Why rostering software misses the boat.
Data is only as good as your inputs.
Don’t get blinded by the pretty dashboards and the awesome graphs. Like any computer program, rubbish in means rubbish out.
And without a trained operator that fully understands the impacts of their workforce allocation decisions, these roster systems can be less than optimal. Someone can go and buy a hammer and a tool belt but that won’t make them a master carpenter.
Using a roster system or software to manage your same old work arrangements, and under the same old rules and roster patterns that you have always used will just result in better looking examples of the same old thing.
This may not be the most cost effective or optimised option for your operation and may also leave your workforce unhappy, resulting in increased turnover with resulting gaps in your coverage that require expensive additional hours to be worked by the remaining employees.
Longer term, this can also lead to fatigue and burnout as people continue to work long hours or unsuitable work arrangements with minimum breaks, with multiple shift transitions and swaps to cover these gaps.
The role of the workplace has changed and will continue to evolve. As we move towards more flexible working models whilst navigating economic pressures, meeting the whole of business demands has never been more challenging.
It begins with the right roster, by balancing the needs of the people and businesses.
To create a cohesive workforce that meets your unique workload demands requires a set of roster and working arrangements that consider the whole business picture – from health and safety considerations, operational requirements and employee preferences, to market disruptors and new technologies.
