Why You Need Shift Planning Software

These days, offices employ a large number of employees and not all work in the same shift. The problem of scheduling their shifts every week is a logistical puddle nobody likes to step into. Hours could be spent dwelling on paper, and yet no result may seem very feasible. In fact, other problems also arise due to this manual scheduling of employee shifts. From time-effectiveness to peace of mind, today’s office has many reasons to automate the scheduling of employee shifts.

A shift planning software provides a distinct set of benefits. First and foremost, it is a major time-saver. All those who are managers know what I am saying. Next, it is easier for everyone. Even the employees are saved the hassle of calling up every time their shift changes. The employees can avoid the problem of not knowing when their shift will start and when it will end, by accessing their accounts on a remote server. Also, requests to changes in shift schedules could be easily entertained in cases of medical emergencies and such. Furthermore, the scheduling software is suited to your needs with little adjustment necessary. They can be made to adapt to the laws of the state and can prevent a large amount of undue stress. Finally, by optimally distributing the number of shifts throughout the day, the shift scheduling software can ensure that the maximum amount of work gets done, thereby improving productivity.

Many businesses are already finding the benefits of shift planning software. These useful applications reduce your work load, increase your profitability and are easy to learn.

Advantages of Restaurant Scheduling Software

Organizing and managing restaurant staff is an extremely complex chore.

The chore is difficult because guests arriving at the restaurants do not adhere to any timetable for their eating and drinking, nor do they like to settle for any standard meal.

Therefore, restaurants need a special system for organizing their personnel and resources so that the customers get what they want and when they want.

Apart from greeting the guests on arrival, and serving food, and drinks, restaurants also need to organize the services of people to cook food, maintain the equipments, entertain customers, and clean and guard the premises.

Employing spare personnel for each such activity is not financially wise, especially if their services are not utilized optimally. Restaurants cannot afford to run short of skilled personnel and need to plan their manpower requirements meticulously.

Formerly, the chore of staff scheduling was done manually even in restaurants, and it took the personnel manager several hours of intense concentration to come up with a viable schedule. Now, there are ample software programs available in the market for staff planning and scheduling in restaurants. These programs can immediately come with a schedule that does not have any flaws.

If an employee is absent, or on leave, the restaurant scheduling software can tweak the schedule in a way that it complies with labor laws and yet it does not disrupt the restaurant’s routine.

Advantages of using staff scheduling software program in restaurants include better communication of the schedule. Formerly, manual schedules were communicated in form of hard copies or voice mails. It was possible to misplace hard copies of such staff schedules, or not check the voice mail in time.

Formerly, personnel manager had to either request another staff member to step in, or pay more in the market for availing services of any freelancer in the last moment. However, the scheduling software enables the restaurant to operate smoothly as even the type of cooking and relevant helpers can be planned for much ahead.
Personnel managers who use restaurant schedule software programs can therefore spare their time for other chores at the restaurant and thereby save more monies for the business.

Automate Shift Scheduling and Vacation Management

Managers can find it very stressful overseeing the allocation of shifts and vacation for their employees however many are now using employee scheduling software to remove the problem. Using the system a schedule can be produced automatically. 

The manager should set up the schedule with details of the shifts and the amount of employees required. The manager can copy the previous week’s schedule as a template. The system can then start allocation the shifts to employees based on the times the employees have indicated they are available. Complicated scheduling rules such as minimum amount of working hours can be taken into consideration.

Without a computerised system it may of been difficult for employees to transfer shifts. If a staff member finds themselves unable to work a shift they have been given they can send out a notice to other appropriate employees to have the shift transferred to them. Upon approval from the administrator the shift can be transferred. Employees that wish to work more hours than they have been assigned will be able to readily take on more shifts.

The shift scheduling software can also be used to manage the time off taken by employees. Employees will be allocated a yearly quota of how many days they can take off per year. The manager can choose whether to approve each request. The employee is automatically removed from the schedule on that day if the request is approved.

Of course the main advantage of having a web based shift schedule is that it can be viewed from any internet connected computer. They no longer need to phone their boss or even visit the workplace.
Businesses that have regularly changing schedules will notice the biggest difference with the use of the software. This is frequently the case in restaurants, pubs and the retail industry.

Since all employees are already using the software you can also easily send a message out to all of them. For example, you may want to send message about a end of year staff party.