Scheduling tasks for a flexible workforce can be a tiring and complex process. From handling last-minute changes and erratic schedules to time-offs and labour costs, managers have got their hands full. Besides, a shift towards a hybrid work model has left the managers worrying about remote and in-office schedules.
Fortunately, proper employee scheduling can help manage such changing workflows. An inefficient scheduling process can cause many challenges. These include low productivity, high turnover, and communication gaps.
A QuickBooks Time survey reported that missed shifts cost managers over $7500 each year. Employee scheduling eliminates these issues and ensures the best use of available resources. It also enables employees to switch from remote to onsite work without confusion.
With employee scheduling, managers can create schedules that meet business goals on time. Let us look at other employee scheduling facts that not many managers know about.
5 Interesting Employee Scheduling Facts
Employee scheduling has become a vital aspect of hybrid or shift-based workplaces. Here are five facts you probably do not know about.
It Simplifies Time Management
By tracking the time employees spend on a certain task, managers can avoid several scheduling issues. These include low productivity, overstaffing, or understaffing.
Employee scheduling simplifies time management and boosts employee productivity, while a scheduling solution can further streamline this process. It ensures that employees are reporting their time accurately. It also covers time spent on special projects, overtime, and travel.
By automating manual employee scheduling processes like time tracking and creating reports, managers can benefit from enhanced scheduling abilities and devote more time to other key activities.
It Enables Lower Employee Turnover
Today, employee expectations are greater than ever. They demand higher flexibility, and the inability of the companies to meet these needs can lead to employee burnout, frustration, and higher turnover. Not to mention, unfair workload and inefficient employee scheduling can compel employees to look for work elsewhere. In that case, sticking to the traditional systems will not work.
To increase employee retention and offer them the flexibility they need, it is critical to work on improving your employee scheduling system. Management can ensure a fair work policy and divide workload efficiently to keep the staff happy and engaged.
It Facilitates Absence Management
One of the main issues that hybrid companies face is tracking employee attendance. Employee scheduling eliminates this and enables managers to deal with it. How? Suppose an employee is late or avoids working from the office.
Employee scheduling helps managers keep track of it and take the required steps. It also helps in managing the payroll process.
An employee scheduling solution can make the process more efficient. With a proper system in place, workers will know who to contact to resolve their queries and request time off. At the same time, managers can use it to identify and cover gaps in schedule well in time.
This makes it easier to see which employees are unavailable and who can cover their shifts. It also equips managers with the right set of tools for:
- Vacation Tracking
- Leave Tracking
- Time-off Requests
It Helps to Identify Gaps in Schedules
According to a Deputy report, 65% of employees say they prefer getting schedule details in advance. But without proper schedule management, notifying employees of schedule changes manually is time-consuming.
Moreover, an employee might call in sick last minute. This makes it difficult to track and notify available employees to cover the shift. In hybrid companies, gaps in employee scheduling can also lead to a space management issue. Employee scheduling helps to identify and deal with this as companies can optimize the workspace depending upon the number of workers on any given day.
By maintaining proper records of employee scheduling, managers can track common trends in shifts and keep up with regulatory requirements. This ensures that schedules are fair and there are no legal complications.
It Gives Employees More Control Over Their Schedule
Hybrid workplaces are becoming the norm. But is that all that employees want? A report by Deputy suggests that 66% of employees prefer flexible schedules. Moreover, according to a QuickBooks Time report, 27% of employees say they have no choice at all when it comes to deciding their schedules.
So, effective employee scheduling is important to meet business goals while also retaining employees. Companies can allow workers to manage their schedules, preventing conflicts. When employees take part in the scheduling process, they feel engaged and motivated.
Moreover, by automating employee scheduling, employees can have better control over their schedule with built-in self-service features like:
- Signing in and out
- Viewing schedules
- Claiming available shifts
- Shift swapping
- Tracking attendance
- Checking work hours
- Checking payroll, etc.
This empowers employees to manage simple tasks on their own. This way, managers do not have to deal with these minor tasks which further save their time. Moreover, in a hybrid setting, effective employee scheduling makes it easier to keep track of employees working onsite. This allows managers to balance autonomy and team needs.
The Bottom Line
Effective employee scheduling ensures that businesses continue to operate smoothly. Ignoring this important function can affect employee retention, customer service, and revenue. So, managers must create schedules that meet business goals and employee requirements. This will improve the overall performance of the business, regardless of the industry.
WorkInSync employee scheduling software allows you to manage and schedule shifts in real time. The employee scheduling app works on both web and mobile devices. You can opt for a free demo to learn more.
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