To Buy or Not to Buy- Is Shift Management Software Worth It?

Shift Management Software September 10, 2020

Mary Kate Morrow

Writer

Introduction

Without real time scheduling capabilities, employee turnover is 174% more likely to occur. Shift management software not only provides a reliable real time schedule tool but additional workforce management features.

Benefits of Using Shift Management Software

Shift management software simplifies a variety of business operations ranging from employee scheduling to workforce management. Benefits of using shift management software include-

1. Less human error- Even the best employee will necessarily make errors from time to time. Relying heavily on employees during the scheduling process without proper software will likely result in costly mistakes or even compliance violations.

Shift planning software has built-in alerts that will notify its users of a perceived conflict or error. With the ability to instantly analyze your employee schedule and see issues before they occur, small businesses and large corporations alike can feel secure in their shift scheduling investment.

2. Compatibility with preexisting programs- The best employee scheduling software is compatible with your business's preexisting software programs. Cloud based mobile apps can work in tandem with one another to provide easy use and real time data transfers. Not only does this decrease the labor costs associated with manual data entry, but it also results in less human error.

An employee time clock is an example of a mobile app that would be helpful to integrate with your employee scheduling software. Time tracking software can further supplement your shift planning software to avoid labor costs due to overtime or labor compliance errors.

Workforce management is much less complex when your technology works together. If you are unsure what mobile apps and software programs are compatible, contact the help center for each software company you are considering investing in to request more information.

It is not enough to get verbal confirmation that programs are compatible, you need proof that programs work together effectively. Research customer reviews online and ask the help center for customer success stories in order to follow up with real users about their experience.

Requesting a free trial before purchasing a software program is also a great best practice to test how seamlessly programs work together. If you are experiencing frequent troubleshooting issues during the free trial period, you may want to consider an alternative software program.

3. Easy use and accessibility- The best employee scheduling software not only has easy use capabilities but it is accessible remotely. With an increasingly remote workforce, the ability to access a cloud based platform is more important for your team members than ever before.

Team members can be given real time access to scheduling tools no matter where they are geographically located. As a result, team communication is optimized and labor costs are decreased.

Additional team communication benefits include-

Instant notification of open shifts
Email address and mobile app communication channels
Customer support ticket updates
Shift swapping capabilities

4. Better employee and customer experience- Improper employee scheduling can have severe negative effects on your staff and customers. Understaffing makes it impossible for employees to deliver top notch customer service and can quickly demotivate even the best employee on your staff.

Frequent scheduling mistakes or an unstructured schedule can decrease employee satisfaction levels, employee morale, and employee retention. Employee productivity is also negatively impacted, with employees who report they do not have a well structured schedule estimating they waste 50% of the time they spend at work.

Company culture and the work environment are damaged when team members do not feel they can rely on one another or communicate efficiently. Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, simple communication gaps and scheduling errors can do a lot more damage to your bottom line profitability and employee talent pool than you might think.

What to Look Out for When Choosing a Shift Management Software

With so many shift management software providers available it can be difficult to understand which program is the best fit for your business. Some key indications that a shift management software is right for your business include-

1. Outstanding customer support- Even the best employee scheduling software may have glitches from time to time. However, a great customer support team can make the difference between a full-blown problem that can halt business operations or a minor issue that can be quickly resolved.

Have your human resources team reach out to each software company's customer support line to see how swiftly and sincerely they interact with your business. Research if the company provides real time live chat or prompt email address interactions as options for any time when you are unable to contact their call centers or for when you need help after hours.

2. Innovative technology- Management software should have a mobile app with easy use capabilities and compatibility with preexisting software programs. An employee should be able to access their work schedule and perform functions ranging from volunteering for open shifts to shift swapping with other team members.

Auto scheduling and time tracking can decrease the amount of time your managers spend on menial and stressful tasks. The best shift management software will automate functions and get increasingly more efficient as it learns more about your business operations and patterns.

3. Employee approval- Team members should be provided the opportunity to give input on their comfort and confidence levels using any specific software program before it is implemented on a company-wide level. Additionally, cloud based mobile apps should be thoroughly vetted by your human resources team members before they are invested in.

No matter how innovative and top rated a software program is, it is useless if your team members do not want to engage with it. Finding the best shift management software for your business is well worth the time and energy investment in exchange for the long term productivity and profitability it will provide.