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.
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.
Flexibility and accountability
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
Flexibility and accountability
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
Flexibility and accountability
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.
Flexibility and accountability
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.
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.
Technology and measurement
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.
Technology and measurement
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