UniFocus has launched intelligent predictive scheduling capabilities for its labor management and time and attendance solutions.
The new service aims to provide hoteliers with accessible intelligence so that they can pivot their business operations in response to the growth in fair workweek laws. UniFocus’ predictive scheduling feature will help managers balance fair workweek law compliance with employee wellbeing and trust while aligning staff schedules to conform with business needs.
The tool incorporates all local rules to help with the guesswork that can stall scheduling operations or lead to non-compliant schedules and heavy fines.
Unifocus’ predictive scheduling offers a clear holistic picture of how, when and where labor resources can be lawfully and effectively utilized. Managers are alerted when attempting to adjust set shifts or change hours from an employee’s previously assigned schedule that are non-compliant. When coupled with UniFocus’ advanced time and attendance platform, predictive scheduling also offers the option of overriding alerts with the payment of the locally mandated penalty to the affected employee. Penalty rates may vary by region, however, UniFocus with predictive scheduling can automatically implement the correct rate which is then instantly added to an employee’s timecard.
“With hoteliers facing more limitations on the ability to adjust schedules that fall outside of permitted time frames, the industry is calling for solutions that don’t just follow legal requirements, but that also provide them with the means to make informed business decisions,” UniFocus CEO Mark Heymann said in a statement. “Predictive scheduling by UniFocus respects the needs of both employees and employers. Operators can plan their schedules with confidence, knowing they are always fully compliant and if they’re not, can understand the fiscal impact of choosing to make non-compliant schedule changes out of necessity. Predictive scheduling helps provide staff with a predictable work environment that breeds loyalty while preventing any coverage lapses that can impact the guest experience.”
Predictable scheduling is also able to integrate with ShiftGenius, another tool that gives staff members enhanced schedule flexibility while making managers’ lives even easier. The only tool currently available that provides employee shift flexibility without negatively affecting service quality, ShiftGenius lets staff members select from a list of open shifts to create a schedule that aligns with both personal and work-related needs. Together with predictable scheduling, managers can automatically ensure that any shift pick-up requests remain in compliance with regional fair workweek regulations.
Other Unifocus functions include the integrating of rules regarding the scheduling of minors and ensuring adherence to employee break rules.