Different Forms of Work Schedule Creation

Introduction

Staff scheduling is very important for any business regardless of its size. Effective scheduling of employees improves the profitability and order of the business. When a shift work schedule is effective, every employee knows where and when they are supposed to work which increases their focus. Effective schedules can be easily designed through an online scheduler app, which ensures that all the tasks in the office are completed in due time.

Moreover, this app allows the employer to designate appropriate tasks for employees that are skilled and experienced enough to tackle them effectively. Managers may group employees in pairs to harbor comradery and harmony in the office environment.

Another pro of a near-perfect shift work schedule is that the employees are scheduled weeks in advance, so there is no communication barrier and employees can plan their lives accordingly to their work schedules to have a good work-life balance.

There are several types of work schedules that vary with the job or organization's structure. The specific type of schedule is usually outlined in the job posting but it is always recommended to confirm with the hiring manager before accepting the offer.

Following are different types of work schedules

Fixed Schedule

As the name suggests, a fixed work schedule usually has a timetable with the same number of working days and hours every week. Normally, this type of schedule tends to remain unchanged for a long time after the employer and employee come to an agreement vis-a-vis the ideal working hours and days in the week.

This type of schedule is the widely used work schedule in today's world although some organizations are now making a shift from it.

A good example of a fixed schedule is a 9 to 5 job on Monday through Friday. Due to the consistency of these schedules, an online scheduler app can easily design these schedules to save the managers' time and effort.

Flexible Schedule

A flexible work schedule is not as rigid as fixed schedules but there are some commonalities. A flexible schedule allows an employer and employees to agree on specific working hours and days of the week.

Depending on the organization's policy, there may be a stipulation of committing to a minimum number of working hours in a week but the schedule is entirely dependent on how the negotiations go between employer and employee.

This type of schedule is fairly popular nowadays because it satisfies the needs and requirements of both employer and employee. A flexible schedule also builds a sense of ownership in the workforce of the organization.

Like fixed schedules, a flexible schedule also varies infinitely but it may look something like this- Tuesday 9 am-12.30 pm, Thursday 8 am- 1 pm, Friday 1 pm to close.

Full-Time & Part-Time Schedules

Full-Time - This type of schedule is the most-used work schedule in multi-national and other large organizations. Full-time shifts are usually a commitment of 37 to 40 hours a week. Owing to the long hours that come with this schedule, employees working full time usually get some benefits like paid vacations, paid sick leave, health insurance, paid maternity and paternity leave, and so on.

Every organization has different preferences with the full-time shift schedules but the most common is 9 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday which comes to a total of 40 working hours every week.

Part-Time - This type of schedule has fewer working hours than other work schedules. Part-time shifts are very flexible which allows part-time employees to tend to other commitments in their lives like attending school.

A perfect example of a part-time shift could be Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 1 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm.

Rotating Schedules

A rotating shift work schedule usually means that employees are cycled to work all shifts (day, swing, night) during the course of work depending upon the workload and activities required for the job. This cycle balances employees' talent and experience throughout different shifts. Working hours are cycled between day shifts (usually 8 am to 4 pm), swing shifts ( 2 pm to 10 pm), and weekend shifts.

These schedules are not as common as other types of work schedules but these are widely used in careers that operate 24/7 like military, hospitals, power plants, etc.

Employees that work rotating shifts may face difficulties in adjusting to new sleeping and eating patterns but on the plus side, they get to spend more quality time with their family.

Regardless of the type of schedule you want to design for your staff, a cloud-based scheduling app is your best bet to get the work done on time and with great ease.

Zip Schedules offers the following useful features that employers find attractive

• Tracking Labor Costs
• Reduces Scheduling Conflicts
• Better communication
• Monitoring the availability of employees