Modern Bormuth store with wooden facade and red banners under a partly cloudy sky.

Better Data Quality as the Cherry on Top

How the traditional Darmstadt bakery Bormuth has been using SEAK since 2020 to manage workforce scheduling, time tracking, and mobile shift planning across 22 locations and 200 employees.

Bormuth at a Glance

Bäckerei Bormuth was founded in 1913 by Philipp and Marie Bormuth in Darmstadt's Johannesviertel district. Today, the fourth generation leads the business, with the fifth already actively involved — including Ina Bormuth, who oversees the company's digitalization initiatives. Bormuth operates 22 locations in and around Darmstadt and employs approximately 200 people, around 50 of whom work in production.

Team

Around 200 employees, approximately 50 of whom work in production

Branch Network

22 Locations

Locations

Darmstadt (15), Weiterstadt (2), Dieburg, Griesheim, Pfungstadt, Reinheim, Roßdorf

Founded

Founded in 1913 – Now in its 4th/5th Generation

Market Segment

Artisan bakery and patisserie with in-house production – breads, cakes, snacks, and salads

Brand Promise

Wholesome, natural ingredients. No artificial flavors or flavor enhancers. No industrial pre-made products — just family recipes, made fresh every day.

Customer since

2020 (Time Management: Sales, then Production; 2020 Workforce Scheduling; 2021 Mobile Workforce Scheduling and Mobile Shift Planning)

Deployed SEAK Modules

Time Management, Workforce Scheduling (SEAKproHR), Mobile Workforce Scheduling, Mobile Shift Planner

Numbers, Data, Facts

Branches in Darmstadt and the Surrounding Area

Team

Bormuth Manages Time Tracking and Workforce Scheduling with SEAK

Family Legacy

The Challenge

Availability Trapped in Managers' Heads — and Duplicate Data Across Two Systems

Bormuth had reached a tipping point where the company's continued growth had outpaced its existing workforce management processes. Availability data lived primarily in the heads of department managers. HR-relevant data was maintained in parallel across two separate systems. Generating reports was time-consuming. And last-minute changes to staffing requirements demanded extensive research and numerous phone calls.

Five specific pain points were holding them back:

No visibility into over- and understaffing

Without clean, reliable data, it was nearly impossible to tell who was over- or under-utilized — and when.

Phone Research for Changes

Last-minute staffing changes meant endless phone calls and time-consuming research.

Availability Exists Only "in People's Heads"

Substitute availability used to live in the department manager's head — when they were out, that knowledge walked out the door with them.

Duplicate Data Entry

HR data spread across two separate systems — inefficient and error-prone.

Reporting Takes Too Long

Reports were produced manually and with delays — making them of limited use as a real-time management tool.

Six smiling people in a bakery, one man cutting a large cake at a table.

Ina Bormuth – 5th Generation, Digitalization – Bormuth Bakery

"We needed to put our planning process on a completely new footing. Our department heads were carrying most of the information about staff availability in their heads. This created serious problems whenever a department head was unexpectedly unavailable."

The Decision: Phased Rollout Beginning Early 2020

Bormuth rolled out SEAK in phases: time and attendance management for the sales team in early 2020, followed by production six months later. That same year, the workforce scheduling module SEAKproHR was introduced. In 2021, mobile workforce planning and the mobile shift scheduling feature were added.

The Implementation: One Data Source, Two Mobile Devices

Tablet for Management, Smartphone for the Sales Team

With SEAK, Bormuth now operates from a single, centralized data foundation. Store managers use the mobile workforce scheduling tool on a tablet — featuring a timetable-style interface that, according to Ina Bormuth, is "extremely easy and intuitive to use." The sales team accesses their shift schedules directly on their smartphones. The system proactively alerts managers whenever rest period requirements are not being met or when part-time staff are being scheduled beyond their agreed or legally prescribed working hours.

What the software actually covers

Core HR Data

All HR-relevant data in one place, centrally managed — no more duplicate entry across two systems.

Secure Time Tracking

Tamper-proof time tracking with balance overviews at the daily, weekly, monthly, and annual level.

Payroll Interface

Seamlessly transfer working hours to your payroll system via standard interfaces.

Tablet PEP for Branch Managers

Mobile shift scheduling on tablet – with a timetable-style layout that's incredibly simple and intuitive.

Mobile Schedule

Employees can view schedules, absences, and updates directly on their smartphones — with push notifications for any schedule changes.

Contract & Preferences

Contractual hours and personal preferences are built into the scheduling process.

Working Hours & Rest Period Alerts

Automatic alerts for rest period violations or breaches of agreed or statutory working hours — including part-time and temporary staff.

Detailed Award Breakdown

Clear, detailed breakdowns of premium calculations — for payroll processing and employee communication.

Hand cutting a sesame challah bread on a wooden board, with family in the background.

Ina Bormuth

"If we'd had to manage everything with pen and paper, we would have ended up in an organizational disaster. With the SEAK system, we stayed on top of everything. Overall, we now need fewer phone calls and less back-and-forth coordination."

The Result: What Has Changed Since Then

Better Data Quality, Faster Planning, Greater Professionalism – Defined Qualitatively

Data Governance & Quality

Effects on Governance & Data Quality

Planning processes have become more transparent and significantly faster.

Data centrally managed — data quality significantly improved.

Better reporting capabilities – overtime, leave statistics, and working time violations.

Operational

Operational Relief

Dramatically reduced time spent on shift planning.

Mobile scheduling takes the pressure off planners — and nearly every employee is on board.

Fewer calls, less back-and-forth – everything runs simpler and faster.

Employees & Employers

Effects for Employees & Employers

Increased employee satisfaction through transparent scheduling.

Stronger employer appeal – mobile tools make a lasting impression, especially when onboarding new sales staff.

Executives: significantly better visibility than ever before.

Pandemic Trust

Effects During the Pandemic

Sick leave, short-time work, staff redeployments – fully transparent and traceable at every step.

Without SEAK, the pandemic would have been an "organizational catastrophe," says Ina Bormuth.

Hands expertly knead a mass of flour-dusted dough on a clean white surface.

Ina Bormuth

"It's difficult to put a monetary figure on the value — the pandemic years make direct comparisons nearly impossible. But the impact is clear in qualitative terms: our planning quality and speed have improved significantly. Better insights, easier reporting, a clearer overview, and a noticeably higher level of professionalism across our processes."

Which Bormuth modules are in use

Workforce Time Management

Track and evaluate working hours – with balance summaries and seamless payroll system integration.

Workforce Scheduling

Demand-driven scheduling across 22 locations and production — with automated alerts for rest periods and working time compliance.

Mobile PEP & Mobile Scheduling

Branch managers plan shifts on their tablet, while employees view their schedules on their smartphones — with instant push notifications whenever changes are made.

Small dark bread loaves with seeds, baked in individual wooden molds and dusted with flour.

Ina Bormuth

"Our experience with SEAK support has been consistently positive. When urgent issues arise, we receive excellent assistance. What's particularly impressive is that several of our suggestions and ideas have actually been implemented in the mobile solutions. Outstanding — especially when it comes to the mobile solutions."

Let's talk about whether SEAK is the right fit for your business

In a 30-minute introductory call, we'll assess where your business stands today, identify which modules are the right priority for your situation, and outline a realistic implementation roadmap.

Alternatively, you're welcome to reach out via our contact form — we'll get back to you promptly. Or give us a call at: +49 40 238 348 – 000

The Trade Trusts SEAK

From fashion and food retail to building materials and specialist trade: retailers across Germany rely on SEAK to manage their workforce.

Tradition since 1913 – Family Recipes from Darmstadt

When Philipp and Marie Bormuth opened their bakery in Darmstadt's Johannesviertel neighborhood in 1913, it was their dedication to quality, hard work, and careful management that laid the foundation for the business to grow. Today, more than a century later, the fourth generation leads the company — with the fifth already actively involved. The family motto: honor what those before you built.

In practice, that means being a true artisan baker — delivering honest, family-recipe quality to the table every single day. Fresh. Natural. No artificial flavors, no flavor enhancers, no industrial pre-mixes or shortcuts. Just wholesome ingredients, house-made snacks and salads, and the time and patience that great bread deserves.

Today, Bormuth operates 22 locations in and around Darmstadt and employs approximately 200 people, around 50 of whom work in production. That sustained growth brought new challenges in workforce management and oversight — which is what led the company to implement SEAK at the start of 2020.