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Thanks to Calamari, absence management has become simple and transparent – the team and managers have gained more autonomy, and HR gets order and full clarity in this area. It's truly a noticeable positive change!
Dorota Daniuk
Head of HR
Excel and calendar vs. Calamari: Why Dietly chose HR automation for absence management
Dietly is a SaaS-enabled marketplace that blends technology and sales into one tasty offering. The company has two business cores: SaaS for diet catering companies ensuring that 100,000 people receive perfectly composed meals delivered to their doors, and the largest diet catering marketplace in Poland. Operating since 2016, Dietly was included in the Deloitte Fast 50 CEE and has been part of the Żabka Group since 2021.
Dorota Daniuk
Head of HR
Industry
Food-tech, e-commerce
Employees
420
Founded
2001
Modules used
Time Off
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Dietly quickly grew from a small start-up of a few people to an industry-leading company with 100+ employees, which changed our HR process needs.
Challenge: When Excel became unreadable
We needed a tool to help us manage absences. Until now, we reported and communicated absences through Excel sheets, dashboards, and calendars. At some point, it became very unclear and unintuitive.
We had discussions with other companies offering HRMS, but Calamari convinced us with the option to implement only the Time Off module, which was crucial for us at the time – we know that if needed, we can add others later.
Additionally, in a short period, we had a ready-to-use tool – implementation only required us to prepare the data and define the rules, without importing complex files or building multi-layered processes. In other words, we managed to implement a tool that fully met our needs for efficient absence management and reporting in a relatively short time.
Selection process: Modularity, flexibility, and integrations
What particularly caught our attention is that the system is very flexible and intuitive, both from the administrator’s and the user’s perspective.
We're glad we have the opportunity not only to set up processes the way we want, but also to name different types of absences according to how they have functioned (and become established) in our company.
Additionally, working in the Google environment, we really appreciate the integration with Google Calendar, as well as with Slack – Calamari automatically updates statuses, so we no longer have to remember to do it ourselves.
I think that the system is very intuitive and easy to use for #teamdietly from the moment it was "launched".
We're really happy about the integration with Google Calendar and Slack – Calamari automatically updates statuses, so we don't have to remember anymore.
Dorota Daniuk
Head of HR
Implementation: From Formalities to System Launch
Implementation time: From finalizing the formalities to preparing the system for launch took about 2 weeks.
Strategic timing: The system was deliberately implemented starting January 1st, to begin the new year with everything 'in order on paper'.
Users: The Calamari system is used throughout the organization – by all departments.
Calamari offers employees a simple way to request absences and view their remaining time off, while providing managers with a clear overview of who is (or isn’t) present, the ability to generate reports, and access to all absence-related information in one place.
Dorota Daniuk
Head of HR
Noticeable benefits
The greatest benefits were observed primarily in areas related to absence planning.
Calamari has significantly streamlined the process of requesting and approving various types of absences – everything is now organized, fast, and transparent.
A key area is also the ability to generate clear reports – both at the individual and team levels.
What users appreciate?
Coworkers appreciate how easy it is to use Calamari – they can request time off, check their available balance, or view others’ absences in just a few clicks, which greatly simplifies work planning and team collaboration.
For managers, a major advantage is the ability to efficiently approve requests and quickly view team calendars. Everything works smoothly without the need to write emails or create additional documents – it’s a real time-saver and brings more order.
HR tech implementation tips for other companies
When implementing Calamari, we carefully defined the structure, hierarchy, and absence requesting processes, which definitely helped avoid unnecessary turbulence during the system rollout and its ongoing use. We also recommend taking advantage of the invaluable support from consultants, who clarified any doubts when questions arose :)
Dorota Daniuk
Head of HR
Summary
The story of Dietly shows how choosing the right HR tool can transform a growing organization without unnecessary stress and complications. As a result, the company gained "a streamlined absence management system and clear communication between requesters and approvers, without a 'million' extra files, conversations, and searching for information in various places."
The key to success turned out to be not only the system's functionality but also a strategic implementation approach: choosing a modular solution instead of a full HRMS, meticulously preparing organizational structures, and leveraging natural integrations with tools the team was already using.
For companies undergoing a similar transformation from startup freedom to more structured processes, Dietly's experience confirms: HR automation can not only be painless but even enthusiastically embraced by all teams.
