Everyone’s guilty of putting off important assignments at times. People often think they’ve got all the time in the world for their work. The deadline gets closer, meanwhile tasks stay undone. Chronic procrastination can lead to serious outcomes: from getting told off to losing your job. With that said, here’s a bit of advice on how to stop procrastinating.

Tackling procrastination begins with getting to the root of the issue

Anyone can feel overwhelmed by their workload. First off, you’ve got to choose a top priority task. Before you start, figure out the reasons for your procrastination. Maybe you’re scared of getting it wrong, or perhaps you’re confused about the task. Don’t be shy about asking your colleagues for a hand.

Today’s a good day to make a start

If you’re unsure how to tackle procrastination, the best move is to dive into your work straight away. If a task seems a bit too challenging and you reckon you won’t have time to finish it, try this. Think of a task that’ll only take 5 minutes and knock it off. Then, set a timer and try working on that tricky task for 5 minutes. Once you begin something, you’re more likely to finish it, as you’re prone to remember unfinished tasks. This way, your chances to tackle procrastination go up.

Break your working hours into chunks

Eliminate all distractions and focus on your work. We suggest breaking up an hour of work into 20-minute chunks with short breaks in between. The brain functions in cycles with highs and lows of activity. To reach top productivity, you need to be aware of these swings and balance your work and rest times accordingly.

Place a bet

Another way to boost your productivity is to make a bet with a mate. Set a deadline for your task. Then, offer your friend a bit of money, a coffee or lunch if you don’t complete the task in time. This will give you an extra push.

Reflect positively on past cases of procrastination

Try not to be too hard on yourself for past episodes of procrastination. This problem often affects perfectionists and people who fear failure. Stay positive and don’t let negative thoughts creep in.

We hope our article helps you escape the procrastination trap.

Recurring changes in the work plan constantly upset the list of priorities. This can lead to negative consequences in productivity and team progress, irrational time management and missed deadlines. Is there a way to keep on top of things and make time for everything?

The best way to prioritise tasks is to write them down

To start with, you have to make plans for the near future by creating a detailed list of all of the assignments and their deadlines for a day, a week or a month. Instead of trying to remember everything, you should keep a work diary and write down all of your tasks. This psychological trick highlights the importance of your work.

Organise everything

Once you have compiled a list of assignments, you might notice similarities between them. This isn’t surprising as most tasks can be sorted into three categories: single, recurring and project.

1. Single
   If you are given a single task, better do it first thing tomorrow. Make a list of small assignments and cross out some of them every day. Before you decide on the most important tasks, consider how urgent they are and how much time you need to complete them. Your goal is to finish assignments during your shift. If you don’t have time, do the task tomorrow. Note that this method doesn’t work for immediate assignments.
2. Recurring
   You don’t have to write down every single thing that needs to be done on a daily basis. For example, if you share articles on social media or are in charge of email campaigns. With that said, a schedule should be made for tasks that are tied to specific hours and days. This will significantly simplify the sorting of work priorities.
3. Projects
   Projects are tasks that are more complex to complete than simple assignments. Work on them as long as you can, but don’t try to take on several projects simultaneously. We recommend that you create a list of projects and choose the most urgent and important out of all of them. Don’t take on a new project without finishing the previous one.

Important assignments come first

Creating an alphabetical or a numerical list won’t work. Your aim is not to blindly follow the items on the list, but to concentrate on high priority tasks. The remaining work can be done in whatever order you think is necessary.

In time you will learn how to choose work with the highest level of priority and not let it become a problem. If you follow these rules, you won’t believe how fast the working process will become.

Difficulties in scheduling and solutions

If you’re a manager in charge of a company’s work schedule and you’re reading this article, then you’re likely facing issues with scheduling shifts for employees.

Here you’ll find the three most common problems that come up during work schedule compilation, and the best solutions for them. Start implementing today!

Issue №1: Last-minute scheduling

Putting off shift scheduling until the last minute isn’t a good idea. Managers in charge should ensure the shift schedule is available as soon as possible so employees can make their own plans throughout the month. Otherwise, many workers will have to choose between personal matters and work.

Solution:

Plan your schedules in advance to give all employees the opportunity to review the schedule and make changes if necessary. Numerous templates from the online service Shifton allow you to do this with just a few clicks!

Issue №2: Uneven shift distribution

By making changes to the schedule manually, any manager can overlook a miscalculation in the distribution of shifts. As a result, it may happen that some workers don’t work the required hours, while others, on the contrary, may end up overworking, which can also lead to an involuntary breach of employment law.

Solution:

To avoid this situation, use Shifton, an automated service for scheduling work and shift schedules. In this case, employees will have no reason to reproach the manager for negligence and carelessness!

Issue №3: Lack of modern tools

Managers still using pen and paper to create a company’s schedule not only make their lives harder, but they’re more likely to make mistakes. In addition, the sheer volume of calls and messages on the personal phones of executives and employees is time-consuming, preventing a clear work-life balance.

Solution:

With easy-to-use software like Shifton, you can significantly simplify employee scheduling and communication within the company. Moreover, notifications arrive on the mobile version of the online application almost instantly, and employees can swap shifts themselves, saving managers a lot of time.

By automating employee scheduling with the Shifton online service, you can achieve consistent results, make fewer mistakes, cut costs, and boost productivity and overall employee satisfaction.

If you’re not using Shifton for your business yet, then it’s time to get cracking! Register and try all the features of the online application for free during the entire trial period!

How to Improve the Efficiency of Call Centre Employees

Most call centre managers use standard methods to motivate employees and achieve their goals (such as bonuses, allowances, and benefits). But if you’re really interested in growing your company, you should try new solutions to boost operators’ productivity.

Here are 5 interesting ideas that will help you increase the efficiency of your call centre employees by at least 10%.

1. 15-minute vouchers

Are there any operators who wouldn’t want to finish work 15 minutes early without losing pay?

Many call centres try to encourage their employees with various bonuses (like sweet gifts or tickets to a movie). Anyway, in each and every company, there will always be employees who don’t eat sweets and prefer the theatre. But almost everyone wants to leave their workplace early!

15-minute vouchers for the most productive call centre employees can be a great incentive to do better work. This solution allows you to motivate almost any operator.

2. Collecting acknowledgements

Many call centre operators resent that while all customer complaints are registered, formalised and passed on to management, compliments and gratitude often go unrecorded.

Meanwhile, collecting and voicing feedback from grateful customers can significantly increase the motivation of call centre employees. Try sending out last week’s recorded thank you messages once a week to the operators who maintained them.

This is a great opportunity for all other employees to understand how important their work is. And employees who receive gratitude will feel how valuable they are for the company.

3. Call of the month

The most difficult calls from the most “hard” clients shouldn’t go unnoticed, either.

It’s good if your call centre practices call records analysis on a monthly basis. In this case, you can quickly and easily choose the call of the month by collecting feedback from managers and supervisors.

Once you’ve found a prime example of a particularly difficult or stressful situation that took place during a call, you can look for the most successful behavioural strategies for those situations. Such an analysis can become not only a recognition of the success of the operator-hero of the call, but also an additional incentive for employees who successfully manage such calls.

4. Daytime vigour

It’s no secret that between the afternoon and the end of the working day, a significant decline in the productivity of workers occurs rather often. But we can offer you a quick and easy way to avoid this!

Try asking your call centre employees to stand up, not sit down, for one hour after lunch! This method avoids activity drop and makes operator voices sound more energetic and engaging.

Of course, such an innovation should be implemented exclusively on a voluntary basis. In addition, workers with disabilities or back pain, etc., should be warned of possible health problems.

5. Schedule flexibility

A perennial challenge for call centre managers is ensuring that enough employees work on a given project. After all, a shortage of operators significantly affects the working conditions of the entire team and of course, reduces productivity.

A competent manager always tries to be responsive to the requests of employees who need to make schedule changes. For example, many parents will want to take vacation during school holidays, and students will want to take time off during a session at university.

Only a well-designed scheduling tool allows you to create a call centre schedule that will satisfy the needs of all employees. This will help management achieve its goals and bring financial benefits to the company in the long term.

How to take into account the personal issues of each employee and at the same time comply with all the requirements of labour legislation? We have a solution!

Conclusion

The Shifton online service will help you quickly and efficiently create, edit the company’s work schedule and employee schedules using convenient templates, as well as confirm requests for leave or sick leave with one click. In addition, operators can independently swap shifts, which reduces the burden on call centre managers.

If you are not using Shifton for your business yet, then it’s time to get started! Register and try all the features of the online application for free during the entire trial period!

Top 5 Cloud Call Centre Software in 2021-2022

The key to effective customer support is not only well-trained operators, but also quality call centre software. Modern technologies help automate operational and business processes in a call centre, as well as increase employee productivity.

The main tasks of software for any call centre are automation and increasing the efficiency of operational processes: call distribution, filling in customer information, routing, etc.

Optimisation of business processes is also important: the ability to monitor the performance of operators in particular and departments in general, analyse key performance indicators and monitor the work of the call centre in real-time mode.

When choosing call centre software, you can improve your customer service by using software that is cloud-based. These are the main advantages of such a solution:

• Better customer service management
• Improved reporting
• Increased efficiency
• Centralised data collection
• Reduced costs
• Increased sales and customer satisfaction
• Enhanced data security
• Multichannel support

5 Best Cloud Call Centre Programmes in 2021-2022

1. Shifton
   Manual scheduling shifts for operators takes too much time and effort for call centre managers. The Shifton online app optimises day-to-day scheduling operations, reduces turnover and increases employee engagement in order to deliver the best possible customer experience. The Shifton cloud service is ideal for scheduling shifts in a call centre. The functionality of the application allows managers to create optimal work schedules, easily schedule shifts and distribute tasks between operators. In addition, employees can independently adjust their work schedule by swapping shifts (with the confirmation of the swap by the manager, if necessary). Shifton helps you create an optimal balanced schedule that ensures the best quality service to your call centre customers.
2. CloudTalk
   This innovative cloud-based software provides several unique tools for call centres. The custom waiting in call queuing feature eliminates call forwarding, which helps the sales team close more deals by automating the dialing process. CloudTalk also maintains a high level of customer satisfaction through intelligent call routing, Click-to-Call and IVR options. CloudTalk allows you to set up an online call centre with all available devices from anywhere in the world while maintaining local presence with local phone numbers. In addition, this call centre software offers hundreds of integrations with CRM, e-commerce, tech support, shopping carts, Zapier and APIs.
3. Avaya
   Avaya Contact Centre is a universal cloud or hybrid automation solution for inbound and outbound applications for voice, video, email, and group chats. A unified multi-channel communication system allows remote operator groups to handle calls from anywhere. Avaya Contact Centre also provides the features of screen capture, training, and call quality management, as well as real-time reports and statistics for any selected period. In addition, this cloud-based call centre software offers engagement recording, voice analytics, and automated scheduling features.
4. MyOperator
   MyOperator call centre software allows you to manage multiple calls without spending too much time and effort. The benefit of using this call centre software solution is that it has innovative features such as adding music on hold and the ability to take notes while in a conversation with a customer. MyOperator is an easy-to-use cloud service that offers API integration. Its main purpose is to record, forward, transfer and track calls. However, you can also export the call log data for performance analysis as needed.
5. Dialpad
   Dialpad is a web application which helps you take your business communication to the next level. It enables you to communicate with your clients, employees and other businesses with utmost ease making your business communication more efficient and effective. Whether it is voice-based communication or text messages, Dialpad has great solutions for them all. It takes your communication to a new level so that you also enjoy your time while speaking to your clients.

Conclusion

The right cloud-based call centre software helps improve efficiency, productivity and customer service. We choose the Shifton online service since it is the perfect application for efficient call centre management.

If you do not use Shifton for your business yet, then it’s time to get started! Register and try all the features of the online application for 2 months for free!

How Shifton boosts call centre reporting

Telemarketing and statistical analysis is one of the most crucial activities in a call centre. Indicators such as the number and duration of processed calls, the average waiting time for a client’s response, KPIs of operators, etc., can be fully measured and employees’ effectiveness can be evaluated very promptly.

Measuring call centre performance

When telemarketing activities are limited to one or two employees, operational analytics are fairly straightforward and can be limited to tracking 2-3 metrics. This is quite sufficient for effective management of an advertising campaign.

Conversely, as telemarketing projects expand, it’s always beneficial to know a broader range of metrics that help manage call centre performance. They make it easier to identify elements that have a positive or negative impact on the campaign’s outcome.

There can be many of them; here are several examples: incorrect contact database, poorly trained team, inadequately scheduled shifts for staff at certain hours, equipment breakdowns, etc.

Correctly designed and calculated measures can help identify areas that need improvement. Timely received statistics can assist with this.

Call centre statistical reports

When evaluating the work of a call centre, one should pay attention not only to reports on closed leads but also to other reporting indicators — the number of processed calls, their duration and the level of service.

After analysing the report for each call, one will receive mini-marketing research in essence. This helps to understand a lot about customers — what they prefer, which competing companies they use, and so on.

Another important indicator is the waiting time of customers on the line. During peak days on the call centre team, delays in handling incoming calls can indirectly affect the level of customer satisfaction and for this reason, they may choose competitors. As a result, the company for which such a call centre provides services will receive less potential profit, which means it will incur losses.

How can Shifton help in this case?

Based on information about worked shifts and breaks, Shifton provides detailed reports on multiple projects or a specific employee at the most detailed level. Such reporting, combined with other statistical information, allows you to identify peak days and optimally configure shifts and the number of operators on each of them.

Shifton also offers a payroll option that can be used to predict call centre costs. This feature will save you from having to pay overtime due to more operator assignments.

The Shifton cloud service offers robust reporting tools that display a lot of statistical information about the work of both the company as a whole and its individual employees. Combined with tools for planning and tracking attendance, these reports can display information about achievements, planned and completed tasks, predict future costs and optimise processes in the company in time.

Forecasts and reports obtained using the Shifton cloud service allow additional optimisation of the call centre with an unlimited number of employees. Thus, you will not only solve existing issues but also prevent their occurrence in the future.

Want to ensure? Welcome to Shifton! Register and try all the features of our online application for two months for free!

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

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

When choosing a call centre programme, 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 centre 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 centre 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 centre 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 centre 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 optimise processes in the company right in time.

Perfect integration

Call centre 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 centre programme, 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 Centre 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 centre 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 roles of the head of any company is to build the company’s brand, boost productivity, and save time when working with staff. We present to you the best services for scheduling tasks and managing team resources in 2021. It’s time to clear 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 bespoke developments.

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

Monday

This is a powerful yet straightforward tool for teams that helps shape workflows, adapt to changing needs, create transparency, connect collaboratively, and put an end to manual work.

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

The individual plan, which is free of charge, includes 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

An 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. The statuses of the tasks can be updated with one mouse click. 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

A 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 features. 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 a team and for personal purposes.

The tool presents wide functionality: scheduling, chatting, execution control, and many more. Asana offers 3 plans to choose from depending on the goals of the company. The basic free plan includes up to 15 users and offers limited functionality. 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 the “Tasks” module. The module allows you 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, and 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 the “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 organisational and marketing tasks.

Typically, those managers dealing with rosters for teams and departments face a tough task. They need to create schedules while considering all employees and their personal situations, sick leave, days off, and their monthly and weekly work hours.

If you’re still creating schedules and shifts on paper or in an Excel spreadsheet, it can take hours to make all the necessary changes. Various scheduling apps definitely ease the burden of employee rostering. They considerably reduce managers’ time and effort, improve team cooperation and maximise uptime.

We know that the Shifton online app is a fantastic alternative to all popular counterparts. Let’s compare Shifton’s features with WhenIWork’s capabilities to confirm that.

Free Trial Period	1 month	2 weeks
Minimum Cost	$1 per user per month	$2 per user per month
Support	Personal account manager	Chat bot
Automated Scheduling	yes	yes
Shift Swapping	yes	yes
Break Swapping	yes	no
Payroll Calculation	yes	no
Tasks	yes	yes
Checklists	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 offers almost the same features as WhenIWork and even more – such as a personal account manager, an “Availability” option which ensures maximum flexibility for both employees and employers, along with a much longer free trial period and lower costs.

Want to be sure? Welcome to Shifton! Sign up and try all the features of Shifton for 2 months free-of-charge!

Creating an efficient work schedule for employees is crucial for maintaining productivity, ensuring fairness, and meeting business demands. A well-organised 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 labour 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 wellbeing, 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 digitising 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 optimise work schedules.
• The system automatically adjusts shifts based on time-off requests and workforce demand.
• Minimise 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 Optimisation

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 labour 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)

Analyse 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 optimise labour 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 periods or leave requests
• Market trends that could affect customer demand

By anticipating future requirements, managers can roster 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 take into account both business requirements and employee preferences. Employees who feel their needs are acknowledged are more likely to remain engaged and productive. When creating a schedule for employees, consider:

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

A fair and balanced roster improves employee satisfaction, reduces burnout, and minimises absenteeism.

Step 5: Select Your Shift Scheduling Method

Choosing the right approach to rostering employees depends on your business model, workforce structure, and operational requirements. There are several employee rostering 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 rostering process helps businesses optimise labour costs while ensuring efficient employee scheduling.

Step 6: Optimise Shift Schedules Based on Busy Hours

To maximise productivity, roster 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 labour costs.
• Use historical data to predict demand fluctuations and adjust shifts accordingly.

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

Step 7: Minimise Last-Minute Schedule Changes

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

• Encourage employees to submit leave 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 minimising scheduling conflicts, businesses maintain staff scheduling stability and improve employee satisfaction.

Step 8: Ensure Schedules Are Readily Available

A work schedule should be easy for employees 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 wellbeing. 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 leave 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 finalised, 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 analyse 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 optimise staff schedules.

Step 15: Comply with Legal Requirements

Businesses must follow labour 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 labour 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 roster should be easily accessible to all staff members. Scheduling software enhances communication by:

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

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

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.
• Allowing 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-organised staff roster 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 labour costs.

5. Scale Business Growth

As businesses expand, managing staff rosters 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.

Optimising Scheduling with Shifton

Shifton is a powerful employee scheduling solution designed to help businesses manage employee rosters, optimise 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 rosters 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 labour 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 optimise shift planning for long-term success.

Final Thoughts on Employee Scheduling

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

Key Takeaways:

• Plan ahead by analysing 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 rosters 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 boosts employee engagement and retention. By investing in workforce automation, companies can streamline operations and focus on growth instead of administrative tasks.

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

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

Shifton is a top-notch online tool crafted for organising the work of staff in a company. Shifton offers access to a wide variety of handy features: customisable work rosters, shift templates, simple shift swapping, integrated adherence with employment laws and many other helpful modules that enable you to swiftly and efficiently create rosters for staff.

This is what makes the Shifton online app unique:

One-click scheduling using pre-set templates

Company managers can monitor the workflow within a versatile task management system. Shifton also gives all employees the chance to choose tasks within their skills.

For instance, waiters in a restaurant can send each other requests for shift swaps. Depending on the roster settings, such swaps can occur without the involvement of the senior manager, or they may be sent to the manager for approval. This way, the restaurant owner will never find themselves in a situation where there is not enough staff on duty. Additionally, the system automatically updates the roster and all this information is stored in one place.

Smart payroll

Shifton allows a company owner to gather in one place information on the wages of staff, daily and weekly overtime calculations, special events’ rates, bonuses, penalties and other data. An employee can fill more than one role within a company and receive different wages for their work.

Since different countries use different laws, Shifton assists companies with remote staff situated in different countries to meet all employment law requirements. Integration with Quickbooks and other popular accounting software is also available.

Tracking attendance

The Shifton attendance tracking module provides precise information on shift start and end times as well as leave in real time mode. The feature is available for desktop computers and smartphones, as well as via GPS or network.

Shifton system checks the set roster in real time mode, comparing the timing of shifts and breaks. A separate feature also allows the end of the shift to be marked automatically if staff forget to do so manually.

If needed, company management can gather data on the location of staff for their visits to the workplace. For example, if a staff member is constantly moving between company offices with Wi-Fi network and static IP-address, the Shifton system can be set up to accept events only from specific static IP-addresses, ensuring that the staff member is at the workplace.

How Shifton can improve bank workflow management

The full-fledged operation of the bank is impossible without well-coordinated work of all its branches and a properly arranged work schedule. These days, commercial and state-owned banks have been considering working not only on regular workdays but also on public holidays. Additionally, 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. The Shifton online app helps distribute employees to departments, keep track of their working hours, and manage work schedules.

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

Using Shifton, the bank manager can add an unlimited number of employees, assign them various tasks, and provide them with different access levels. The Shifton “Departments, Projects” module allows for the instant transfer of 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 necessary documentation in secure cloud storage. Since the Shifton online app is available 24/7, any bank employee with the appropriate authority can request all the necessary information at any time.

Using the 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, hospitalisation, 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.