5 Ways to Handle Difficulties in Scheduling
April 8, 2021
Typical Scheduling Difficulties…
When creating a work schedule for an organization, it can be difficult to establish an optimal schedule due to various complexities. It may take days (or even weeks) to create and deliver a functional, flexible, and fair schedule. GaiaDigits has kept this in mind when creating their Workforce Management (WFM) system. Below are five ways GaiaDigits can help any business handle difficulties in scheduling.
1. Choosing the Proper Workforce Management Solution
In order to create an optimal schedule that fits a company’s specific needs, it’s important for a WFM software to offer the flexibility to create a custom or AI-generated schedule based on business forecasts, labour demand, and employee availability. Both solutions are offered through their WFM system, which uses an advanced and intelligent scheduler with the power to understand the total hours, costs, and shifts through a variation of types of schedule developers.
Choosing the right software for an organization requires careful understanding of the common obstacles to implementing a scheduler. Further complications can occur when leave, overtime, or travel management aren’t taken into consideration. Time and Attendance features, in conjunction with the scheduling system, is a dynamic solution that accounts for different scheduling challenges. For example, it allows qualified personnel in a multi-level hierarchy to approve or deny requests for vacation or overtime. Choosing an appropriate WFM software is critical to running an efficient business.
2. Time Availability for Employees
Whether it’s a schedule for a large-scale business or a small company, the operational hours should be carefully tailored to meet both the target clients’ needs and employees’ availabilities. With the daily uncertainties in your employees’ schedules, it is crucial for a WFM software to offer functionality that allows employees to input their priorities and available working hours at any time and from anywhere (e.g., mobile application and desktop). This ensures employees feel valued for their time and a fair schedule is established for the organization.
3. Task Management
Moving into 2021, the evolution of technology and the recent pandemic has forced many businesses to accept the new status quo of working from home. Consequently, the average employee may no longer see value in commuting to work, especially when the time savings could translate to higher levels of productivity due to working from the comforts of their own home. A recent study from Salesforce stated, “An immersive workspace is no longer limited to a desk in our Towers; the 9-to-5 workday is dead; and the employee experience is about more than ping-pong tables and snacks.” Taking this study into consideration, a WFM system that generates more than just schedules, but also the ability to create a “task”, could be the solution for employees to stay on-track in this changing environment.
Task Management is a solution that facilitate employers’ ability to identify how resources are allocated during a shift by setting “tasks” or “jobs” with the associated time delegations. Since companies may now require their employees to be in the office on a sporadic basis (instead of full-time), the Task Management module is beneficial in setting a schedule that tracks the required times to be in the office, this can allow businesses to track their resource usage, identify dead loss and save needed time and money.
4. Benefits of Fixed and Rotational Shifts
When an employer is implementing a schedule, they should determine the appropriate type of schedule that will improve both the employees’ productivity and the organization’s bottom line. The most common types of schedules are fixed and rotational shifts. A fixed schedule is defined as a generally consistent number of hours and workdays per week agreed upon by both the employer and employee. In contrast, a shift rotation schedule fluctuates in hours and workdays based on the needs of the employer and the availability of their employees. A fixed schedule is useful for a business with a limited amount of work hours, as well as for employees that require a stable schedule to balance their work and personal life. A rotational shift is beneficial for a company with volatile peak hours and long workdays, which allows the employer to offer a fair schedule with variation.
Through the scheduling software, both fixed and rotational schedules can be easily generated. As a result, organizations from any industry can benefit since they can create a schedule that best suits their operational demands. As businesses evolve to tackle the current economic climate, a scheduling software that offers the option of 50/50 in- and out-of-office work can be applied in the shift rotation option (e.g., adding the variation for one day/week in office and vice-versa). It’s been proven through various studies that employees’ productivity has increased due to flexible schedules and the addition of the option to work from home on a part-time basis. Therefore, implementing a WFM (Workforce Management) software that allows for different types of schedules promotes an employer’s ability to meet both the company’s and employees’ needs.
5. Efficiency in Shift Swapping
A common difficulty with employees switching shifts involves miscommunication with the employer’s approval, as well as employees keeping record of employees swapping shifts. GaiaDigits offers a seamless function to allow employees to add their shift to a “pool” of shifts and subsequently ask their direct and/or indirect managers approval to switch shifts. Once the change is approved, it’s then added to the employee’s schedule. This can all be handled at any time or anywhere, either through the desktop or mobile application. A WFM software that includes functionality to efficiently swap shifts can greatly mitigates miscommunication and difficulties with maintaining schedules.
In conclusion, GaiaDigits delivers innovative solutions through their WFM suite, which incorporates key functionalities such as: Time Availability, Task Management, Shift Rotation, and Shift Swapping. GaiaDigits has created a dynamic WFM system that can improve quality of work life for every employee within the organization.
About the Author
Tiana Hoffman, Senior Solutions Manager
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-hoffman/
With over 10 years of experience with Sales, Leadership, Finance, Marketing and Business Development in the Automotive Industry. Experience living in different cities bringing in the ability to understand a variety of different cultures and personalities. She is determined to provide an exceptional experience understanding the benefits of GaiaDigits innovation to many businesses in all industries. With her experience in Management, she’s identified the right solution is necessary for an optimal business. Tiana is committed to the delivery of productive WFM solution and creative insight for customers.
