Are you responsible for managing the schedules at your place of employment? Does your organization have simple schedules with shifts that can be filled by just about anyone? Or do you have a more complex shift-based workforce like retail, healthcare, manufacturing, or hospitality?
Keeping track of the different shifts can become overwhelming, especially when a traditional method is used, such as spreadsheets or pen-and-paper systems. Traditional methods of shift scheduling can lead to inefficiencies, errors, and even lack of transparency.
Never fear. There is a solution to that. Shift scheduling software is a digital solution that is used to manage employee shifts. This software can streamline the entire shift scheduling process, and it benefits not only the organization but also its workforce.
In this blog post, we will take a deep dive into the benefits of an online shift scheduling solution and why it is essential in today’s fast-paced business world.
What is Shift Scheduling Software?
Shift scheduling software is a tool that is utilized by organizations to help them manage their employee’s work schedules more efficiently. This software is an essential tool to have included in an HR Tech Stack. This software will enable managers to seamlessly create, assign, and adjust shifts in real-time.
The ability to do so will ensure that the right people are in the right place at the right times. Typically, shift scheduling software will come with more features, such as time tracking, absence management, and automated notifications.
Shift scheduling solutions are cloud-based, allowing access from any device with an internet connection. This will enable employees to view their schedules, request time off, swap shifts, and receive updates from both a mobile app and the web portal. This will ensure that everyone is aware of any changes to the schedules as they are made.
The Key Benefits of Shift Scheduling Software
Shift scheduling software will benefit not only the HR professionals and managers but also the employees. Let’s look at the more significant advantages.
- Time Savings and Increased Efficiency: Who doesn’t like to save time, especially on tasks that could typically take a substantial amount of time? The software is well known for keeping a good amount of time due to its ease of use. Traditional scheduling methods often require hours of manual work creating and adjusting schedules to ensure that the business is well-staffed.Of course, if you have any experience with traditional shift scheduling, you know well the frustration of thinking you are finally finished to realize you missed a shift and now you must rework the schedule to ensure fairness and that no one is over or underworked. Shift scheduling software will automate this process, reduce time spent, and free up HR leaders and/or managers to focus on more pressing matters. With features like auto-scheduling, the software can generate shifts based on availability, skill sets, or labor laws, reducing the risk of scheduling conflicts or non-compliance.
- Real-Time Scheduling Adjustments: We all know that life happens. So here comes Monday, and the shift schedule has been out for two weeks. It is a busy week this week with extra tasks to complete. And here comes the call-ins.These last-minute changes are common in life and most definitely in business. Shift scheduling software will provide managers the ability to make real-time adjustments to the schedule. The changes can be immediately pushed out to employees with the automated notification features within the software. This will maximize efficiency and reduce confusion.
- Improved Employee Satisfaction and Engagement: The online solution will empower employees and provide transparency and control over their schedules. Who doesn’t like to be in some form of control over their schedules? The software will give them access to their schedules through their mobile phones or the online portal. The availability of the software in a convenient way will allow the employees to view their shifts, be aware of any changes that are made to their shifts, and will allow them to plan around their work commitments. They will also be empowered to raise time-off requests in the system and will be able to know once they are approved.
- Reduced Scheduling Errors and Compliance Risks: There are often many different requirements when it comes to developing a schedule to ensure the organization is properly staffed to conduct business. When schedules are completed manually the risk of scheduling errors is increased. Some of these errors could be double-booking shifts or even under-scheduling, which don’t have legal ramifications. However, there are some legal requirements, such as breaks or for minor workers, that must be adhered to. Shift scheduling software has compliance features built into it, allowing rules and requirements to be programmed and forgotten unless they need to be updated. The organization leaders will be able to load in labor laws, union agreements, and any company policies regarding breaks, overtime, or other requirements.
- Optimized Labor Costs: A benefit that is always appreciated by organizational leaders, is the ability to optimize labor costs. This benefit is built into shift scheduling software. It provides managers and other leaders with the historical data needed to forecast labor needs based on demand. This ability is also appreciated by employees as there will be few instances of overstaffing or understaffing of key shits. Some solutions can integrate with sales and production data to aid in scheduling accuracy and help the business reduce unnecessary labor costs.
- Enhanced Communication and Accountability: Shift scheduling software will, more often than not, have built-in messaging tools which will allow managers to communicate changes in schedules to their employees quickly. The messaging tools can also be used by the employees to communicate with other employees regarding swapping shifts. Employees will be able to confirm their availability, accept the shifts assigned to them, and ensure the employees are accountable for their schedules.
- Data-Driven Insights for Better Decision-Making: The software will allow businesses to leverage the data they are gathering to make better data-driven decisions. It can collect data on employee attendance patterns, peak productivity periods, and labor costs. This valuable data can be pulled from the system in an easily analyzed format. The data collected will aid managers in making more informed decisions regarding their staffing needs. It will also allow them to identify areas of improvement. An example of how the data can be used is if a shift is showing that there are high levels of absenteeism, the organizational leaders will be able to dig in and figure out what barriers their employees are facing regarding the troubled shift and can make changes accordingly.
- Scalability for Growing Businesses: Like many other software applications, shift scheduling software is scalable. So, as the organization grows, it will be able to add additional employees, locations, departments, shifts, or other changes to the system.The flexibility of cloud-based software means it can easily accommodate changing workforce demands, making it an ideal solution for both small businesses and large enterprises.
Key Features to Look for in Shift Scheduling Software
Not all software solutions are comparable. For this reason, it is vital to choose a solution that fits the needs of the business. Below are some key features that should be considered:
- Automated Scheduling: The software should be able to automatically generate schedules for the organizational workforce, based on the availability and preferences of the workforce, and the needs of the business.
- Mobile Access:The convenience of mobile access is important in today’s world.For this reason,selecting a platform that has a mobile app will empower the employees to view and accept their schedules, allows them to request time off, and be in the know with instant notifications.
- Shift Swapping and Availability Management: Having a feature that allows employees to swap shifts with their co-workers will reduce the administrative tasks of the managers.
- Compliance Features: Select a platform with built-in tools that will ensure schedules are in line with labor laws, overtime rules, and company policies.
- Reporting and Analytics: Choose a solution that can help you generate reports on employee attendance, labor costs, or other metrics that support making better data-driven decisions.
- Integration with Payroll and Time Tracking: Seamless integration with payroll systems and time tracking tools to ensure accurate payments and record-keeping.
Conclusion
Shift scheduling software is almost a requirement for businesses that operate with a shift-based workforce. Keeping up with schedules and eliminating errors is almost a lost cause when completing shifts manually. With shift scheduling software, an organization can benefit from increased efficiency, a reduction in errors, reduced labor costs, and increased employee satisfaction.By automating scheduling tasks and providing real-time insights, the online software helps businesses manage their workforce more effectively, reduce operational headaches, and create a more engaging work environment for employees.
