Shift scheduling is without a doubt one of the most challenging aspects of workforce management. Between unexpected callouts, sick days and scheduled time off, it can be difficult to ensure that every shift is covered with enough staff to manage productivity levels and maintain compliance.
In many cases, operation managers are still using Excel spreadsheets to handle the shift scheduling process, which can be extremely cumbersome and time-consuming. On top of that, last-minute callouts require managers to waste precious time calling, texting or emailing employees looking for a qualified replacement.
These obstacles are even more prevalent for employers that rely on a large contingent workforce such as manufacturing and logistics companies. Since this dependency is even more widespread today, considering the ongoing labour shortage and shifting quarantine mandates, a greater number of organisations are relying on temporary workers to help meet their needs. This, in turn, is putting added pressure on managers to meet production goals.
If this sounds all too familiar, workforce scheduling software can help you simplify the shift scheduling process and improve overall outcomes.
what is workforce scheduling software?
Employee scheduling software automates the process of creating and managing shift schedules according to rules and parameters set by the organisation. Employee scheduling software can help you create work schedules, track work hours, manage shift swaps, control labour costs, reconcile timesheets and improve communication with your workers. Additionally, this can be done anywhere, anytime and on any device.
AI-powered workforce scheduling tools such as ORQUEST and Koronos can also help predict your talent needs with changing seasons, and optimally create schedules for shift workers.
the benefits of using workforce scheduling software
Workforce scheduling offers a variety of great benefits, such as:
saves time
By streamlining the workforce planning process, managers can complete shift schedules in a fraction of the time. Using workforce software also makes it easier to make adjustments due to unexpected callouts and track scheduled time off. With this software in place, managers can spend more time focusing on other elements of workforce planning.
improves communication
When using workforce scheduling software, managers have access to the platform from any device, including laptops, tablets and smartphones. So, whether they’re working in their office or on the floor, they can easily view and modify schedules in real-time. This factor, in turn, improves communication between managers and contingent workers.
minimises errors
In addition to saving time and improving communication, workforce scheduling software also minimises the risk of errors. The software automatically tracks workers’ hours and paid-time off to avoid unplanned overtime. It can also alert managers if an employee is scheduled for the wrong role or doesn’t have the required qualifications.
relevate workforce schedule
Randstad's Relevate Workforce Schedule is the online workforce scheduling solution designed for employers hiring a large volume of contingent workers. Through Relevate Workforce Schedule, you have 24/7 instant access to view, plan and schedule your contingent workforce helping you to enable rapid deployment and workforce agility.
Our shift planning solution is not a standalone product, but rather a specialised tool that's part of our Randstad Inhouse Services. As part of this service, your organisation has access to a dedicated on-site specialist who can handle many of the day-to-day tasks of managing a large contingent workforce, such as recruitment, training and shift scheduling. As a tailor-made solution, however, we only use Relevate Workforce Schedule when it's relevant and able to add value to the client.
This means that your dedicated account specialist can implement and manage the Relevate Workforce Schedule tool and take care of the entire shift planning process. In essence, your company can reap the rewards of utilising our digital planning solutions without adding to your workload. Instead, managers will have instant access to view and track workers' schedules from any device and any location. It's this unique combination of ‘tech and touch’ that makes our shift scheduling solutions really stand out and provide greater value to employers.
Download our case study to find out how our Relevate Workforce Schedule helped one company effectively deal with fluctuating attendance issues in order to meet production goals.
how does relevate workforce schedule work?
A great advantage of our Relevate Workforce Schedule solution is the simplicity of the process. The following six-step process ensures our planning tool is implemented correctly and adds instant value to your company.
1. Creating the ideal pool of contingent workers
Naturally, the first step of the process is to develop a talent pool of qualified contingent workers. During this process, your on-site account specialist will take the time to better understand your company's specific hiring needs, including the number of contingent workers needed as well as the types of skills and qualifications necessary for each role.
At this point, your on-site account specialist will carefully search through our vast network of pre-vetted talent to build a pool of workers that meet your set criteria. If the suitable candidates are not available in our database, we will source and recruit them for you. With this talent pool in place, your company will have the ability to scale up or down the number of contingent workers required for any given shift to meet fluctuating production demands and account for both unexpected and planned absences.
2. Onboarding of the temporary workers in the app
Once a pre-screened talent pool for your company is in place, your on-site account specialist will make sure that every contingent worker downloads our scheduling app to their mobiles. Additionally, your on-site specialist will provide appropriate training to ensure that each worker knows how to use all aspects of our scheduling app, such as accepting or declining shifts, setting up their availability, and requesting changes to their shifts if necessary. Your on-site account specialist will also make sure that all workers understand how the notification process works and how to view their work schedules online.
3. Onboarding of managers
Although your on-site account specialist will help you handle the actual scheduling process and ongoing communication with your contingent workers, company managers will also learn how to use the shift planning platform. Your on-site account specialist will take the time to train your managers. During this process, managers will learn how to view schedules and workers' information, ensure shifts are adequately filled and provide feedback as necessary.
4. Shift planning
With managers and workers fully trained on how to use the Relevate Workforce Schedule app, the actual shift planning can begin. Your account specialist will schedule temporary workers based on your organisation's specific needs and availability of the workers.
As the need for contingent workers arises, your on-site account specialist will post the open shifts on the scheduling app as well as designate how many workers are needed for each shift. Your on-site account specialist can also limit which contingent workers can sign up for available positions based on specific skills or qualifications. This step ensures that the right contingent worker is assigned to the right role.
5. Notification
As soon as your account specialist posts an available shift on the app, all qualified workers in your talent pool will receive an instant notification on their smartphone or another mobile device. At this point, contingent workers can accept or decline any given shift. Once a posted shift is filled, it's closed, and no other workers can sign up for that specific shift. Workers also receive notifications for all communication, whether a group message to all contingent workers or an individual message.
This instant notification keeps all workers up-to-date and enables a shift to fill as quickly as possible without the need of texting, calling or emailing.
6. ongoing talent pool management
Your on-site account specialist also uses the platform to track your pool of contingent workers to ensure your organisation always has access to the level of employees needed to meet production goals. For example, since contingent workers can use the app to update their availability, your on-site account specialist has real-time access to this data. Additionally, your on-site account specialist can use manager feedback to determine which contingent workers continue to be a good fit for your company.
Our scheduling app also provides complete transparency by allowing your managers to easily view the company's talent pool of contingent workers and track shift schedules in real-time. Over 1,500 clients in 15 different markets are already using our Relevate Workforce Schedule to fill 120,000 shifts per week.
Download our case study to find out how our Relevate Workforce Schedule helped one company effectively deal with fluctuating attendance issues in order to meet production goals.
jack jones
group sales director & senior vice president at randstad sourceright & uk
Working with Randstad's entire suite of services including managed service provision, recruitment process outsourcing, outplacement, temporary staffing and permanent recruitment means that Nikki and her team are able to support companies' overall talent objectives. Driven by a passion for solving complex challenges, Nikki and her team partner with organisations to build bespoke solutions that help meet their overall objectives, deliver exceptional value and are aligned to the organisations' vision and values.
