The success of any business depends on how happy the employees are – and the right work schedules play a big role in that! Appropriate work schedules can help employees have a healthy work-life balance, which has a positive impact on their productivity. Effective work schedules equip managers to assign tasks to team members based on their skills and experience, who can then complete work more efficiently. Resource management software comes with scheduling tools that allow managers to share work schedules with their teams in advance. They can also keep track of the number of hours a resource is working, thus avoiding schedule clashes as well as over- or under-utilization of resources. With the right schedule, resources work more productively and keep the business profitable.

Work Schedules – What are they?

A work schedule defines the number of hours, timings, and days of the week a resource will work. Well-organized work schedules ensure that there is always adequate staff available to finish the tasks assigned to them. Managers also use schedules to make sure that no team member is over- or under-worked. Schedules may change on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis – managers need to post these well in advance so that their team members are kept informed.

Not all businesses can work on the same schedule. Different industries need different types of work schedules. Some require fixed timings, while others may work on flexible or shift timetables or may require overtime. Hiring managers should ideally spell out the expected schedules at the time of onboarding prospective employees.

Why is it Important for Businesses to have Work Schedules?

Businesses run on resources and human resources are the most valuable asset for any organization. Managers must create and maintain a consistent timetable – team members must know when they’re scheduled to work. A reliable schedule will ensure the following:

• Increased productivity: Structured timeframes help team members achieve set goals more efficiently. Managers can also keep track of how much time resources are spending on assigned tasks and know if someone is underperforming or reporting late.

• Lower employee turnover: Set schedules to keep team members in the loop of their work commitments. They make it easier for employees to maintain a work-life balance, which gives them job satisfaction and greater loyalty to the company.

• Improved staffing or resourcing: Managers can ensure that there is always adequate staff available with proper scheduling.

• Efficient payroll management: Managing payrolls is more streamlined with clearly defined rosters. These records are also necessary for the business to comply with various regulations.

Types of Work Schedules to Choose From

There are numerous types of work schedules an organization can adopt – depending on the industry and the nature of the business it is engaged in. Let’s talk about the various kinds of work schedules – some are similar with subtle differences.

1. Traditional or standard: These are typical banker’s hours with a Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm kind of schedule – a popular choice for traditional businesses. There is a regular work week with no work scheduled on weekends or holidays. Resource scheduling software is the  simplest here and employees know exactly when they’re expected to be at work.

2. Fixed: There are set days and hours, but work timings may vary a bit, e.g. they may be 10 am to 6 pm or Tuesday to Saturday. Scheduling and long-term planning are still simple for resource managers as schedules remain the same consistently.

3. Full-time: Employees work 37-40 hours a week, which may be spread across a 5-day, 5.5-day, or 6-day week. The total number of hours worked is counted. This ensures steady work for the employee and constant staffing for the employer. But getting someone to work overtime can sometimes be difficult and expensive in this scenario.

4. Compressed: Employees work the standard 37-40 hours a week but on fewer days, e.g. they may work 10 hours a day for 4 days a week. Resource scheduling is uncomplicated as hours are fixed and employees get more personal time.

5. Part-time: Employees work fewer hours here than in a full-time schedule. They could work a few hours a day or only for 2-3 days a week. Managers need to sort through the different staff members  available and create schedules that give everyone work as per their designated number of weekly hours. Popularly used by cafes or restaurants.

6. Shift: Staff usually work irregular hours – they may start very early or finish late. Students or those who have other personal commitments prefer shift hours. This type of schedule is common in businesses that are open for over 10 hours a day.

7. Rotating: Usually for shift work where employees work different shifts each week, or even daily. Scheduling can be time-consuming, but certain professions like healthcare, police, etc. need this type of work schedule.

8. Dupont shift: This consists of two 12-hour shifts with four different teams. This schedule is popular with organizations like hospitals, police stations, etc that run 24x7.

9. Split: The daily work hours are split across two time slots, e.g. an employee could work for 4 hours in the morning, have 4-5 hours off, and then work another 4 hours. While it gives employees more personal time between shifts, this kind of schedule can be stressful and tiring.

10. Freelance: There are no fixed hours or days; instead, freelancers can choose their hours of work at their convenience as long as they meet the given deadline. While it doesn’t give managers total control over the number of hours an ‘employee’ works, it gives them the flexibility to hire skills for specialized tasks at a lower cost to the company. 

11. No Set: Similar to freelance but the work must be done in the office. Employees have no set number of hours – they have specific assignments to complete in a given timeframe and they can choose when and how much time they want to finish their tasks. 

12. Flexible: Employees work at the office for a set number of hours and then do the rest of the work at the time and place of their choice. Coordinating group meetings can be challenging, but it is an excellent benefit for the employees.

13. Alternate or substitute: These work schedules are for temporary workers hired to cover for contingencies like maternity leaves, sick leave, etc.

14. Unpredictable or irregular: Work hours change from week to week, making for extra work for scheduling managers and erratic time off for employees.

15. Seasonal: This type of schedule is used by businesses that need extra workers only for some months of the year like during harvest, festive holidays, or tourist season. Hiring and scheduling managers need to put in extra work for recruiting and training seasonal employees.

16. On-Call: Managers can call employees for work at any time of the day or night under this schedule – these usually work on a rotational basis so no one team member has to work all the time. This type of work schedule is common for doctors and other emergency service personnel.

17. Overtime: This schedule is for working more than the set number of hours a week. Sometimes a few employees may need to work extra hours for a rush job or to meet a deadline. Managers like to avoid this as overtime pay is significantly higher.

Creating Effective Work Schedules with Resource Management Software 

Managers design work schedules that suit their business’s needs. Resource planning software like eResource Scheduler eases the process of managing resources and creating work schedules. eRS gives managers the flexibility to schedule resources on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis, depending on the type of task assigned. Gantt charts and comprehensive filters give a real-time view of existing schedules, employee time-off, and available resource skills. The drag-and-drop feature makes assigning, adding, and reassigning tasks a breeze, whereas scheduling charts help in creating recurring work schedule types. eRS also comes with a resource overload indicator which prevents schedule clashes by alerting managers when a resource is overbooked. This platform also allows managers to share work schedules easily with their team members. Do ask for a free trial for a demo of how eRS can help your business create effective work schedules.