Shift Pattern Design
Creating a brand new shift pattern, is a rare event. Most managers will do it once in their careers unless they are very good at it. If you do bring in a successful new shift pattern, be prepared. The chances are other departments will see your operation and want it for themselves. In which case you will find yourself creating a new shift pattern time and time again.
Creating a new shift pattern is all about being prepared for any eventuality. So before you begin you need data. The more data you have, the easier it will be to make decisions and you can justify all decisions. This is very important when it comes to implementation. If you can provide proof for the number of staff you need, then you can justify your budget. If you can show the unions why this new shift operation is better for their members because it provides stability, then you can implement it.
So where do you start?
Your current operation is a good place to start if you want to just want to improve the current system in the short term. Look for where you are experiencing problems. Make a list of all your problems and prioritise it. Think about your workload. Are you able to meet your workload? If your are not, then identify where and when you need more people. Think about your budget. Are you able to stay within budget? If you are not, then identify what unexpected expense you've had. May be it's overtime. Think about bringing in a shift pattern with zero overtime.
The workload is the best place to start if you want to improve your long term operation. The workload is the key driver behind all decision making. Your goal is to create a shift operation that matches the workload. That way you minimise wastage and meet customer demands. So asses your workload every hour of the day, week and year.
However most operations are working to a fixed budget. If your budget is fixed, then you need to make the most with your money. Therefore you want a shift pattern that is efficient. Think about a doctor's surgery. Their operation minimises wastage of doctors time. The customer (patient) is left waiting for minutes, hours, days or weeks depending on the severity of their need and the number of other patients. During flu season, the doctor's surgery doesn't employ more doctors. The waiting times just get longer. This keeps the cost of the operation down. However they need to continuously triage their patients.
