Scheduling Software For Fixed Schedules

Fixed scheduling is a system in which an employee (or an entire team) works set days and set hours for an extended period of time (or permanently).

One of the most common fixed schedules is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break from noon to 1 p.m.

But that’s not the only option. Your business could also choose, for example:

• Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The determining factor is that the schedule doesn’t change from one week or month to the next.

Fixed scheduling can provide the stability and consistency your employees need to perform their jobs better. But is it right for your business?

Consider trying a fixed schedule for a few weeks or a month to see how it goes — you can always switch back if things don’t seem to be working as planned.

However long your trial period, be sure to ask your team which schedule they prefer before making a change.

Implementing fixed scheduling for your team is not as difficult as it sounds.

First, choose the days and hours that you want your fixed schedule to cover (it may be your normal business hours or it may be a subset of those normal business hours).

Second, determine the number of shifts you’ll need to cover the operating hours. For example, if your business needs 24-hour coverage, you may choose to design a fixed schedule of three eight-hour shifts.

Third, decide how long the fixed schedule will last. Many businesses use a month as the standard, but you may choose to go shorter or longer according to your business needs.

Fourth, schedule the number of employees necessary to work each shift.

Finally, distribute the new fixed schedule to your team.

Whether you use fixed scheduling in your business, one of the many other types of schedules available, or you switch back and forth, manage and organize them all with the Sling app.

Sling can help you simplify even the most complicated schedule with powerful tools, including:

• Open shifts that let your employees bid on when they want to work
• Templates that make arranging complicated shifts a one-and-done endeavor
• Budget and overtime restrictions that prevent you from exceeding the numbers your business needs to thrive
• Automated notifications that reveal overlapping shifts and double-bookings in real time
• Reminders that keep time-off, availability, and shift-trade requests visible while you schedule
• Integrations that can help you manage all of your work from a single easy-to-use platform
• Task management that allows you to assign and delegate jobs per shift or employee
• Built-in time clock that can help team members accurately track employee work time from anywhere
• Employee document tracking
• And more

Try Sling for free and get the resources you need to help you create a fixed scheduling program, manage your business better, and track and calculate labor costs.