SOS Labor Scheduling A Closer Look

Tugboat's labor scheduling software manages the multiple tasks associated with generating and changing workforce schedules down to the specific job level that best serves manufacturer's production requirements. It is ideal for a variety of manufacturing operations where:

• Employees have multiple skills
• Job assignments are determined by overlapping or complex rules governing:
  • Seniority
  • Overtime allocation
  • Credits
  • Vacation and time-off requests
  • Training requirements or skills currency
  • Preferences for jobs and shifts
  • Any variable production conditions
• The labor force is represented by a union contract

Rules Engine for Labor Scheduling Software

The power and speed delivered by SOS come from its rules-based engine. Tailored to conform to the work rules and workforce scheduling policies that are unique to each plant or facility, the rules-engine applies criteria based on the priorities you assign such as:

• Reducing labor cost of manufacturing
• Reducing the number of temporary workers
• Resolving conflicting job assignments based on seniority, then employee and/or related criteria

Tugboat's labor scheduling application automatically tracks employee qualifications, job and shift preferences, training history and currency, and absentees. The rules-engine then automatically generates the labor schedule, enforcing the policies and work rules that you prescribed, down to the very last job assignment on the schedule. Multiple rules-engines are enabled for different scenarios such weekend and holiday scheduling, furlough and re-hire, etc.

Work Rules Analysis for Labor Scheduling Software

The process of implementing SOS begins with a thorough analysis of the work rules, policies and practices that are in place in your facility, those that determine and affect workforce scheduling. After a process of discovery and documentation, the result is a Work Rules Document that becomes the specification for customizing the rules engine in SOS to meet your requirements. This all important first step shortens implementation time, reduces implementation cost, and improves client-side expertise. For each customer, the Work Rules Document is the foundation on which SOS stands and is essential to both successful implementation of labor scheduling software and a rapid return on investment.

Optimization for Labor Scheduling Software

SOS uses a proprietary "math engine" that optimizes the assignment of employees according to your business objectives and policies. SOS fills the largest possible number of jobs with properly skilled workers in accordance to these policies. While matching job assignments to labor demand, SOS labor scheduling solution does more than scheduling shifts: Optimization allows you to achieve objectives that are based entirely on policy, such as:

• Eliminating labor waste
• Eliminating unnecessary overtime or the overuse of temporary workers
• Controlling labor cost in manufacturing
• Assigning jobs based on employee preferences

This optimization capability of Tugboat's employee scheduling software is unique in the field of workforce scheduling. Further, optimization generates one of the most significant benefits that SOS provides; improved worker satisfaction based on fair and consistent treatment within the framework of your labor scheduling policies.

Labor Scheduling as a Service

Facilities use SOS as a resource for both planning and management. By automating and speeding up the process of creating and revising schedules, Tugboat's labor scheduling software enables plant managers and production planners to:

• Consolidate diverse scheduling operations into a single resource
• Make last-minute changes to schedules
• Evaluate the cost effectiveness of a schedule
• Explore alternative scheduling scenarios
• Recover quickly from equipment failure or production down time

Further, labor scheduling software reduces the workload for Human Resources departments and enables them to focus on employee issues and services by automating the response to employee requests for:

• Overtime
• Training
• Vacations
• All other requests for time off
• Absences
• Preferences for jobs and shifts
• Open jobs

Most importantly, SOS is credited with improving employee satisfaction by:

• Making the entire employee scheduling process consistent, objective and fair
• Eliminating the favoritism and politicking associated with workforce scheduling
• Eliminating grievances based on labor scheduling
• Empowering employees by automating requests for time off, overtime, training and more
• Providing equal access to desired resources such as overtime, time off, open jobs