Blogs & Latest News
Welcome to Future of Shift Work
Insight and events around best practice shift planning and workforce managment.
Our expert consultants can help you find the most efficient, effective and engaged way to manage shift work.
For nearly 30 years, Working Time Solutions’ subject matter expertise has helped create highly productive shift patterns for organisations of all sizes and sectors.
Our team has extensive experience in shift planning and workforce management, including demand planning, shift pattern design, rostering, union engagement and employee communications.
This specialist knowledge and consultancy
is the foundation for a range of services.
So, whether it’s training around employee scheduling best practice, or implementing Annualised Hours and Demand-Led Rostering systems, our experts can provide you with professional, dependable support.
Labour Demand Planning
Shift Pattern Design
Employee Engagement
Implementation
Insight
Labour Demand Planning
Our expert consultants will help you maximise productivity and efficiency by creating an accurate demand model and a forecast of precise staffing requirements:
- Source & overlay demand data from across your organisation, including undertaking process mapping & activity sampling.
- Map variability & volatility 24/7/365 to build an accurate picture of demand through the day, week, month, season & year.
- Use as a platform to design & implement fully optimised shift patterns.
- Analyse overtime, absence & labour cost data to identify & overcome challenges or issues.
- Model demand, cover & throughput requirements, factoring in variations from seasonal peaks to hour-by-hour changes.
Our comprehensive labour demand planning service and consultancy will help you to understand the challenges you face and the best route to
simplifying complex patterns or pay rules.
It is the best starting point for shift planning and can be used as the basis to implement new workforce management models
such as Demand-led Rostering and Annualised Hours.
You can learn more about demand planning here.
Shift Pattern Design
Our specialist consultants will help you find the best solution by appraising different shift pattern options, experimenting with variants using
WORKSuite® design tools and understanding their potential impact:
- Design shift patterns that resolve issues identified as harming productivity or shift worker wellbeing.
- Harness WORKSuite®’s interactive tools in a working party environment to co-design shift patterns with employees & ensure their preferences are reflected.
- Model potential scenarios & create a bank of patterns designed to maintain productivity, efficiency & compliance.
- Create custom patterns that are differentiated from the competition & well suited to different employee demographics.
- Combine the service with WORKSuite®’s shift pattern design tools to create innovative, flexible shift patterns that meet your specific requirements.
You can use our shift pattern design service and consultancy to access deep shift planning and workforce management subject matter expertise, knowledge and shift work experience.
Our team have the know-how to design shift patterns that effectively balance the needs of organisations (productivity and efficiency) with employees (health and work-life balance).
Employee Engagement & Communications
Our expert consultants will help ensure your employees and unions are fully engaged in the shift planning and workforce management process and that shift patterns reflect their needs or preferences:
- Use demand data & analysis to evidence the need for change & the positive impact on stable pay, job protection/creation, work-life balance, health & wellbeing.
- Collaborate with employees to ensure their insight & preferences are considered & that you create appealing patterns that support recruitment & retention.
- Create comprehensive communication & engagement strategies that effectively support the shift pattern design & implementation process.
- Achieve transparency & fairness in design by using WORKSuite®’s
visual & interactive design tools to directly involve the workforce in the shift pattern design process.
- Reduce the time taken to change shift patterns by ensuring solutions are optimised for both the organisation & its employees.
Our employee engagement and communications services and consultancy enables employees and unions to engage in the shift planning, rostering and employee scheduling process in a transparent, collaborative manner.
We’ll help ensure your colleagues understand the need to change shift patterns and that they can play a central role
in arriving at the best solution.
Implementation & Project Management
Our specialist consultants will help you take the optimal approach to changing shift patterns…making sure you get it right first time:
- Adopt a structured implementation based on best practice project management techniques.
- Secure organisation-wide buy-in for the project by evidencing the quantitative & qualitative benefits of changing shift patterns.
- Reduce risk around shift pattern implementation & see the benefits of new approaches to shift planning & workforce management realised quicker.
Our team of consultants is qualified in project management and highly experienced in helping employers implement new shift planning processes and workforce management approaches.
Let them help you find the best way to optimise shift work.
Data Analysis & Insight
Our expert consultants will ensure your shift patterns, rosters and rotas remain optimised and aligned to changing demand and employee needs:
- Establish regular monitoring, reviews & fine-tuning of shift planning & workforce management systems to anticipate & respond to change
- Regular compliance & best practice ‘health checks’ to keep up with changing regulations, policies & standards.
- Sharing shift work best practice through comprehensive training courses suitable for all levels of management.
- Helpline support for consultancy, training or technical enquiries.
Our data analysis and insight services will ensure you maintain fully optimised shift patternsand continuously improve your approach to planning, management and monitoring shift work.
Through knowledge transfer, we’ll help you build the skills, understanding and capabilities in-house to maintain productivity and shift worker wellbeing over the long-term.
You can learn more about continuous improvement here.
Free remote 1-2-1 session
Secure a free, hour-long session with our experts to discuss your shift work challenges and potential solutions
Blogs & Latest News
Looking back…looking forward-Sharing customer learnings
Sharing key shift planning and workforce management learnings from our customers.
Blogs & Latest News
Event: Workforce Management learnings from our customers
Join our experts as they discuss customer workforce management learnings
Blogs & Latest News
Welcome to the FDF Members area
Shift planning and workforce management insight and offers
Blogs & Latest News
Transform Shift Work e-book
A detailed guide to optimising shift work in manufacturing
Blogs & Latest News
FDF Benefits calculator
Find out how optimised shift planning and workforce management could benefit you
Blogs & Latest News
Introduction to Annualised Hours
Our guide to Annualised Hours and Demand-Led Rostering
Blogs & Latest News
Customer story - Premier Foods
Premier Foods saved £1m by designing seasonal shift patterns that better met demand
Blogs & Latest News
Overcoming shift work challenges 1
How optimised shift work can tackle key issues in manufacturing
Blogs & Latest News
Overcoming shift work challenges 2
Exploring how shift work best practice can support change
Events
Future of Shift Work - Best practice and shared learnings from the last 12 months
We share the workforce challenges and learnings faced by many organisations over the past 12 months.
Events
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Return to work by introducing shift patterns
Advice and tips around designing and managing staggered shift patterns in support of your return to work plan.
Events
On-demand webinars
Access a wealth of shift planning, rostering and workforce management insight.
Blogs & Latest News
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Return to work by introducing shift patterns
Advice and tips around designing and managing staggered shift patterns in support of your return to work plan.
Blogs & Latest News
Personnel Today - Helping HR professionals plan safe working during Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Best practice shift pattern design by Robert Crossman as featured in the leading HR title, Personnel Today
Blogs & Latest News
Management Today - Workforce scenario planning around Coronavirus (COVID-19)
We feature in ‘A top-level guide to scenario planning’ published by Management Today
Blogs & Latest News
Shift patterns play a vital role in protecting manufacturing jobs
Read how Working Time Solutions is helping the UK manufacturers with new ways of organising shift work in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Blogs & Latest News
Work after COVID-19 | How will we work in the future?
Listen to our own Rob Crossman on Radio 4’s “You and Yours" Programme on how organisations are adapting to a new way of working.
Blogs & Latest News
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Key workforce management considerations around shift patterns, rotas and rosters
Key workforce management considerations around shift patterns, rotas and rosters during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Blogs & Latest News
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Planning shift work in a crisis
Advice on adapting shift patterns, rotas and rosters to support employee well-being and operational capacity during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Blogs & Latest News
On-Demand Webinar | COVID-19 and Shift Work Challenges
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is placing huge strain on employers and shift workers. Listen to our webinar for some key tips and advice we can offer to meet these challenges
Blogs & Latest News
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Adapting shift patterns, rotas and rosters
Read here about what organisations are telling us…and how we are responding to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis
Blogs & Latest News
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Ways we are supporting service levels and employee well-being
With the uncertainty around Coronavirus (COVID-19), we wanted to ensure all customers and other stakeholders are aware of our plans to support well-being, business continuity, serv...
Blogs & Latest News
New workforce management software contract with Siemens Healthineers
Siemens Healthineers will use WORKSuite® to efficiently schedule the shift patterns and rosters of 270 field and home-based customer service employees
Blogs & Latest News
G-Cloud 12 - WTS confirmed as approved supplier of cloud-based shift planning and workforce management software
Providing rostering, scheduling and compliance software to the public sector
Blogs & Latest News
Food Manufacture article - Helping factory manager’s effectively plan shift working
Rob Crossman features in leading sectoral title Food Manufacture. He explores how to overcome factors in demand volatility and the economic fallout of the pandemic with a regular r...
Blogs & Latest News
Managing change: Overcoming common shift work challenges in Manufacturing
Read our article on overcoming common shift work challenges within the Manufacturing industry
Blogs & Latest News
A brief introduction to Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours
This article looks at Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours and covers strategies to implement and manage this resourcing system
Blogs & Latest News
Exploring a 'new' way of working with Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours
Explore the fundamentals of Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours including how the framework can address issues around productivity, flexibility and employee wellbeing
Blogs & Latest News
10 signs you should consider Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours
Adopting Annualised Hours enables truly responsive Demand-Led Rostering systems to be created
Blogs & Latest News
Overcoming common shift work planning and management challenges in manufacturing
Exploring shared sector pain points and how to address them
Blogs & Latest News
Highlights from the Ambulance Leadership Forum 2019
Highlights from the Ambulance Leadership Forum 2019
Blogs & Latest News
Working Time Solutions views on skills shortages featured in Manufacturing Management
A summary of our article in Manufacturing Management which discusses whether manufacturers’ shift patterns are fit for purpose in tackling staff shortages.
Blogs & Latest News
Ports & Airports - Why continued Brexit uncertainty is pushing workforce planning up the agenda
Workforce planning will be key to avoiding operational problems or capitalising on opportunities.
Blogs & Latest News
On route to optimisation: Transforming shift working for field-based employees
This article explores the benefits optimised shift working delivers for employers and field-based service managers or engineers
Blogs & Latest News
Shifting the dial: Workforce optimisation and regulatory frameworks in Utilities
Creating optimised and flexible shift patterns and rotas could strengthen utilities companies’ RIIO-2, PR19 and AMP7 plans.
Blogs & Latest News
Seasonal shift patterns in manufacturing: Don’t let peak production periods harm your business
Responsive resourcing systems are key to managing cyclical demand efficiently and effectively.
Blogs & Latest News
The importance of cloud software in shift working environments
Major new release brings our specialist workforce planning and management system to the cloud
Blogs & Latest News
Views from the ‘Digital Works for People’ conference 2018
We're proud to have been recognised as delivering one of the most innovative European projects in the 'digitalisation at work’ field
Blogs & Latest News
Increasing predictability with Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours
Organisations which depend on zero hour contracts to meet fluctuating demand need to look at alternative resourcing models
Blogs & Latest News
Rotas that meet demand and employee aspirations will be key to the future of ambulance services
Discussions at the Ambulance Leadership Forum highlighted the importance of engagement and adapting to change
Blogs & Latest News
Managing 24/7 shift patterns for Siemens
WORKSuite® software helps Siemens Healthineers manage 7 days a week operation
Blogs & Latest News
Ambulance Leadership Forum - Time is of the essence
Rosters, rotas, shifts…call them what you will; but resourcing patterns have the potential to influence many of the issues under discussion
Events
Free 1-2-1 specialist clinic for Field Services
Book a free, confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning in field service environments.
Events
Free remote 1-2-1 session
Free 1-2-1 consultation with one of our shift planning and workforce management experts
Events
Free 1-2-1 clinic for Water Utilities
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects for Water Utilities.
Events
Free 1-2-1 clinic for Energy Utilities
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects across Gas & Electric Utilities.
Events
Public Sector Shift Work Clinic
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects across the Public Sector
Events
Manufacturing Shift Work Clinic
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects across manufacturing
Events
Ports Shift Work Clinic
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects for ports and cargo businesses
Events
Distribution Shift Work Clinic
Free 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered countless workforce planning and management projects across distribution
Events
Manufacturing Shift Work Clinic
Free 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered countless workforce planning and management projects for manufacturers
Case Studies
North East Ambulance Service
North East Ambulance Service: Shift patterns to support patient care quality, employee work-life balance productivity and cost savings
Case Studies
Siemens Healthineers
A workforce planning and management solution to help Siemens Healthineers work 7 days a week
Case Studies
South Western Ambulance Service
Helping deliver a highly successful roster review for c.2,500 front-line employees across 96 stations
Case Studies
Maritime & Coastguard Agency
By designing optimised shift patterns, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency could meet variations in demand while reducing labour costs and protecting vital skills
Case Studies
Royal Holloway University of London
Implementing shift planning and workforce management software to plan, execute day-to-day management tasks more easily and empower employees
Case Studies
Premier Foods
One of the UK's largest food manufacturers saved £1m by designing seasonal shift patterns that better met demand...reducing use of overtime and temporary labour
Case Studies
Wales & West Utilities
This utility company modernised shift patterns for 300 emergency engineers to boost efficiency, streamline practices and meet new regulatory requirements
Case Studies
Dublin Airport Authority
Dublin Airport Authority made significant and sustainable payroll savings by designing shift patterns that accurately reflect seasonal demand
Case Studies
Bolton at Home
Creating efficient new 24/7 shift patterns for this social housing provider's call handling and mobile response provision
Case Studies
Car Park Services Ltd
Using our software and consultancy to help this parking and traffic management business design compliant and optimised shift patterns for drivers
Case Studies
PPG
Introducing Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours delivered a wide range of benefits for this manufacturer
Case Studies
Thames Water
This utility company designed new shift patterns to create £10m of efficiencies and meet regulatory demands
Case Studies
Unilever
This food manufacturer's new shift patterns increased efficiency from 55% to 85%, while reducing administration time and boosting staff morale
Case Studies
Emirates Aluminium
New shift patterns prioritise work-life balance for Emirates Aluminium employees
Case Studies
Accolade Wines
This wine distributor implemented a new shift pattern with fully rostered holidays and an allowance of reserve hours to use during seasonal peaks in production
Case Studies
Celtic Manor
This venue removed its over-reliance on agency workers by designing efficient new shift patterns
Case Studies
INEOS
Installing specialist software to provide a comprehensive database for the day-to-day planning, management and monitoring of working time
Case Studies
l'Anson
Implementing new shift patterns allowed this feed manufacturer to flex up during very busy periods and flex down during the quieter summer months
Download your free e-Book: Transforming shift work in Field Services
Download our free e-book supporting the planning and management of shift patterns and flexible working arrangements in field services industry.
Download your free e-Book: Transforming shift work in the Utilities sector
Read our free e-book where we help organisations across the Utilities sector update legacy working practices as demanding customer service targets are to be met on tighter budgets ...
Download your free e-book: Transforming shift work in the Public Sector
Read our free e-book where we help organisations across the Public Sector modernise resourcing models given demand volatility and economic pressures, skills shortages, automation a...
Download your free e-book: Transforming shift work in manufacturing
Read our free e-book where we help manufacturers modernise resourcing models given demand volatility and economic pressures, skills shortages, automation and macro issues such as C...
Download your free e-book: Transforming shift work in ports
Read our free e-Book and see how we can help many ports and cargo businesses modernise their resourcing models and adopt specialist workforce management technology.
Demanding times: Transforming shift work in distribution
Our e-book has been written for distribution businesses. It will help you understand how the planning, management and monitoring of shift work can be the key to overcoming many cen...
A ticking time bomb?...The 'top 10' Working Time risks
Does your approach to managing shift workers put you at risk of punitive fines, lost business or reputational damage?
Workforce optimisation...plugging technology gaps in an airport environment
As passenger numbers increase, airports face significant challenges in ensuring that they have the right amount of staff in place at all times
Healthy…happy…flexible - Using shift patterns to enhance employer brand
The battle for talent feels like it’s turning into a war of attrition
Mind the gap - Overcoming Working Time shortfalls in T&A / ERP systems
Identify where the principal Working Time-related gaps may be in T&A/ERP systems and the common issues this creates
Shifting sands...Brexit's impact on workforce planning and management
We explore the questions Brexit poses around workforce productivity, flexibility and compliance
Smarter not harder...avoiding the trap of excessive working hours
Identify common causes of excessive hours, evidence the impact and look at how to tackle overworking
Weather the storm…preparing the utilities workforce for extreme events
How workforce planning can be used to mitigate risk, increase resilience and maintain compliance
National Living Wage...using shift patterns to offset rising costs
Offsetting rising labour costs through shift pattern design and effective roster management
Solving the puzzle...improving workforce productivity
We look at how organisations can improve their productivity through changes to Working Time
Holiday headaches...planning annual leave for shift workers
Identify common issues, evaluate gross/net hours systems and explore how to maintain productivity whilst accommodating annual leave
All aboard...gaining employee buy-in for a Working Time change
The importance of employee engagement when making changes to Working Time
The great debate...8 Vs 12 hour shift patterns
We look at the 8 vs 12 hr shift debate, explore the advantages and disadvantages of both and help define the best solution for your organisation
Mind your step...managing a workforce during adverse weather
Tips and guidance on how to minimise disruption to the workforce during adverse weather
Hard day's night ...permanent night shifts and the alternatives
Arguments for and against these shift patterns and potential alternatives
Blogs & Latest News
Welcome to Future of Shift Work
Insight and events around best practice shift planning and workforce managment.
Blogs & Latest News
Looking back…looking forward-Sharing customer learnings
Sharing key shift planning and workforce management learnings from our customers.
Blogs & Latest News
Event: Workforce Management learnings from our customers
Join our experts as they discuss customer workforce management learnings
Blogs & Latest News
Welcome to the FDF Members area
Shift planning and workforce management insight and offers
Blogs & Latest News
Transform Shift Work e-book
A detailed guide to optimising shift work in manufacturing
Blogs & Latest News
FDF Benefits calculator
Find out how optimised shift planning and workforce management could benefit you
Events
Future of Shift Work - Best practice and shared learnings from the last 12 months
We share the workforce challenges and learnings faced by many organisations over the past 12 months.
Events
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Return to work by introducing shift patterns
Advice and tips around designing and managing staggered shift patterns in support of your return to work plan.
Events
On-demand webinars
Access a wealth of shift planning, rostering and workforce management insight.
Blogs & Latest News
Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Return to work by introducing shift patterns
Advice and tips around designing and managing staggered shift patterns in support of your return to work plan.
Blogs & Latest News
Personnel Today - Helping HR professionals plan safe working during Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Best practice shift pattern design by Robert Crossman as featured in the leading HR title, Personnel Today
Blogs & Latest News
Management Today - Workforce scenario planning around Coronavirus (COVID-19)
We feature in ‘A top-level guide to scenario planning’ published by Management Today
Blogs & Latest News
Shift patterns play a vital role in protecting manufacturing jobs
Read how Working Time Solutions is helping the UK manufacturers with new ways of organising shift work in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Blogs & Latest News
Work after COVID-19 | How will we work in the future?
Listen to our own Rob Crossman on Radio 4’s “You and Yours" Programme on how organisations are adapting to a new way of working.
Blogs & Latest News
New workforce management software contract with Siemens Healthineers
Siemens Healthineers will use WORKSuite® to efficiently schedule the shift patterns and rosters of 270 field and home-based customer service employees
Blogs & Latest News
G-Cloud 12 - WTS confirmed as approved supplier of cloud-based shift planning and workforce management software
Providing rostering, scheduling and compliance software to the public sector
Blogs & Latest News
Food Manufacture article - Helping factory manager’s effectively plan shift working
Rob Crossman features in leading sectoral title Food Manufacture. He explores how to overcome factors in demand volatility and the economic fallout of the pandemic with a regular r...
Blogs & Latest News
Managing change: Overcoming common shift work challenges in Manufacturing
Read our article on overcoming common shift work challenges within the Manufacturing industry
Blogs & Latest News
A brief introduction to Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours
This article looks at Demand-Led Rostering and Annualised Hours and covers strategies to implement and manage this resourcing system
Events
Free 1-2-1 specialist clinic for Field Services
Book a free, confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning in field service environments.
Events
Free remote 1-2-1 session
Free 1-2-1 consultation with one of our shift planning and workforce management experts
Events
Free 1-2-1 clinic for Water Utilities
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects for Water Utilities.
Events
Free 1-2-1 clinic for Energy Utilities
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects across Gas & Electric Utilities.
Events
Public Sector Shift Work Clinic
Free confidential 1-2-1 consultation with one of our sector experts who’ve delivered workforce planning and management projects across the Public Sector
Case Studies
North East Ambulance Service
North East Ambulance Service: Shift patterns to support patient care quality, employee work-life balance productivity and cost savings
Case Studies
Siemens Healthineers
A workforce planning and management solution to help Siemens Healthineers work 7 days a week
Case Studies
South Western Ambulance Service
Helping deliver a highly successful roster review for c.2,500 front-line employees across 96 stations
Case Studies
Maritime & Coastguard Agency
By designing optimised shift patterns, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency could meet variations in demand while reducing labour costs and protecting vital skills
Download your free e-Book: Transforming shift work in Field Services
Download our free e-book supporting the planning and management of shift patterns and flexible working arrangements in field services industry.
Download your free e-Book: Transforming shift work in the Utilities sector
Read our free e-book where we help organisations across the Utilities sector update legacy working practices as demanding customer service targets are to be met on tighter budgets ...
Download your free e-book: Transforming shift work in the Public Sector
Read our free e-book where we help organisations across the Public Sector modernise resourcing models given demand volatility and economic pressures, skills shortages, automation a...
Download your free e-book: Transforming shift work in manufacturing
Read our free e-book where we help manufacturers modernise resourcing models given demand volatility and economic pressures, skills shortages, automation and macro issues such as C...
Download your free e-book: Transforming shift work in ports
Read our free e-Book and see how we can help many ports and cargo businesses modernise their resourcing models and adopt specialist workforce management technology.