Employee Scheduling Software For Better Forecasting & Workforce Planning
byDo you ever feel like managing your team has become overwhelming? You’re not alone. Many business leaders encounter this challenge as the organization grows. It’s not easy to juggle the needs of the company with staff availability and preferences. Fluctuating demand can make things even trickier.
But here’s the good news: there’s a better way to handle this challenge. If staff scheduling has become a full-time job, you need employee scheduling software. You’ll be able to create schedules effortlessly. You can also improve your workforce planning through accurate labor demand forecasting.
Did you know that software can help you prevent conflicts and predict labor needs? Try When I Work for free and experience the difference!
Here’s what you need to know about employee scheduling software:
- The right software will help you create more accurate schedules
- Labor demand forecasting uses data like historical trends to predict staffing needs
- Automated scheduling saves time and improves schedule accuracy
- Software like When I Work makes it easy to track hours and adapt to changes
- These tools improve efficiency and reduce labor costs
Table of contents:
- Understanding employee scheduling software and its key features
- How labor demand forecasting works
- How employee scheduling software supports accurate forecasting and planning
- Key benefits of implementing employee scheduling software for your business
- How When I Work stands out in employee scheduling and forecasting
Understanding employee scheduling software and its key features
Employee scheduling software simplifies the often-complicated task of creating and managing work schedules. These tools help you organize your team and track hours. The best options even include forecasting capabilities to predict future needs. Here’s a closer look at some of the key features that make scheduling software so useful.
Shift planning
Shift planning is one of the most important features of scheduling software. It allows you to assign shifts to employees based on their roles and skills. The software can also help you plan shifts weeks in advance. You’ll be able to give your team members more notice about when they have to work.
About one out of five workers get less than a week’s notice about their upcoming schedule. You can break this cycle and give your team more time to plan around their work schedule. They’ll be happier and feel like they have more control over when they work.
Employee scheduling software can even help you track and plan non-traditional shifts. That includes rotating schedules. You can get more organized and ensure that the needs of your business are met. Additionally, you’ll have the freedom to choose the schedule that makes the most sense for you.
Time tracking
Employee scheduling software automatically tracks how many hours each person works. This feature makes payroll more accurate and helps reduce the risk of disputes. It also provides valuable data on labor trends.
Top platforms like When I Work include a built-in time clock. This time clock includes GPS capabilities, too. Use this feature to make sure people are on site before they clock in.
Automatic scheduling
Once you enter in your staff information, including availability preferences and certifications, and build a base schedule, you can automate the rest of the process. You’ll be able to save countless hours every single month and free up time to handle more dynamic tasks.
Automatic scheduling software will account for time-off requests and changes to staff availability. Once you apply your base schedule, you can quickly fill in any gaps. You can cover vacant shifts due to call-outs or scheduled vacations.
How labor demand forecasting works
Labor forecasting involves predicting how many employees you’ll need for future shifts. Forecasting tools analyze past business performance and seasonality to accurately estimate workforce needs. The technology can use historical data to identify patterns and trends.
Suppose that you manage a restaurant. Saturdays consistently have the highest customer traffic. The forecasting tool will estimate how many employees you need to cover the extra demand. It will also show which days require fewer staff members.
How employee scheduling software supports accurate forecasting and planning
Employee scheduling software promotes accurate forecasting and shift planning in the following ways:
Using historical data
Scheduling software analyzes past performance to forecast future labor needs. Suppose that your sales consistently spike on weekends. The software will suggest that you schedule more employees during those times. This ensures you’re neither overstaffed nor understaffed.
Making real-time adjustments
Employee scheduling software allows you to adapt schedules based on real-time data. You can avoid unnecessary labor costs and save money. If an unexpected surge in customers occurs, you can quickly adjust the rest of the week to adapt. If things are slower than anticipated, you can send staff home early and save on labor costs.
Providing advanced and automated scheduling tools
Automated scheduling allows you to apply forecasting data to make your life easier. You can effortlessly build optimized schedules that avoid over- or understaffing. You can create a more efficient and responsive scheduling process that saves time.
Visualizing your staffing needs
One of the biggest sources of scheduling headaches is confusion. When you track schedules using a pen and paper, there are bound to be mistakes. Scheduling software eliminates this issue by providing a glimpse into your staffing needs. You can identify gaps in the schedule and move workers around. This ensures you’ve got the right people working at the right times.
Keeping everyone in the loop
You and your team members can see shifts as soon as you publish them. This increased awareness gives people more time to address any concerns. They can swap shifts to resolve conflicts between their personal and work obligations.
Better communication about who is working can promote increased morale. Your team members will feel a sense of empowerment over their work. They may also be less likely to call out.
Key benefits of implementing employee scheduling software for your business
Investing in employee scheduling software is an easy call. You’ll unlock several benefits that make your business more efficient and profitable. Here are some of the key advantages of implementing a staff scheduling solution.
Improved scheduling accuracy
Stop worrying about whether you’ve got enough people to cover the shift. Use real-time data to make sure you’ve built a great schedule that covers the needs of your business. When you have a well-staffed shift, your company can better serve customers. Scheduling software helps promote staffing accuracy, too. You can ensure that workers are where they need to be.
Suppose that you manage a retail store. You can use software to predict when customer foot traffic will peak. Your staff members won’t get overwhelmed, and you can provide the level of service your customers expect.
Reduced labor costs
One of the biggest pain points for businesses is labor costs. Think about your own company for a minute. Labor undoubtedly represents your single biggest expense. If overtime charges get out of hand, it can hurt your bottom line.
Scheduling software helps reduce these costs by preventing overstaffing and optimizing employee hours. By predicting when labor demand will be high or low, you can avoid unnecessary overtime expenses and make sure that every shift is cost-effective.
Workforce alignment with business needs
Scheduling software aligns your workforce with the company’s needs. You can schedule more people for peak hours or cut back during slow periods. The software will automatically make these adjustments based on historical data. This means your team is always properly staffed.
Adjusting your schedule based on current needs will also make it easier to accommodate time-off requests. You can give employees a well-deserved break and help reduce the risk of burnout.
Better employee satisfaction
When employees have predictable, fair schedules, they’re happier. Employee scheduling software ensures that shifts are balanced. You can also use the tool to minimize overtime and respect employees’ scheduling preferences.
The end result is higher job satisfaction and a lower risk of turnover. Your employees are going to be happier while at work and less likely to call out.
How When I Work stands out in employee scheduling and forecasting
There are lots of options when it comes to employee scheduling software. However, none of the other platforms can stack up against When I Work. Our solution offers the ideal mix of features to make scheduling effortless.
When I Work also offers full-service payroll software. For just a few dollars per employee per month, you can unlock the power of one-click payroll. Data from the When I Work scheduling platform is automatically updated in the payroll system. This ensures your payroll information is always accurate and ready to run.
Take control of your workforce planning with employee scheduling software from When I Work
Ready to regain control of your workforce planning processes? When I Work is the solution you’ve been looking for. It’s packed with valuable features like a time clock, team messaging, and more. We offer a flexible per-user-per-month subscription system. You can choose the plan that fits your needs and your budget.
Get rid of the headache of employee scheduling for good. Sign up today and try When I Work for free!
