Lagkagehuset’s recipe for accurate time tracking and payroll for 2500 employees.
Since 2011, Lagkagehuset A/S has used Lessor Workforce as its central solution for time registration and shift planning. In 2024, the company decided to reimplement the solution from scratch. This has equipped Lagkagehuset for continued growth in Denmark and made it significantly easier to manage an increasingly complex workforce.
Summary
Lagkagehuset has become one of Denmark’s most well-known food brands thanks to its high-quality baked goods. Since 2008, when two bakers partnered to open a bakery shop in Christianshavn, the company has grown explosively and now operates 140 stores — including 112 in Denmark, 26 in England, and six in the USA.
Challenge: Rapid growth and increasing complexity
Since 2011, Lagkagehuset has used Lessor Workforce as a core solution to handle different employment types and collective agreements. But in recent years, growth and organizational changes — particularly due to two private equity ownership periods — placed new demands on the system.
The workforce has grown to 2500 employees, and the employee mix has become increasingly complex. It includes administrative staff across departments, store managers, bakers and pastry chefs, team leaders in both large and small stores, as well as bakery production running 24/7. Employees range from skilled to unskilled workers, full-time and part-time employees, apprentices, flex-job employees, and young workers under 18 — all with different contracts, pay rates, and employment conditions.
“In 2024, we reached a point where our core solution no longer reflected our reality. It required far too much manual work to ensure correct registrations, correct payroll, and maintain an overview of the many contract types,” says Pia Anja Nielsen, Workforce Specialist at Lagkagehuset A/S.
“More specifically, our growth and changes in the labor market created a need for a more flexible approach to shift planning. New employee groups with different employment terms, and a larger mix of full-time and part-time staff, required more complex calculations — both for correct payroll and for controlling purposes.”
It is rare for employees to praise IT projects. But when you receive praise from a head baker or a hug from an administrative colleague, you know the solution has created real value.
Pia Anja Nielsen, Workforce Specialist i Lagkagehuset A/S
Solution: A complete reimplementation from the ground up
Lagkagehuset therefore decided to carry out a full reimplementation of Lessor Workforce and build a new foundation. The goal was to keep the familiar interface for users while replacing the engine behind it.
The new setup was designed to ensure more automated processes, higher usability, and full transparency across all levels and user groups. The main focus was compliance, usability, and automation.
“I worked closely with the Lessor team for six months. We developed new features, fine-tuned the setup, and streamlined procedures so everything is standardized across the organization. It required a major clean-up of contract types and pay groups, but the result is clear: automated, transparent processes that save both time and resources,” says Pia Anja Nielsen.
It was crucial to configure everything correctly with a high level of detail. At the same time, Pia learned how to configure and further develop the solution herself — giving the organization greater control, higher quality, and a major internal competence boost.
“Fortunately, it has been worth it. We can now benefit from automated and transparent processes that save time and resources in administrative tasks,” she says.
Result: Transparency, correct payroll, and saved working time
The reimplementation has primarily given Lagkagehuset a solid foundation to build on.
“All employees are now placed in the correct administrative categories. This provides full transparency from A to Z — from operations to payroll,” says Pia Anja Nielsen.
“It has become easier to handle the many mixed employment conditions, follow collective agreements, and ensure correct planning and registration of working hours and absence. We also save three working days per month in our department alone.”
With the new setup, Lagkagehuset can also generate better statistics and create a stronger decision-making foundation. Staffing can be adjusted more flexibly — with full confidence that calculations and planning tools are accurate.
“The most important thing is being able to trust the foundation and the engine of the solution. And we do. It is so important that employees are paid correctly for the work they perform. It is also a significant benefit that many managers and employees are happy with the solution,” she says, adding:
“It is rare for employees to praise IT projects. But when you receive praise from a head baker or a hug from an administrative colleague, you know the solution has created real value.”
A partnership that lasts — and grows
“The collaboration with Lessor has been solid and trust-based from day one. The thorough analysis phase and the close professional sparring were crucial in ensuring everything was set up correctly. I can only recommend that others prioritize that,” says Pia Anja Nielsen.
She also highlights the human benefits:
“You should not underestimate the value of happier employees, fewer frustrations, and managers who can find answers themselves. That may not yet be directly visible on the bottom line, but it strengthens the organization long-term. Because the reimplementation created such strong value, we now have the motivation to optimize even more areas,” she says.
About Lagkagehuset
Lagkagehuset is a leading Danish bakery chain with more than 140 stores across Denmark, England, and the USA. The brand is known for high quality, craftsmanship, and a consistent focus on service. After a year focused on operational efficiency, customer relevance, and digital development, the bakery chain achieved 7.8% growth in 2024 and a significant improvement in operating results.
