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What You Need to Know about Predictable SchedulingWhat kind of schedule does your workplace require? If you have been considering the idea of moving from a flexible schedule to a regular schedule that’s based on production needs, then you must learn something about predictable scheduling. Here is a rundown of what predictable scheduling is and advice on if this is a good option for your business.

Explaining predictable scheduling

First, the term predictable refers to a schedule that is explained or known in advance so there are no surprises for employees or for the management team. A predictable schedule, therefore, means that employees know week to week what hours they are expected to work and, in some cases, their project assignments. The other side of predictable scheduling is that the company makes an effort to minimize any potential changes to the schedules so that employees do not miss assigned work times or have their regular weekly hours altered.

Advantages of predictive scheduling

There are some key benefits to using predictable scheduling in the workplace, for both employers and the people who work for them, which include:

  • Better management and utilization of human capital resources because staffing planning takes place well in advance of actual project and seasonal peaks.
  • Employees are better able to manage their personal schedules and other responsibilities such as childcare and school age children’s schedules, transportation, attending school and working secondary jobs.
  • Improved employee morale, productivity and engagement because employees know what’s expected of them and what they need to accomplish during each shift.
  • Coverage is determined by the scope of work and the skills needed to complete tasks, to limit the number of overtime hours worked and productivity losses due to bored employees.
  • Reductions in employee tardiness and absenteeism as a general rule because they know in advance when to report to work and when to go home.

Choosing predictive scheduling or not?

While these are just a few of the many ways that predictive scheduling benefits all concerned,  how can you know this is right for your particular company or industry?

Predictive scheduling works best for companies who use hourly workers vs. salaried employees. Hourly workers are more apt to deal with fluctuating schedules in some industries that are dictated by seasonal peaks or production needs, so there needs to be some area for flexibility. The challenge is understanding if the organization regularly deals with large fluctuations in projects or market driven needs. Consider any potential safety needs as well.

It’s simple to set up a predictive schedule in any workplace. Talk with the employment and staffing specialists at Davis Staffing for more information and resources to help you make the most use of your people.