☰
✕

11 Best Ways to Use Employee Work Schedule Management

OkCredit -

The success of any organisation depends upon the efficiency of the different management systems incorporated in it. One such example is employee work schedule management. Employee scheduling has become crucial for all businesses, small or big.

A supervisor or manager is responsible for managing work schedules in a small organisation. Whereas, this profile is handled by the HR department in larger organisations. A meticulously planned work schedule is essential for optimum productivity and efficient business operations.

On the other hand, if the employees are clueless about their daily tasks and responsibilities, it can hamper their morale and performance. And all this will directly or indirectly impact their career graph.

The industry experts describe employee work schedule management as an art. It ensures that the right employee is available at the right place and at the right time. The prime motive behind implementing it is to augment business efficiency and profitability.

Furthermore, it helps balance workflow demand and supply, ensures fair policy, and boosts employee productivity. That's not all; it also does a great job of solving employee attendance and overtime issues and increasing the retention of resourceful employees.

So, is the employee work schedule used solely for planning the tasks and duties of the employees? Interestingly, organisations can use employee work schedules to streamline several other functions as well. Although the uses are endless, we have outlined the 11 best benefits for you.

1. Generating a staff list

The best thing that managers can do with an employee work schedule is to create a staff list. They can take details from the work schedule like:

  • Name of the employee
  • Job profile
  • Contact details
  • Educational qualification
  • Certifications and skills
  • Overtime concerns, if applicable
  • Full-time or part-time classification

2. Create and Implement HR Policies

Employee work schedule management data can help the HR department create and implement several policies in the organisation. Leave policies, overtime policies, salary-related policies are some classic examples of it.

3. Design a system to evaluate salary and hours worked

HR managers can configure an automatic system that can give them exact data about the employees' total salary. This system will calculate the salary, keeping in mind the total working hours of the employees. It will have all the essential predefined formulas and will be in sync with the payroll processing database.

4. Address Business Requirements

HR managers can use the employee work schedule to address various business needs. You see, overstaffing means that the employees are overpaid. On the contrary, understaffing means that the employees are not getting a salary at par with their workload.

Effective work schedule management can help find the right balance and boost the business's productivity. Also, keeping a check on fund utilisation will help optimum utilisation of the employees' talent and skills.

5. Establish Staff Availability Processes

Giving an option to the employees to choose their working hours will help create a healthy work environment. It is what an effective staff availability process does to an organisation.

HR managers can consider establishing a collaborative environment wherein the team leaders can know their team preferences. Planning a work schedule like this will boost the productivity and morale of the employees.

6. Create an Accessible Work Schedule

The best part about using scheduling software is that it enables creating a work schedule accessible by all. All the staff members can view and note down their upcoming schedules. However, it is the HR managers' responsibility to share the latest work schedules with the employees. This process will eliminate the chances of missed shifts and miscommunication.

7. Assist in Creating a Plan B

Going for an employee work schedule is great. However, HR managers should always have a plan B in case the main plan fails to yield the desired results. And, an effective work schedule can help in creating this escape plan.

Managers can use the schedule data to reschedule shifts and employees as per the need of the hour. You see, emergencies can happen anytime. And planning for contingencies will always result in seamless processes and high productivity.

8. Manage Employee Conflicts

Organisations that experience frequent instances of employee conflicts can use work scheduling software to minimise them. Real-time reports and data will assist the managers in making quicker scheduling decisions. Moreover, clearly defined scheduling rules will ensure better planning. Managers can solve conflicts of shift swaps, time-off, and availability with work schedule management.

9. To Control Absenteeism

An advanced employee work schedule management system helps in controlling the issue of absenteeism to a larger extent. It allows the managers to swiftly respond to reassigning requests due to an employee calling off.

It is a great way to maintain the productivity and progress of the project. Apart from this, this system is also beneficial in alerting the HR department about absenteeism. Timely reports and attendance records make it easier for them to address this issue.

10. Schedule Manpower Based on their Talent and Skills

The best part about using this system is ensuring that the right employee is placed at the right job. You see, filling the shifts or slots just for completing the project will not do any good to the employee or the organisation.

The correct method is to plan shifts as per the skills and talent of the employees. But, how will the manager come to know about the skills and talent of all the employees? The answer is simple, from the employee work schedule system. He can quickly assess all the data with a click.

11. Real-time Reporting

HR managers can easily retrieve data from the employee work schedule system for real-time reporting. Critical analysis and customised reporting will also help them in forecasting departmental budgets. Moreover, the managers will get a clear picture of overtime, unpaid time-off, and other factors affecting the allocation of resources in the organisation.

Some Quick Tips to Schedule Employees Effectively

Here are some quick tips for the managers to develop an efficient work schedule-

  • Know the business
  • Understand the employee demography
  • Encourage employee participation to avoid conflict
  • Allow changes on employee requests
  • Make sure there is a single version of the work schedule on all the systems
  • The latest schedule should be shared with the employees as soon as possible
  • Try to keep the work schedule more predictable and flexible for the employees

Bottom Line

So, you see streamlining organisational processes and formulating efficient schedules demands definitive planning. Therefore, the managers must ensure that they know the professional details of all the employees working in the organisation. Apart from this, they should also keep the communication lines open for all.

Developing a process wherein employees can give their preferences regarding work schedule will help in fostering long-term bonds. Finally, the manager must make sure that they make optimum utilisation of the skills and talents of all the employees.

Also read:

1) Think Global Act Local: Tips to Run a Small Business Effectively
2) Why Do Businesses Need a Good ERP System?
3) 50 Work-From-Home Careers to Mint Handsome Money
4) How to manage the staff & maintain sales?
5) OkCredit: Simple, Paperless & Secure solution for businesses
6) OkStaff: Benefits, Better Staff Management & More!

FAQs

Q. What are the types of work schedules?

Ans. There are primarily 8 types of work schedules followed in an organisation:

  • Fixed schedule
  • Flexible schedule
  • Full-time schedule
  • Part-time schedule
  • Rotating schedule
  • Split-shift schedule
  • On-call schedule
  • Freelance schedule

Q. Why should organisations go for employee work scheduling systems?

Ans. Organisations should opt for a work schedule because it:

  • Saves time
  • Ensures legal compliance
  • Establish consistency
  • Enhance consumer satisfaction
  • Reduce turnover cost

Q. How should organisations introduce changes in work schedules?

Ans. Organisations should first interact with the employees and explain the reasons for implementing changes in the work schedules. Asking for feedback and recognising their contribution will help in reducing conflicts.

Ans. You see, according to the experts, an ideal shift length should not exceed 12 hours in a day. Working more than 12 hours can compromise the health and productivity of the employees.

Q. Which shift schedule is the best?

Ans. Every schedule has its pros and cons. However, the HR manager should select a schedule that will ensure 100% productivity and satisfaction of the employees.

Q. How to create a work schedule that meets the needs of both business and employees?

Ans. Here are some tips for creating such a kind of schedule:

1. Ask for feedback
2. Determine scheduling rules
3. Follow scheduling rules while hiring new employees to fill the work schedule

Q. Why should organisations hire consultants for employee work schedule management?

Ans. Organisations should hire consultants because:

1. It is time-saving
2. They have the expertise to perform this function
3. Faster and optimal results
4. It comes with minimum risk
5. Enables employee buy-in