And while making changes is somewhat streamlined because employees can leave notes regarding conflicts and trades, you still have to contend with making those changes work. You still have to struggle with formatting. This makes for a more productive team.Įase of distribution aside, the difficulties that plagued the regular word processor still remain. You create your schedule online through your preferred internet browser, save it in the cloud, and then grant access to all employees by sending them a link.Īnyone can view the schedule anytime they want, making this method an extremely efficient way to get the schedule into everyone’s hands. The main advantage of using a cloud-based word processor as a work schedule maker tool is the ease of distribution. While these word processors solve one of the major issues involved in creating and distributing a schedule, many of the other issues remain.

They are a step up from word processors of the past, but only a relatively small one. Cloud-Based Word ProcessorsĬloud-based word processors, like Google Docs, are the 21st-century evolution of a 20th-century product. But who’s to say that every employee will be able to open the schedule?Īnd who’s to say every employee even uses email? Many rely on social media instead. Sure, you now have the option of emailing your schedule to all employees simultaneously. You also still face the same challenges of distribution that make pen and paper so difficult. But there’s still quite a bit of work involved in moving things around and getting shifts and employees where they should be. And have you ever tried to format something on a word processor and make it behave like you want it to? Sometimes, pen and paper is less frustrating.Ĭhanges to the schedule might be a bit easier to make with a word processor because you don’t have to make a completely new form each time. You still have to create a form that is conducive to scheduling and easy for your employees to read.

Many of the same problems still make the process difficult. But that doesn’t mean it’s a better tool for the job - just a more modern tool. With the advent and spread of computers in the late 20th century, word processors like Microsoft Word and WordPerfect replaced pen and paper as the default work schedule maker for many businesses. Sure, you can have a form you fill in, but that’s still a significant amount of work that could be done away with by using more modern methods. Yes, you can post it in the break room or outside your office, but what’s to ensure that your employees will look at it with enough time to notify you of conflicts?įor another thing, a pen-and-paper schedule isn’t the easiest thing to change…and you know you’re going to need to make changes. In fact, the pen-and-paper method is likely what gave scheduling the rotten reputation it currently holds.įor one thing, it’s not easy to distribute. But that doesn’t mean it’s your best option. Yes, this method has been the go-to schedule maker for…well, a really long time. As basic as the pen-and-paper option is, it is the most difficult to use and really does nothing to make your life easier. We start out with the most basic schedule maker of all: pen and paper. So what are the best work schedule maker tools for businesses that you can look forward to trying? This article will answer that question. Some can even act as your own personal HR department and provide input to simplify schedule creation. Trying to create the perfect work schedule is often like trying to herd a kindle of kittens.įortunately, there are tools available that can help with this process. Without a doubt, one of the more difficult management tasks is scheduling your employees. But unlike other jobs of similar complexity, you don’t have support departments to back you up. As a business manager, you have a lot of responsibilities: plan projects, create and execute marketing, coordinate deliveries, organize employees, and ensure the smooth operation of your company.

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