In this blog, we will explore the impact of second shifts on workers’ physical and mental health, as well as their personal and professional lives.

What is Shift Work? 

Shift work refers to a work schedule in which employees work in rotating shifts or different periods of the day and night. This type of work schedule is common in industries that operate 24 hours a day, such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, hospitality, and emergency services.

Shift work involves dividing the day into several periods or shifts, with each shift typically lasting between six and twelve hours. For example, a typical shift schedule could include three eight-hour shifts that rotate every week, with one week working during the day shift, one week working the night shift, and one week working during the second shift.

Shift work can be challenging for employees as it can disrupt their sleep patterns, social life, and overall well-being. Working at odd hours may also result in increased stress and fatigue, which can affect job performance and safety. Additionally, shift workers may have difficulty balancing their work and personal responsibilities, such as caring for children or attending family events.

Despite its challenges, shift work is essential for many industries, and some employees may prefer this type of schedule due to its flexibility and the potential for shift differentials or other benefits. Employers may also implement measures to support their shift workers, such as providing flexible scheduling, additional rest breaks, and opportunities for training and development.

What is a Second Shift? 

A second shift, also known as the evening shift, is a work schedule that typically occurs in the late afternoon or early evening and ends late at night. The exact timing of a second shift may vary depending on the industry and employer, but it usually falls between the hours of 4 pm and midnight.

Workers on second shifts may have different responsibilities depending on their job, but they generally perform tasks that are required during non-traditional hours, such as in healthcare, hospitality, retail, or emergency services. For example, a nurse or a healthcare worker may work a second shift to provide care to patients who need it outside of regular business hours. Similarly, workers in the hospitality or retail industries may work a second shift to accommodate customers who prefer to shop or dine in the evening.

What are the Benefits of Working the Second Shift? 

Flexible Schedule

second shifts may offer more flexibility than traditional 9-to-5 jobs, allowing workers to balance their personal and professional responsibilities during the day.

Higher Pay

Some employers may offer higher pay for second shifts, particularly in industries where evening work is in high demand or requires specialized skills.

Less Traffic

second shifts often coincide with less traffic, making it easier for workers to commute to and from work.

Quiet Work Environment

Depending on the industry and job, second shifts may offer a quieter work environment with fewer distractions and interruptions.

Ability to Work Two Jobs

Besides higher wages, second-shift work provides several work-life balance benefits. If you want to work a second job, then the second shift leaves you free to work for another employer during office hours or the early morning shift.

Night Owls Unite

Not everyone has the same Circadian rhythm, and night owls may find it hard to wake up early for a traditional 9 to 5 job. With a second shift, they get the opportunity to sleep in and work in the hours where they’re most productive. 

What are the Drawbacks of Working the Second Shift? 

Disrupted Sleep Patterns

second shifts may require workers to stay up late and work during their natural sleep time, which can lead to fatigue, sleep disturbances, and other health issues.

Limited Social Life

second shifts can interfere with social activities and family time, making it challenging for workers to maintain a work-life balance.

Safety Concerns

Depending on the industry and job, second shifts may come with safety risks such as working alone at night or working in high-stress environments.

Reduced Access to Services

Workers on second shifts may have limited access to services such as healthcare, childcare, and public transportation, which may be less available during non-traditional hours.

Physical and Mental Health Risks

second shifts can lead to physical and mental health issues such as obesity, depression, and anxiety due to disrupted circadian rhythms and social isolation.

How can Employers Help Those Working The Second Shift?

Offer flexible scheduling options

Employers can offer flexible scheduling options such as job sharing, split shifts, and compressed workweeks to help employees balance their work and personal responsibilities.

Provide adequate training

Employers can provide employees with adequate training and resources to help them adjust to working the second shift and to minimize safety risks.

Offer fair compensation

Employers can offer fair compensation for second-shift work, including differential pay or other benefits, to compensate for the challenges that come with working non-traditional hours.

Provide support for health and well-being

Employers can provide support for employee health and well-being, such as access to healthcare services, wellness programs, and mental health resources.

Ensure workplace safety

Employers can take steps to ensure workplace safety for employees working the second shift, including adequate lighting, security measures, and protocols for emergency situations.

Create opportunities for professional development

Employers can create opportunities for professional development and career advancement for employees working the second shift. These can include tailor-made schedule-oriented training programs, mentorship opportunities, and networking events.

Incentivize shift replacements

Create an incentive program to encourage day shift employees to help on the second shift so you have more people to cover if someone has to take off sick.

Keep shifts consistent

A second shift is challenging enough, introducing rotational shifts can make their lives harder to plan. Try to keep shift timings as consistent as possible so that employees are able to have a better work-life balance. 

What are the other Common Types of Shift Schedules? 

• Day Shift: This is the most common type of shift and typically runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Night Shift: This shift typically runs from around 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Split Shift: This shift involves working two separate shifts in a day, with a break in between. For example, a worker might work from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and then return to work from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Rotating Shift: This shift involves working different shifts on a rotating basis, such as working days for a week, then evenings for a week, and then nights for a week.
• On-Call Shift: This shift requires workers to be available for work at any time, often with short notice.
• Overtime Shift: This shift involves working beyond one’s regular shift or schedule, usually to meet a specific deadline or due to a sudden surge in workload.
• Weekend Shift: This shift involves working on weekends, which are typically considered off-days for most workers.
• Part-Time Shift: This shift involves working fewer hours per week than a full-time worker, usually less than 35 hours.
• Flex Shift: This shift allows workers to choose their start and end times within a set range of hours, giving them more flexibility in their work schedules.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, second shifts can be a viable option for those who are looking for a non-traditional work schedule or who need a more flexible work-life balance. While it may take some time to adjust to working during the evening hours, there are benefits to this type of shift, such as higher pay rates, a quieter work environment, and fewer distractions. However, it’s important to note that second shifts can also have their challenges, such as a lack of social interaction and difficulties in maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Ultimately, the decision to work an evening shift should be based on individual needs and circumstances.

The post Why is a Second Shift Important? appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

In this article, we will explore the best practices for creating and managing 24/7 shift schedules that work for both employees and the business.

Process to Create 24 Hour Schedules

Understanding the Needs of Your Workforce

The first step in creating effective 24/7 shift schedules is to understand the needs and preferences of your workforce. Each employee has unique circumstances, such as family obligations, transportation constraints, and personal preferences, that can affect their availability and willingness to work at certain times. As a manager, it is your responsibility to take these factors into consideration when creating shift schedules.

One way to gather this information is to conduct a survey or hold individual meetings with your employees. Ask them about their preferred shift times, commute times, and any other factors that may impact their availability. This will allow you to create schedules that are more accommodating to your employees’ needs, which can improve their job satisfaction and reduce employee turnover.

Using Scheduling Software

Once you have gathered the necessary information from your employees, it’s time to start creating the schedules. In today’s digital age, there are many software solutions available that can streamline the scheduling process and reduce errors. These solutions can help you create schedules more efficiently, and allow employees to view their schedules online, swap shifts, and receive notifications about any changes.

Some of the features that you may want to look for in scheduling software include:

• Shift templates: This allows you to create recurring shift patterns for specific roles, which can save time and reduce errors.
• Automated scheduling: This feature uses algorithms to generate schedules based on the availability and preferences of your employees, which can further reduce errors and save time.
• Availability tracking: This allows employees to indicate their availability for each shift, which can help you create more accurate schedules.
• Mobile app: A mobile app can allow employees to access their schedules and make changes from their smartphones, which can be especially convenient for employees who work irregular schedules.

By using scheduling software, you can create schedules that are more accurate, efficient, and convenient for your employees.

Accounting for Break Times

When creating 24/7 shift schedules, it’s important to ensure that your employees receive adequate break times throughout their shifts. Depending on the laws and regulations in your area, employees may be entitled to rest periods and meal breaks, which can vary depending on their shift length.

As a manager, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your employees receive these breaks, and that they are scheduled in a way that allows for smooth operations. This may require some creative scheduling, especially if you have a large workforce and limited resources.

One solution is to stagger break times throughout the day, so that only a portion of the workforce is on break at any given time. This can help prevent bottlenecks and ensure that there are enough employees available to keep operations running smoothly.

Maintaining Open Communication

Open communication is crucial when managing shift schedules, especially when it comes to notifying employees of any changes or updates. As a manager, you should encourage your employees to communicate with you about any concerns they may have regarding their schedules.

In addition to regular communication with your employees, you may want to provide clear instructions on how to report absences, request time off, and swap shifts. This can help prevent scheduling conflicts and ensure that you have enough staff available to cover all shifts.

You may also want to consider implementing a system for employees to provide feedback on the schedules. This can help you identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to the schedules as needed.

Monitoring Effectiveness

Once you have created your 24/7 shift schedules and communicated them to your employees, it’s important to monitor their effectiveness over time. This can help you identify any issues or areas for improvement, and make adjustments as needed.

Some of the metrics that you may want to track include:

• Attendance: This can help you identify any patterns of absenteeism or tardiness, which can impact your operations.
• Productivity: Tracking productivity can help you identify any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in your operations.
• Employee satisfaction: Employee satisfaction is an important metric to track, as it can impact turnover rates and overall morale.

By monitoring these metrics, you can identify any issues with the schedules and make adjustments to improve their effectiveness.

Adjusting Schedules as Needed

Even with careful planning and monitoring, there may be times when you need to adjust your 24/7 shift schedules. This can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as employee absences, changes in demand, or unforeseen events.

When making schedule adjustments, it’s important to communicate these changes to your employees as soon as possible. This can help prevent confusion and ensure that all employees are aware of any changes to their schedules.

One way to make schedule adjustments is to offer overtime to employees who are available and willing to work. This can help ensure that you have enough staff available to cover any unexpected shifts or demand increases.

Another option is to allow employees to swap shifts with their colleagues. This can help prevent scheduling conflicts and ensure that all shifts are covered without the need for overtime.

What are 24 Hour Schedule Pattern Examples?

There are several different schedule patterns that businesses can use when implementing 24-hour schedules. Here are a few examples:

2-2-3 Schedule

This schedule pattern is often used in industries that require round-the-clock operations, such as healthcare and manufacturing. The alternating day and night shifts can help employees adjust to working at different times of day and can help ensure that there is always coverage on the job. The three-day weekend can also be beneficial for employee work-life balance and can help reduce fatigue and burnout.

4-on, 4-off Schedule

This schedule pattern is popular in industries that require 24/7 operations, such as emergency services, transportation, and utilities. The long work shifts can be challenging, but the extended time off can provide employees with a chance to rest and recharge. Additionally, the fixed schedule can help employees plan their personal lives around their work schedule.

DuPont Schedule

The DuPont schedule involves alternating between day and night shifts every few days, which can be challenging for some employees. However, the extended days off every two weeks can be a major benefit for employee work-life balance. This schedule can also be beneficial for businesses that require coverage around the clock, but do not need employees to work 12-hour shifts.

Pitman Schedule

The Pitman schedule is often used in industries that require continuous operations, such as call centers and customer service. The three consecutive work days followed by three consecutive days off can provide employees with a predictable routine and can help reduce fatigue and burnout. However, some employees may find it challenging to switch back and forth between work and off days every few days.

Continental Schedule

This schedule pattern involves working three 12-hour shifts in a row, followed by three days off. This schedule is often used in industries such as healthcare and manufacturing, where continuous coverage is needed. The extended days off can be beneficial for employee work-life balance and help reduce the risk of burnout. However, some employees may find it challenging to work such long shifts. Businesses may need to provide additional support, such as breaks and ergonomic workstations, to help employees manage the physical demands of the job.

Conclusion

Creating effective 24/7 shift schedules requires careful planning, communication, and monitoring. By understanding the needs and preferences of your workforce, using scheduling software, accounting for break times, maintaining open communication, monitoring schedule effectiveness, and adjusting schedules as needed, you can create schedules that work for both employees and the business.

Implementing these best practices can help improve productivity, reduce employee turnover, and ensure that your business is able to operate smoothly around the clock. Creating and managing 24/7 shift schedules is challenging but these guidelines can create effective and efficient schedules for your business.

The post How To Create 24 Hour Schedules? appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

But what happens in industries with varying and extremely long opening hours? Inadequate rest and irregular schedules can make for an extremely cranky team. There are shift types that can help space out longer shifts with longer breaks to ensure that employees are well-rested for their next stint.

A 2-2-3 work schedule is a type of shift that can help and we’d like to dive into what it is and how it can be implemented.

What is a 2-2-3 Schedule?

The 2-2-3 work schedule is a 28-day rotating shift cycle where employees work 12-hour shifts, where 4 teams:

• Work 2 days
• Rest 2 days
• Work 3 days

Throughout the month, this is repeated weekly, but in a rotation. The first week is as mentioned above, and the next cycle starts with 2 rest days, 2 work days, and 3 rest days. Every fortnight, teams also swap their day shifts for night shifts so the shifts are inherently rotational.

The 2-2-3 schedule ensures that coverage is complete and employees are also getting 50% time during the fortnight to rest completely.

Sounds just a little confusing? Here is a visual that can help.

How Many Hours is a 2-2-3 Schedule?

Each shift in a 2-2-3 schedule is 12 hours long and is generally rotated every 15 days.

Source

Which Companies Use a 2-2-3 Shift Schedule?

A lot of businesses with 24×7 requirements opt for the 2-2-3 shift schedule. With our research, we’ve been able to find the following:

Amazon

According to Amazon Jobs, the organization has a split day and night shift during the week. Amazon splits their shifts into 12-hour shifts spaced into a day shift starting at 0600 hours and ending at 1700 hours and a night shift starting at 1700 hours and ending at 0600.

To make such a schedule operational, they use a modified 2-2-3 work schedule variation.

Google

In the post-pandemic world, businesses are also using modified variations of this shift schedule for hybrid work. For instance, in May 2021 Google CEO Sundar Pichai went into detail about their 3/2 split model. “A workforce where around 60% of Googlers are coming together in the office a few days a week, another 20% are working in new office locations, and 20% are working from home.”

This sort of split provides flexibility for employees while allowing for in-person collaboration in the office. This sort of hybrid work split allows interpersonal interactions that contribute to team building while still allowing flexibility that employees have come to enjoy with remote work.

2-2-3 Schedule Pros and Cons

Breaks are Key

Tork’s 2022 study, reveals that more than 9 in 10 employees say they are more likely to stay at a company where bosses encourage their employees to take a break.

With most 2-2-3 work schedules featuring a 12-hour shift, things can get stressful and lower productivity really fast. Make sure that your shift plans include mandatory breaks along with a scope to take additional breaks when required.

Because not every employee works in the same way. Some may prefer a 5-minute break every 25 minutes, while others may require a longer break after an hour of working. Figure out what mandatory breaks need to be worked into the shift roster for your team, and how floating breaks can be granted.

While on a federal level, there are no laws that dictate whether or not you need to enforce breaks in your workplace, it is clear that they are important for employee wellness. Federal law states that breaks under 20 minutes need to be paid time off the clock.

What are you doing to ensure that breaks are worked into the schedule?

Summary

The post 2-2-3 Work Schedule: The Guide to Effective Implementation appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

What is a Temporary Contract?

Unlike a fixed-term contract, which is for a set period of time (e.g. 12 months), a temporary contract doesn’t have a specific end date. organizations can – but don’t have to – recruit temporary candidates through a recruitment agency specializing in temporary work. 

Temp workers are defined as non-permanent members of staff, as are casual workers, short-term employees, and short-term self-employed workers. 

People engage in temporary work for a number of reasons. They might be studying and need work during their summer vacation or be in the process of changing careers and want to ‘test the waters’ in a new workplace setting. 

Temps are usually paid an hourly rate versus a salary, and receive their pay in arrears every week. Agency temps typically submit digital timesheets to their recruiter at the end of each week to confirm how many hours they have worked. 

Temporary contracts might be more appropriate for roles that need to be filled in the short term or for an unknown period of time. For instance, a company might hire temps to meet a seasonal increase in demand or to cover members of staff who are on sick leave. 

Organizations usually turn to temps for help with specific tasks, such as to tackle a mounting administrative workload or to help out in the warehouse around annual seasonal events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Benefits of Temporary Contracts

• Flexibility – Temporary contracts can be for an undetermined amount of time and can be terminated at short notice by the employer.
• Quick – Hiring through a temporary recruitment agency can be a lot faster than hiring in-house; the agency should have a pool of candidates ready to go. 
• Impact – Because temps are hired to meet a specific short-term need, they can make a tangible impact within an organization and offer fresh perspectives.
• Skills – Experienced temps are skilled in using different systems and processes and should be able to hit the ground running. 
• Cost-effective – Temps don’t require the same level of expenditure as permanent employees, although it’s important to factor in the agency’s fees. 

Important Facts about Temp Employment 

• Training – Some level of training will need to be provided, especially when it comes to key business systems and processes; in the interests of safety and efficiency, temps involved in manual work must understand how to use equipment properly. 
• Collaboration – It can be harder for those on temporary contracts to build a rapport with permanent employees because of the short-term nature of the work; as such, roles that require collaboration might not be as suitable for temp work. 
• Insecurity – Temp workers can leave at short notice, so organizations should consider opting for agencies with the bandwidth to find last-minute replacements. 
• Employment Rights – According to the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, temps are entitled to the same working conditions and pay as employees.

What is a Fixed-Term Contract?

Is a fixed-term contract temporary? In some ways, yes; in others, no. 

Fixed-term contracts are similar to permanent ones, the main difference being that they come with a fixed end date. As such, an employee on a fixed-term contract can have similar employee benefits to an employee on a permanent one, but without long-term job security. 

To be a fixed-term member of staff, the employee needs to have a contract with the organization they work for, not an agency. There also needs to be an end date to the contract, which will usually fall after an event or when a specific task has been completed.

Unlike a temporary contract, which doesn’t need to have a fixed end date, a fixed-term contract does – in this way, it suits roles that need to be fulfilled for a set period of time. 

Fixed-term contracts expire on the end date specified; however, they can be renewed by the employer. An employer might want to extend a fixed-term contract or move the employee onto a permanent contract if their skills are required for the long-term, they’ve done a good job, and the employer wants to retain their talent. 

Fixed-term contracts are often used to cover employees on maternity leave. They can also come in useful for project work, where an organization requires specific skills for a set amount of time. Like temporary contracts, fixed-term contracts can also be used to facilitate seasonal work. 

Benefits of Fixed-Term Contracts 

• Security – Fixed-term contracts provide both the employer and employee with more certainty; the employee knows they will have a job for a set period of time, and the employer knows they will benefit from the skills of the employee for the duration of their contract (unless, of course, they resign). 
• Budget certainty – Fixed-term arrangements can be useful for forecasting workforce budgets and resources.  
• Less commitment – If an organization wants to test out how a role ‘plays out’ within a company without committing yet, an FTC could be an ideal solution. 
• Access to talent – There are lots of candidates out there who are actively looking for temporary or fixed-term work, especially those who value flexibility. 
• Agility – It can be easier to test new approaches or concepts with employees on fixed-term contracts. This makes them appealing to companies going through change or growth. Again, a permanent position can be offered at the end of the term. 

Important Facts about Fixed-term Employment

• Early dismissal – It’s important to know that an FTC employee whose contract is terminated before the end date might be entitled to compensation totaling the amount they would have received if they had worked to the end of the fixed term. Therefore, it could be worth considering including an “early termination clause” in the contract. 
• Working beyond the fixed term – If an employee on a fixed term contract works beyond the fixed term date without a new contract, they could be considered a permanent employee. The same goes for if the employee is offered consecutive fixed-term contracts over and over again. 
• Unfair dismissal – Fixed-term employees share the same statutory rights as those on permanent contracts. For example, the employer cannot terminate the employment unfairly or wrongfully. Employees on a fixed-term contract should also be informed of any permanent roles within the company.  

Temporary Contract vs Fixed Term Contract

There are a number of similarities between fixed-term and temporary contracts, which is why some people refer to an FTC as a temporary fixed-term contract. When set against permanent contracts, both options provide organizations with more flexibility. 

When it comes to contract vs fixed term, let’s recap some of the main points:

• Temps tend to be quick to hire, and contracts can be ended at short notice.
• Fixed-term contracts offer more security and have a set end date.
• Working with an employment agency can speed up the recruitment process.
• Both types of contracts should be used with a specific purpose and task in mind.
• It’s important to describe in the contract the reason for the position being temporary or fixed term and not permanent, as vague contracts are easier to challenge. 
• Some temporary and fixed-term candidates will be looking for permanent positions and may resign if and when they find one. 

Where to find Temp Workers?

Organizations can hire workers on temporary contracts either in-house or through an employment agency. If hiring in-house, existing employees can be a good place to start. They might be able to recommend people they know or help attract applicants through professional social networking platforms such as LinkedIn. 

Job boards are another option, one that can help companies reach the right people. There are temp jobs boards out there for every sector, including – but not limited to – finance, sales, hospitality, education, property, and healthcare. 

Temporary employment agencies are designed to source temporary workers for organizations. Agency temps are employed by the agency, resulting in less paperwork for the hiring company. Agencies tend to have access to a wide network of potential candidates, so it can be an appealing option for organizations that need talent fast. 

The Bottom Line

Temporary and contract arrangements can work well for organizations that need to meet short-term operational needs. But while they’re effective in the short term, they should not be used as a long-term hiring strategy. 

Employees who have been on successive fixed-term contracts for four or more years are seen as permanent employees unless the employer can justify the use of sequential FTCs. This doesn’t apply, however, to an employee on a four-year FTC unless the four-year employment contract is renewed upon completion.

If an employer offers their fixed-term employee a contract with less favorable terms at the end of their current FTC, the employee can reject it and try to negotiate a better deal. If the organization refuses to budge, the employee can either agree to the new contract or accept it as having come to an end and look for work elsewhere. 

Ultimately, it’s up to employers to figure out whether they’re justified in continuing to keep an employee on an FTC instead of hiring them as permanent members of the team. 

About the Author

Auria Heanley is the co-founder of Oriel Partners, a boutique PA and administrative recruitment consultancy based in Central London. She is extremely passionate about providing the highest quality of service to both clients and candidates. Oriel Partners’ clients range from global multinationals to small boutique firms. 

The post Temporary Vs. Fixed Term Contract: What’s The Difference? appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

With that in mind, it’s time to let you in on a little secret. You have already inspired a few of our best feature iterations and we want to take this time to walk you through our latest.

Custom Leave & Hybrid Status Emojis

Yes, we heard a whole lot about how daily leave and work updates weren’t always enough for employees to keep track of who’s on leave and who’s working from home. 

That’s why we’ve made our leave and office status integration seamless with Slack. Now when an employee applies for any leave type or a WFH, their Slack status is automatically updated for those days with an emoji of your choice. 

The process is simple: 

• Go to Settings > Basic Settings > Available Leave Types 
• Click the Pencil Icon to edit the Leave Type 
• From there, it’s a simple matter of typing in your emoji, here is a simple cheat sheet that can help
  
  

Just to get you started, we include defaults: 

• :sneezing_face: for Sick Leaves 
• :palm_tree: for Vacations 
• :working-in-office: for Working from the Office

Now every time an employee looks up another to drop a message, they’ll be able to hover on their status to see where they are. 

Custom Birthday and Workaversary Announcements

With a rapidly changing workscape, it makes sense to celebrate even small wins, including employee workaversaries and birthdays. 

In its previous form, AttendanceBot allowed HR to queue celebratory messages that were formatted by us at HQ. But now, AttendanceBot allows you to create custom birthday and workaversary announcements to make your company communications consistent with your culture. 

Once again, the process is straightforward: 

• Go to Notifications 
• Click the pencil icon to edit any Birthday/Workaversary announcement
• Scroll down to Point 5, where you can add custom text in addition to our regularly scheduled Birthday/Workaversary announcement

Enhanced Slack-native Project Management 

As a SaaS business, project management has always been one of our passion projects. But now we’ve really got the time to stretch our legs and take a leap to make our Slack-native project tracking more robust. 

What have we changed? 

Mapping Projects to Clients

We know that a lot of our customers use project management for billable hours and projects that may need to be mapped to clients. Keeping this in mind, we’ve added more project-level settings to allow admins to map projects to specific clients and employees. 

We believe that doing so gives customers better summaries and employees a more streamlined project selection process. After all, having a powerful project management tool isn’t enough – it’s got to be easy to use. 

Introduction of Nested Projects 

We understand that sub-projects allow you to capture task-level work and map out entire project-scapes with ease. With the introduction of nested projects, we aim to solve the issue of too many small projects. 

Admins will be able to create and assign sub-projects within the Sub-Projects section of Project Settings. Employees can then track time against each sub-project that will be mapped to the larger project, and optionally the client. 

Self-Selection of Open Projects 

We’ve added a self-assign setting to projects, allowing employees to assign themselves the project and/or sub-projects. Using this setting employees can use AttendanceBot as a personal time management tool and create their own workstreams to measure productivity. You can also give employees more flexibility to choose their own projects per pre-defined conditions. 

Ramped up Project Reports 

We’ve always had a robust analytics dashboard for project management where you can view project and employee-wise breakdowns. But now, in addition to all of that, we also allow you to access dedicated project report downloads that include totals for wages & client billables.

More Slack Options for Shift Management

Shift management is something that businesses continue dedicating mountains of manhours to optimize. Although we’re proud of our solution, we see no reason to stop improving. In the past few months, we’ve introduced: 

• Robust alert options for any and all shift activity so you’re never blindsided. For instance, we can send channel notifications every time someone picks up a specific type of shift when overtime is assigned, or any time a shift is self-assigned or re-assigned. 
• Are you scared your open shifts won’t be picked up and you’ll be left scrambling to find a fill? You’re not the only one. After a lot of feedback, we’re introducing shifts that can be opened for a single day. So your employees can sign up for a single open shift on Slack.
• Add comments to shifts to provide special instructions for employees or additional insight into reporting.
• Sort your daily or weekly shifts by start time for quick browsing.
• Missed shift report. Time is money and people turning up late or leaving early can be a slow drain on resources. With that in mind, we now offer dedicated reporting for missed shifts, late shifts, and early sign-offs.

Beta Version of our new Harmonize software 

Nothing is more exciting than something exclusive. Our beta version of Harmonize is now available on request. If you’re interested in replacing the magic of AttendanceBot chat with one-click buttons in Slack, reach out to us at hi@harmonizehq.com to test it out for yourself and experience the magic. 

Reach out to us at hi@harmonizehq.com if you have any suggestions or if you just think Dwight is right.

The post What’s New in AttendanceBot? The Mid 2022 Edition appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

In this blog, we’ll take you through what a gig economy is, who the participants are and the ten ways that it is revolutionizing the way businesses function.

Who is a Gig Worker?

Gig workers are freelancers who operate on a contractual, temporary, or part-time basis, often working on several projects in tandem and having the flexibility to engage multiple employers. 

Gig workers examples include drivers, babysitters, online tutors, freelance writers, musicians, and service technicians. In the last decade, even technical jobs in web development and cybersecurity have become freelance. Everyone talks about gigs these days, with even full-time employees taking up side-gigs, meaning to monetize their real passions.

What is the Gig Economy?

The gig economy refers to the growing global rise of freelance, contractual, and flexible jobs instead of traditional full-time work. Ventures like Uber and Airbnb are key gig worker employers and a huge reason why gig work is now mainstream. 

Companies like Uber are a trustworthy medium between thousands of part-time workers and customers. They handle the payments, establish rules, and ensure that work standards are adhered to.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that 55 million people in the US were gig workers in 2017, making up 36% of the workforce. Many economists think that 80% of the workforce may come under this category by 2030. The pandemic has brought a sea change in the way businesses handle the burgeoning gig economy, examples including the upswing in freelance marketing and journalism. 

Why are Full-Time Employees Switching to Gigs?

The reasons why more workers are turning to this model are:

1. The New Dream: 9 to 5 jobs have lost their charm as workers increasingly prefer choosing their work schedules with minimal supervision. They want the flexibility to meet their financial targets as they see fit.
2. Transitioning into New Careers: Traditionally, changing your work has a high entry barrier, with big businesses wanting degrees and experience. Gig employers are more forgiving in this aspect.
3. Access to Higher-Paying Work: As opportunities for remote work increase globally, gig workers can access higher-paying work anywhere in the world. 
4. No Choice: Recessions and the pandemic may have forced full-time employees to switch to gig work in desperation.

There are now numerous platforms like Fiverr and Upwork to connect gig workers and employers.

As some would say, the gig economy is the future of work. Is that future bright? Only time will tell. 

Why Is The Gig Economy Growing?

The explosion of gig work in the 21st century can be traced to the Global Financial Crisis 2008 (GFC) and the resultant recession. The growth of the knowledge economy and dot-com businesses have made freelance and contract work more popular.

Several traditional businesses sank during the GFC, while the nature of others changed permanently. The Lehman Brothers is an important example; the aftermath of the GFC 2008 changed the banking industry regulation. The news industry’s shift towards the digital medium accelerated. 

There was a slowdown in the manufacturing sector and labor movement into service and knowledge careers. In 2019, there were about 13 million jobs in the service sector, with the agriculture sector having 2.3 million jobs.

Plus, rising costs make it necessary for people to take up multiple jobs to maintain their living standards. People burdened with debt tend to look for various income streams and participate in the hustle culture.   

We see the rising trend of entrepreneurship and opening small businesses. Many of these collaborate actively with larger businesses and leverage social media to reach freelance and part-time specialists. All this is causing the gig economy to grow.

10 Ways the Gig Economy Impacts Businesses

What does the rising gig economy mean for businesses and HR? It’s not all bad.

Here are 10 ways in which the gig economy is impacting businesses.

Access to a Large & Global Talent Pool

Companies that can carry out work efficiently in remote conditions benefit from access to an extensive global pool of freelance workers. They can also hire skilled contractual workers for short-term projects. Many professional copywriters work for a worldwide clientele within the comfort of their own home.

One benefit of the gig economy is that workers can do low-intensity jobs while they upskill for fulfilling work. Freelancers may be able to invest more time and energy in acquiring skills than full-time employees.

There are also some unique ways on how people use the gig economy to fuel their side hustle. Forbes ran a story on an Uber driver who used his cab to showcase his jewelry designs.

Access to Workers with Niche Skills

There is a sizable demand-supply mismatch in areas like IT, design, and marketing. This makes it hard for businesses to find competent full-time employees. Many freelancers acquire niche skills in these domains due to jobs and projects requiring them to innovate.

Google has released Google Career Certificates designed to address the skill-curriculum gap in project management, data analytics, IT, and UX design. Many professionals do these courses and take up freelance projects.  

Companies may also find it costly to hire experienced workers but still need their skills. Many skilled professionals like teachers and IT professionals find taking up freelancing leads to an excellent side income.

Instead of distancing themselves, universities could also hire more part-time professors to increase the roster of teachable skills and subjects.

Agile Workforce

There is a shift towards design thinking in modern business. It’s more about sourcing deep expertise wherever it exists and when there is demand for such skills. A workforce based on gigs can reduce the need for travel-based deployment for client servicing or project supervision on-site.

An agile team can be assembled whenever there is a need and this works out to be much more cost-effective for businesses. An example is a new website that needs a one-time website overhaul hiring a content agency rather than a full-time in-house writing team.

Better Client Service

Businesses that have a global pool of clients can take advantage of the non-location bound gig economy definition. They can hire workers in different time-zones to address client requirements as and when they arise. This is a perfect solution to endless night shifts that impact customer-facing employee’s health too.

It may also be possible to tap into forgotten demographics like retirees with great networks who don’t want full-time work. They bring their vast experience and understanding of client psychology to the table while still being cost-efficient.

Increased Brand Awareness and Outreach

The gig economy may also help businesses improve their brand awareness if they can employ temporary workers in countries they wish to expand into. It may be possible for some firms to establish a skeletal workforce to meet legal requirements.

With minimum operational spending but significant brand outreach efforts in these new locations, brands can sell and generate revenue. 

Reduced Costs of Providing Benefits

Being able to hire part-time and contract workers can lower overhead expenses. It can be cheaper to hire for a short-term role than train the permanent workforce in skills they may not need. Onboarding costs can be over $40,000 for small to medium businesses, which are all but eliminated when employing gig staff. Additionally, gig workers don’t get unemployment insurance and severance pay. 

During the pandemic, many businesses found that some roles could be made remote, bringing a reduction in office-space-related costs. A Kelly Outsourcing and Consulting Group report finds that 43% of talent managers using gig workers report 20% labor cost savings. 

Improved Chances of Surviving Recessions

Laying off employees is costly for the businesses, as companies spent a lot on training their hires. Having a mobile workforce can help businesses survive recessions by saving on overheads. 

Using freelancers to collaborate across teams reduces the siloed nature of many hierarchical organizations. This can make them more agile and capable of surviving big problems from market competition to recessions. Gig workers bring in innovation, and businesses can gain from the knowledge transfer to their permanent staff. 

Some tech and pharma giants have reinvented the gig economy model by hosting crowdsourcing events to solve real problems. Hackathons bring access to a highly motivated global talent pool. This is another excellent option for businesses to consider, especially if they thrive on innovation. 

New Arenas of Legislation

So far, we have looked at the positive impact on businesses, but now it’s time to consider the potential risks of relying too much on the gig workforce. 

As the number of gig workers rises, new legislation will be enacted for their protection. Some laws may end up limiting the work that can be outsourced to the international gig economy.

Businesses often avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes by using the gig workforce. As ideas like universal income gain traction in the face of the growing freelance labor force, businesses may have to pay even more taxes. 

The AB-5 law enacted in California protects all wage-earning workers placing the burden of proving them as independent contractors upon the hiring entity. Uber, Lyft, and others have been resisting directives to classify them as employees to avoid the costs of paying benefits.

Morale Problems That Affect Business

A common problem with non-permanent staff is the resentment that builds up if they do the same work as regular employees but get paid less. On the other hand, some regular employees may feel threatened by highly skilled temporary workers. Businesses must be innovative about employee management.

When gig-based businesses lobbied against protective labor laws, it created resentment and anger among workers. If a firm already has chronic cash flow problems and revenue generation, such disruptions can have a considerable impact.

The work quality may be low if the person is not well-trained and may leave by the time resources are invested in training. They may also be unable to build connections with colleagues and managers, making the work environment unhealthy.

Need to Invest in Worker Retention

While the gig economy optimizes some types of savings for businesses, it requires them to attract and retain gig workers. As these people have multiple employers competing for their skills, they look for invigorating work and better pay. Many employers find it challenging to retain freelancer loyalty.

There is also the challenge of having to make do with their shorter working hours. Gig economy participants are juggling multiple projects and are unwilling to put in long hours. In case they leave with work commitments unfulfilled, it may cost more money for the next hire to fix.

If there is high attrition in specific freelance roles, permanent employee energies may be consumed in training new gig hires. 

Impact on HR

The rise of the gig economy brings some new challenges for HR personnel to navigate: 

1. Data collection and processing systems will have to be optimized to adapt to the nature of gig work. The high turnover rate may pose a challenge for consultancy-based companies.
2. HR will have to find new ways to measure contingent staff impact on business growth. 
3. Job roles will need to be redefined and deconstructed to find fits for freelance and gig workers. 
4. There will be new issues of providing benefits, timing, and coordination that arise from temporary staff management.
5. Businesses may need to overhaul legal policies to protect client interests.
6. Better tracking mechanisms will be needed to protect IP and ensure work completion. 
7. Recruitment processes and training mechanisms have to be swift. If a worker fails to complete tasks or disappears, HR has to quickly onboard new workers.
8. Appraisal processes and knowledge transfer mechanisms have to be accelerated and overhauled.

While the gig economy sounds like a dream, businesses function optimally if they maintain a mix of the permanent and temporary workforce. Getting your gig workers to be invested in your business will be incredibly difficult. They don’t have the incentives of long-term benefits and career progression that attract permanent employees. 

Many routine tasks are best performed by people who have traditional know-how of the business processes and are there for the long ride. 

What are your tips for hiring and retaining gig workers? Reach out to us @HarmonizeHQ and let’s talk.

The post 10 Ways the Gig Economy is Impacting Businesses appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Remote working is proving to improve employee retention, reduce costs for companies, increase team diversity, and lower stress levels. But, when compared to in-office processes, remote teams still need to figure out the smaller team management system.

We want to help you with your biggest challenge when managing a remote working team— employee time tracking. When working remotely, your traditional ways of tracking employee active hours and leaves just don’t fit. You need an automated tool that does the time tracking for you.

Using AttendanceBot, you can automate daily time tracking, leave management, and shift planning, ensuring management happens despite the remote culture.

In this guide, we want to help you set up AttendanceBot as a well-rounded management system for your employee attendance.

Further Reading: Grab every kind of help you need with our complete guide to remote working.

Top 5 Steps for Using AttendanceBot as a Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams

1. Set up check-in and check-out routines among employees

The most simple but powerful way to use AttendanceBot is its daily time-tracking feature. Set up a routine for employees to check in when they come into work and check out when they leave. By just sending “in” and “out” to the AttendanceBot chat, the time spent at work is instantly recorded.

Employees can even send a quick message to the bot when they step out for a break or for lunch. The bot records these active hours within its robust dashboard, allowing managers and HRs to quickly look at work hours for any employee.

Managers can filter the time tracking dashboard by month, department, city, and more, and even set up auto-generate reports on a monthly basis.

This easy system for time tracking makes any other system for recording employee work hours obsolete. You’ll be spending less time tallying and figuring out whether an employee is short of work hours. Track employee time passively and only step in when it’s required.

If your team has the option of working remotely, the bot also allows you to check in as “Working from home”. Encourage employees to use these common phrases to allow you to understand remote working trends in your hybrid team.

2. Create a Slack channel for transparency about work hours

While an automated time tracking tool does capture employee work hours efficiently, you also need a system to give transparency about active hours within the team. Since you will have two employees in different time zones working together, you want to make it easier for them to plan their meetings.

As a rule of thumb, ask employees to announce their official work hours from the start. While some changes in their hours might be inevitable, a fixed schedule can help everyone plan meetings quickly. Having official work hours will also be helpful to set a routine and help employees stay more accountable.

If your team is semi-remote or has the option of working remotely, ensure employees message the shared schedule channel when they are working from home.

Also read: 10 ways to make your Slack channels more effective

3. Make leave management seamless

With AttendanceBot, keep your leave requests out of your inbox! You might find your traditional leave management a hassle with multiple emails going between three or four different parties. With AttendanceBot, here’s what leave management looks like:

1. Employee requests leave for specific dates within Slack
2. The smart bot sends a chat message to the assigned manager
3. The manager approves the leave by clicking on the automated button replies
4. The employee receives a message within the Slack chat with approval
5. The HR receives an info message about the leave days
6. The leave days are recorded in the AttendanceBot dashboard for easy access

With much of your leave management automated, you don’t have to keep track of your emails and update a spreadsheet. Set up leave management on this smart bot, assign managers accordingly, and let the bot handle it for you.

To ensure employees don’t overuse their leave days, you can set up types of leaves that your company allows and set the maximum limit for leaves within the bot. This way, employees can view their remaining leave days without having to reach out to you.

The bot also syncs the leave information with the employee’s calendar so that anyone trying to schedule meetings with them is informed of their days out of office. What’s more, you can set vacation autoresponders directly from your Slack.

Want to view the absence history for all your employees? The AttendanceBot dashboard logs accurate information about absences taken, types of absences and even lets you filter the data by department, city, etc for nuanced reports.

Also read: Your guide to creating and managing a leave policy for the millennial workforce

4. Simplify shift management

Shift planning or employee scheduling has always been a time-consuming job. But, with more shift workers dominating the workforce, it’s important that companies have a smooth system for shift planning and management.

Use the visual shift planner within AttendanceBot to plan shifts on a weekly or monthly basis, setting up recurrent shifts as you see fit. The shift planner smartly reminds shift workers of their upcoming shifts, keeps track of no-shows, and records this data for easy access.

Once your shift calendar is set, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of reassigning shifts. The smart bot shows you who can be reassigned to an open shift, making it easy to manage the multiple shift workers.

You can use the dashboard to understand how many hours each shift employee was working and generate accurate payroll reports without needing to tally the hours yourself.

What do you like best about AttendanceBot?

We use Attendance bot for both our in-house and remote teams so the shifts and tasks can be easily shared and scheduled. We also monitor the attendance and holidays scheduling and tracking with this tool. Our team managers really enjoyed how simple and user-friendly the system is when starting to work with it.

What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?

Scheduling and schedule sharing among teams, holidays scheduling and tracking. Analysing and tracking when and how much are our employees working from home or remotely.

– Sam S working in Computer & Network Security 

How can AttendanceBot help your remote team?
Find out by scheduling a demo today.

5. Put all your office FAQs in a help library

Smart time tracking for your remote working team is not just about monitoring time. It also involves ensuring no one has to spend time sweating on the small stuff. As a remote team, waiting for responses from co-workers or HR can be endless. It could be about where a document is stored or how many leave days are available annually. It just isn’t efficient!

What’s more, if employees stay in different parts of the world, time zone differences can keep you waiting for a response for hours.

This is where OfficeAmp can help. Set up an FAQ library that everyone in the team can access answers to common questions.

From leave days to reimbursement processes to file storage. Make sure employees don’t have to search for too long to find what they are looking for. If an answer isn’t in the library, employees can easily raise a ticket to solve the issue. These tickets can be created, managed, and cleared right within Slack, no other app required!

With such a help library, there’s less back and forth on the smaller things and more time spent discussing work.

We hope these 5 steps help you set up AttendanceBot for your remote working team. What time tracking tips do you use to manage your team online?

The post Guide to Using AttendanceBot for Remote Working Teams appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.

Shifts are becoming an increasingly popular way for many employees to work. Shift work is when employees work with a schedule that is outside the traditional 9 – 5 times. Having shifts within your business is crucial to ensure you promptly cater to your customers. It helps you ensure that there are no communication or service gaps.

But, how effective and essential is shift working?

Moreover, how can managers cultivate shift management within the company without overcomplicating their schedules?

Let’s dive in and see the importance of shifts. And how you can implement an employee shift management system that works.

Shifts work for company growth

Employees are redefining the way they work. More workers are shifting to the mindset of working to accommodate the way they want to live. They are giving weightage to a healthy lifestyle. They are prioritizing travel, working remotely, and preferring to work at night, to name a few.

But, as an HR manager, it’s essential to recognize that these personal preferences may not align with the growth that your company has mapped out for the team and the business.

By setting up shift work at your company, you can cater to your employees’ different preferences while also sticking to your roadmap for the company’s growth. When your employees work in shifts, you can allow them to pick their hours, making them more productive.

By setting their schedule, employees can have more control over how they go about their day, giving them the ability to maintain a work-life balance. With the freedom to pick their schedule, employees are much happier and more productive.

In his book, “Managing the Professional Service Firm,” David Maister wrote that scheduling determines the economics of a job, the quality of the team, and the skill-building and motivation of professionals doing the work.

With a well-oiled shift management system, you can have time to individually work with your employees, align their objectives, and help them build their skills. Some businesses with a shift-based schedule have also noticed that with the right communication system, employees are better connected and have an excellent internal rapport.

Using shifts, you can also create a better and more fulfilling experience for your customers. If your business is in retail, working in shifts can ensure that your customers are greeted by an employee who is eager to serve them. If this is an online business, having shifts gives you the ability to cater to customers worldwide, at any time of the day.

For instance, the medical industry and the food services industry have extended hours, and a majority of the businesses in these niches implement shift working so that employees perform to the best of their ability within their active hours, serving their customers and patients well and avoiding burnout.

Successfully implementing employee shift management

The most important rule of thumb when implementing a shift system among your employees- or even modifying your existing shift management- is to set up a shift management software built to ensure that your employees have no trouble managing their shifts. With AttendanceBot, shift management has never been easier.

According to ConnectTeam, the revenue per employee doubles the industry average with scheduling automation.

Here’s what you can do to make the most of this automation tool:

1. Plan shifts in advance with a highly visual shift management dashboard website
2. Keep track of employee check-in and absence during these shifts, built into your work communication tool
3. Reassign shifts without any hassle
4. Set up automated reminders so that employees can be notified before their shift starts
5. Track employee time quickly with auto-generated powerful timesheets based on these shifts

You can read more about the best shift management software and learn how you can integrate it into your company’s Slack or Microsoft Teams.

Ready to make shift management and employee scheduling smarter?

Get started with AttendanceBot.

Along with a powerful shift management software, you can also follow these tips to ensure your employees are satisfied with their shifts:

1. Take a monthly stock of a few crucial details before planning out the shifts

Find out when your employees would like to take their leaves, and which employees will be open to working nights. Or on weekends.

Ensure that employees give advanced notice about their preferential leaves. Be it family commitments, religious holidays, or vacations. This helps to plan out the shifts better.

2. Ask employees to punch in and out for attendance management

Use AttendanceBot and integrate it into your communication tool to allow workers to log in during their work hours. The bot compiles these details for you to make it easier to keep track of any delays or leaves.

3. Keep shift hours for each employee consistent

For instance, if one of your employees works from 9 pm to 5 am. It’s always better to keep the same work hours for them instead of changing them every few weeks. This consistency allows them to build a predictable schedule for themselves personally.

4. Create a backup plan for unexpected sick days

You can’t predict when your employees would fall ill or take an unexpected day off, but you can plan for a replacement in case this comes up. Compile a plan B, with employees who may be willing to work extra hours and come in as backups and note down what timings they’ll be available. This way, when an employee takes an unexpected leave, you don’t need to scramble around for a replacement.

5. Keep shifts shorter so that employees aren’t tired out quickly

This is especially important for night and weekend workers who may have difficulty working long hours. Instead, you can break their work timings into two shifts.

6. Have weekly or fortnightly check-ins with your shift workers

With a routine check-in, you can ensure that your employees aren’t burnt out, sleep-deprived, or struggling in any way. By taking stock of how they are performing, you can ensure that your employees are healthy. You can ensure that they don’t get to the point of burnout.

7. Rotate shifts clockwise to allow employees to ease into changing shifts 

Adjusting to changing shifts can be difficult. You need to reset your entire routine. That’s why it is important to give your team some time to settle in. Instead of changing shifts immediately, rotate them slowly. For instance, change day shifts to afternoons and afternoons to nights and not day to night right away.

8. Keep your workplace shift-friendly

Ensure you have stocked up on coffee and snacks, even for your employees who are working late at night. Keep the environment cool and brightly lit so that your employees don’t have trouble staying up.

9. Offer more incentives based on their performance

Shift work is tough and your employees have to reschedule how they live for this work routine. By setting up incentives, you can motivate these employees to perform better and bring in higher results. You can even provide benefits, like food allowances or travel reimbursements. This only goes to show that you care and ensure that your employee doesn’t have to worry.

By setting up these efforts, you get more efficient with employee shift management. But more importantly, you’re able to ensure your team is working up to its potential.

Employee shift management is complex but it can get easy with the best shift management software and employee scheduling tool. With a good set-up system to manage employees, their schedules, and their needs, you can simplify shifts at your workplace. And at the same time, make sure that your business thrives.

Have a remote working team? Here’s your guide to using AttendanceBot for remote working teams. 

What’s the one thing you follow at your company to ensure everyone follows the growth roadmap closely? We’d love to learn it from you.

The post Why Employee Shift Management Is Important For Your Growth Roadmap appeared first on AttendanceBot Blog.