Employee scheduling is a key contributor to employee retention. In our 2024 report on the State of the Hourly Workforce, we found that 46% of hourly employees place scheduling practices as their top priority. They desire gig-like flexibility and schedules that are published well in advance of their upcoming shifts.

Now, more than ever, it’s essential to explore strategies for automation and optimization when crafting schedules that work for everyone. Let’s delve into the impact scheduling has on employee happiness, the advantages of flexibility, and how to generate schedules that meet your business needs and employees’ availability, skills, and preferences.

Employee Scheduling: Why It Matters More Than Ever

Employee scheduling is critical for employee well-being, retention, and productivity. Predictable schedules empower employees to manage personal commitments, whether education, a side hustle, or simply more leisure time.

Prioritizing work-life integration is crucial. A poorly structured schedule increases stress and decreases job satisfaction. This impacts employee morale and, ultimately, your profits. Legion Automated Scheduling enables intelligent automation to create optimal schedules that match business needs with employee skills and preferences 96% of the time.

With Automated Scheduling, employees have more control over their lives with automated self-service shift swaps and shift claims. They can define when, how much, and where they want to work and update their preferences anytime. Legion Automated Scheduling also unburdens managers because it intelligently automates repetitive WFM tasks, such as approving or denying time off requests. And the solution continuously learns and improves from managers’ edits.

The Impact of Unpredictable Schedules

Many hourly workers face unpredictable schedules. Imagine constant last-minute shift changes and unexpected calls to cover. This makes planning childcare, doctor’s appointments, or personal commitments impossible. This unpredictability leads to stress, affecting both the employee and, indirectly, your business operations.

This lack of schedule control leads to burnout and decreased work-life balance. Irregular schedules are also more likely to cause work-family conflict and stress. It’s imperative to protect the well-being of your enterprise’s most valuable asset: your people.

The Rise of Flexibility: A Win-Win for Employers and Employees

In today’s job market, employees value flexibility and the ability to swap shifts. Workers prioritize schedule control and are not afraid to leave their jobs in search of it. This highlights the need for employers to adapt, offering flexibility as a key retention strategy.

Employee scheduling software is essential for managing these demands. Legion WFM features like shift swapping, optimized employee scheduling, and the ability to pick up shifts at locations other than one’s home location contribute to a more desirable workplace.

In addition to hourly workers desiring flexibility, our State of the Hourly Workforce report also found that 50% of managers say that an inability to offer schedule flexibility makes retaining employees more challenging. As you know, the high cost of turnover will always take a big bite out of your bottom line.

Optimizing Schedules: Practices for Employee Satisfaction

While flexibility is key, predictable schedules are just as crucial for a happy team. This balance allows for both employee autonomy and efficient business operation. Legion Workforce Management Software factors employee preferences, skills, and availability to create the best schedule.

When paired with Frontline Communications, you can emphasize respectful scheduling practices and transparent communication. This will ultimately drive higher employee engagement and streamline how hourly workers communicate within your organization.

The True Cost of Poor Scheduling

Effective scheduling impacts your bottom line. Again, poor scheduling can only lead to a high employee turnover rate. Consider a retail store understaffed during rush hour. This has cascading negative effects, including long lines, frustrated customers, and lost sales. This directly impacts revenue and, in the long term, harms your brand’s reputation.

This also extends beyond customer-facing responsibilities. Overstaffing or scheduling unqualified workers leads to unnecessary labor costs and decreased productivity, significantly impacting your bottom line.

Empower Employees with Schedule Flexibility

Employee scheduling is crucial in today’s marketplace. Using new technology, focusing on flexibility, and embracing open communication will cultivate a more productive and happy workforce.

By optimizing scheduling practices, you can improve employee satisfaction while minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency. When you’re ready to balance the scales of employee satisfaction and company revenue, schedule a free demo with us. Together, we will help you reduce labor costs, cut scheduling time in half, and improve employee engagement.