Employee Scheduling Software Making Manager’s Life Easier

In today’s world where web applications are more powerful than ever, employee scheduling software is no exception and one type that has made leaps and bounds in advances over the years. When an organization has several employees working at different locations across a wide geographic area, keeping track of these workers and scheduling assignments becomes a time consuming and mistake prone chore. Ideally each employee should have immediate access to his or her schedule at any time. Managers need to know who is available for assignments and when the employee is available. Covering for vacation days or illnesses will quickly throw a well-planned schedule into chaos. Letting employees swap scheduled shifts becomes prohibitively confusing. When a scheduling system has holes or vulnerabilities, some workers will exploit the system to their own advantage. These concerns have been part of scheduling systems since the first employer put hash marks on a piece of tree bark for each stonecutter in the quarry.

The widespread availability of the internet, especially with mobile devices, brings managers’ scheduling dreams to reality. Several companies have developed scheduling systems that use the web to help automate this chore. The advantages of online scheduling over antiquated paper-based schedules or even simple computer-based scheduling software make the decision to upgrade a no-brainer. The only issue is selecting the best package for a business’s needs.

Managers will discover wondrous new online tools that make a once onerous chore almost fun. Keeping all clients happy by making sure their needs are addressed is never a bad thing. Freeing up administrative staff from managing schedules so they can do other things can reduce labor costs. Automatically addressing employees’ scheduling concerns removes much employee conflict and assures a more satisfied workforce. There are no obvious downsides.

Most online employee scheduling software is designed with modern user interface techniques that virtually eliminate the learning curve for both employees and managers. The fact that the web is not platform-dependent means the system can be accessed by anyone with an internet-capable device, including laptops, smart phones and the many forms of “x“-pads…etc. Employees cannot loose their schedules or blame missed assignments on not having access to scheduling information.

Every employee’s schedule is available anytime. There is no reason or excuse for a worker to not know about assignments. Even part time employees will always know when they are scheduled to work and management of part time schedules will be much less chaotic. Both you and your employees have access to scheduling information in any location worldwide.

Included with some scheduling packages are self-service options that allow employees to “swap” shifts or assignments without management involvement. This option eliminates one of the most problematic aspects of manual scheduling. This option assures that clients are always serviced, even when an employee encounters a personal emergency that requires a change in schedule.

The advantages of online employee scheduling are easy to see. The two keys to choosing the best package for your business are taking the time to understand your business needs and looking beneath the advertising hype of the available packages to see if the package has the features you need. You will want a modern, user-friendly interface with little or no learning curve for managers and workers. The product you choose should incorporate the latest data security measures. Security against external threats to company or employee information and protection against misuse by workers attempting to manipulate the system must be part of the package. The online service must have near 100% availability with secure, redundant servers and knowledgeable support staff.

Any scheduling software must be scalable from a small business with ten employees up to a huge multinational organization with departments and employees scattered across the globe. Multi-language support is important also. Additional features that can be valuable include the self-service option described above, reporting options and real-time alert services. Regular data backup is a vital service that helps the managers feel confident that the schedules are always available. One hidden feature that helps a scheduling software stand out above the crowd is the algorithm used to produce the schedules. Multi-point, multi-layer algorithms can detect scheduling conflicts and apply priority to the handling of the points. A good online scheduler will keep track of employee availability, maximum hours, employee time preferences…etc and include these points in any schedule calculation.

The scheduler can include real-time alerts so managers are informed when special requests come in or when changes are made. There should be a wide variety of standard reports available with just a click or two and the ability to design custom reports delivered in specific formats. For the employees, it is especially important that the system be very easy to use and (as much as possible in a business setting) be fun. A dull, boring and awkward interface will never be used effectively by the field personnel. A new online employee scheduling system on the horizon is http://www.employee-scheduling.com. This new product is scheduled for initial release in August 2010 and will fulfill all your employee scheduling dreams. The user interface is modern and attractive with easy navigation. All the features discussed above are included in a comprehensive package that can be scaled to fit any size company. Secure logins, data security measures, regular backups and a powerful 21-point algorithm will make this the standard for scheduling software in the near future.

The extra features delivered by Fendza are sure to entice users at all levels. The easy-to-read schedule format, flexible reporting, and step-by-step simple setup will help any manager turn a major chore into a quick and easy task. Adding employees, editing employee information such as birthdays, and publishing company news or other documents can be managed at one location on the ‘net. You might find yourself enjoying the employee scheduling chore you once dreaded and tried to avoid.

A free demo for Fendza employee scheduling is available here to view. A definite worth to check out as live demos always speak louder than words and pictures.

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