Employee scheduling and schedule modification method and apparatus

• US 8,788,308 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Corporation
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Cox, Joseph S., Medina, Steven J., Streich, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Pats, Justin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rotaru, Octavian
• Application Number:
  US10/812,857
• Time in Patent Office: 3,767 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.16, 705/7.17, 705/7.22, 705/7.23, 705/7.25
• US Class Current: 705/7.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for establishing, maintaining, distributing, and modifying an employee schedule. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a scheduling system programmed in software and configured to run on a scheduling computer. One or more remotely located overhead displays and one or more remotely located employee interfaces or kiosks communicate with the scheduling computer to disseminate schedule data to employees. The kiosks are additionally configured to provide an interactive interface for employees to utilize system features. One exemplary system feature comprises computerized posting of sheets requesting worker sign-up for additional or reduced work hours based on projected workload. Another exemplary system feature comprises a shift pool wherein employees may post one or more of their work shifts to an employee accessible pool. Other employees may then accept the posted shift via an employee interface thereby facilitating automated work shift changes. Another exemplary system feature comprises an automated attendance module. The automated attendance module compares employee schedule data to data regarding which employees are actually at work or actually working. In this manner, attendance of employees is taken.

Claims

1. A computer program product for scheduling at least one of a plurality of employees to a work shift based on identified changes of a workload in the work shift, anticipated undesirability for the work shift, and adjusted workforce requirements, wherein said computer program product is recorded on a non-transitory computer readable medium and having one or more computer software written thereon that when executed by a computer hardware processor, causes the computer hardware processor to execute the steps of a method comprising:

storing work schedules of the plurality of employees;

checking attendance of the plurality of employees utilizing the work schedules and a presence of the plurality of employees during the work schedules;

determining violations of the plurality of employees, wherein said violations comprise at least one of absence infractions of the plurality of employees and attendance infractions of the plurality of employees;

identifying the changes of the workload in the work shift as either an attendance excess or an attendance shortfall and,

when the attendance excess is identified in the work shift, implementing at least one resolution selected from a group consisting of;

extending lunchtimes of the plurality of employees, extending break times of the plurality of employees, shortening the work shift, and eliminating the work shift,

when the attendance shortfall is identified in the work shift, implementing at least one other resolution selected from another group consisting of;

extending the work shift for the plurality of employees, offering other employees the opportunity to work additional hours in the work shift, and truncating breaks and lunchtimes for the plurality of employees;

anticipating whether the work shift is undesirable to the plurality of employees, and when the work shift is anticipated as undesirable to the plurality of employees, provide the plurality of employees at least one incentive selected from a group consisting of;

an increase in pay, a time off at a later date, gifts and a sign up bonus to accept the work shift;

adjusting the workforce requirements in the work shift at specific time intervals to ensure continuous availability of a workforce ratio from a total workforce of the plurality of employees;

displaying said work shift to at least one of the plurality of employees;

scheduling at least one of the plurality of employees to the work shift based on the identified changes in the workload of the work shift, the implementing of the at least one resolution and the at least one other resolution in response to the identified changes, the anticipated desirability for the work shift, and the adjusted workforce requirements.

2. A computer implemented method for scheduling at least one of a plurality of employees to a work shift based on identified changes of a workload in the work shift, anticipated undesirability for the work shift, and adjusted workforce requirements, the computer implemented method comprising:

storing, by a computer hardware processor, work schedules of the plurality of employees;

checking, by the computer hardware processor, attendance of the plurality of employees utilizing the work schedules and a presence of the plurality of employees during the work schedules;

determining, by the computer hardware processor, violations of the plurality of employees, wherein said violations comprise at least one of absence infractions of the plurality of employees and attendance infractions of the plurality of employees;

identifying, by the computer hardware processor, the changes of the workload in the work shift as either an attendance excess or an attendance shortfall and,

when the attendance excess is identified in the work shift, implementing at least one resolution selected from a group consisting of;

extending lunchtimes of the plurality of employees, extending break times of the plurality of employees, shortening the work shift, and eliminating the work shift,

when the attendance shortfall is identified in the work shift, implementing at least one other resolution selected from another group consisting of;

extending the work shift for the plurality of employees, offering other employees the opportunity to work additional hours in the work shift, and truncating breaks and lunchtimes for the plurality of employees;

anticipating, by the computer hardware processor, whether the work shift is undesirable to the plurality of employees, and when the work shift is anticipated as undesirable to the plurality of employees, provide the plurality of employees at least one incentive selected from a group consisting of;

an increase in pay, a time off at a later date, gifts and a sign up bonus to accept the work shift;

adjusting, by the computer hardware processor, the workforce requirements in the work shift at specific time intervals to ensure continuous availability of a workforce ratio from a total workforce of the plurality of employees;

displaying, by the computer hardware processor, said work shift to at least one of the plurality of employees;

scheduling, by the computer hardware processor, at least one of the plurality of employees to the work shift based on the identified changes in the workload of the work shift, the implementing of the at least one resolution and the at least one other resolution in response to the identified changes, the anticipated desirability for the work shift, and the adjusted workforce requirements.

3. A system for scheduling at least one of a plurality of employees to a work shift based on identified changes of a workload in the work shift, anticipated undesirability for the work shift, and adjusted workforce requirements, the system comprising:

a hardware computer processor and one or more components of the hardware computer processor programmed to;

store, work schedules of the plurality of employees;

check, attendance of the plurality of employees utilizing the work schedules and a presence of the plurality of employees during the work schedules;

determine, violations of the plurality of employees, wherein said violations comprise at least one of absence infractions of the plurality of employees and attendance infractions of the plurality of employees;

identify, the changes of the workload in the work shift as either an attendance excess or an attendance shortfall and,

when the attendance excess is identified in the work shift, implementing at least one resolution selected from a group consisting of;

extending lunchtimes of the plurality of employees, extending break times of the plurality of employees, shortening the work shift, and eliminating the work shift,

when the attendance shortfall is identified in the work shift, implementing at least one other resolution selected from another group consisting of;

extending the work shift for the plurality of employees, offering other employees the opportunity to work additional hours in the work shift, and truncating breaks and lunchtimes for the plurality of employees;

anticipate, whether the work shift is undesirable to the plurality of employees, and when the work shift is anticipated as undesirable to the plurality of employees, provide the plurality of employees at least one incentive selected from a group consisting of;

an increase in pay, a time off at a later date, gifts and a sign up bonus to accept the work shift;

adjust, the workforce requirements in the work shift at specific time intervals to ensure continuous availability of a workforce ratio from a total workforce of the plurality of employees;

display, said work shift to at least one of the plurality of employees;

schedule, at least one of the plurality of employees to the work shift based on the identified changes in the workload of the work shift, the implementing of the at least one resolution and the at least one other resolution in response to the identified changes, the anticipated desirability for the work shift, and the adjusted workforce requirements.