Qualified personnel are hard to find. But even the best workers cannot show their maximum efficiency if allegedly simple processes like rota scheduling are poor. Creating a fair work schedule is a dreaded task because it can be extremely challenging. There are so many factors that affect a fair rotation with maximum output: absences, vacation, maternity leaves, sabbaticals, individual working hours, personnel preferences, workload per shift, and labor-law provisions.
The more employees the human resources department has to handle, the more complex it gets. Manual rostering is prone to errors, which is why more and more companies create the rota schedule online. The right software can simplify the process, which saves time and increases efficiency as well as employee satisfaction.
Advantages of an Employee Scheduling Software
Work schedules and shifts are an ever-evolving task, as unforeseeable events can lead to understaffing, overstaffing, or simply wrong staffing. A good rostering software bundles all relevant data about the staff, qualifications, working hours, absences, and more to allow for good planning.
Online Scheduling Saves a Lot of Time
Manual shift planning is very time-consuming and can become frustrating as it reduces focus on other important tasks. A rostering software needs to be fed with relevant data, of course, which takes a little effort at the beginning. But as soon as the software has been fed with relevant information, it leads to automated matching and validation. The right rostering software even allows managers to delegate the task of filling shifts to their employees:
Staff members can have a look at the schedule and sign up for their preferred shifts. This leads to a high level of transparency and fosters employee satisfaction. If team members can choose their favorite shifts, it can also increase efficiency.
Up-to-Date Access for All Employees
Manual shift plans can be put on the blackboard or even be sent out via email to inform employees. But little changes in the plan technically require an update. If staff members have the opportunity to check schedules on their computer or their smartphone, they stay up-to-date. That’s how online rostering improves the chain of information in a company – for both desk-less and fixed-location workers.
Low Error-Rate
Manual planning becomes complex if many different factors need to be considered. In a business, scheduling errors are usually pretty momentous. As scheduling software bundles and analyzes all relevant data, online rostering is a lot less prone to errors.
Online Rostering and Time-Tracking
There is scheduling software out there that doesn’t just simplify the process of creating a fair rota, but which also enables managers to track working time. Employees can sign in and out via computer or smartphone. That means that only one software can kill two birds with one stone.
Good Software Can Integrate with Existing Systems
Depending on which software you pick, you might even be able to integrate data with your existing management systems. If time-tracking information is automatically played into your payroll system via good interface management, it saves your human resources department even more time. Some software can even be linked to your invoicing system or CRM.
Software Helps You Analyzing
As a manager, you might be wondering why some shifts run a lot more smoothly than others. Bundling data on past shifts in your rostering software helps you evaluate both negative and positive outliers. That way, you can determine factors that might have a direct influence on your team’s output. If you use those insights wisely, old data can help you and your team create a more efficient workflow.
When Is It Worth while Implementing a Rostering Software?
The more employees and shifts you must juggle, the more time you’ll need to invest in creating schedules. But that doesn’t mean that smaller companies won’t benefit from rostering software. The earlier you start using such software, the easier the implementation and the bigger the sustainable advantages.
