Why you need a mobile-first shift scheduling app / rostering app ?

From retailers to F&B chains, manufacturing companies to security agencies – shift scheduling is an essential part of operating efficient businesses. Ensuring there is adequate staff to meet customer demand is crucial. Moreover, making sure your staff are being utilized at maximum capacity at times convenient to them leads to better morale and hence, better performance too. For this, a shift scheduling app is all that you need.

Creating staff schedules

A lot of businesses today still schedule shifts using manual methods like excel sheets and pen & paper. This means that these schedules would have to also be altered manually when there are any changes. Imagine how the paper looks: if two employees want to swap their shifts, there would be striking out of names and correction marks. If someone takes an emergency leave, team leaders and managers have to desperately call other staff, looking for cover. This is an immense amount of redundant work and wasted time.

These are the following factors to consider while creating your staff schedules:

• Has compliance with employment law and staffing agreements been taken care of?
• Are there enough staff during busy periods?
• Is there a right mix of staff, supervisors, and managers on each shift?
• Is the spend for the scheduled hours within the staff budget?
• Have overtime hours been factored into the schedule?

You can significantly reduce the time spent on scheduling by using a simple, easy-to-implement mobile solution like KNOW, which lets you plan and create staff schedules in minutes and generate 1-click reports instantly.

By saving enormous amounts of time, you save costs, improve productivity, and make the best use of your most important resource – your employees!

Benefits of automated employee shift scheduling app:

1. Smarter Scheduling

   When scheduling is done with proper insight and thorough planning, managers can see the optimum numbers of staff they need at any given time. They can adjust scheduling automatically to cope with demand peaks.

2. Less Time in Front of a Computer

   Managers end up spending a lot of time in front of the computer on time-consuming administrative activities that can be easily automated. When you automate processes like managing absenteeism, timesheets, and payroll, you give managers time back to focus on more important things, like delivering a great experience to customers.

3. Employee Engagement

   A key aspect that drives employee performance is engagement. Your staff is more engaged when their objectives are clear and they have minimal distractions and constraints. With an unambiguous work schedule, employees have a complete overview of their schedule on their phones. They engage better, enjoy their work, and as a result deliver a terrific customer experience.

4. Compliance

   When scheduling is done manually, there is always a scope for error, leading to non-compliance with labor laws. Scheduling on an intuitive solution like KNOW significantly reduces the probability of errors and ensures compliance with laws and regulations.

5. Reducing Employee Churn

   Hiring the right person can be ridiculously tricky. This makes staff retention a top priority for all business leaders. A healthy work-life balance is imperative to keep employee turnover in check. Well-planned staff schedules with great visibility and flexibility mean happier employees and lesser churn.

Save Hundreds of Hours with KNOW

KNOW’s mobile-first shift scheduling app lets you create schedules in minutes, plan staff rosters for multiple locations, and track attendance with just a few clicks. Book a free demo and get started today!

Frequently asked questions:

What is an employee roster?

An employee roster is a list or schedule of employees and their work schedules. It may include the names of employees, their job titles or positions, their shifts or schedules, and any other relevant information about their employment. Employee rosters can help keep track of who is working when and where, as well as schedule breaks, vacations, and other time off. They can also be used to assign tasks or responsibilities to specific employees. In some cases, employee rosters may be used for payroll or attendance tracking purposes.

How to roster staff effectively?

There are a few key steps that can help you, roster staff, effectively:

Using a mobile-first roster app like KNOW can be an effective way to roster staff, especially if you have a large number of employees or if your business operates 24/7. Here are some tips for using a mobile-first roster app effectively:

1. Choose a user-friendly app: Look for an app like KNOW that is reliable, easy to use, and has good customer support.
2. Communicate with your employees: Make sure your employees are aware of the app and how to use it. Consider providing training or a guide to help them get started.
3. Use the app to create and manage schedules: Use the app to create and publish schedules, assign tasks and responsibilities, and track attendance and time off.
4. Monitor and review the roster regularly: Regularly review the roster to ensure it is meeting the needs of your business and your employees. Make any necessary changes as needed.

What is the purpose of rostering software?

The purpose of rostering software is to help organizations create and manage employee schedules. It can be used to assign shifts, track attendance, and manage time off requests. Rostering software can be particularly useful for businesses that have a large number of employees or that operate 24/7, as it can help ensure that there is sufficient staffing at all times and that employees are paid accurately.

Rostering software can also help reduce the time and effort required to create and manage employee schedules manually. It can help to eliminate errors and improve efficiency, and can also provide employees with greater visibility into their schedules and allow them to request time off or make schedule changes more easily.

How do you create a roster schedule?

To create a roster schedule, you’ll need to first determine your staffing needs by considering the number of employees you need to meet the demands of your business and the specific skills and experience required for each role. Communicate with your employees to find out their availability and preferences for shifts and schedules.

You can use shift scheduling app like KNOW to help create and manage employee schedules, especially if you have a large number of employees or if your business operates 24/7. Consider employee preferences when creating the roster, and try to take into account any requests for time off or preferred schedules. Once you have all the necessary information, create the schedule and make sure to publish it so that your employees can access it. Monitor and review the schedule regularly to ensure it is meeting the needs of your business and your employees, and make any necessary changes as needed.

How do I automate a shift roster?

Use scheduling software or rostering app – Scheduling software platforms like KNOW offer features that can help automate the shift roster process. These tools can be used to create and publish schedules, assign tasks and responsibilities, and track attendance and time off. Some tools even allow employees to request time off or make schedule changes directly through the platform.

Can you use Excel for scheduling?

Excel can be used for scheduling purposes, but it may not be the most efficient or effective solution, especially for businesses with a large number of employees or complex scheduling needs. There are several reasons why you may want to consider shifting to scheduling software instead of using Excel.

Scheduling software is designed specifically for the purpose of creating and managing employee schedules, and it can offer many benefits over Excel, such as greater efficiency, improved accuracy, enhanced communication, and advanced features like the ability to optimize schedules based on employee availability and skill sets. Overall, shift scheduling app can help organizations effectively manage their workforce and ensure that their staffing needs are met in a timely and efficient manner.

What is smart rostering?

Smart rostering is a method of creating and managing employee schedules that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to optimize staffing levels and schedules. Smart rostering can help organizations reduce labor costs, improve operational efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction by ensuring that there are sufficient staff available at all times to meet demand.

Smart rostering systems work by analyzing data about employee availability, skill sets, preferences, and past performance, as well as business demand and other factors. Based on this analysis, the system generates schedules that are optimized to meet the needs of the business and its employees. Smart rostering systems may also be able to adjust schedules in real-time based on changing business demand or other factors.