The St. Regis Astana: how an international hotel brand builds its HR processes with clockster

The St. Regis brand is part of the Marriott International portfolio and is known worldwide as a symbol of refined service and impeccable standards. The first hotel under this name opened in New York in 1904, and in Astana, the flagship The St. Regis welcomed its first guests in 2017.

More than 250 employees work here across 12 departments — from Front Office to Engineering. Every day, they are responsible for guest comfort and experience, delivering service that meets strict international standards.

With such a complex structure, traditional workforce management tools are no longer enough. The hotel needed a system that could optimize processes and bring full transparency to operational data. That is why The St. Regis Astana implemented clockster — to free the HR team from routine and allow them to focus on what matters most: the comfort, development, and wellbeing of the team.

The path to clockster: why The St. Regis Astana chose us

The idea of transitioning to a modern HR platform appeared long before the actual rollout — back in 2023. That year, the team first reached out to clockster to explore automation options for attendance tracking and streamline internal processes.

In December 2024, The St. Regis Astana began connecting all hotel departments to clockster.

For us, this project held special significance — it was not our first experience working with luxury hotels. Before this implementation, clockster had already been successfully deployed at The Ritz-Carlton Astana, Sheraton Astana, Wyndham Garden Astana, and Rixos Borovoe — brands where discipline and operational accuracy are not just expected, but required.

We’ve long specialized in the HoReCa sector: we know how shift patterns work, how frequently replacements happen, and why real-time data matters. This experience became one of the key reasons The St. Regis team chose clockster as a reliable solution tailored to the needs of large international hotel chains.

Employees clock in and out with just a few taps — either through the clockster mobile app or using biometric devices at the staff entrance. The data flows into the system automatically and forms the timesheet. Managers can track clock-ins in real time, and the HR department receives accurate information without manual work.

Today, timesheets are generated in a couple of clicks. And most importantly — there is no need to double-check anything. We fully trust the data.
— notes Aynash Zharylgassynova, Deputy Director of Human Resources.

In addition, employees cannot “backdate” or manipulate their attendance — the system prevents tampering and removes any subjective element. For a large five-star hotel, this level of accuracy is critical.

A five-star hotel: reputation above all

In a five-star hotel, nothing is insignificant. Every minute, every interaction, every call shapes the guest experience. If an employee arrives late, misses a shift, or mixes up their schedule — the impact is felt across the entire department, and ultimately, the hotel’s reputation.

For us, discipline is not just “who came and when.” It is the foundation of service. If the front desk opens late or a department is understaffed, it immediately affects the guest experience.
— says Aynash Zharylgassynova, Deputy Director of Human Resources.

All processes are now centralized — shifts, lateness, and attendance appear in the system in real time. If someone does not clock in, the manager receives an instant notification. This makes it possible to react quickly and arrange replacements without compromising service standards.

The system also helps track recurring lateness and behavioral patterns, allowing managers to give timely feedback. In a hotel where precision and accountability matter at every level, this is especially valuable.

Flexibility for HoReCa: what The St. Regis Astana uses most

clockster is a platform designed to adapt to real operational workflows. It includes everything from attendance tracking and scheduling to payroll data, daily checklists, photo-attached tasks, requests for time off or advances, analytics, and more. But most importantly — each company chooses the tools it truly needs.

The following features are actively used at the hotel:

Attendance tracking

Employees clock in and out through the mobile app or biometric devices at the staff entrance. This ensures 100% accuracy, prevents manipulation, and helps managers respond quickly to lateness or absences.

Work schedules

Managers can quickly create shift schedules for each department — from housekeeping to the kitchen — which is essential in a shift-based environment and helps evenly distribute workloads.

Automated timesheets

Timesheets are generated based on real attendance — fast, error-free, and fully transparent to management.

The tools truly simplify daily work: schedules, clock-ins, timesheets. Everything is clear, convenient, and automated.
— shares Aynash Zharylgassynova, Deputy Director of Human Resources, The St. Regis Astana

Accuracy, structure, and time savings: what clockster delivered for The St. Regis Astana

Since implementing clockster in December 2024, HR operations at The St. Regis Astana have become noticeably faster and more efficient. This is especially important for an international hotel brand, where even minor deviations can influence the guest experience and overall reputation.

Improved discipline

Employees understand that every clock-in and clock-out is recorded to the minute. This increased accountability and consistency across departments.

Now everything is simple, and there is no need to recheck data manually. clockster saves time and removes unnecessary questions.
— notes Aynash Zharylgassynova, Deputy Director of Human Resources, The St. Regis Astana

Centralized data

Management can access real-time insights on attendance, lateness, and shift activity at any moment. In a large hotel, this is critical — especially during peak seasons when every employee counts.

clockster and luxury hotels: when technology becomes part of the service

For the clockster team, working with The St. Regis Astana is more than just another implementation — it is a showcase of how even the most demanding, high-profile projects can adopt efficient, digital workforce management systems. Luxury hotels set exceptionally high expectations: every process must be precise, automated, and aligned with international standards — while remaining easy and intuitive for employees.

The St. Regis Astana is not the first five-star property to adopt clockster: The Ritz-Carlton Astana, Sheraton Astana, Wyndham Garden, Rixos Borovoe, and others have already joined the system. Each hotel has its own unique processes and service standards, but the goals are the same: discipline, reliability, and convenience.

clockster doesn’t just offer attendance tracking — it provides a full ecosystem for workforce management: from scheduling and timesheets to notifications and analytics. Thanks to the platform’s flexibility, each hotel can enable only the features it needs and scale them as it grows. We understand the specifics of HoReCa and adapt to the realities of each property.

The St. Regis Astana is another example of how technology and tradition can work hand in hand. We appreciate the trust and are proud to be part of this story.