Even the best schedulers, demand planners, and operational managers can agree that creating shift rosters for 24×7 work environments is no simple task. The anticipated labor requirements need to be forecasted, employee schedules need to be made (and subsequently managed), and the schedule needs to be readjusted as unexpected absences and other changes occur—and this is just for one week.
Variables like unpredictable employee availability and matching workers to an uncertain future demand are causing complex scheduling organizations to consider adding labor forecasting into their workforce management mix.
If your current scheduling process still leads to overstaffed shifts or peak demand times that come up shorthanded, then you need to consider a workforce management software that can handle your forecasting needs.
Demand-Based Scheduling Saves Money
Demand-based scheduling means that you are integrating all your important data (historical demand, employee information, etc.) during schedule generation, helping you make the best decision financially; short and long-term.
For example, how many times have you seen idle employees standing around with nothing to do? Scheduling too many employees is an avoidable expense. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you need to make sure that you are scheduling enough people to hit targets during peak demand… or risk wasting too much money on unnecessary overtime to get the job done.
With automated scheduling software, it’s easy to see who is available, what positions they are assigned to, and what skills and certifications they have. All of this information gives the power back to the scheduler, and it’s all stored in one place for enterprise-wide transparency.
Speaking of skills and certifications: you won’t risk getting fined for noncompliance because you will have a schedule that only assigns qualified employees who have been optimally trained for the task—and an audit log to prove it.
Be Proactive With Demand-Based Scheduling
Wouldn’t it be nice to resolve labor demand issues proactively?
By having real-time data easily accessible from anywhere, you can! Rather than learning from lagged reports or dated emails that there was a “missing employee” that held up production, you’ll be ahead of the issue after receiving an immediate notification that they called in sick; and you’ll have the appropriate tools to assign the most qualified and available worker to the vacancy.
Even on an issue-free day, you can still be proactive by preparing for any upcoming peak months. For example, if history dictates that your summer months are where you need the most workers yet everyone wants to take vacations in May, perhaps it’s time to consider kicking off your annual vacation planning process in December/January and setting a first-come, first-serve limit for how many people can request off during particular summer weeks?
That’s just one example of how demand-based scheduling allows you to anticipate needs early, allowing you to begin preparations for hurdles you know are coming. The need to match labor with demand differs for every organization, so the system that automates your scheduling should be tailored to your specific needs.
The Indeavor Solution
Looking to see how our automated scheduling solution can help your organization achieve true workforce efficiency—from both your hourly employees as well as your HR and Operations departments? Learn more or request a demo here.
