From hiring and training to performing employee evaluations, managers and business owners are pulled in many directions. In addition to maintaining day-to-day operations, they are also responsible for monitoring and managing budgets. This alone is not an easy task, nor one that can be overlooked. To help lighten their load while also controlling costs, many managers have turned to employee scheduling software. Here are six ways replacing excel spreadsheets and paper schedules with online employee scheduling software helps managers and business owners save time and money.

1. Reduce Time Spent Creating Schedules 
The number one reason most organizations adopt employee scheduling software is to reduce the time spent creating staff schedules. Staff scheduling software eliminates the cumbersome process of drafting new schedules and entering repeating schedule information each time a new schedule is created. That frees up managers' time to focus on other core responsibilities. 

2. Access Real-Time Schedules Anytime, Anywhere
With paper schedules, employees only have access to up-to-the-minute schedules when they are at work. With an online staff scheduling program, the schedule is automatically updated when changes are made, and employees can access them from any mobile device. Some software even notifies employees when their schedule has been affected by a change, so managers don't spend time making calls or sending messages to notify them. They also have peace of mind knowing employees always have the most current schedule information. 

3. Ensure Proper Staffing Levels
Having the right people in the right place is key to productivity. Staff scheduling software allows managers to simply enter their staffing requirements and immediately see whether there are too many or too few employees scheduled by shift, position, or skill. That means no more manual calculations, which can be time consuming and puts the organization at risk for human errors resulting in improper coverage. 

4. Streamline Communication
In addition to instantly communicating schedule changes, employee scheduling software eliminates the time-consuming process of making phone call after phone call to fill open shifts or when there is a need for additional manpower. Some software makes it even easier by giving managers the ability to send messages to one employee, all employees, or a select group of qualified and available employees to quickly reach the right people at the right times. 

5. Simplify Schedule Requests
When employees submit time-off and other schedule requests via email or on paper, the requests are often misplaced or overlooked. Additionally, when shift swaps and cover requests  are done manually, managers spend time reviewing them to determine whether they interfere with staffing needs. Staff scheduling software allows employees to submit requests online, so they are not missed, and managers can quickly see whether the appropriate number of employees are scheduled at all times.

6. Reduce Overtime
Staffing comprises much of an organization's budget. Some scheduling software tracks total hours scheduled, so managers can avoid overscheduling and assign shifts to employees with greater availability. Software that allows managers to share schedules between departments or locations allows them to monitor hours across the entire organization. 

With so many options available, it can be daunting to determine which is the best employee scheduling program for your operation.  When researching software with time and budget factors in mind, look for software that is easy-to-use, and consider the initial investment, as well as monthly and annual cost. Software with flexible pricing ensures you pay only for the services you need. 

Are you interested in learning how ScheduleAnywhere staff scheduling software delivers fast return on investment and can save your operation time and money? Try it free today! 

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