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Technology

The Most Common Scheduling Problems for Employers and how to Address Them

The Most Common Scheduling Problems for Employers and how to Address Them, Over and Under Staffing, Wrong Predictive Analysis, Balance Shifts

Published

3 years ago

March 6, 2021

TwinzTech

The Most Common Scheduling Problems for Employers and how to Address Them

Scheduling of employees is one of the most crucial factors determining the success of any business. If employers get it wrong from the start, they might live struggling to meet their targets until they do proper scheduling.

Improper scheduling does not only affect the employees but the employers as well. It could easily cause an unnecessary rise in labour costs and significant losses to the business. Therefore employers must be ready to invest in a scheduling system.

A good example is an online schedule maker, which helps avoid some of the most common scheduling problems. Here are some of the common issues employers encounter and how to solve them.

Table of Contents

1. Over and Under Staffing

Over and Under Staffing

When a business makes the mistake of overstaffing, it mostly affects its labour cost. Too many unnecessary staff means you pay employees for services they have not rendered.

When that happens, the company will not manage to meet its price in the long run because it’s wasting money on people it does not need.

Under-staffing has an impact on both employees and the employer. When there are fewer employees than required in a shift, the current employees get overworked.

The company is also forced to pay overtime which is an extra and expensive cost. When the employees get overworked, they lose their morale and may not manage to attend to customers entirely, leading to customer loss.

To avoid both understaffing and overstaffing, employers should invest in a sound scheduling system. A system that can match shifts evenly and inform managers when there’s a need to reduce or increase employees’ number.

2. Wrong Predictive Analysis

When it comes to running any business, employers or managers should observe trends to make better decisions for their companies. If employers fail to keep track of when their businesses experience an increase in activities, they are likely to get understaffed.

The same happens when the business experiences a low season in terms of its activities. If the employers do not keep track of these seasons and reduce the number of employees in advance, they are likely to be overstaffed. Therefore, employers need to be keen on their scheduling system by aligning them with their businesses’ seasons.

3. Failure to Balance Shifts with Availability

Failure to Balance Shifts with Availability

Some employees prefer to work full-time, some part-time and others on weekends only. When employees choose part-time and weekend shifts, they probably have other things to meet their daily needs.

When managers do not consider employees’ opinions and preferences when scheduling, they are likely to experience absenteeism and increased turnover. Employees require to work in an ecosystem they feel appreciated and valued.

Therefore employers should consider designing a scheduling system that allows employees to contribute their opinions and preferences concerning scheduling. Doing so ensures both the employee and the employer are satisfied.

4. Failure to Schedule Some Time Off with Employees

Schedules do not just revolve around the office or business area only. Creating breaks for the employees gives them time to relax, unwind and re-energize, which is crucial for their performance.

A demotivated employee is a liability to the employer because they transfer that energy to the customers, leading to customer service dissatisfaction.

That, in turn, sends away potential or regular customers, reducing profits for the employer.

To counter that, employers should include some time out with the employees. For instance, they can plan to close work early once a month and watch a movie together.

They can also organize some team-building activities every once a month. When employers do this, employees can unwind, relax, and even feel part of a family, motivating them to perform better to afford more.

5. Lack of a Good Structure

You cannot achieve the set goals without a good plan to run the system. Some employers hire employees and leave them to organize themselves, so long as employers can see results.

Apart from that being wrong, there is no responsibility for any losses. Others do not care to match employees’ skills with the right job posts and imagine workers will learn on the go.

To prevent such a problem, a sound scheduling system is necessary to give structure in the business, keeping a record of every employee with the responsibilities assigned and the set goals per individual. It is time employers ditched the pen and paper culture.

Conclusion

As easy and basic as scheduling may sound or appear to many people, it is an essential success tool. If a business has a goal of growing and expanding for the long term, employers need to invest wisely in scheduling.

Before starting on the process, a little knowledge of other employers’ problems when scheduling helps you avoid repeating the same. If you remain an employer and are staring into scheduling, this guide shows you some of the common scheduling issues and how to overcome them.

Technology

The Role of Advanced Control Systems in Enhancing Industrial Safety

In this blog post, we’ll explore the critical role of these switches in enhancing safety, dive into their real-world applications, and discuss the benefits they bring to various industrial settings.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 16, 2023

TwinzTech

The Role of Advanced Control Systems in Enhancing Industrial Safety

In the world of industrial automation, safety isn’t just a priority; it’s a necessity. As industries increasingly embrace automation technologies, the focus on operator safety has intensified. Advanced control systems, particularly palm and foot switches, have emerged as essential tools in this safety-centric landscape.

Table of Contents

1. Elevating Safety with Ergonomic Design

Palm and foot switches stand out for their ergonomic design, tailored to minimize physical strain and maximize safety. In an industrial setting where precision and quick response are paramount, these switches offer a unique blend of comfort and functionality.

Palm switches, often mounted on machinery or workstations, allow operators to activate or deactivate equipment with a simple palm press. This design ensures that operators can react swiftly in critical situations, significantly reducing the risk of accidents.

Foot switches take this a step further by enabling hands-free operation. In environments where operators need to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, foot switches provide a vital safety net. They allow operators to control machinery while keeping their hands free for other essential tasks, thereby enhancing overall safety and operational efficiency.

2. Real-World Applications: Safety in Action

The real-world applications of palm and foot switches are vast and varied. In the automotive industry, for instance, assembly lines often integrate foot switches for tasks like pressing parts together or operating welding equipment. This hands-free control not only speeds up the assembly process but also ensures that operators can swiftly move away in case of malfunctions, safeguarding against injuries.

In the realm of manufacturing, palm switches are commonly used in equipment like press brakes or punch presses. By requiring an operator to use both hands to activate the machine, these switches prevent accidental activation, ensuring that hands and fingers are safely away from moving parts.

3. Beyond Safety: Enhancing Efficiency and Productivity

While safety is the primary benefit of palm and foot switches, their impact on efficiency and productivity cannot be overstated. By streamlining operations and reducing the physical effort required from operators, these switches contribute significantly to a more productive work environment. They not only safeguard the workforce but also optimize operational flow, leading to quicker turnaround times and higher output quality.

The Future of Automation Integrating Smart Technologies

In industries where time is of the essence, such as packaging and logistics, the efficiency brought about by these ergonomic switches translates into a competitive advantage. They enable quicker response times, reduce operator fatigue, and contribute to a smoother, more efficient production line.

4. Adapting to Diverse Industrial Environments

The adaptability of palm and foot switches to various industrial environments is a key aspect of their design. These switches are not one-dimensional; they cater to a wide range of industrial applications. For instance, in the textile industry, foot switches are used to control sewing machines, allowing operators to adjust speed and function hands-free. Similarly, in the field of metalworking, palm switches are integral to ensuring precision and safety in equipment like hydraulic presses, where precise pressure application is critical.

This versatility extends to more specialized industries as well. In the pharmaceutical sector, where contamination control is essential, palm and foot switches offer a sanitary way to operate machinery without direct hand contact. Their robust construction also ensures they withstand the rigors of heavy industrial use, including exposure to dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures, making them reliable tools in virtually any industrial setting.

5. The Future of Automation: Integrating Smart Technologies

Looking ahead, the integration of smart technologies with palm and foot switches is set to revolutionize industrial automation. Imagine foot switches equipped with sensors that not only activate machinery but also gather data on usage patterns, helping to optimize workflow and maintenance schedules. Similarly, palm switches could incorporate touch-sensitive screens or biometric authentication for enhanced security and personalized settings.

These advancements would not only elevate the functionality of these switches but also contribute to the broader goals of Industry 4.0, such as increased automation, improved data exchange, and smarter manufacturing processes. The potential for these switches to integrate with IoT devices and cloud-based systems opens up a new realm of possibilities for remote monitoring and control, further enhancing safety and efficiency in industrial operations.

As we move into this new era of smart automation, the role of palm and foot switches will continue to evolve, underscoring their importance in the industrial landscape.

6. Moving Forward with Safety and Innovation

As industries continue to evolve, the integration of advanced control systems like palm and foot switches will become increasingly crucial. These tools represent the perfect blend of safety, efficiency, and ergonomic design, making them indispensable in modern industrial settings. For operators, they bring peace of mind; for businesses, they offer a pathway to enhanced productivity and a safer work environment.

The journey towards a safer and more efficient industrial world is ongoing, and technologies like palm and foot switches are leading the charge. Their role in safeguarding operators while boosting operational efficiency is a testament to the power of innovative engineering in the face of industrial challenges. As we look to the future, the continued adoption and evolution of these control systems will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of industrial automation.