What is automated scheduling?
Automated scheduling is a digital way of managing a company’s workforce. Automated workforce scheduling processes use built-in rules to select the right employee for the job based on certifications, training compliance, schedule availability, and more.
Automated scheduling can handle a high capacity of incoming requests and can integrate into other workforce systems. It takes the manual work out of employee scheduling and allows administrative teams to create schedules, manage leave requests and receive off-duty assignments in a quarter of the time.
Benefits of automated scheduling for public safety employees
Automated scheduling makes the scheduling process as easy as a touch of a button. It saves time and resources, allowing administrative teams to produce fair schedules quickly.
Here are six ways in which automated scheduling increases public safety employee satisfaction.
Equitable shift assignments
With automated scheduling, shifts are assigned to public safety employees based on agency rules. This means, employees are scheduled for shifts based on seniority, training compliance and schedule availability. Automated scheduling removes any chance of bias and ensures every shift is assigned equitably.
Moreover, shift bidding can be a dreaded task for public safety administration teams who use manual scheduling. Many public safety departments use automated shift bidding processes to save on time, cost, and reduce any chance of error. Automated scheduling also ensures a fair shift bidding system, removing any chance of favoritism or bias in the shift assignment process.
24/7 shift coverage
Scheduling for any public safety industry is challenging due to the 24/7 scheduling needs. With manual scheduling, public safety administration teams can have a difficult time ensuring there is 24/7 shift coverage. Automated scheduling removes any chance of scheduling errors, and makes it easy when you need to add new rotating schedules with 24/7 coverage or edit existing ones across groups or individuals.
Quicker leave approvals
Every public safety employee deserves a break. With an automated scheduling system, public safety employees can see quicker approvals for their requested time-off.
An automated leave management system gives your agency streamlined approvals and real-time personnel updates. An automated scheduling system removes the risk of public safety employees going over in their time-off bank or going into a negative balance.
Reduce fatigue issues
Reducing the possibility of fatigue issues is one of the best benefits of an automated scheduling system for public safety employees. Because of their demanding schedules, public safety employees have a high chance of being overworked and experiencing fatigue issues while on shift. Due to the nature of their job, fatigue issues can be a serious problem. Public safety employees need to be alert at all times in order to protect both themselves and the communities they serve.
Automated scheduling systems have built-in scheduling intelligence that can alert schedulers of any potential fatigue issues. Scheduling intelligence will warn administrative teams if they’re creating a schedule that will put any employee at risk. Using InTime as an example, if an agency configures InTime’s software to their agency’s rules, InTime’s scheduling intelligence won’t schedule any employee if they’re overworked, or the time between shifts is too short.
Quicker Scheduling
An automated scheduling system means a quicker scheduling system. Administrative teams can create schedules significantly quicker than if they were to create the schedules manually. Efficient scheduling benefits the entire department, and public safety employees can now be notified of their upcoming shifts much sooner than if the schedule were to be made by pen and paper.
Accurate payroll
Scheduling that integrates with payroll ensures that every employee is paid out accurately. An integrated workforce management system can transfer data to your agency’s chosen payroll system, ensuring every employee is paid on-time.
3 Must-have Automated Scheduling Features for Public Safety Employees
Like many things, not all automated scheduling systems for public safety industries are made equal. When looking for a scheduling system that meets your agency’s needs, there are four must-have features for any organization.
Shift Bidding
Automated shift bidding ensures every employee is eligible for shifts based on your agency’s rules. Shift bidding is typically a tedious task for administrative teams, but by automating the process, administrative teams can allow the software to do the majority of the work.
Automated shift bidding also removes any consequences of perceived favoritism, reduces the possibility of errors and defines sorting sequence based on seniority, preferences and more.
Automated Timekeeping
With automated timekeeping, employee hours, overtime, timebanks, leave and payroll data can be automatically pushed to timesheets and exported to payroll. Not only does automated timekeeping ensure every employee is paid accurately, but it also tracks pay codes in the schedule and automatically applies them to staff time sheets. With automated timekeeping, there’s no more tedious data entry and costly errors.
Overtime Management
Automated overtime management instantly notifies staff of posted overtime assignments. Fast signups ensure overtime shifts are filled instantly. An automated overtime management system also ensures complete transparency and control over overtime management. Your administrative team can configure agency rules into the system to give the opportunity for overtime shifts to anyone who qualifies within your department.
Reap all the benefits of automated scheduling
InTime’s scheduling solution is purpose-built for the public safety industry. It’s an automated platform that’s designed to make scheduling easier for police, sheriff departments, fire, corrections and dispatch. Learn more by contacting one of our product specialists today.
