Turning Traditional on Its Head: Flexible Scheduling Options

Turning Traditional on Its Head: Flexible Scheduling Options

A new study is catching a lot of attention. 77% of Millennials say flexible schedules make them more productive, according to a study by Bentley University.

It’s not a surprise, when you think about it. People’s productivity ebbs and flows throughout the day in the same way the ocean surges and recesses from the shoreline. Sometimes work is efficient. Other times, people struggle to get even the most basic tasks done.

As a business owner, it’s vital you’re aware of these trends. Without seeing the shift in how people are working today, you could lose out on top employees.

If you’ve considered flexible scheduling, here are a few of the top reasons for and against this new way of staffing.

The Pros

Productivity is only a small piece of the equation, believe it or not. There are other distinct benefits to offering flexible scheduling.

You can offer more work/life balance.

In Bentley University’s research, they also pointed out the noticeably aging process happening in our world today. More Millennials will be called upon to care for older people in addition to their small children.

As Millennials proliferate the workforce and start growing families of their own, they’re going to need more balance. A flexible work schedule gives balance without sacrificing productivity.

You can get a more educated workforce.

One reason many people don’t go back to school is because they don’t have time. Even simple training to advance skillsets aren’t do-able because of scheduling demands.

With flexible schedules, this changes. Your employees get more of an opportunity to learn and you employ a more skilled workforce.

Your profits increase

Productivity means better results for the time put in. If you are getting more out of your workers for the time you’re paying them, you’re getting better results. Better results means bigger business. And bigger business means bigger profits. It’s a simple equation but one no business owner can ignore.

The Cons

With perks like those, why wouldn’t a business offer flexible work schedules? Turns out, there is one obvious downside – You need to be consistently staffed for your business to operate.

What happens if no one shows up for a shift? Your store can’t afford to close. What do you do?

Without having some structure to your schedule, you could face serious employee shortages when you need your team the most.

The Middle Ground

With a scheduling app, you can give your employees the freedom to choose their schedules. Then, after offering flexibility, you can go through and look at where your schedule looks too light. You give your employees the option to pick without sacrificing your own store’s productivity. It’s a win-win.

Author Profile Jon Forknell is the Vice President and General Manager of Atlas Business Solutions, Inc., a software marketing company specializing in employee scheduling software, including ScheduleBase employee scheduling software, and other business software solutions. In the past, Jon has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Atlas Business Solutions was named as one of Software Magazine’s Top 500 Software Companies in 2004 through 2007 and again in 2010, 2013 and 2014.