Proper Employee Scheduling Is Essential.

Proper employee scheduling impacts every business function; therefore, effective and efficient scheduling of employees is essential.  Multiple aspects of managing a company rely on proper employee scheduling including employee morale, your ability to meet customer demands, the ability to stay on budget, and compliance with government regulations.

Using the right software can help make scheduling easier and more accurate.  There are tons of scheduling software packages out there and when you start to look at different software options be sure to look for the following features because doing so will help ensure that you make the best decisions for your team, your clients, and for your bottom line.

1. The scheduling software you choose should be fully mobile.  Having software that works seamlessly across devices and platforms makes things easier for both schedulers and employees.
2. Look for the ability to set-up multiple security groups so that proper access can be set-up for each employee.  Leaders should be able to set who can see what and who can access each function within the scheduling software.
3. The software should include functions for the individual employee.  These features should include things like the ability to submit requests for time off and submit availability.  Employees should be able to look at their schedule and clearly see where and when they are working.  Ideally, employees will also be able to see any training they are scheduled to attend in addition to their regular shifts.
4. Managers and schedulers should be able to build set patterns for employees, quickly see what shifts are open, notify employees of open shifts through a bid system, and quickly fill open shifts.  It is vital that the software allow for quick changes so that updates to the schedule can be made as needed.
5. The scheduling software you choose should include multiple views and editors as well as the ability to filter your schedule down so that you can view certain locations or jobs.
6. Great scheduling software will warn you when you are putting a non-qualified person into a shift.  Maybe they are not qualified because they will go over a set number of hours you have limited them to or maybe they are not qualified because they lack the essential credentials or certifications for that job.  Either way, the software should warn you, but allow you to override the warning to account for urgent circumstances.
7. The software you choose should be capable of sending out alerts to your employees reminding them of their next shift.  It should also allow your staff to sync their schedule to their own personal Google, Apple or similar calendar.  These types of features will help cut down on no call, no shows.
8. High quality scheduling software will allow you to make mass changes.  For example, lets say that our friend Bill won the lottery and quit without notice.  You should be able to tell the software to find “Bill” and remove him from all of his scheduled shifts.  This way you do not have to go through weeks or even months searching for Bill and removing him from each shift.  Having to do this would be a waste of time and it is very likely that you might miss one of Bill’s shifts.
9. Ideally the scheduling software you choose will integrate with your HR and payroll systems.  This will increase efficiencies.
10. The user interface should be user friendly, easy to understand, and customizable so that you can choose what to see and how to see it.

For good measure here is a bonus tip… The scheduling software should log when things are done to the schedule and who performed that function.  This will improve accountability and help ensure compliance.

To continue the scheduling discussion, please give us a call toll free at 888-290-0671 or email us at info@vairkko.com.  We would enjoy the opportunity to hear about how you schedule your team.