Many industries rely on a shift work model where full- and part-time employees’ schedules combine and overlap. This setup is necessary to keep your staffing levels optimally set to maximize productivity and customer support. However, once you start to balance the time preferences and needs of your team with your operational requirements, scheduling can get messy.
That is why rostering software is essential for any business that operates with a shift work model. Such software makes the process of scheduling easy and efficient. If you have any doubts, take a free trial of rostering software to experience the benefits for yourself. Before you jump in, however, it is a good idea to know what you can expect to gain from the software.
Let’s look at some of the key benefits of using rostering software.
Optimize Labour Costs
One of the biggest advantages of using rostering software is the ability to cut down on your labor costs. When the process of scheduling is informed by data and software, you can notice red flags that are eating into your profits more clearly. For example, seeing your schedule on the computer will provide you with a clear overview of workforce needs, potential overscheduling, and overtime hours. Cutting back on these areas becomes much more efficient with the right rostering software.
Provide A Better Experience For Your Customers
With rostering software, you can also be sure that your business is sufficiently staffed during your business hours. Relying on manual scheduling can set up a business for a disaster. For example, you might find that you are consistently scheduling too few staff to periods of high traffic. Without being able to see your schedule efficiently laid out on a screen, you may neglect to see these consistent patterns. Investing in rostering software will help you fix these bad habits right away.
Employees Set Their Availability
As a manager, it can be a headache to take everyone’s needs and preferences into account when you are coming up with a schedule. To make matters worse, these preferences can fluctuate from week to week. Keeping tabs on changes that need to be made takes up too much time, which is time that could be spent on more productive tasks.
With rostering software, you will benefit from having workers set their own availability in the system. This distributes some of the burdens of scheduling onto your employees, making it fairer and more efficient for everyone. By setting their own availability, your staff will also be more mindful of their scheduled shifts, and you will notice fewer missed shifts or late starts.
Forecast Your Scheduling Needs
Contemporary rostering software also provides better forecasts for the anticipated labour demand in your business. Using a data-informed approach to forecasting and scheduling is generally more accurate than simply guessing and hoping for the best. And, best of all, these forecasts can be created by the software quickly. You will not need to devote too much of your time to think about it, and you will be able to spend more of your time on other tasks.
Move Beyond Manual Scheduling
The perks outlined here demonstrate the importance of moving away from a manual scheduling system to a software-based one. Try out some rostering software for yourself and witness the difference it makes in your organization. You will be able to perfectly balance the needs of your employees with the needs of your business, leading to better morale in your organization and more time for you to manage your staff rather than merely scheduling them.