workforce management guide - amano uk

Your guide to successful workforce management

Hints and tips on fl exible working from Amano UK

Your guide to successful workforce management

Hints and tips on fl exible working from Amano UK

The business challenge

One of the biggest challenges to businesses is the ability to manage staff productivity

effi ciently and successfully. Amano UK, designers and manufacturers of innovative

time and workforce management systems, provides some timely advice for HR

teams and their businesses on how to manage fl exible working, and avoid the

loss of productivity and staff morale.

The business challenge

One of the biggest challenges to businesses is the ability to manage staff productivity

effi ciently and successfully. Amano UK, designers and manufacturers of innovative

time and workforce management systems, provides some timely advice for HR

teams and their businesses on how to manage fl exible working, and avoid the

loss of productivity and staff morale.

A recent survey of 50 HR professionals carried out by Amano revealed:

• 98% were in favour of their business adopting fl exible working practices

• 58% said their organisation had fully embraced the ethos of fl exible working and offered employees more than the statutory minimum required

• But 46% claimed to have no time and attendance system in place to manage fl exible working policies

Minimising the cost to business

According to research by the CIPD:

• Average employee absence is 7.4 days per year

• Cost of absence per employee per year is £692

• Only 41% of employers monitor the cost of employee absence

• Under half of employers have a target in place for reducing absence

Absenteeism is a huge cost to businesses, but businesses that are prepared to offer their

workforce greater fl exibility are likely to reap the benefi ts with a reduction in unscheduled

absenteeism and support of a happier and more productive workforce.

Minimising the cost to business

According to research by the CIPD:

• Average employee absence is 7.4 days per year

• Cost of absence per employee per year is £692

• Only 41% of employers monitor the cost of employee absence

• Under half of employers have a target in place for reducing absence

Absenteeism is a huge cost to businesses, but businesses that are prepared to offer their

workforce greater fl exibility are likely to reap the benefi ts with a reduction in unscheduled

absenteeism and support of a happier and more productive workforce.

Planning effectively

But even without absenteeism, how do employers know if their staff are being productive during the working

day? Businesses needn’t be worried about losing productivity - if they plan effectively.

There are many different fl exible working options businesses could consider offering employees:

• Flexitime – employees work fi xed core time with variable start/fi nish times

• Job sharing – one job shared by two or more employees

• Remote working – home-working for all or part of the week

• Term time working – family friendly working hours

• Annualised hours – working more hours at key times of the year, less at others

• Compressed hours – e.g. working the hours for fi ve days in four days

• Shift swapping – colleagues agree between them how to cover working hours

• Staggered hours – e.g. starting later to fi t in with a routine such as school drop-offs

• Time off in lieu – often used instead of overtime payment

Planning effectively

But even without absenteeism, how do employers know if their staff are being productive during the working

day? Businesses needn’t be worried about losing productivity - if they plan effectively.

There are many different fl exible working options businesses could consider offering employees:

• Flexitime – employees work fi xed core time with variable start/fi nish times

• Job sharing – one job shared by two or more employees

• Remote working – home-working for all or part of the week

• Term time working – family friendly working hours

• Annualised hours – working more hours at key times of the year, less at others

• Compressed hours – e.g. working the hours for fi ve days in four days

• Shift swapping – colleagues agree between them how to cover working hours

• Staggered hours – e.g. starting later to fi t in with a routine such as school drop-offs

• Time off in lieu – often used instead of overtime payment

Flexibility and accountability

The key to successful workforce management is planning, fl exibility and accountability.

The tactics each business chooses to ensure success will vary, but these are Amano’s top

three recommendations to ensure you get the right results.

1. Effective scheduling to ensure optimum staffi ng and skill levels are available

when needed

2. Get commitment from staff by empowering them to manage their own

timekeeping

3. Implement fl exible working to allow for additional working outside

normal shifts

Businesses have typically been nervous about adopting fl exible working

schemes and recent research highlighted the main perceived disadvantages

of fl exible working to be limited interaction between key workers,

lack of management control over employees and security

and confi dentiality of information.


The key to successful workforce management is planning, fl exibility and accountability.

The tactics each business chooses to ensure success will vary, but these are Amano’s top

three recommendations to ensure you get the right results.

1. Effective scheduling to ensure optimum staffi ng and skill levels are available

when needed

2. Get commitment from staff by empowering them to manage their own

timekeeping

3. Implement fl exible working to allow for additional working outside

normal shifts

Businesses have typically been nervous about adopting fl exible working

schemes and recent research highlighted the main perceived disadvantages

of fl exible working to be limited interaction between key workers,

lack of management control over employees and security

and confi dentiality of information.


However, research also showed that nearly half of organisations surveyed saw fl exible

working as the key to higher productivity. Other advantages included retention of key staff and the

ability to attract new and highly qualifi ed employees, reduced offi ce costs and more responsive

customer services – tangible benefi ts that have a direct and positive impact on the bottom line.

Key benefi ts of fl exible working:

• Reduced absenteeism

• Increased productivity

• Improved staff morale

• Increased staff retention

• Reduced staff recruitment costs

• Improved schedule planning

• Reduced overtime costs

• Work life balance for employees


However, research also showed that nearly half of organisations surveyed saw fl exible

working as the key to higher productivity. Other advantages included retention of key staff and the

ability to attract new and highly qualifi ed employees, reduced offi ce costs and more responsive

customer services – tangible benefi ts that have a direct and positive impact on the bottom line.

Key benefi ts of fl exible working:

• Reduced absenteeism

• Increased productivity

• Improved staff morale

• Increased staff retention

• Reduced staff recruitment costs

• Improved schedule planning

• Reduced overtime costs

• Work life balance for employees


Flexible working is great in theory, but with pressure to improve effi ciency, productivity and cost

control while incorporating fl exible working practices, there is a growing need for time and

attendance systems that can track complex working patterns and analyse real-time data

that will help businesses to accurately measure impacts on the bottom line.

Those businesses that do not yet possess the technological infrastructure to facilitate

more fl exible and mobile working patterns are in the most danger of being left behind.


Flexible working is great in theory, but with pressure to improve effi ciency, productivity and cost

control while incorporating fl exible working practices, there is a growing need for time and

attendance systems that can track complex working patterns and analyse real-time data

that will help businesses to accurately measure impacts on the bottom line.

Those businesses that do not yet possess the technological infrastructure to facilitate

more fl exible and mobile working patterns are in the most danger of being left behind.

Technology and measurement

In tackling these issues, time and attendance software systems can offer

handy solutions, particularly when planning specifi c shift patterns, rosters and

schedules around key times while still maintaining business output. Amano’s

Astrow Suite is used by thousands of British businesses because it is a

fl exible workforce management software system, which helps businesses

to synchronise time and attendance with activity tracking and holiday and

overtime management. Access and permissions can also be tailored to allow

a ‘self-service’ element, allowing staff to manage their own time.


In tackling these issues, time and attendance software systems can offer

handy solutions, particularly when planning specifi c shift patterns, rosters and

schedules around key times while still maintaining business output. Amano’s

Astrow Suite is used by thousands of British businesses because it is a

fl exible workforce management software system, which helps businesses

to synchronise time and attendance with activity tracking and holiday and

overtime management. Access and permissions can also be tailored to allow

a ‘self-service’ element, allowing staff to manage their own time.


An alternative and immediate option would be to use the latest

‘pay-as-you-go’ web-based hosted service, iTime, that enables businesses

to easily and immediately manage time and attendance and simple HR

administration via the internet, making fl exible time management instantly

accessible for mobile and remote workers.

With instant online set-up, businesses can benefi t from a fl exible,

service-based time and attendance system without the need to install

and maintain expensive IT software, providing a completely

automated system over the internet.


An alternative and immediate option would be to use the latest

‘pay-as-you-go’ web-based hosted service, iTime, that enables businesses

to easily and immediately manage time and attendance and simple HR

administration via the internet, making fl exible time management instantly

accessible for mobile and remote workers.

With instant online set-up, businesses can benefi t from a fl exible,

service-based time and attendance system without the need to install

and maintain expensive IT software, providing a completely

automated system over the internet.

FREE SOFTWARE TRIAL

Amano can equip you with all the tools you need to support your fl exible working

policy - we’ll give you a free six week trial of our iTime web-based time management

service that you can access immediately.

For your free iTime trial or more information on Amano products

visit www.amano-tcs.co.uk, call 0844 879 3748 or email [email protected]

Amano UK Limited, Festival House, Jessop Avenue,

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3SH

FREE SOFTWARE TRIAL

Amano can equip you with all the tools you need to support your fl exible working

policy - we’ll give you a free six week trial of our iTime web-based time management

service that you can access immediately.

For your free iTime trial or more information on Amano products

visit www.amano-tcs.co.uk, call 0844 879 3748 or email [email protected]

Amano UK Limited, Festival House, Jessop Avenue,

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3SH