Roster management and a cooperative workforce

In order for a business to succeed, each individual within the business’s workforce has to be able to function in harmony with the workplace environment and especially with the people that they interact with.

Building a cooperative workforce may not be a straightforward task but it can make a huge difference to productivity.

Business, therefore, have to bunker down and resolve to tackle the issues that may be acting as a barrier to building a cooperative workforce. Bridging the gaps that exist with regards to cooperation between teams and departments can help to iron out many problems that (if not adequately addressed) can conspire to bring detriment to a business.

There are a number of intricate aspects that may be contributing to the inability of your workforce to cooperative efficiently. These should not be neglected or taken lightly. Although falling with the domain of the Human Resource department, it should concern the company as a whole as the ability to cooperate effectively can affect every aspect of the business.

In order to tackle issues that may be adversely affecting cooperation within the workforce, a business first has to identify these potential issues or barriers.

Many businesses may overlook a problem that does not seem apparent. These problems may arise from inefficient roster management. You may be suffering from a lack of sufficient staff operating at any given time.

Maybe the best talents are not allocated at the best time slots or maybe the proper amount of attention has not been given to scheduling activities.

The rostering and scheduling of staff should not be taken lightly and if not handled correctly, can lead to a shortage of staff attendance especially during peak periods.

As a result of neglecting proper rostering and scheduling, you may even find yourself in the undesirable situation of having injured or overworked staff.

A roster functions as so much more than a simple list of the number of hours that employees have worked. It is a way of ensuring that each shift is sufficiently staffed and that attendance and leaves are accounted for within your organisation.

Through effective rostering, employees will know what their roles and responsibilities are and by harnessing the power of effective scheduling of staff, you will be able to build teams that enhance each individual member’s capabilities, engineering collaboration and cooperation.

An all-encompassing roster will go hand in hand with other aspects of your HR system and a skilled Human Resource manager will be able to adapt shift schedules to accommodate different employee types and profiles.

If for example, employee A is a people person but employee B works best in private, you can move employee B to the night shift and place him in the kitchen while employee A can be out front handling the day shift and dealing with customers.

Employee C may have certain skills that complement employee D’s and they should, therefore, be placed together, working closely within the same shift…etc.

By upholding a solid and efficient rostering system, a business’s operations can run more smoothly, meeting customers’ demands while encouraging employees to work together towards the business’s common goals.

By moving your employees around strategically, like chess pieces, you will be better equipped to tackle the challenges of day to day operations/activities.

Through effective management of rostering and scheduling activities, you will be able to build a culture of collaboration that gets woven into the fabric of your organization.

Human resource management at its finest can occur when, after some time, you find that your employees naturally adapt towards an environment that has been built towards collaboration and understanding/capitalising on individual strengths and weaknesses.

There are many methods by which you can help enable an efficient staff roster that can help your business succeed. Try sharing different scheduling options with your staff in an open and transparent manner.

In this way, a clear understanding of company goals can be internalised, establishing flexibility in a laid back environment where everyone knows how things should be run.

Think of effective rostering and scheduling as creative endeavors, much like cooking or painting. They require a skillful balancing act to take place and can also function as a means of communicating organisational culture.

By implementing proper rostering and scheduling techniques, staff can feel more productive and motivated as they begin to play an active role in the organisation.

Try filling in busy shifts with more skilled and experienced staff. They can act as guides and mentors to newer recruits and can also ensure that busy shifts have sufficient coverage.

Rostering and scheduling can yield many benefits if done right and can even help you bring about a cooperative workforce.

However, be sure not to violate any employment laws and to be aware of these while you are rostering and scheduling your staff.

Be considerate and make sure that your employees are not overworked. After all, employee burn out benefits no one, especially not you or your organisation.

A smarter HR system for a smarter business: Carbonate helps you keep track of attendance and leaves in your company, and keeps you connected to your staff with its built-in broadcasting and promotion messaging tool. Its employee profiles and HR leave management system meet MOM 2016 Employment Act Amendment requirements. Click here to find out more.