Behind the screens: How REEL Cinemas cut payroll admin by 80% and filled 59 roles faster with Employment Hero

About the business

REEL Cinemas is an independent, family-run cinema chain with 15 locations across the UK. For nearly 25 years, the company has brought film experiences to local communities with a strong focus on service and team culture. But behind the scenes, outdated manual systems were making it harder to manage people and processes at scale.

The challenge

Before Employment Hero, REEL Cinemas’ people operations were split across spreadsheets and disconnected systems, with payroll in particular causing a significant time drain. Key issues included:

• Clock-in data had to be manually entered into spreadsheets.
• Payroll processing was complex, repetitive and prone to human error.
• Candidate hiring was slow and often lost top talent to faster-moving businesses.
• Staff onboarding required manual paperwork and long lead times.

“We spent a lot of time on payroll admin. It was very time-consuming and very complicated, which obviously led to mistakes.” – Justin Kinsella-Wood, Head of People

The solution

Employment Hero brought everything into one connected system, from rotas and time tracking to hiring, onboarding and payroll. For the REEL team, that means fewer errors, faster admin and a better experience across the board.

“Now it’s all on the same platform. It’s very straightforward, just a few clicks and moments of my time.” – Dave Monk, Farnham General Manager

With accurate time data automatically syncing into payroll, REEL Cinemas has reduced payroll admin time by an estimated 80%, freeing up hours every week. This smoother process means fewer errors and a faster turnaround. Additionally, Employment Hero’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and Find Talent tools have revolutionised REEL’s approach to hiring, allowing the team to move quickly and make great hires before candidates drop off.

“If it takes you three or four weeks to recruit someone, you lose them. The Employment Hero ATS is so swift and it’s so quick to get a job posted. Our time to hire is now 15 days. It means you don’t lose candidates.” – Justin Kinsella-Wood, Head of People

The onboarding process has become smooth and efficient, accommodating the steady influx of new joiners with ease. Documents and contracts are shared with employees before their start date, giving them time to prepare and feel settled ahead of their first day. 

“The whole process of enrolling and accepting the contract was very easy and quick. I signed on my iPad and returned it within 10 minutes.” – Peter Dance, Front of House Manager

The ROI

Employment Hero has delivered measurable impact across multiple areas:

• 80% reduction in payroll admin time.
• 59 roles filled with 12,000+ applicants through the ATS.
• Reduced time to hire to just 15 days.
• 25% time saved screening candidates with the Recruitment Agent.
• £8,000 saved annually by replacing paid jobs posts Indeed’s free job posting integration.
• Faster, paperless onboarding with contracts reviewed and returned in minutes.
• Better visibility and control across all employee touchpoints.

“If you’re running a business and want a single one-stop shop for everything from induction, to rota, to payroll, it does it all.” – Dave Monk, Farnham General Manager

Why it matters

With time back and processes streamlined, REEL Cinemas’ team can now spend more time doing what matters most, which is supporting employees, growing their business and delivering great customer experiences.

“The time I save with Employment Hero allows me more time with my staff, face to face, learning more, understanding more and getting the best out of them.” – Dave Monk, Farnham General Manager