Here is the report you requested to be completed by March 26 in order to improve schedule writing in the workplace.
It discusses the problems of our manager’s schedule and establishes criteria for selecting the most efficient way for managers to receive their schedule. It then evaluates three possible solutions and offers a recommendation based on the evaluationProblem: Scheduling WritingWhile our business continues to grow and remain strong, our schedule writing abilities for managers is suffering. Lower level managers such as myself often times get confused because many times there are many different schedules we must look at to obtain our full weekly schedule. Often times, two people write two different schedules, which makes things hard.
It is confusing and frustrating and something must be corrected about this for our store to remain strong.Solutions and Alternatives: Schedule WritingWhile the rest of our store has remained strong in many different areas, schedule-writing standards have declined. Often times I see associates arriving to work too early or too late and them being late can be traced back to the way our schedules are put together. Often times our names will be on more than one different schedule for different areas of the store. I have developed three different solutions for this problem that if implemented would address this issue.
Here is a list of my ideas: Letting low level managers create their own schedules, having only one person create the schedule, or having a computer create the schedule based on availability.Establishing Criteria for Selecting a New Scheduling ProcessIn order to create a scheduling process that will work best for the company I have established criteria to go by in evaluating the suggested scheduling process. Below is the list of criteria I have used to help change the scheduling process:1. Effectiveness- most clear and direct way to receive schedule. 2.
Time- fastest way to complete schedule. 3. Cost- purchasing new software and labor. 4. User Friendly-inputting schedules on computer.
Effectiveness All three alternatives will deliver a faster more accurate schedule for all lower level management than the current setup. I could see problems with having associates write their own schedule in that associates may try to take advantage of the system and have conflicts with other associates. Using computer software however would produce a clear fair schedule for all associates.Time The first two alternatives would be timely. Having to wait for many associates or for one to finish their schedule would create a barrier of when all associates may see the final schedule. On the flip side a program will have the schedule ready the same time every week for everyone to see.
Cost The first two alternatives pose no extra cost to the store except for the cost of labor for either choice. There would be a $150 charge for upgrading the beta-scheduling program “KRONOS,” with the third choice.User Friendly The first two alternatives are user friendly for obvious reason. Anyone can pick up a pen and write a schedule out.
The new computer program must be user friendly for it to be utilized as an alternative.Conclusion and RecommendationAlthough the thought of writing your own schedule sounds appealing, in the long run I feel that it will not be fair to all members of management because everyone will only want to work the “good” shifts instead of the “necessary” shifts. Having one person write the schedule for all members would be a better choice than the current one but having to keep track of everyone’s availability would prove to be a huge burden. I feel that paying the extra money for schedule writing software would prove to be a successful tool for writing schedules. The computer could store all employee information and availability and produce a fair and accurate schedule in a timely fashion.
