Things usually turn out differently than you think. Once you have successfully set up the staffing schedule, the news of an employee falling ill flutters into the office just at that moment. Now you either have to start all over again or be clever and request digital support! Creating a duty or shift schedule in its entirety, with the factors of qualification, economic efficiency and legal requirements, can hardly be done manually any more. Digitally, it's easy. Software tools such as ZEUS® Staff Scheduling are fast calculators and are also available for last-minute changes to plans. The advantages of using ZEUS® Staff Scheduling, how Time and Attendance and Staff Scheduling are interrelated and why employee self-service is worthwhile are explained in a few steps.

What are the advantages of digital shift planning?
The larger the number of employees, the more difficult it is to coordinate optimal utilisation in shift operations. Particularly in the healthcare sector, extreme situations occur time and again. Often the existing staff has to step in to fill the gaps at short notice. It is not uncommon for staff to work at the limit and be exposed to health risks. Overtime build-up, overworked staff, rising sick leave, high turnover make it difficult for HR managers and tear ever larger holes in staffing levels. In times of a shortage of skilled workers, everyone is aware of how important the human resource is. This valuable asset must be planned for carefully and efficiently. This can only be achieved with the help of an adequate software tool that knows the various influencing factors and compares and coordinates data in real time. Manual planning already reaches its limits when it comes to finding the right qualifications. While it may still be manageable in a small company, the HR manager is overwhelmed in an institution with 100 employees and more. Here, the digital way has a clear advantage. When it comes to the individual time accounts of each employee and these then have to be reconciled with labour law regulations, any other approach is obsolete. Only a duty and shift planning system such as ZEUS® Staff Scheduling can take the lead here.

Why is the integration of time management and planning important?
Time and Attendance and Staff Scheduling are closely linked. Because in principle it always revolves around the time factor. Who can work how much time at what point in time is the basis on which every personnel planning is built. But only modern time management systems such as ZEUS® Time and Attendance brings the workflow into flow and simplify planning. Thanks to the high degree of mobility and flexibility in time recording, employees have direct access to the system and thus the possibility to influence planning according to the situation. Absences or sickness notifications are recorded via an app, such as ZEUS® mobile, or on a PC or tablet and automatically imported into the staff scheduling system. It is immediately apparent in which area the capacity is insufficient. Supervisors, colleagues can react within minutes to close the gap. The ZEUS® Time and Attendance and ZEUS® Staff Scheduling modules therefore interlock and form a communicative network from person to person.

Why should companies rely on Self Services?
More trust, greater flexibility and more self-determination are the basic principles of the New Work trend. Sceptics of the modern work model have been proven wrong. It has been shown that most employees are very much able to take on personal responsibility, which also increases their willingness to perform. When it comes to duty and shift planning, self-service via the shift exchange system offers an enormous advantage. It takes care of many things by itself and saves time and money. As soon as a colleague is absent, the group of employees stored in the system receives a message by email or push message via messenger app. Colleagues can react immediately and decide to step in at short notice. The HR manager has a comprehensive overview at all times and only has to intervene in a few situations. The digital shift exchange model has become very popular because it has a positive effect on the motivation of the workforce and thus strengthens employer branding.