that need affordable HR tech solutions. It works with SMEs and companies that have large workforces of hourly employees, including restaurants, grocery stores, retailers and logistics firms.
Its software platform includes a variety of advanced tools specifically designed to help HR managers as they oversee blue collar workforces–from managing employee onboarding and payroll to tracking attendance, shift scheduling and productivity. For these services, Clockster offers a free license for up to 100 employees that can reduce cost.
Clockster also provides tools that assist with recruitment and help connect vetted job seekers to relevant roles. As it works with customers, the startup is amassing a growing database of employees and their information, which allows Clockster to build out a recruitment platform serving B2B clients and job seekers alike. That also gives it an opportunity to introduce new services, including payment solutions to job seekers, such as earned wage access.
The end result is an HR tech platform built to help key underserved industries in many Asian markets improve talent management, organizational efficiency and productivity.
Getting to know Clockster
Founded in Kazakhstan in 2017, Clockster’s founders are well-regarded members of the local startup ecosystem and have a strong grasp on the HR tech market in the regions they’re targeting.
The team has years of experience working together before launching Clockster, led by CEO Yerzhan Ryskaliyev, who previously founded the software development company Constant Lab. Fellow founders include CPO Arman Yernazarov, who was a software developer at Constant Lab alongside Sunny Kinger, who now serves as a senior developer at Clockster. CTO Alexey Pervikov was a back-end developer at several startups, IT integrators and agencies.
Why now?
We believe that regional trends point to opportunity for Clockster. On its home turf, businesses still need to further embrace digitization, as the use of enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management systems in North and Central Asia is still below the level of most European countries. Meanwhile, the company is also eying Southeast Asia, where investments in newer HR tools and systems are steadily rising: for the last three years HR tech adoption in APAC has seen double-digit growth and small organizations are the fastest-growing segment among all new HR tech converts.
Many SMEs were also hit hard during COVID-19, making it difficult to manage employees, control expenses and overcome revenue losses. As they grapple with the ongoing impact of the pandemic, SMEs need affordable HR management solutions to help run their businesses going forward. There’s a significant increase in workforce turnover and talent shortages. Now more than ever, that’s opening the door for solutions that can create flexibility and streamline the hiring process.
The future of Clockster
Going forward, we believe Clockster is well-positioned to work with many companies grappling with HR and hiring challenges across a number of markets. The company has traction in Central Asia, where it works with hundreds of customers, including brands such as KFC, Hardee’s and Costa Coffee. It has also built a database of tens of thousands of workers, which is assisting with its recruiting services.
The company is currently expanding towards Southeast Asia and India, starting with Indonesia. It’s also rolling out new services, including earned wage access for employees and full-service payroll. We look forward to supporting Clockster as it launches in new markets and works to become a leading HR tech platform across multiple regions.
You can learn more about Clockster at: https://clockster.com/
