The traditional 9-to-5 schedule is increasingly being reconsidered in favour of more flexible arrangements known as alternative work schedules. As organizations strive to meet the diverse needs of their workforce while maximizing productivity, alternative work schedules have gained popularity across various industries. These flexible arrangements encompass a wide range of options, including compressed workweeks, flextime, remote work, and job sharing, allowing employees to tailor their working hours to better fit their personal lives and responsibilities. As a result, alternative work schedules not only promote a healthier work-life balance but also foster employee satisfaction, engagement, and retention. In this discussion, we will explore what alternative work schedules are, their benefits and challenges, and how they are reshaping the future of work.

What Is an Alternative Work Schedule?

An alternative work schedule refers to any employment arrangement that differs from the traditional 9-to-5 work model. Instead of adhering to standard hours, alternate work schedules allow employees to choose when and where they work, aligning their job responsibilities with their personal needs and lifestyle choices. Common examples of alternative work schedules include flextime, where employees can start and end their workday at different times; compressed workweeks, which enable employees to work full-time hours in fewer days; and remote or hybrid arrangements that blend on-site and off-site work. Understanding what an alternative work schedule entails is crucial for both employers and employees interested in enhancing work-life balance and overall job satisfaction.

Benefits of Alternative Work Schedules

Alternative work schedules offer a multitude of benefits for both employers and employees. By exploring these advantages, organizations can better understand how implementing alternate work week schedules can lead to improved productivity and morale within their workforce.

Benefits for employers

Employers can enjoy several alternate work schedule benefits when adopting flexible scheduling options. First and foremost, alternative work schedules can boost employee retention rates, as flexible arrangements often lead to greater job satisfaction. This reduction in turnover can save organizations considerable costs related to hiring and training new staff. Additionally, alternate work schedules can enhance productivity by accommodating individual work styles and peak performance times. When employees have control over their work hours, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. Lastly, implementing alternative shift work schedules can help organizations attract a wider talent pool, appealing to candidates who value flexibility and work-life balance.

Benefits for employees

For employees, the benefits of alternative work schedules are substantial. The most significant advantage is the ability to achieve a better work-life balance, allowing them to meet personal and family obligations more effectively. This flexibility can reduce stress, improve overall well-being, and enhance job satisfaction, leading to a more motivated workforce. Additionally, with alternate work week schedules, employees may find it easier to manage commutes, saving time and money while increasing productivity. Ultimately, the implementation of various types of alternative work schedules can create a supportive work environment that promotes both personal fulfillment and professional success.

Understanding the landscape of alternative work schedules—what they are, the benefits they offer, and the various formats they can take—is essential for both employers and employees seeking to thrive in today’s dynamic work environment. For those considering the implementation of these flexible arrangements, utilizing an alternative work schedule proposal template can aid in developing a structured approach to introduce these concepts within the organization, considering the associated alternate work schedule pros and cons.

Types of alternative work schedules

The landscape of work is continuously evolving, and the traditional 9-to-5 schedule is becoming increasingly antiquated. Organizations are recognizing the need for more flexibility to cater to the diverse lifestyles and preferences of their employees. This growing trend has paved the way for various types of alternative work schedules that better accommodate individual needs while enhancing productivity. Below, we explore the breadth of these options in detail.

1. Standard

The standard work schedule is a traditional arrangement that typically spans from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday. It is characterized by set hours that do not fluctuate, making it easy to manage for both employees and employers. While this schedule provides stability and predictability, it may not accommodate the diverse needs of modern employees who seek greater flexibility. Many individuals find that the rigid nature of the standard schedule can restrict personal and family commitments, making it increasingly less appealing in today’s work culture.

2. Fixed full-time

A fixed full-time schedule adheres to a predetermined number of hours—usually 40 hours per week—while allowing some flexibility in start and end times. For example, employees might have the option to start as early as 7 AM or as late as 10 AM, depending on what works best for their personal lives. This arrangement maintains the benefits of full-time employment—such as health benefits, paid time off, and retirement plans—while providing some leeway for employees to manage their work around personal responsibilities, leading to improved job satisfaction.

3. Fixed part-time

Fixed part-time schedules involve a consistent number of hours that are less than the full-time commitment, often ranging between 20 to 32 hours per week. Employees agree to a specific set of days and hours in advance, allowing them to balance their work commitments with other life obligations, such as schooling, caregiving, or pursuing personal interests. Like their full-time counterparts, fixed part-time employees often enjoy benefits, albeit on a prorated basis, making this schedule ideal for those who need the financial stability of regular work without the full-time commitment.

4. Job share

Job sharing is a creative alternative where two employees share the responsibilities of one full-time position. Each person works part-time hours but coordinates closely to ensure continuity in their work. For instance, one employee may handle mornings while the other covers afternoons. This arrangement not only provides workers with flexibility and additional time for other pursuits, but also fosters collaboration and teamwork. Organizations benefit from having two perspectives on projects, enhancing problem-solving and innovation while maintaining operational coverage.

5. Unpredictable

Unpredictable schedules are often found in industries where demand may vary dramatically from day to day, such as hospitality or retail. In this arrangement, employees may not have consistent hours or workdays, making it challenging to plan personal commitments. While some workers thrive under this dynamic and may appreciate the variety it brings to their job, others may find it stressful due to uncertainty surrounding their income and availability. Proper communication and scheduling support are essential to help employees maintain a work-life balance in such an environment.

6. Flextime

Flextime allows employees to take charge of their start and end times within a defined range, typically around a core set of hours when everyone is expected to be present, like 10 AM to 3 PM. This schedule empowers individuals to work at their own pace, acknowledging that productivity can fluctuate throughout the day. For example, an employee might choose to begin work at 7 AM and finish by 3 PM, allowing for afternoon activities or family commitments. Flextime fosters an environment of trust and autonomy, often leading to higher levels of employee engagement and satisfaction.

7. Compressed workweek

The compressed workweek is an arrangement in which employees complete their standard full-time hours in fewer days, such as four 10-hour days instead of the usual five 8-hour days. This model grants employees an extra day off each week, typically resulting in a three-day weekend. This flexibility can enhance motivation and retention as workers can use their additional day off for personal interests, family time, or relaxation, leading to improved work-life balance and overall job satisfaction.

8. Compressed workday

While similar to the compressed workweek, the compressed workday term refers to structuring a single day’s work into fewer but longer hours. For instance, employees might work a full schedule of 10 hours in a day, allowing them to leave early on certain days or accumulate additional time off. This kind of flexibility can be beneficial in accommodating personal obligations or reducing long commutes on select days. Employees may feel more focused and productive knowing they have a longer block of time to work and enjoy extended breaks.

9. Shift work

Shift work is common in industries that require continuous coverage, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and hospitality. Employees are assigned to specific shifts—morning, afternoon, or night—and the hours can be fixed or rotating. While this setup ensures businesses always have the necessary personnel on hand, it can also lead to challenges for employees, particularly those assigned to night shifts, who may face sleep disturbances and health issues. Shift work is best managed with open communication and support from management to ensure employee wellbeing.

10. Rotating shift

A rotating shift involves employees switching between different shifts on a regular basis—this can happen weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. This arrangement helps distribute the burden of less desirable shifts fairly among employees and can enhance the overall team dynamic. However, frequent changes can disrupt employees’ circadian rhythms and work-life balance, leading to fatigue. Organizations must provide resources and support to help employees cope with the transition between shifts while maintaining productivity.

11. Split shift

A split shift consists of two separate work periods within a single day, with a significant break in between. For instance, an employee may work from 8 AM to 12 PM, break for several hours, and then return for a second shift from 4 PM to 8 PM. This schedule allows employees to handle personal responsibilities during the break, making it a flexible option. However, split schedules can also lead to fatigue from working two distinct chunks of time and may require careful planning to ensure that employees are mentally and physically prepared to work twice a day.

12. On-call

On-call employees are not bound to a set schedule; instead, they are available to work as needed, often with little notice. This arrangement is common in industries such as healthcare, where employees may be called in to provide coverage or respond to emergencies. While on-call work offers flexibility and the potential for increased earnings, it can also create uncertainty regarding hours and income. It is vital for organizations to establish clear guidelines and communication protocols to ensure that on-call employees feel valued and supported.

13. Overtime

Overtime refers to any hours worked beyond the standard workweek, often compensated at a higher pay rate. While it presents an opportunity for employees to earn extra income, relying heavily on overtime can lead to exhaustion and burnout. Some employees may appreciate the financial benefits, but organizations should monitor overtime use closely to ensure it does not become detrimental to employee health and wellbeing. Implementing strategies to balance workload can help maintain a sustainable working environment.

14. No schedule

A no-schedule arrangement allows employees to work entirely on their own terms, without any set hours or specific days. Common in freelance work or highly creative industries, this model provides maximum flexibility, enabling individuals to determine their workflow according to personal preferences or project demands. While it can greatly enhance work-life balance and job satisfaction for self-motivated individuals, it can also create challenges regarding income stability and time management for those who may struggle to stay disciplined without a formal schedule.

15. Results-only work environment

A ROWE is an innovative approach that focuses exclusively on results rather than the number of hours worked. Employees have the freedom to work whenever and wherever they choose, as long as they meet their performance expectations and deadlines. This arrangement fosters trust and accountability and empowers employees to balance their professional duties with personal responsibilities. Implementing a ROWE can lead to increased creativity and engagement, as employees feel ownership over their work and often produce their best results when given autonomy.

16. Freelance

Freelancers operate as independent contractors, providing specialized services or project-based work to various clients. They set their schedules, often working from home or any location of their choosing. Freelancing offers an unparalleled degree of flexibility, allowing individuals to balance multiple projects or personal commitments. However, it also comes with its challenges, such as managing inconsistent income, finding clients, and navigating self-employment taxes. Freelancers must be proactive in marketing their skills and managing their time to ensure financial stability.

17. Seasonal

Seasonal work is essential in industries that experience fluctuations in demand due to various factors, such as holidays, harvest seasons, or tourism peaks. Organizations hire seasonal employees to meet surges in workload during these periods. While seasonal positions can provide job security for a limited time and an opportunity for extra income, they may not offer long-term benefits or job stability. Seasonal workers often seek stable employment afterward, leading to high turnover rates in such positions.

18. Remote work

Remote work allows employees to perform their job duties from locations outside of the traditional office environment, such as their homes or co-working spaces. This trend has exploded in popularity as technology enables robust virtual collaborations. Remote work eliminates commute times and can lead to increased employee productivity and satisfaction. Organizations benefit from a broader talent pool, as geographical restrictions are minimized. However, remote work also comes with challenges such as potential isolation, communication barriers, and the need for strong self-management skills.

19. Telecommuting

Telecommuting is similar to remote work but typically involves employees maintaining regular communication and connectivity with their employer while working from a location outside the office. This setup may integrate virtual meetings, online project management tools, and cloud-based collaboration platforms. Telecommuters often keep a similar work schedule as in-office employees, making it easier to coordinate with teams while enjoying the flexibility of working from home or another location. Successful telecommuting requires clear guidelines from employers and effective tools to support seamless collaboration.

20. Customized

Customized schedules offer the ultimate in flexibility and individualized planning. Organizations can work collaboratively with employees to design work schedules that best fit their unique needs and preferences. This could involve combinations of various types of alternative work schedules, such as a mix of remote work, flextime, and compressed workweeks. Customized arrangements empower employees by acknowledging their individual life situations and responsibilities, promoting higher levels of employee satisfaction and loyalty. However, successful implementation requires ongoing communication and regular reviews to ensure schedules remain effective and conducive to both employee and organizational goals.

Understanding what is an alternative work schedule is crucial for both employers and employees in today’s flexible work landscape. Each of these examples of alternative work schedules illustrates the potential for a more harmonious work-life balance. The demand for alternative work week schedules is on the rise, driven by the benefits that flexible schedules can provide.

The alternate work schedule benefits are numerous, including improved employee morale, greater job satisfaction, and increased productivity, while reducing turnover. Organizations that adopt these schedules can see better employee engagement and ultimately happier, more loyal workers.

It’s essential to consider the alternate work schedule pros and cons carefully. While many of these flexible arrangements can enhance job satisfaction and work-life balance, not all roles or industries may benefit equally from such flexibility. Companies should assess their specific operational needs, employee demographics, and workplace culture to determine the best approach. This can involve creating an alternative work schedule proposal template to outline the necessary details, objectives, and anticipated outcomes of implementing these flexible arrangements.

In summary, by exploring various types of alternative work schedules and understanding their potential impact, organizations can create dynamic work environments that not only meet their operational goals but also resonate with the evolving expectations of today’s workforce. As businesses continue to adapt to the changing landscape of work, leveraging alternative shift work schedules will be critical to attracting top talent and maintaining a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Other alternative work arrangements

In addition to the various alternative work schedules previously discussed, other innovative work arrangements include:

• Virtual Teams: Teams that collaborate entirely online with members distributed across various geographical locations. This arrangement leverages technology to facilitate communication and project management, allowing for diverse team compositions that can operate around the clock.
• Hybrid Work Models: A blend of in-office and remote work where employees split their time between the company’s physical location and a remote workspace. This model allows for face-to-face collaboration while offering flexibility and accommodating different employee preferences.
• Self-Scheduling: Employees take charge of their shifts by selecting their work hours from available options. This promotes autonomy and can boost job satisfaction, as employees can tailor their work hours to fit their personal commitments.
• Staggered Hours: Employees have a variety of start and end times, allowing for staggered departures and arrivals to cut down on congestion (both in terms of traffic and workplace density) and accommodate personal schedules.

Organizations may adopt a policy that allows employees to work extended hours during regular months in exchange for shorter workweeks or Fridays off during the summer months.

Implementing Alternative Work Schedules: A Step-by-Step Guide

Implementing alternative work schedules requires a structured approach to ensure success. Below are the key steps:

1. Assess Employee Needs: Conduct surveys or hold meetings to understand employees’ preferences and identify specific areas where flexibility is needed.
2. Define Objectives: Clarify why the organization is adopting alternative work arrangements. Focus on enhancing productivity, employee satisfaction, or talent retention.
3. Design Schedule Options: Develop potential alternative schedules based on employee feedback, business needs, and industry benchmarks.
4. Pilot the Program: Implement a pilot program with select teams or departments to trial different arrangements and gather feedback.
5. Evaluate Outcomes: Monitor productivity, employee satisfaction, and retention levels during the pilot phase. Analyze data to make informed adjustments.
6. Communicate Changes: Clearly communicate any adopted changes to all employees, highlighting benefits and addressing concerns.
7. Provide Training and Resources: Offer training on using any new management tools, like Shifton, to ensure that employees and management can adapt to the new scheduling system smoothly.
8. Implement Organization-Wide: Roll out the selected alternative work schedules across the organization based on successful pilot program results.

Regularly assess the impact of new schedules and be open to feedback for ongoing improvement.

How an Alternative Workweek Boosts Productivity

Alternative workweeks often lead to increased productivity through several avenues:

• Enhanced Engagement: With flexible schedules, employees can work during their most productive hours, leading to higher quality work and reduced burnout.
• Work-Life Balance: Allowing employees to balance their professional and personal lives more effectively often results in lower turnover rates and reduced absenteeism.
• Time Savings: Alternative schedules like compressed workweeks cut down on commute times, allowing for more efficient use of time and resources.

Employees who appreciate a flexible work environment are typically more motivated, contributing positively to teamwork and morale.

Legal and Overtime Considerations in Alternative Work Schedules

Organizations must navigate various legal and regulatory complexities when implementing alternative work schedules:

• Fair Labour Standards Act (FLSA): Employers must remain compliant with regulations surrounding overtime pay, ensuring that eligible employees are compensated correctly for hours worked beyond established limits.
• Provincial and Local Labour Laws: Be aware of regulations that may vary by location, including those governing meal breaks, rest periods, and maximum working hours.

Review existing contracts to ensure that any schedule changes comply with employment agreements and collective bargaining agreements, where applicable.

A word of caution for private employers

While alternative work schedules can offer major benefits, employers should approach their implementation with caution:

• Clear Communication: Failing to communicate changes can lead to employee distrust, confusion, or resentment. Ensure transparency regarding policies, expectations, and any impacts on pay or benefits.
• Monitor Impact: Continuously evaluate how changes are affecting productivity, morale, and collaboration. Address any issues promptly to prevent diminishing returns on flexibility initiatives.

Even flexible arrangements can lead to burnout if employees feel compelled to work beyond their limits. Encourage a culture that emphasizes well-being and work-life balance.

How Shifton Can Help

Shifton can play a crucial role in facilitating the transition to alternative work schedules:

• Centralized Platform: By providing a single platform for scheduling and communication, Shifton streamlines the management of diverse work arrangements, alleviating the administrative burden on HR teams.
• Real-Time Updates: Shifton allows managers and employees to see real-time updates on schedules, resulting in greater transparency and timely adjustments.
• Employee Engagement: The platform encourages employee participation in the scheduling process, leading to greater satisfaction and a sense of ownership over work-life balance.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Shifton’s analytics tools help organizations understand trends and patterns, aiding management in making informed decisions about workforce planning and resource allocation.
• Future-Proofing Talent Management: As companies adapt to evolving workforce needs, tools like Shifton can help ensure they remain agile and responsive to changes in employee expectations and industry conditions.

By leveraging innovative work arrangements and incorporating tools like Shifton, organizations can foster an adaptive, motivated workforce poised for success in a constantly shifting landscape.

Greetings to our subscribers and everyone who came to the Shifton company page by chance. Today we offer an interview with one of our customers – the owner of a cafe chain, who has been using Shifton online service for quite a long time.

Shifton: Hello. Let’s get acquainted!

Irina: Hello! My name is Irina Uskova , I own and manage a chain of coffee shops Coffee Molly in Nizhny Novgorod (Russia).

Shifton: Tell us a bit more about your business.

Irina: By the beginning of 2021, the company had more than 20 bartenders with different degrees of occupation. Coffee Molly has been operating in the city since 2014, developing the concept of coffee shops for office workers. Today, there are seven coffee houses in Nizhny Novgorod with a total turnover of 25 million rubles per year.

Shifton: Why did you decide to partner with Shifton?

Irina: The market specificity is such that our employees are quite young people, and therefore they often change jobs. For most of them it’s their first job. Therefore, work with personnel takes a lot of time and includes selection of applicants, training, mentoring and professional development.

It has long been clear to me that this process should be taken lightly, since the main point is to preserve the main «backbone» of bartenders – 5-6 people. They help newcomers to adapt quickly and easily.

All this ebullient activity affects the work schedule on a daily basis, so it should be promptly monitored, and in case of changes, everyone must be notified immediately.

Shifton: How have you dealt with these issues before?

Irina: Previously, we sent updates in a general chat, sometimes we had to call employees personally in order to make sure that they were aware of the changes. But the more coffee shops we opened, the more we needed to automate the whole routine.

Shifton: Does your company need an automated online scheduling service?

Irina: Of course, those who follow the trends are aware that the food services market is adapting IT-technologies more and more. Working on schedules is a daily routine of the administrator and senior baristas. As part of scheduling, they should take into account preferences of employees (personal matters, second job, etc.), the efficiency of the bartender at a particular coffee shop and the specifics of the day (weekend or weekday). In addition, we need to organize training for newbies, conduct an inventory or general cleaning, find a replacement for the sick, or divide the shift between two employees. And of course, we should take into account all possible delays and overtime.

We had automated this process for a long time, but the growth of the company went on, and I wanted something more than just a program that would set work schedules. I was looking for partner developers who would make it so that the program could also work as a payroll for each employee. There were even more ideas…

Shifton: Did your expectations come true as the cooperation with Shifton expanded?

Irina: Yes, I totally feel good with it! Frankly speaking, when I accidentally found Shifton it took me a while to notice how flexible this product can be.

At the testing stage, I asked many questions about what else is planned to be implemented and what functions Shifton offers, so that employees at every minute of time would be confident in their work schedule and know in advance the sum that they will receive at the end of each month. I wanted the payroll to be performed without delays, and to be carried out in real time mode and be available to a person on his smartphone at any given moment, and not only on the payday.

Shifton: Did you manage to fulfill your requests? How satisfied are you with the support from Shifton developers?

Irina: All my requests were fulfilled, and I also realised that the program can be modernized further according to our needs. I closely communicated with the developers for 6 months and told them what we like and what else we expect to see. We implemented the program quickly and immediately realized that we wanted to use it more and more and customize it for our needs.

Shifton: Have you succeeded so far?

Irina: We managed to accomplish the following points: we automated the schedule for each employee, taking into account their preferences, assigned bartenders to branches, and adjusted the calculation of bonuses and fines. We also eliminated errors in salary calculations, when some shifts were not taken into account or were paid for twice. We also installed the application on the smartphones of all employees, where they instantly receive notifications on updates and payroll. We also reduced the time spent on scheduling by 10 times, and reduced turnover, since employees see their shifts/salary and can influence them, so in general we improved the time planning process for all employees.

Shifton: For sure you have more suggestions on the customization of the Shifton tool?

Irina: Yes, of course. We are waiting for a more user-friendly interface for making changes in the schedules. Now not all details can be changed, and to adjust certain parameters, you need to create everything anew. We are waiting for more flexible settings in salary reports for general periods and the option to leave comments on work. As for the service functions, we need the option for employees to leave comments and draw up reports on the accomplished tasks in the application. I am also interested in the automatic calculation of bonuses depending on sales indicators or KPI fulfillment and more flexible settings of the application interface for the convenience of employees: what to display on the main screen, what notifications to send, and what to report on.

Shifton: Thank you for your detailed and informative feedback, Irina. Can you recommend Shifton online service to owners of other companies?

Irina: I already recommend the tool to my customers, whom I help to launch their coffee shops, since Shifton helps to save money, it is easy to use and my employees like it. Before starting to use Shifton, I thoroughly tested more than 10 different applications and programs. By the time I found Shifton, I’ve already agreed with a developer who was ready to create a similar program for us. And Shifton completely solved all my issues with scheduling and automation of payroll.

Shifton service developers added a feature that allows to dismiss company employees. This can be done on the Employees page. To fire an employee and delete him from the list of company employees, one must click the «Dismiss» icon in the form of a yellow «x».

When dismissing an employee, one must select the date from which he won’t have access to the company. Starting from the selected date, an employee won’t be able to enter his account from any device. With that said, the system will save all information about a fired employee.

At first, it seems that there is nothing easier than making an employee work schedule. All you have to do is input employee surnames into an Excel document, set a couple of parameters and variables, and press Enter. In reality, things are a bit different. Creating daily work schedules, especially shift work schedules, for some form of enterprise is an arduous and responsible job placed on accountants or HR specialists.

What goals can you achieve with a properly composed employee work schedule?

• Arrange employee working hours at the enterprise

• Ensure that certain work obligations are met by workers

• Properly calculate the income of the company

• Determine the average salary of individual workers and the entire enterprise

• And of course, a properly made work timetable means that fewer mistakes will be made on the accountants part when calculating salary and vacation pay

Many businesses can’t successfully provide their services or exist in the first place without the shift work schedule. Convenience stores, hotels, hospitals, rescue services, police departments and confectionery factories – the list of enterprises that depend on it can go on forever, but not many people know which difficulties HR managers face when making progress on shift work schedules. During this process, human resources experts have to renew all of the details in the account, including vacations, sick leaves, state holidays, overtime and many other components. No to mention that an unforeseen event can happen after the timetable has been approved, and the HR manager will have to hastily start working on the schedule from scratch.

Working on daily work schedules with Shifton

Shifton is an optimal service for easy and fast online employee scheduling that has many advantages. It was created in order to make work easier for CEO’s, accountants and HR managers. Here are some of the features the service offers:

• You don’t have to manage the work process all by yourself. Delegating the right to create and edit work timetables to company administrators;

• Shifton service will help you create a shift work schedule for an unlimited number of employees in order to gain the most out of work timetables;

• Shifton features allow tweaking work schedules while bearing in mind such data as the number of shifts, employees, and workdays;

• While creating and editing work schedules, you will be able to allow swapping shifts between users with or without management supervision;

• When unexpected things do happen, you will be able to make quick adjustments to the timetable.

• If you use Shifton, you will be notified about changes in the timetables and new company events.

Shiftonservice provides free technical support available 24/7. You can contact our operators at any time you need and get answers to any questions you might have. Another vital part of the service is the fact that Shifton allows the creation of work schedules for both small enterprises and huge corporations that staff thousands of workers.

Shifton gets regularly updated and tries to keep up with the times. You should also improve yourself. Stop wasting time on manual employee scheduling when there is a convenient and high-quality service that is specifically tailored to save your working time.

We often face the notion of planning in our daily lives. Once a year we meticulously and thoroughly plan our trips, less often thinking about changing our workplace or celebrating anniversaries and wedding days. Of course, almost all of us plan how the monthly budget should be spent and how family funds are going to be distributed. Unfortunately, many business owners and top position employees forget about the necessity of forecasting labor demand. What’s even more interesting is that there are CEOs who don’t utilize professional HR managers. They conduct interviews and manage employees all by themselves. This article will try to explain what workforce demand forecasting is and prove that this is a necessary and crucial part of running any company.

We all understand that it is harder to achieve success without qualified personnel than it is with a team of experts. This is why a CEO or an HR manager must properly estimate workforce demand, select the most efficient calculation methods and find sources of covering this need before looking for new employees. But before we get there, we have to start with the basics and understand what forecasting labor demand means.

Workforce demand forecasting is a part of a bigger workforce planning process. Its main goal is making a list of necessary positions and experts that can become vital in growing company business, achieving goals and milestones in the near future.

Workforce planning goals:

• Providing the company with necessary employees while keeping low time and financial costs;

• Keeping the business supplied with proper, professional workers in the shortest possible terms;

• Workforce demand forecasting allows cutting unnecessary workforce segments or optimizes their labor

• The right planning and employee placement maintain proper and highly effective use of any employee’s resources, based on their skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Factors that should be taken into account for proper workforce planning:

• What is the financial situation like at your company and what is the current general state of the economy?;

• Workforce reorganization (plans on cutting, firing or transferring employees to new positions. It is also necessary to consider retirements and maternity leaves);

• Analyzing and understanding the situation in the employment market and among your competitors is another crucial point;

• The level of salary in the company;

• Perhaps one of the most important factors is having strategic plans and goals for the company.

Knowing at what is the current stage of development of your company has to be one of the factors you should be aware of when forecasting labor demand. In most cases, effective planning can be achieved during periods of active growth and at the time of establishing the enterprise.

Before you tackle workforce demand forecasting, it is also vital to understand that it is a process of consecutive, thought-through actions and decisions that have clear goals in front of it. The main objective of planning lies in the idea that any enterprise or successful company directory has to hire and employ fairly qualified personnel at all positions so that work can be done in a high-quality and effective manner.

Types of workforce demand forecasting:

• Strategic or long-term planning;

• Tactical (situational) planning.

When making strategic plans it is critical to come up with a program aimed at discovering potential employees who can become required by the company in the future. This process also requires creating a strategic human resource development program that simultaneously evaluates the necessity of these resources in the long run.

Tactical planning requires a careful analysis of demand in employee organization during a period laid out by the CEO. For example, it may encompass a month, a quarter or a year. This necessity will depend on a couple of factors: the level of employee turnover in a given period, the number of retirements, maternity leaves as well as staff cuts.

Workforce planning periods

• Short-term planning — planning for up to 2 years;

• Medium-term planning — a strategy for 2 to 5 years;

• Long-term planning — making plans for the next 5 years and beyond that.

So let’s imagine for a moment that you are a new head of the company or an HR expert. What should you start with first in terms of workforce demand forecasting?

First, you must collect information on the results and milestones a company has to achieve in the coming quarter or year. If you are an HR expert get that information from your higher-ups. Then study all short and long-term enterprise goals, tasks and plans.

In most cases, accountants and department directors will help make up your mind about the enterprise you are working at and its plans, whether you work in human resources or run the place.

Things required for successful planning:

• First, you must carefully go through employee data. You will need to get your hands on personal case files, hand out questionnaires, as collect information that concerns worker skills and abilities not related to work done in the enterprise;

• A work timetable or a schedule of all company employees;

• Data on the percent of employee turnover at various positions across departments.

At this stage, a thorough analysis of workforce demand in the company is conducted for various positions for a certain time period. That’s when you answer a big number of questions that are vital for the planning process: how many employees must be hired, how qualified must they be, and what’s more important, when will certain workers be required to fill in particular positions.

During this process, you also make a decision of whether or not you should bring in internal human resources or is requalifying existing employees going to be a more financially reasonable decision.

It doesn’t matter if you are a CEO or an HR professional. Remember that any process has to be consecutive, based on weighted decisions and a systemic approach. As soon as you start taking the job, you have dedicated your whole life to a bit more seriously, you will able to approach any task, even as complicated as workforce planning, with ease, passion, and ardor.

In the previous part of this article, we’ve talked about only a portion of leadership skills any good top manager should have. This part is going to discuss such character traits as a good sense of humor, curiosity, and the ability to negotiate and delegate authority. Let’s begin.

The ability to negotiate

At first, it seems that there is nothing hard in negotiating and holding business talks. People meet, talk, drink coffee, show off, and sign stacks of papers. This is how a typical negotiation is seen by an average jealous employee. A few people know that holding negotiations is one of the main leadership skills. The most important issues are discussed, multi-million dollar deals are signed, and the most important decisions are made during these talks and business meetings. That’s why one must never underestimate the value of proper negotiation skills. By the way, there is an abundance of books on the subject, with yearly and monthly meetings and training sessions held dedicated to this important skill. Don’t hesitate to visit these meetings and read a couple of books on the subject. Then, even the most demanding and hectic negotiation will go as smooth as butter.

Curiosity

Curiosity is another important leadership trait of a professional boss. If you want your company to grow, you have to be curious in the positive sense of the word. We don’t say that you should be interested in the personal lives of your employees, be curious about who is dating who and where someone spent their vacation. We talk about another type of curiosity, inquisitiveness even. It’s important that when you become a director, you don’t lose your spark and curiosity, be invested in learning about new technology in your industry, visit conferences, exchange experience with colleagues and march onward.

The ability to delegate authority

When working on a run-of-the-mill position, you become accustomed to doing all assignments by yourself. If you want to become the head of a company and learn how to manage personnel effectively, you have to learn how to delegate authority. Not only will it save you time but will also allow you to adjust the company workflow as all employees will have something to do, and they will feel appreciated and demanded. Many people fear having to distribute tasks among employees or give important assignments to one of them. Understand that if you do this properly, a department or a business you run will work as a singular mechanism.

The ability to set goals and achieve them

Any experienced director knows that one has to properly formulate assignments and follow them through. If you aimlessly run a business and chaotically make illogical decisions, nothing good will come out of it. A director with great leadership skills has to be balanced, calm and able to clearly formulate their own and company goals. Then employees will view him as a leader and will also strive to achieve the common goal. Objectives have to be understandable, clear and properly formulated. For example, the goal of becoming the best in our industry sounds vague. It is also unclear why people should strive to achieve it. If you set a goal for your employees that sounds something like In the coming year, our income should be double the income of the previous year they are going understand what they have to do and will strive towards the thought after the result. Still, when you set a financial goal before your employees, don’t forget to reward them once it is achieved.

A good sense of humor

A sense of humor is another valuable leadership trait that characterizes a successful boss. However, this trait has one peculiarity – you can’t learn it. You are either born with a good sense of humor or you aren’t. On a more serious note, we would like to point out that finding a company director with a good sense of humor is a rarity. You are very lucky if aside from all the above-mentioned qualities, you are also to make intelligent jokes and get jokes told by other people. We must admit that a sense of humor helps us in the most complicated and seemingly unsolvable situations, which you will inevitably encounter despite the position you are holding.

A positive outlook on life

Living in the modern world makes it hard to maintain a positive outlook on life and the world in general. If you wish to become a truly successful company director, you absolutely must look at things in the most positive way possible. You have to understand that you are the head of a company and your mood, opinion or view on life influences the mood of all of your employees. Each time you come to work, imagine that you are the captain of a huge ship. If you emanate negativity, you will become tense and irritated, your ship will sink or all sailors and chief engineers will run away while you are left alone in the rumbling business sea. If you don’t want this to happen, try looking for happiness in the little things and see the best in the world and your work.

Inspiration skills

We’ve kept the main leadership skill, without which there is no point in agreeing to work at a top position for dessert. If you are uninspired by work you’ve dedicated your daily life too, you won’t be able to inspire employees towards new victories. Any first-class director must know how to inspire people, give them hope, motivate and uncover their potential. This skill can be easily mastered if you are truly in love with your work or are passionate about your business. If you are uninspired yourself, it is hard to foster the opposite feeling in someone else. That’s why we advise finding work you love or the one that irritates you the less and brings a good income.

Should you master all of these skills, the road to apromotion will be an easy one. Strive, learn, dare and always improve yourself!

7 important factors that make Shifton the best solution for any call center

Choosing the right software for call centers has become not a privilege, but a necessity. Moreover, the key point in choosing a particular program for a call center is the availability of all the necessary functions for the efficient and uninterrupted workflow.

When choosing a call center program, it is important to consider 7 factors that guarantee business profitability. Today you will come to know why Shifton is the best service for outsourcing companies in 2021.

Required functions

It is crucial that the call center software provides all the necessary functions that simplify the work of operators and managers.

Shifton helps you to significantly save time and effort on compilation of shifts and schedules. The “Shifts swapping” option removes unnecessary burden from managers, since it allows employees to independently swap their shifts, involving managers only to approve the swap. Thus, the manager saves time and effort in finding replacements for employees.

Team management

Call center teams can be large or small, company systems can be complex, and branch offices located across the country or even all over the world. Shifton offers great team management tools – from multi-level access and structured accounts to assigning and tracking tasks with checklists.

Due to the fact that Shifton takes into account different time zones, you can manage employees remotely.

The extensive functionality of Shifton allows you to work from anywhere, having all the necessary tools at hand. This makes it possible to offer services to customers around the world remotely as well.

Scalability

Call center software must scale with your business and adapt to both the number of customers and the complexity of their needs and requests.

Shifton supports scheduling for an unlimited number of employees. The size of the company is not critical — Shifton allows you to build its structure taking into account all projects, work schedules, job hierarchy and other conditions.

Reporting and monitoring

Analysis and control functions in the call center software help you achieve maximum efficiency. Shifton offers powerful reporting tools that display extensive statistical information about a company’s performance.

Combined with tools for planning and tracking attendance, such reports provide complete information on achievements, planned and completed tasks, help you predict future costs and receive a signal to optimize processes in the company right in time.

Perfect integration

Call center software should integrate seamlessly with CRM, e-commerce platform, and existing help desk as needed.

Shifton offers integrations with many popular software (1C, Oracle, NetSuit, QuickBooks, etc.) to improve workflows, data exchange and API access. The list of integrations is constantly expanding.

SMS, email and push notifications

Shifton offers the option of SMS, email and push notifications that are sent to employees when they create schedules or make changes to schedules.

Thus, all important data is received by the right people at the right time.

Price

When choosing a call center program, price is definitely one of the important factors. We recommend starting with a free trial critically reviewing your results.

Shifton lets you use just the right amount of modules and only pay for those you use. For two months, you can try all the functionality of the application absolutely free. After this period, the cost for one employee will be from $0.5 to $4 (depending on the number of selected modules).

Choose Shifton — The Perfect Call Center Solution

The right software will be an excellent foundation for the effective functioning of your company. Considering the above factors, the best results will undoubtedly be achieved with Shifton, the ultimate call center scheduling software. This software not only allows you to integrate all communication channels with the client, but also provides a number of other useful features.

Drawing up work schedules and shifts, accounting for employee attendance, shifts swapping, analysis and reporting — this is only a partial list of Shifton online app features!

Want to make sure? Welcome to Shifton! Register and try all the features of our online application for 1 month for free!

One of the most important tasks of the head of any company is to develop the company’s brand, increase productivity and save time for working with personnel. We present to your attention the best services for scheduling tasks and managing team resources in 2021. It’s time to clean up your to-do list!

Project Management Tools 2021

Depending on the size, industry and goals, you can choose relatively simple control systems, as well as large business solutions or internal developments.

Here are the top 6 services for project and staff management in 2021.

Monday

It is a powerful yet simple tool for teams that helps shape workflows, adjust to shifting needs, create transparency, connect collaboratively, and put an end to manual work.

The tool can be used across teams, departments, leaders and organizations, and all types of projects and processes.

Free of charge individual plan include up to 2 team members and helps to keep track of their work and tasks, providing the most essential features of the tool. Monthly paid plans start from $8 per user.

Trello

Easy to use tool that can be integrated with popular services and is great for scheduling tasks.

The main feature of this service is its’ simple interface in the form of boards with tasks and lists of tasks. Statuses of the tasks can be updated with one click of the mouse. One of the most convenient features is that a separate window is allocated for each user.

Trello is free to use in a limited version only.

Slack

This corporate messenger became one of the most popular business solutions for employee interaction in 2021. The web service runs on personal computers, iOS and Android devices and is often used as an alternative to Skype.

In its free version, one gets 5GB storage and 10K of messages for the team, as well as 10 integrations with popular tools and services. Paid plans start from $8 per user per month.

Wrike

Popular cloud service for setting tasks and project management in 2021. Numerous integrations are the hallmark of the application. Compared to other tools, Wrike offers relative simplicity and convenience.

As for the shortcomings, users note that the interface is too simple. The free plan offers 2 GB for the whole account and limited functions. Paid plans start from $9.8 per user per month.

Asana

A very popular task tracker in 2021 with an intuitive interface. This service can be used both in team and for personal purposes.

The tool presents wide functionality: scheduling, chatting, execution control and many more. Asana presents 3 plans to choose from depending on the goals of the company. The basic free plan includes up to 15 users and offers limited funclionality. Monthly paid plans start from $13.49 per user.

Shifton

Shifton is a great alternative to the aforementioned tools. The online application offers a wide range of tools for managing companies, projects and schedules, as well as 4 interface languages ​​to choose from. Shifton users can also set their preferred working hours, request a break or exchange shifts with colleagues within the app.

The service supports scheduling for any given number of employees who can use “Tasks” module. The module allows to manage tasks and related customer data, assign tasks to employees or allow them to take them on their own, establish deadlines for execution and completion of tasks, attach lists that employees fill in after the tasks are completed. Shifton is available for free for 2 months. After that, the monthly payment for “Tasks” module will be $0.5 per person.

The above list of software developers for managing team resources is by far not complete, but now you know where to start!

We hope that these tools will allow you to focus on the development of your business, as well as save time on organizational and marketing tasks.

Usually, those managers who deal with scheduling for teams and departments face a challenging task. They need to have the schedules created while taking into account all employees and their personal circumstances, sick leaves, days off, monthly and weekly work hours.

In case you still compile schedules and shifts on paper or in an Excel file it can take hours to make all the necessary updates. Various scheduling apps for sure take the burden of employee scheduling. They significantly reduce managers’ time and effort, improve teamwork and maximize uptime.

We know that Shifton online app is an excellent alternative to all popular analogs. Let’s compare Shifton features with WhenIWork functionality and make sure of that.

Languages	EN, RU, UA, HE, DE, PL, ES, EL	EN
Free Trial Period	1 months	2 weeks
Min.cost	$1 per user per month	$2 per user per month
Support	Personal account manager	Chat bot
Automated Scheduling	yes	yes
Shifts Swapping	yes	yes
Breaks Swapping	yes	no
Payroll Calculation	yes	no
Tasks	yes	yes
Check Lists	yes	no
Availability	yes	no
Swapping Control	yes	yes
Integrations	yes	yes
Reports and Analysis	yes	yes
Reminders	yes	yes
Notifications	yes	yes

* Feature comparisons are compiled based on publicly available information as of September 2021.

As we can see from the comparison table, Shifton provides almost the same features as WhenIWork and even more – say, personal account manager, “Availability” option which ensures maximum flexibility for both employees and employers, not to mention a much longer free trial period and lower costs.

Want to make sure? Welcome to Shifton! Register and try all features of Shifton for 2 months free-of-charge!

Creating an efficient work schedule for employees is essential for maintaining productivity, ensuring fairness, and meeting business demands. A well-organized staff schedule helps businesses operate smoothly while balancing employee availability, preferences, and workload. However, scheduling employees can be challenging, especially when dealing with last-minute changes, shift swaps, and labor laws.

This guide outlines 16 steps to improve your staff scheduling process, covering essential employee scheduling techniques to schedule staff efficiently, reduce scheduling conflicts, and enhance business automation.

Things You Should Know and Implement in Work Scheduling

Work scheduling tools like Shifton enable managers to automate scheduling work and eliminate manual shift planning. HR professionals and team leads previously spent a significant portion of their time managing staff schedules, factoring in time-off requests and shift preferences. Now, business automation solutions streamline these tasks, allowing managers to focus on employee wellness, performance coaching, and workforce development.

Implementing work schedule technology effectively requires understanding the key elements of scheduling employees and shift management automation. Here are five crucial things to know when digitizing your staff scheduling process.

1. Better Time and Task Management

With workforce automation tools, managers can schedule employees efficiently while managing tasks and projects within the same system. This integration allows companies to improve time management, productivity, and team collaboration by ensuring employees know exactly what to do during their shifts.

A well-structured staff schedule should include shift assignments, task distribution, and project deadlines, ensuring that operations run smoothly. Shifton, a powerful scheduling solution, enables businesses to create schedules for employees while also assigning checklists and tasks to enhance service quality and operational efficiency.

2. Automation and Artificial Intelligence

A major advantage of an automatic employee scheduler is the use of AI-powered automation. With 62% of businesses either planning to implement or already using automation in the workplace, it’s clear that AI-driven scheduling solutions will become increasingly important for managers.

How to schedule employees effectively using automation:

• Input employee details, shift lengths, and availability into the system.
• Let the scheduling software optimized work schedules.
• The system automatically adjusts shifts based on time-off requests and workforce demand.
• Minimize scheduling conflicts with real-time updates and automated recommendations.

Using automation for businesses simplifies scheduling and staffing, reducing the need for manual adjustments and last-minute shift changes.

3. Cloud-Based Time Tracking

Around 44% of talent managers now rely on cloud-based workforce automation tools to track employee schedules and attendance. Modern employee scheduling techniques include cloud-based log-ins, allowing staff to clock in and out from anywhere. This feature is crucial for hybrid work models, remote teams, and businesses operating in multiple locations.

For companies requiring on-site check-ins, many scheduling tools offer GPS verification and IP-based clock-ins, ensuring accurate tracking of working schedules for employees. These digital time-tracking features enhance accountability and reduce payroll discrepancies while offering greater flexibility for employees.

4. Data Analytics for Scheduling Optimization

An effective work schedule should be data-driven. Digital scheduling solutions provide real-time analytics dashboards, offering insights into:

• Employee attendance and shift adherence.
• Total hours worked per period.
• Late arrivals, overtime, and productivity trends.
• Task completion rates per shift.

By leveraging data analytics in scheduling employees, businesses can identify inefficiencies, improve staffing decisions, and enhance performance tracking. These insights allow managers to refine their staff schedules, ensuring that labor costs align with operational needs while maintaining workforce productivity.

5. Automated Salary Calculation

One of the biggest advantages of business automation in scheduling and staffing is automated payroll processing. Instead of manually tracking hours and calculating wages, modern staff scheduling processes integrate payroll functions, simplifying salary calculations.

Key benefits of automation in salary processing:

• Tracks employee work hours and applies pre-set pay rates.
• Generates automated payroll reports based on actual time worked.
• Reduces payroll errors by eliminating manual data entry.
• Integrates with accounting and finance systems for seamless payroll processing.

With automated scheduling and payroll systems, HR teams can save significant time while ensuring accurate, timely salary disbursement.

16 Steps to Improve Your Staff Scheduling

Step 1: Establish What Your Team Needs to Do

Before you make a schedule for employees, identify the key responsibilities and tasks that need to be covered. Consider:

• What services or tasks must be completed daily?
• Which employees are best suited for specific roles?
• Are there peak hours requiring additional staff coverage?

Understanding workload distribution ensures that scheduling employees aligns with operational needs and ensures work is completed efficiently.

Step 2: Look at When You’re Busiest (and Slowest)

Analyze past performance data to determine your business’s busiest and slowest periods. Use insights from:

• Sales and customer traffic reports
• Call volume data (for customer support teams)
• Seasonal trends and demand fluctuations

By aligning staff schedules with actual demand, businesses optimize labor costs and ensure sufficient coverage during peak hours while avoiding overstaffing during slow periods.

Step 3: Predict Future Activity Levels

Predicting workload helps managers schedule employees fairly and effectively. Consider:

• Upcoming promotions or business events
• Holiday seasons or vacation requests
• Market trends that could impact customer demand

By anticipating future needs, managers can schedule staff proactively, preventing last-minute staffing shortages and ensuring an efficient working schedule for employees.

Step 4: Consider Your Staff Needs

A staff schedule should consider both business requirements and employee preferences. Employees who feel their needs are acknowledged are more likely to stay engaged and productive. When creating a schedule for employees, consider:

• Availability and requested time off
• Work-life balance considerations
• Skill levels and job roles

A fair and balanced schedule improves employee satisfaction, reduces burnout, and minimizes absenteeism.

Step 5: Select Your Shift Scheduling Method

Choosing the right approach to scheduling employees depends on your business model, workforce structure, and operational requirements. There are several employee scheduling techniques to consider:

• Fixed shifts – Employees work the same hours every day (e.g., 9 AM – 5 PM). Ideal for businesses with stable workloads.
• Rotating shifts – Employees alternate between different shifts (morning, evening, night). Common in healthcare, retail, and hospitality.
• Split shifts – Employees work two separate periods in a day (e.g., 8 AM – 12 PM, then 4 PM – 8 PM). Useful for businesses with fluctuating demand.
• On-call scheduling – Employees remain available for work if needed. Often used in healthcare and emergency services.
• Flexible scheduling – Employees choose their hours based on workload and business needs. Suitable for remote teams and creative industries.

Selecting the right staff scheduling process helps businesses optimize labor costs while ensuring efficient employee scheduling.

Step 6: Optimize Shift Schedules Based on Busy Hours

To maximize productivity, schedule staff based on peak and slow hours. Businesses should:

• Assign more employees during peak hours to improve service quality.
• Reduce staffing during slow hours to avoid unnecessary labor costs.
• Use historical data to predict demand fluctuations and adjust shifts accordingly.

A data-driven approach to scheduling employees so that work is completed ensures optimal resource allocation, helping businesses operate efficiently.

Step 7: Minimize Last-Minute Schedule Changes

Unexpected schedule changes disrupt workflow and frustrate employees. To prevent last-minute changes:

• Encourage employees to submit time-off requests in advance.
• Set a deadline for shift swaps and require management approval.
• Have backup employees available for urgent staffing needs.
• Use scheduling software to automate last-minute adjustments.

By minimizing scheduling conflicts, businesses maintain staff scheduling stability and improve employee satisfaction.

Step 8: Ensure Schedules Are Readily Available

A work schedule for employees should be easy to access, reducing confusion and miscommunication. To improve accessibility:

• Share schedules digitally via an online portal or mobile app.
• Post printed schedules in break rooms or common areas.
• Notify employees of schedule updates in real time to avoid misunderstandings.

Clear communication ensures employees stay informed about their work schedules, reducing absenteeism and scheduling errors.

Step 9: Balancing the Needs of the Business and Employees

Effective staff schedule management requires a balance between business demands and employee well-being. While businesses must maintain productivity and profitability, they should also consider employee preferences to boost engagement and retention.

Strategies for balancing business and employee needs:

• Offer flexible scheduling when possible to accommodate personal commitments.
• Rotate shifts fairly to prevent overburdening certain employees.
• Implement clear policies for requesting time off or swapping shifts.
• Encourage open communication between managers and staff about scheduling concerns.

A well-balanced schedule for employees improves morale, reduces turnover, and creates a more motivated workforce.

Step 10: Be Aware of Events and Factors That Influence a Schedule

Certain external factors impact employee scheduling best practices, requiring businesses to remain adaptable.

Common factors affecting schedules:

• Public holidays and seasonal demand – Businesses must prepare for increased workloads or reduced staff availability.
• Weather conditions – Outdoor jobs may be delayed due to weather disruptions.
• Industry trends – Economic shifts or customer preferences can impact staffing needs.
• Unexpected emergencies – Employee absences due to illness or family emergencies require contingency plans.

Monitoring these factors helps businesses adjust work schedules for employees proactively, preventing staffing shortages or inefficiencies.

Step 11: Distribute the Schedule to Employees

Once the staff schedule is finalized, businesses must ensure that every employee receives it on time.

Best practices for distributing schedules:

• Send schedules in advance to give employees time to plan.
• Use an online scheduling platform for easy updates and access.
• Post physical copies in common areas for reference.
• Allow employees to acknowledge receipt to confirm they’ve seen their shifts.

Making schedules easily accessible helps manage employee schedules effectively while reducing confusion and miscommunication.

Step 12: Establish a Team Communication Strategy

A strong communication strategy ensures employees stay informed and engaged with scheduling updates.

Ways to improve team communication:

• Use scheduling apps to send automatic shift reminders.
• Create a dedicated chat group for discussing shift swaps or updates.
• Encourage feedback to identify scheduling concerns early.
• Hold regular meetings to discuss staffing challenges and solutions.

Clear communication enhances staff scheduling efficiency, preventing last-minute confusion and conflicts.

Step 13: Periodically Evaluate Your Schedule and Process

The staff scheduling process should be reviewed regularly to ensure it remains effective. Businesses should analyze key performance metrics to determine whether their scheduling strategy meets operational and employee needs.

How to evaluate your scheduling process:

• Track attendance and punctuality – Identify patterns of absenteeism or lateness.
• Monitor workload distribution – Ensure shifts are fairly balanced among employees.
• Collect employee feedback – Ask staff about scheduling challenges and improvements.
• Assess customer satisfaction – Ensure staffing levels align with customer service quality.

By periodically reviewing and refining the schedule, businesses can improve efficiency and employee satisfaction, making scheduling more adaptable to changing demands.

Step 14: Monitor and Adjust as Necessary

Even a well-planned work schedule for employees requires adjustments over time. Businesses should remain flexible and responsive to changing circumstances.

Best practices for monitoring and adjusting schedules:

• Use scheduling software to track employee hours and shift coverage in real time.
• Address understaffing issues quickly by assigning additional workers when necessary.
• Adjust shifts based on employee performance and workload needs.
• Be proactive about conflicts, resolving them before they escalate.

Regular monitoring ensures efficient employee scheduling while allowing managers to make data-driven decisions to optimize staff schedules.

Step 15: Comply with Legal Requirements

Businesses must follow labor laws and regulations when creating employee schedules to avoid legal risks.

Key compliance considerations:

• Minimum rest periods – Ensure employees get adequate breaks between shifts.
• Overtime regulations – Track overtime hours and compensate employees accordingly.
• Fair scheduling laws – Some regions require advance notice for shift changes.
• Work-hour restrictions – Certain industries have limits on maximum work hours.

Understanding and complying with employee scheduling best practices protects businesses from penalties and legal disputes while ensuring fair working conditions.

Step 16: Use Scheduling Software

Using automation for businesses simplifies the staff scheduling process, reducing administrative workload and improving accuracy. A scheduling app helps businesses:

• Automate shift assignments to match employee availability and workload.
• Provide real-time schedule updates to employees.
• Allow staff to request time off and swap shifts digitally.
• Generate reports on labor costs, attendance, and performance.

By implementing workforce automation, businesses can save time, reduce scheduling conflicts, and ensure employees receive fair and efficient work schedules.

What Are the Benefits of Using Scheduling Software for Employees?

Investing in scheduling software provides businesses with a structured and efficient way to schedule employees, reduce errors, and improve workforce management. Below are the key benefits of using automation in the workplace for scheduling.

1. Streamline Scheduling

Manual scheduling is time-consuming and prone to human error. Scheduling software helps businesses make a schedule for employees efficiently by:

• Automating shift creation and adjustments.
• Reducing the risk of double-booking employees.
• Allowing managers to easily update schedules in real time.
• Providing templates for repetitive scheduling patterns.

With automation for businesses, managers can schedule employees quickly and accurately, ensuring smooth operations.

2. Improve Communication

An employee schedule should be easily accessible to all staff members. Scheduling software enhances communication by:

• Sending automatic notifications about shift assignments and changes.
• Providing a centralized platform where employees can view schedules.
• Enabling direct communication between managers and staff for shift swaps.

With better communication, employees stay informed and engaged, reducing confusion about their work schedules.

3. Reduce Scheduling Conflicts

Conflicts arise when multiple employees request the same time off or shifts are assigned unfairly. Scheduling software prevents these issues by:

• Highlighting potential scheduling conflicts before they occur.
• Allow employees to submit availability and time-off requests digitally.
• Offering automated conflict resolution to adjust shifts as needed.

This ensures fair scheduling and balanced workload distribution, leading to higher employee satisfaction.

4. Boost Efficiency

A well-organized staff schedule improves efficiency by ensuring that the right employees are assigned at the right times. Scheduling software helps by:

• Aligning shifts with business demand and peak hours.
• Tracking employee performance and attendance trends.
• Eliminating manual scheduling errors that cause operational slowdowns.

By scheduling employees effectively, businesses can increase productivity and reduce labor costs.

5. Scale Business Growth

As businesses expand, managing staff schedules manually becomes unsustainable. Workforce automation helps scale operations by:

• Handling larger teams and multiple locations efficiently.
• Integrating with payroll and HR software to streamline workforce management.
• Allowing flexible shift structures to accommodate business growth.

With the best way to schedule employee shifts, businesses can scale while maintaining effective employee scheduling.

Optimizing Scheduling with Shifton

Shifton is a powerful employee scheduling solution designed to help businesses manage employee schedules, optimize shift planning, and streamline workforce automation. Whether you need to schedule employees effectively, reduce conflicts, or improve shift visibility, Shifton provides the right tools for business automation and staff schedule management.

Key Features of Shifton for Staff Scheduling

• Automated Shift Scheduling – Create efficient work schedules for employees in just a few clicks.
• Employee Availability Tracking – Prevent scheduling conflicts by matching shifts with employee availability.
• Real-Time Schedule Updates – Instantly notify employees of any shift changes or updates.
• Shift Swaps & Time-Off Management – Allow employees to swap shifts and request time off digitally.
• Payroll & Time Tracking Integration – Sync work hours with payroll systems for accurate salary processing.
• Multi-Location Scheduling – Manage staff schedules across multiple branches or locations.

How Shifton Helps Businesses Schedule Employees Effectively

Shifton is designed to simplify the staff scheduling process, ensuring that businesses can:

• Make a schedule for employees quickly and accurately.
• Reduce last-minute changes and ensure reliable shift coverage.
• Improve employee engagement by offering fair and transparent scheduling.
• Save time on manual scheduling and focus on business growth.
• Ensure compliance with labor laws through automated scheduling rules.

Why Choose Shifton for Workforce Automation?

Shifton’s intuitive interface and automation tools make it one of the best ways to schedule employee shifts for businesses of all sizes. By implementing Shifton, companies can:

• Reduce scheduling errors by automating shift assignments.
• Increase efficiency by aligning work schedules with business demand.
• Enhance flexibility for employees while ensuring operational consistency.

With Shifton’s staff scheduling software, businesses can effectively manage employee schedules, reduce conflicts, and optimize shift planning for long-term success.

Final Thoughts on Employee Scheduling

Effective staff scheduling is essential for maintaining productivity, ensuring fair work distribution, and optimizing business operations. By following these 16 steps, businesses can schedule employees effectively, minimize conflicts, and improve workforce satisfaction.

Key Takeaways:

• Plan ahead by analyzing business needs, peak hours, and employee availability.
• Use data-driven scheduling to match staffing levels with demand.
• Ensure fairness by considering employee preferences and legal requirements.
• Improve communication by making schedules easily accessible.
• Leverage scheduling software like Shifton to automate shift planning, reduce errors, and improve efficiency.

A well-structured work schedule for employees not only benefits the business but also enhances employee engagement and retention. By investing in workforce automation, companies can streamline operations and focus on growth rather than administrative tasks.

With the right employee scheduling techniques and tools, businesses can save time, reduce costs, and create a more efficient work environment.

Start optimizing your staff scheduling today and build a stronger, more productive workforce!

Shifton is a state-of-the-art online tool designed for planning the work of employees in a company. Shifton offers access to a wide range of useful features: customizable work schedules, shift templates, simplified shift swapping, integrated compliance with labor laws and many other useful modules that allow you to quickly and efficiently build schedules for employees.

This is what makes the Shifton online app unique:

One-click scheduling using pre-configured templates

Company managers can track the workflow in a flexible task management system. Shifton also provides all employees with the opportunity to choose tasks within their competence.

For example, waiters in a restaurant can send each other requests for shift swaps. Depending on the schedule settings, such swaps can take place without the participation of the senior manager, or they can be sent to the manager for confirmation. Thus, the restaurant owner will never find himself in a situation when there is not enough staff on shifts. In addition, the system automatically makes changes to the schedule and all this information is stored in one place.

Smart payroll

Shifton allows a company owner to collect in one place information on the salary of employees, daily and weekly overtime calculations, unique events’ rates, bonuses, penalties and other data. An employee can fill more than one position within a company and receive different salaries for their work.

Since different countries use different laws, Shifton helps companies with remote employees located in different countries comply with all labor law requirements. Integration with Quickbooks and other popular accounting programs is also available.

Tracking attendance

The Shifton attendance tracking module provides accurate information on shift start and end as well as time-offs in real time mode. The function is available for stationary computers and smartphones, as well as via GPS or network.

Shifton system checks the set schedule in real time mode, comparing the time of shifts and breaks. A separate feature also allows you to automatically mark the end of the shift if employees forget to do so manually.

If necessary, company management can collect data on the location of employees for their visits to the workplace. For example, if an employee is constantly on the move between company offices with Wi-Fi network and static IP-address, the Shifton system can be configured to accept events only from specific static IP-address, ensuring that the employee is at the workplace.

How Shifton can improve bank workflow management

The full-fledged activity of the bank is impossible without well-coordinated work of all its branches and a competently drawn up work schedule. These days commercial and state-owned banks have been considering working not only on regular working days, but also on holidays. In addition, the current situation with lockdowns also requires flexible adjustments to the realities of life.

Shifton online application is a real help for any bank

Maximum automation of the workflow helps to simplify the life of the bank owner. Shifton online app helps to distribute employees to departments, keep track of their working hours and manage work schedules.

In addition, the functionality of the application allows to establish effective communication and management of those employees who are located in different time zones, or work remotely. In order to add employees to Shifton system, the manager needs to add only their first names, last names, mobile phone numbers or emails.

Using Shifton, the bank manager can add an unlimited number of employees, give them various tasks and give them different access levels. Shifton “Departments, Projects” module allows to instantly transfer employees from one department to another if required. Shifton also provides the opportunity to effectively coordinate staff work and compare statistics and monthly metrics.

Another useful feature of the application is the ability to transfer and save all the necessary documentation in a secure cloud storage. Since Shifton online app is available 24/7, any bank employee with the appropriate authority can request all the necessary information at any time.

Using Shifton app, bank managers can create and edit regular and holiday schedules for different departments or individual employees. At the same time, they can quickly make changes to already created schedules.

For example, if a bank closes earlier than usual on holidays, the schedule can be shortened to the required hour. In addition, thanks to the “Bonuses and Penalties” module, you can assign additional bonuses to employees who take their shifts on holidays.

Having a smart work schedule is essential for establishing a stable workflow in a bank. However, the schedule should be flexible. Any employee can be absent for any reason: sick-leave, family circumstances, hospitalization, etc. For such cases, the “Open shifts” option will come in handy, allowing the bank to function as planned regardless of how long one or another employee is absent.

With Shifton, a modern online scheduling tool, you can easily manage a bank workflow with any number of branches and employees.