Labor Management System Philosophy

Here is a link to a short magazine interview I gave several years ago (called Improving Collaboration), my comments here will shed some light on my philosophies regarding the selection of a labor management / labor scheduling system.

From my comments you can take that I feel that there is a cultural "fit" that needs to be respected when selecting a labor management software package. I have in the past worked with Casino operations who quite clearly were attempting to institute software packages whose core design philosophy was at odds with the culture of their organization (with predictably unsuccessful results).

The core design of Labor Management / Labor Scheduling systems generally fall into one of three categories:

1. Rostering Systems. Generally lower in cost and in many cases not suited to entire Property or Enterprise installations, rostering systems can be very comprehensive in the production of daily and weekly employee schedules. In many cases rostering systems work off pre-planned templates which represent forecast demand (in Casinos these are called Spreads), so this type of program is generally less comprehensive in developing labor forecasts and complex labor standards. The specialized rostering system approach has been somewhat successful in the Table Games market.

2. Time and Attendance Systems. Usually developed in the school of "better labor management through clock management" thinking, these systems are notable for their interface capabilities to time clock systems. By the way, it is generally the sale of time clock systems that purveyors of these systems crave, for that reason there has been in the past less of a commitment to consistently developing and supporting the labor management aspects of these programs. One big advantage of these systems is the somewhat forced usage by operational departments, because one thing is for sure, Operations has to edit time clock records on an on-going basis. Look for a track record of installation success with these types of systems because all of the time clock companies seem to be jumping into the market now.

3. Resource Management Systems. Typically skewed to the fiscal aspects of labor management, resource management systems are typically the most comprehensive in allowing complex labor standards to be configured and reported, and generally have the most built-in volume forecasting tools. Scheduling tools run the gamut from rudimentary to very comprehensive. The best of this breed also has built in budgeting modules, although in most cases the Casino Industry has favored the Excel Add-In approach with budgeting software. Again, look for a good track record of installation success with these type of systems, in many cases, the companies designing / developing in this area are in the market for consulting fees (so initial costs may be higher than with a straight software purchase).

There are many competing labor management / labor scheduling products on the market, understanding the core design values of each will help when making the proper selection for your organization's needs.