Companies Need Jobs, Employees and Scheduling – Friday Distraction
Today’s Time Well Spent from our friends at Kronos reminds me of that old saying, “Good, Fast, or Cheap – Pick Two”. The saying represents the idea that we can get quality quickly, but it will cost us. If we want it quickly and inexpensively, then it might not be that good. And to get something good at a low price, it might take some extra time.
In this case, we’re applying the concept to staffing the operation. Can we get the right people in the right jobs at the right time? Frankly, it’s hard on three fronts:
Job Design: Organizations have to design jobs that employees want. They cannot be a mishmash of responsibilities with a title attached to them. Employees want to be able to easily explain to others what they do and how they contribute to their company and community. Human resources can play a big role in helping organizations design jobs that employees will want to apply for. Keep in mind, this means that HR needs to stay current with work trends, like technology, so jobs are designed to fill both current and future organizational needs.
Recruiting: Once the company has designed jobs that people want, they must create a strategy to make those job openings known. The unemployment rate continues to drop, meaning that sourcing candidates is getting tougher. It also means letting job seekers know what the company is all about – their mission and purpose. HR and talent acquisition will want to work with the rest of the organization to define the company’s employment brand and candidate experience.
Scheduling: It’s not enough to simply create jobs and hire people. Companies need to make sure the employees are at work when it makes sense for the business. I know this sounds obvious, but we both know that organizations often get it wrong. There’s a difference between staffing and scheduling. Companies can have lots of employees and never schedule them at the right times. OR they can schedule employees at the right times, but not have enough staff.
Like the good, fast, or cheap saying, I wish there was an absolute way to schedule the right employees to do the right work at the right time. That’s what makes workforce management so incredibly valuable. Lucky for us, there are technology tools that can help us to effectively make this business trifecta happen.
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