Open Shifts: more flexibility, more benefits
For many years companies have used different scheduling methods to manage their staff, and it’s becoming increasingly common to automate these processes.
If you are familiar with the concept of rotating shifts and schedules, it makes sense to adjust the available offer to the needs of your team. ‘Open Shifts‘ (aka Shift Bidding in UK) may be the solution to facilitate the process, benefiting both parties.
Do you know what Open Shifts are?
One of the greatest difficulties for companies and team leaders is scheduling employees according to their availability. That said, before setting schedules it is necessary to understand what the preferences of employees are, to adjust them to the needs of the business. It is through Open Shifts that the employer makes open schedules available to employees so that they have the freedom to choose the one that is most convenient for them.
Who are they aimed at?
The concept of Open Shifts is aimed at medium or large companies whose workforce works through hourly rotation, such as factories; retail; security companies; hospitals; Call-Centers; Cleaning Services; among others.
How does it work?
Through a function in the Workforce Management (WFM) software, an available shift vacancy is published for various employees, or a specific group, depending on the size of the team. As soon as a bid for the shift is generated, it is subsequently posted on the mobile APP so that the team’s employees can see and choose the selected shift. Through this information, the line manager has the power to decide on these requests.
The Open Shift concept also makes it possible: to create schedules in which you would like your employees to be available and to define the necessary qualifications for certain shifts according to the requirements of the job.
What defines a qualified employee?
It is assumed that when an Open Shift vacancy is made available, the employee(s) who will have access to the offer have the professional skills necessary to carry out a certain type of work. An example: in a supermarket, the employees who are serving at the counter may not necessarily have the same skills to be at the checkout counter at peak times. Being able to target vacancies to a specific group of workers is, therefore – not only an advantage for supervision but also a guarantee that the productivity of the business will not be affected.
What are the benefits for employees?
The fact that it provides greater employee involvement in managing their own schedules already makes the Open Shift concept a win-win in the management of any type of business. At the same time – from the employee’s point of view – they are granted greater initiative in the decision-making process. This guarantee translates into:
- More proactivity
- Greater flexibility
- Increased confidence
- Increased productivity
For companies, in general, adhering to the practice of Open Shifts is, from a global perspective, a winning bet. Through the use of Open Shifts:
- Time reduction
- Less margin for errors
- Decreased absenteeism
- Costs reduction
Overall, adopting an ‘Open Shifts’ practice brings numerous benefits for institutions but, above all, for employees – by managing work-life balance better. By automating the process with a dedicated employee portal, such as the SISQUAL® Quality of Life, you can enjoy not only the benefits of Open Shifts but numerous features such as managing schedules, exchanging shifts, requesting holidays, days off and justifying absences. Join an easy and effective way to make the management of your team better!