ADVISORY SERVICE - SHIFTWORK
- WHAT DOES IT DO?
- TYPES OF ASSIGNMENT UNDERTAKEN
- HOW CAN IT BE USED?
- QUESTIONNAIRE
- PRELIMINARY MEETING
- WHAT DOES IT COST?
- HOW YOU CAN CONTACT US
WHAT DOES IT DO ?
It enables organizations to design shift rotas, and other patterns of working time, tailored to their individual circumstances and needs.
TYPES OF ASSIGNMENT UNDERTAKEN ?
The range of assignments undertaken by the Advisory Service includes:
- Providing examples of shift rotas based on a specific number of teams showing the impact of changes in shift length, varying the size of each block of shifts, altering the direction of rotation within and across blocks of shifts, and modifying the distribution of rest days.
- Illustrating the impact of change the number of teams from four to, say, five or six. Also, the effects of basing a rota on half teams, or splitting each team into a number of sub-groups.
- Advising on alternative ways of increasing the level of cover from five days a week, to six or seven days a week.
- The design and provision of rotas based on the traditional approach, together with advice on, and examples of how to, provide cover for holiday entitlements and other types of paid or unpaid absence.
- Advising on the options available and the relative advantages and disadvantages of the traditional and annual hours approaches to the operation of shift systems.
- The design and generation of fully integrated annual hours rotas covering four, five, six ,or more years. Advise on alternative ways of utilizing pay back shifts /owed hours/commitment hours. Also, the implications for payment systems and other terms and conditions of employment.
- Assessing the impact of variations in shift length; paid and unpaid meal breaks, overlaps between successive shifts; shutdowns of various lengths; variations in the level of cover required by day in the week, or time of day.
- The generation of rotas that either provide cover for seasonal variations in the level of demand; have a fully integrated day shift; incorporate a planned maintenance programme; or make provision for regular training sessions.
- Providing advice on alternative methods of generating shift premia and on the appropriate levels of premia for various patterns of working time.
HOW CAN IT BE USED ?
Not only do organizations use our services to provide assistance advice and information over the whole range of working time issues, but they utlize them in different ways. The main ones are:
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As technical back up to the decision making process. Providing information on alternative patterns of working time. In particular the provision of illustrative shift rotas based on a set of agreed parameters. Parameters such as the number
of teams, shift length, shift start and finish times, number of shifts worked before a rest day is taken, and whether cover is provided on a fully rotational or fixed shift basis.
Largely a desk top exercise based on the answers to our questionnaire, plus telephone contacts, but may be supplemented with one or two meetings. -
As a resource to be used in the process of identifying the basic parameters. That is, identifying the main factors determining production/operating hours required and employee hours available. It covers such issues as the number of
shutdowns, if any; levels of staffing by time of day, day in the week and time of year; variations in the length of the normal basic week; the definition of a days holiday; whether breaks are paid or unpaid; and the duration of overlaps, if
any, between successive rostered shifts. This is followed by the provision of worked examples of the most relevant patterns of working time.
Entails several meetings plus the generation of illustrative examples. It is basically an iterative process and the number of meetings and the range of options considered varies according to whether the labour force is one homogeneous group for rostering purposes, or is split into several groups with different patterns of working time. -
As an active participant in joint, management, or employee working parties. This frequently is concerned with an examination of the impact of significant changes in customer demand, or the introduction of new process and/or capital
equipment. The objective is to develop alternative patterns of working time that provide a better fit to the needs of the organization and its employees.
It entails a combination of meetings, plus the provision of technical back up to the working party. The number of meetings varies from case to case and depends upon the range of options to be considered, levels of access by the relevant parties, and differences in the level of cover required throughout the organization.
QUESTIONNAIRE
We produce a questionnaire which identifies the basic information required to design a pattern of working time tailored to your organizations individual circumstances and needs. It poses a series of questions in respect of operating hours required, employee hours available, and preferences in respect of the pattern of working time.
This questionnaire can be used as the basis for a desktop exercise, or to provide a framework for identifying the basic parameters within which any system of working time will operate.
PRELIMINARY MEETING
For assignments, other than purely desk top exercises, it is useful to have a preliminary meeting to assess whether our services are appropriate, and if they are, determine the issues to be covered and the type of project to be undertaken.
If you feel that a preliminary discussion meeting would be of assistance, please contact us to arrange a mutually convenient date.
WHAT DOES IT COST ?
After any preliminary discussion meeting, fees for the Advisory Service are charged on an hourly basis. Subject to a minimum charge of one days work, (8hrs) per project.
Details of current costs and other terms and conditions are availablecan be obtained by contacting us.
HOW YOU CAN CONTACT US
If you require a copy of the questionnaire, please click here to contact us.
Working Time Analysts Ltd., Penrhiw Farm, Cwmann, Lampeter. SA48 8HE
info@rotas.co.uk