Each year, the United States becomes more productive using the latest technological tools. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 12 of 21 major industries saw productivity increases in 2023.
Employee work schedules are one area that companies look at to increase productivity. With effective scheduling and time management, your business can achieve higher efficiency.
Read on to learn how planning work schedules will maximize product and service output. Explore topics such as how to use schedule management tools when developing employee work plans.
Core Working Hours
Establishing core working hours is an effective way to increase headcount and productivity. This is a period in the middle of the day when all employees must be onsite and working. Unless the employee is on leave, there is no excuse for missing core hours.
This means that employees cannot take lunch or other breaks during these hours. They should avoid making medical appointments around these times.
Many companies set core working hours from 10 am to 3 pm. They may allow for a 30-minute to 1-hour lunch at noon.
This policy intends to maximize productivity. All the company’s brainpower is functioning at the same time and maximizing output. Employee time clock software will help you keep track of core hours.
Flexible Scheduling
Flexible work schedules are popular in the contemporary workforce. Many employees (especially parents) struggle with everyday logistics like school pickups and drop-offs.
Flexible scheduling is a perk for millions of American workers. Here, the expectation is that they put in 40 hours of work per week. There is no set 9 am to 5 pm schedule like there was in the past.
Studies do show that flexible scheduling increases productivity. Employees report higher morale and show more motivation in completing their tasks.
While this is great for employees, it does cause a challenge for the companies that allow it. How do you track hours when employees come and go throughout the week?
The answer is a web-based time clock software. Graphical time cards show by day that the employees hit their 40-hour mark and were present for core hours.
Overtime and Paid Time Off (PTO)
In order to maintain productivity, your company needs to prepare for the ebbs and flow of the work year. This includes times of higher workload, as well as employee overtime.
It also includes holidays and PTO. When an employee takes time off, it can disrupt your operations without proper planning. Employee time clock software can help you identify pockets of PTO and address them proactively.
Your Guide to Planning Effective Work Schedules
Optimized work hours can make or break a company’s productivity metrics. You want the labor force as a whole to operate like a finely tuned machine.
Today’s labor force is experiencing changes like flexible scheduling. To stay current with today’s trends, your company needs the latest technology.
TimeTrakGO offers employee time clock software that will help you optimize your labor force. If you want to learn more about developing and tracking work schedules, contact us at TimeTrakGO to speak with an expert.
