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
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Overcome the headache of multiple spreadsheets & limitations of existing systems by using cloud software specifically designed
to optimise shift-based working.
The product of over 25 years' experience,WORKSuite® features powerful shift pattern design, scheduling, roster management, T&A, compliance & analytics tools.
It provides a single, secure database of all working time information that integrates seamlessly with other finance, HR and workforce management systems, feeding them accurate data in real time.
Explore the functions & benefits of WORKSuite®:
Design optimised shift patterns that support productivity & employee wellbeing
Functions:
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Cover graph provides visibility over labour demand & supply
-
Powerful algorithm finds optimal shifts based on your needs
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Automated design creates multiple shift patterns in seconds
Gain immediate visibility & control over all aspects of scheduling
Functions:
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Intelligent search to quickly identify, check & assign employees
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Integrated database can store & recall infinite shift patterns or rotas
-
Scheduling tools to easily & accurately update rotas
Make handling exceptions quick, easy & accurate:
Functions:
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Easy configuration to meet your specific needs
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Automated processes to efficiently manage time & attendance, holidays, absences & shift swaps
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Real time data and built-in checks to flag gaps, clashes & inconsistencies
Empower your workforce with myTIME self-service:
Functions:
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Enable employees to check holiday availability, request time off & organise shift swaps
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Communicate decisions & changes efficiently & effectively
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Secure & accessible from employee’s own devices (smartphone, tablet, desktop)
Maintain compliance with Working Time Regulations & other legislation or policies
Functions:
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Automatic generation of compliance warnings
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Fail-safe mechanisms to stop potential breaches
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A single, secure database of all working time information
Make decisions based on live, accurate working time data
Functions:
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APIs seamlessly feed HR, T&A, Payroll & ERP systems with accurate data
-
Interactive dashboards provide instant access to key information, custom reports & statistics
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Powerful analytics tools support workforce strategy & planning
Shift Pattern Design
WORKSuite® features
unique shift pattern design tools that aren’t available in other workforce planning & management software:
- Harness our powerful algorithm to calculate your organisation's optimal shift patterns.
- Design custom patterns based on demand variables & custom-defined preferences.
- Quickly identify gaps, compliance issues, fatigue risk or other concerns.
- Visualise the impact of shift changes using an interactive interface.
- Accurately factor in volatility & exceptions (e.g. events, holidays).
- Generate calendars which illustrate a sequence of shift patterns over time.
- Use unlimited shift lengths & durations to build seasonal or standby/call-in patterns and incorporate rest/meal breaks.
- Execute ‘what if’ scenario modelling & easily experiment to find optimised solution.
Use the shift pattern design tools in WORKSuite® to create innovative, flexible shift patterns that improve productivity & appeal to employees.
The visual, interactive software can also be used to engage employees...giving you a tool to co-design shift patterns that balance the needs of your organisation & its shift workers.
The capabilities of our technology can be further enhanced through a specialist shift pattern design consultancy service that will help you devise & implement optimal solutions.
You can learn more about Shift Pattern Design here.
Rota Scheduling
WORKSuite® executes day-to-day shift worker scheduling tasks easily, consistently & accurately
in the cloud:
- Access live roster information to quickly gain a detailed & accurate picture of cover, overtime, TOIL, flex and reserve.
- Use intelligent search to identify the best source of cover & assign teams with the right combination of skills to specific roster lines (multiple skill profiles, primary skill markers etc).
- Harness real-time modelling to compare multiple roster patterns & re-optimise schedules in line with demand & labour supply.
- Assess rosters, monitor variations, examine cover delivered & pinpoint potential staff shortages before they arise.
- Give managers /supervisors an immediate understanding of employees’ status & availability through the master calendar.
- Store /recall an infinite number of different shift lengths, patterns & rosters from the integrated database.
The comprehensive rota scheduling tools in WORKSuite® provide immediate visibility and control over
key aspects of shift-based workforce planning and management.
Those responsible for day-to-day administration and tactical planning will find it automates many time-consuming
and frustrating processes and ensures scheduling is responsive to change.
Time & Absence Management
WORKSuite® makes handling exceptions quick, easy & accurate:
- Comprehensive automation of time & attendance data collection & conversion of worked hours for payroll.
- Automated processing of working time records & generation of attendance exceptions from across all devices & locations.
- Keep full records for each employee by recording all hours & exceptions to their planned rota.
- Track balances in real time (holiday accounts, hours worked, overtime, sickness, training, skill expiry and more), set thresholds & trigger alerts / reminders.
- Rely on the system to support decision making by flagging gaps, clashes, inconsistencies, issues & by generating insightful reports (e.g. Bradford Factor).
- Easily customise the software to meet your organisation’s specific time & absence requirements, rules & processes.
WORKSuite®'s streamlined holiday & absence management workflow replaces the duplication
& inefficient recording processes associated with maintaining spreadsheets or multiple systems.
The transparency & control it gives you means you can monitor variations, assess cover, check balances &
confidently reschedule resources in real time.
Employee Self-Service
WORKSuite® myTIME app enables employees to make changes to their shift patterns & rotas
through their own devices (mobile, tablet, desktop):
- Give employees visibility over shift patterns, overtime, time banks & holiday availability.
- Enable individuals within a team to request holidays or overtime/additional hours & to swap their shifts through shift bidding.
- Communicate changes, notifications & updates to individuals or groups in real time via SMS, email or intranets / internal social networks.
- Set parameters to ensure changes are compliant & maintain adequate cover (demand data, contracted hours, wider regulatory requirements etc).
- Automated workflow makes checking & authorisation simple, quick & accurate
- Tailor what requests employees can submit, data they can view & actions they can take. Set permission levels for managers, supervisors & employees.
- Rely on the system to maintain accurate, up-to-the-minute records by automatically updating the central database with authorised changes.
The myTIME employee self-service app in
WORKSuite® reduces your administrative burden
& empowers shift workers to co-manage their shift patterns and rotas via the cloud.
The secure, intuitive interface is optimised for mobile devices. Provide your shift workers with a level of control that supports engagement, whilst also maintaining the integrity & accuracy of your working time data.
You can learn more about Employee Self-Service here.
Demo WORKSuite®
Compliance checks
WORKSuite® helps mitigate risk & maintain compliance with regulations, legislation or policies:
- Gain instant visibility over compliance & identify employees at risk of breach.
- Risks are flagged automatically & actions can be blocked if they may result in a breach.
- Quickly produce a comprehensive digital audit trail when required.
- Check real time adherence, including clocking in /out & breaks.
- Configurable to incorporate custom best practice & compliance (sector-specific standards).
- Maintain a single, secure, GDPR-compliant database of all working time information.
The comprehensive compliance tools in WORKSuite® ensure you can check, maintain & improve compliance with Working Time Regulations & other legislation.
Its warnings and fail-safe checks will help you support employee wellbeing & avoid punitive fines or reputational damage.
Demo WORKSuite®
Integration & Analytics
WORKSuite® has powerful integration & data analytics functions to support decision making
& other workforce systems:
- Real-time access & analysis of all key working time data.
- Customise interactive dashboards to instantly view the information you need.
- Use APIs to seamlessly feed HR, T&A, Payroll & ERP systems with accurate, live working time data.
- Easily generate working time reports & statistics at all levels (organisation-wide…right down to individuals), over any time period & for specific types of variance
- Harness accurate, detailed records for each employee stored in the personnel database.
- Overlay data with HR / ERP systems to create a comprehensive picture.
- Track key metrics (e.g. holidays taken and/or remaining, training, overtime, absence, reserve hours, time off in lieu) & use to inform workforce strategy, planning & management decisions.
The integration, analytics & reporting tools in WORKSuite® ensure that essential management information can be harnessed quickly & easily via the cloud.
Use its insights to ensure your decisions relating to workforce optimisation & employee wellbeing are based on the intelligent analysis of accurate, current data.
You can learn more about ERP & T&A integration here.
Demo WORKSuite®
Configuration, Implementation & Cloud
WORKSuite® is flexible &
can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud. It is easily configured, quickly implemented & uses API technology
to seamlessly integrate with other workforce systems.
Cloud deployment removes the need for servers, software installation, infrastructure maintenance & significant up-front
costs. Risk is reduced, costs are managed, & you’ll see benefits sooner:
- Easily tailored to organisation-specific work rules, internal policies etc.
- Avoid costly errors by automatically supplying payroll with accurate, up-to-the-minute information.
- Feed accurate working time information via API to your existing payroll, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Time & Attendance (T&A) or HR reporting systems.
- Can be tailored to suit low complexity environments as well as the most demanding & dynamic organisations (multi-user, multi-site, multi-territory etc).
WORKSuite® helps unlock the value of your investment in other systems by providing advanced shift planning, scheduling & management capabilities via the cloud.
It harnesses modern, proven technologies to ensure it can be configured, implemented & integrated quickly…so you can get
on with optimising your shift-based workforce.
Demo WORKSuite®
Security
WORKSuite® features class-leading security to minimise data-related
compliance and security risks:
- A Security Control Protocol based on best practice methodologies & international standards.
- Extensive Access Control System with encrypted storage of passwords & role-based access restrictions controlled by administrators.
- Additional layer of login security through Multi-Factor Authentication.
- All hosting services are ISO 27001: 2013 certified & use a co-location service to provide high availability.
- Custom retention, access and alert policies and produce full audit trails.
You can do away with insecure & inconsistent spreadsheets or paper trails as WORKSuite® provides a single, secure database of all working time.
Rely on our software’s sophisticated technical & physical controls to maintain security & prevent unauthorised access to sensitive workforce information.
Demo WORKSuite®
Usability & Support
WORKSuite® is flexible & powerful but has a simple to use interface
& is supported by a team of technical & subject matter experts:
- Get up & running quickly with simple, remote configuration requirements.
- Use the software on desktop & mobile devices, anywhere in the world, any time of the day.
- 24/7/365 access to class-leading support & persistent monitoring to guarantee service uptime & service patch levels.
- Managers, shift planners & staff benefit from an intuitive, streamlined interface that is simple, logical & delivers great user experience.
- Tailor apps, tools & functions to your requirements & add more as and when you need them.
You will always be on the latest & best version as WORKSuite® automatically
upgrades via the cloud.
Naturally you will also benefit from an ongoing development programme that’s shaped by customers & our own consultants,
who bring a wealth of insight across key sectors.
This ensures we regularly introduce powerful & highly valuable new functionality, so you can continuously improve how
you plan, manage & monitor your shift workers.
Book a free 1-2-1 consultation at our Shift Planning Clinics
Consult free with experts in working time, shift pattern design & workforce planning & management
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We're proud to have been recognised as delivering one of the most innovative European projects in the 'digitalisation at work’ field
Events
Emergency Services Roster Review Seminar: Sharing best practice
Build your knowledge around designing, implementing and managing demand-led rosters
Events
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The UK's leading event on optimising shift work - 16th May 2019
Events
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Free 1-2-1 consultation with our leading workforce planning and management consultants
Events
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Develop your understanding of fatigue, share risk management experiences, discuss challenges & create solutions
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Siemens Healthineers
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Case Studies
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