Labor management challenges in the midst of a pandemic
In the face of sudden production disruptions spurred by changes in demand and high levels of layoffs and absences, every industry has had to change the way they work. Most have adopted new workforce management policies that focus on employee heath and continuity plans. Now, the focus is ensuring the longevity of these practices.
With workers being out sick (or sent home after temperature checks) at an unprecedented rate, there are more “unplanned” scheduling scenarios than planned ones. These sudden vacancies need to be covered quickly, while still adhering to complex qualification, union, fatigue, local, and state guidelines. Unfortunately, many facilities still rely on manual processes to obtain coverage, causing further disruption and bottlenecks.
Areas of opportunity
- Invest in an automated, touch-free scheduling process that simplifies real-time management when gaps inevitably occur
- Restructure shifts to make social distancing easier
- Track employee qualification and absence data for easier trend analysis and projection reporting
Compliance concerns
- Centralized, easy-to-find data on where employees are and when
- Contact tracing to efficiently identify those who may have come into contact with an infected person
- Unqualified employees being scheduled as replacements
