Employee scheduling software: Difference between revisions

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'''Employee scheduling software''' [[automated planning and scheduling|automates]] the process of creating and maintaining a [[Schedule (workplace)|schedule]]. Automating the scheduling of employees increases productivity and allows organizations with hourly workforces to re-allocate resources to non-scheduling activities. Such software will usually track [[vacation time]], [[sick time]], compensation time, and alert when there are conflicts.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last=Pattie|first=Maes|s2cid=207178655|year=2000|title=Agents that Reduce Work and Information Overload|url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/716f/f491fe8be17d8b4cb35bd9c5cfcee948e88a.pdf|journal=MIT Media Laboratory|volume=37|issue=7|pages=30–40|viadoi=10.1145/176789.176792}}</ref> As scheduling data is accumulated over time, it may be extracted for payroll or to analyze past activity. Although employee scheduling software may or may not make optimization decisions, it does manage and coordinate the tasks.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|lastlast1=Ernst|firstfirst1=A. T|last2=Jiang|first2=H|last3=Krishnamoorthy|first3=M|last4=Sier|first4=D|date=2004-02-16|title=Staff scheduling and rostering: A review of applications, methods and models|journal=European Journal of Operational Research|series=Timetabling and Rostering|volume=153|issue=1|pages=3–27|doi=10.1016/S0377-2217(03)00095-X}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|lastlast1=Glover|firstfirst1=Fred|last2=McMillan|first2=Claude|last3=Glover|first3=Randy|date=1984-02-01|title=A heuristic programming approach to the employee scheduling problem and some thoughts on "managerial robots"|url= |journal=Journal of Operations Management|volume=4|issue=2|pages=113–128|doi=10.1016/0272-6963(84)90027-5}}</ref> Today's employee scheduling software often includes mobile applications. Mobile scheduling further increased scheduling productivity and eliminated inefficient scheduling steps.<ref name=":0" /> It may also include functionality including applicant tracking and on-boarding, time and attendance, and automatic limits on overtime.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}} Such functionality can help organizations with issues like [[employee retention]], compliance with [[labor laws]], and other [[workforce management]] challenges.

==Purpose==

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== Complexity ==

Algorithms are used within the employee scheduling software in order to determine not only who is working, but also the specific jobs and tasks required of the workers. The system still must be monitored, and any further issues with assigning of specifics is done manually.<ref name=":3">{{cite journal | last1 = Robidoux | first1 = L. | last2 = Donnelly | first2 = P. | year = 2011 | title = Automated employee scheduling: Welcome to the future | url = | journal = Nursing Management | volume = 42 | issue = 12| pages = 41–43 | doi = 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000407580.30932.ce | pmid = 22124301 }}</ref> Within the context of roster problems and models, there are three main factors to work out the differences: the integration of days off scheduling with line of work construction and task assignment, roster construction, and demand type.<ref name=":0" /> These complexities thusly require that each and every workplace must optimize employee scheduling software based off their own unique set of rules, issues and needs.<ref name=":3" /> Additionally, it is difficult to determine optimal solution that minimize costs, meet employee preferences, distribute shifts equitably among employees and satisfy all the workplace constraints. In many organizations, the people involved in developing rosters need [[decision support tool]]s to help provide the right employees at the right time and the right cost while achieving a high level of [[employee satisfaction]].<ref name=":0" /> Due to constant change within work environments, new models and algorithms must be created in order to allow for flexibility as needs and demands arise. For example, when a large number of new employees are hired, as in the total workforce is increased, the scheduling software likely will need to be updated in order to allow for such a change.<ref name=":2" />

==Features==

Although employee scheduling software won't necessarily improve [[business practices]] by itself, it does automate typically tedious business administration. It can also have positive effects on aspects of the business indirectly, including [[employee engagement]], [[employee retention]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Study Finds Nearly Half of U.S. Hourly Workers Would Take Pay Cut for Influence Over Work Schedule|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/study-finds-nearly-half-u-130000213.html|publisher=Business Wire May 2019}}</ref> and lowered labor costs. By providing management with large amounts of data, this software can assist management in making decisions and automatically create a work schedule that fits as many constraints as possible.<ref> {{cite journal | last=Maes | first=Pattie | s2cid=207178655 | title=Agents that reduce work and information overload | journal=Communications of the ACM | publisher=Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) | volume=37 | issue=7 | date=July 1, 1994 | issn=0001-0782 | doi=10.1145/176789.176792 | pages=30–40|url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/716f/f491fe8be17d8b4cb35bd9c5cfcee948e88a.pdf}}</ref> Also, the software may be a part of an [[ERP software|ERP package]] or other [[human resource management system]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mobile Technology: Transforming Workforce Management|last=IDC|publisher=July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Workforce Scheduling 2011: Automation Drives Accuracy, Efficiency and Business Outcomes|last=Aberdeen Group|publisher=April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Research Note: Mobile Technology Meets the Frontline Workforce|last=Nucleus Research|publisher=April 2011}}</ref>

Features vary depending on software vendor, but some typical features include: