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The Chief’s Guide to Purchasing Staff Scheduling Software

www.AdashiSystems.comThe Chief’s Guide to Purchasing Staff Scheduling Software2

Introduction

Within the public safety sector, scheduling the right

staff members with the correct qualifications is vital.

When shift commanders and scheduling adminis-

trators encounter a breach in staffing, emergency

apparatus are unable to respond timely and effec-

tively. As this happens, response times increase -

putting the public you protect at risk of not getting

the help they need.

To make crew rostering less painful, many depart-

ments have begun using specialized department

scheduling software to create and maintain staff

schedules. These specialized software products

allow for quick and efficient breach repair. Breaches

can happen when employees call out sick or other-

wise miss work unexpectedly, leaving the depart-

ment understaffed at the last minute.

Today there are a variety of staff scheduling

providers on the market. In order to improve

staffing for administrators, shift commanders, and

first responders, your department needs to choose

a software provider that meets your full scope of

needs. When departments implement software

that only addresses part of their concerns, they

are often forced to utilize a combination of software

and other time-consuming and costly methods to

achieve their goals.

That’s why we’ve put together this straightforward

guide to help public safety agencies determine what

their ideal scheduling solution should look like. We

want you to use this guide to assist in choosing the

correct software that benefits your department the

most now and in the future. In the following pages,

learn the key steps every department should follow

when purchasing staff scheduling software.

That’s why we’ve put together this straightforward guide to help public safety agencies determine what their ideal scheduling solution should look like.

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STEP 1

Evaluate Your Existing Processes

Before you start researching fire department sched-uling software, take a moment to explore what’s not working well in your current system or what needs improvement. Staff scheduling software is purposely designed to mitigate and ease the sched-uling problems that departments currently face on a daily basis.

To explore what problems are plaguing your depart-ment, talk to your shift commanders, your chiefs, your line personnel, and your first responders. Discover what they wish was different or what features could make their daily lives easier. Ques-tions such as:

Is your current software meeting all your needs?

Are you forced to use a combination of software plus other methods to fulfill your scheduling requirements?

Can administrators easily view rosters for upcoming shifts?

Does your shift commander have to individually call off-duty personnel when there’s a breach?

Can staff bid on overtime bookings automatically?

Are administrators consistently notified of under and overstaffing?

Is it possible to integrate your scheduling with your MDT and incident command software?

Determine your department’s individual pain points.

What could be better? What could be fixed?

To explore what problems are plaguing your department, talk to your shift commanders, your chiefs, your line personnel, and your first responders.

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STEP 1

No single department has a flawless staff scheduling system.

MAIN PROBLEMS HOW SCHEDULING SOFTWARE COULD HELP

PROBLEM 1

1:

2:

PROBLEM 21:

2:

PROBLEM 31:

2:

No single department has a flawless staff scheduling

system. Even if your system appears to be working well,

there are ways you can continue to improve and inno-

vate. It is essential to frequently evaluate your processes

for possible increases in efficiency. Even the slightest

improvement can boost morale among your staff.

Please use the following worksheet to aid in

identifying your department’s biggest scheduling

complications, and how implementing your ideal

scheduling solution can make staffing smoother

and less time consuming.

Administrators have to fill last minute breaches by individually calling off-duty staff and check-ing their availability. This process is time-consuming, prevents administrators from focusing on other department activities, and increases response times be-cause apparatus cannot respond until the breach has been fixed.

Automatically contacts available staff when breaches occur, saving time and leaving administrators free for other tasks.

Decreases the time spent filling breaches which helps units lower response times.

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STEP 2

Determine Your Department’s Needs

Now that you’ve determined the most size-able problems with your current scheduling processes, it’s time to dive into your depart-ment’s scheduling needs.

The way each department operates is different. Fire, police, and EMS agen-cies often work under specific union and business rules. Departments have unique protocols for requesting overtime, vacation, and sick leave. Many are presented with

multiple schedules working in conjunction with each other.

As you begin to research scheduling soft-ware, it’s important to consider various items within your own department.

Please use the following chart to clarify your department’s procedures for the following items:

Ideally, you’ll find a staff scheduling soft-ware that accommodates your department’s custom rules while easily and painlessly inte-grating with your existing processes. Once you’ve identified your department’s

requirements, determine which specific features or capabilities you’ll need in your scheduling software. Work to find a provider that fits your specifications and can accom-modate your specific needs.

CONSIDERATION YOUR DEPARTMENT’S PROCEDURES

How Kelly Days are Scheduled

Vacation/leave allocation

Overtime Cost Management

Overtime Bidding Rules

Shift Length

How Shift & Kelly Trades are Conducted

Integration with Payroll

Integration with RMS

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STEP 3

Compare Providers

Now that you have identified your needs and your pain points: it’s time to find the depart-ment scheduling software best suited to solve your problems.

As emergency responder technology has improved over time, several staff scheduling providers have released products specifically suited to fire, police, and EMS departments. What we have found is that these providers

don’t always have the same features, bene-fits, and integrations.

Before choosing the right scheduling soft-ware for your department, it’s a good idea to compare what each provider offers.

Use the chart below to get started. Feel free to add in your own needs as discovered in your research.

PRODUCT FEATURES OPTION 1 (Y/N) OPTION 2 (Y/N) OPTION 3 (Y/N)

Month view of roster

Mobile app

Push notifications

Different admin access levels

Payroll integration

Other important considerations are whether the software requires associated hardware, the availability of customer support, and how frequently the software is updated.

Depending on your department, you may

also need to narrow your options based on your budget, maintenance, or training needs.

Make sure to compare different software companies thoroughly before making your choice.

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STEP 4

Demo the Product

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to two-to-three providers, it’s important to view a demonstra-tion of the product before purchasing. Demonstra-tions can be performed virtually via the web with products like GoToMeeting, WebEx, or other online meeting platforms. In the final stages, many soft-ware providers will provide a live version of the soft-ware that incorporates data from your department.

This way, you can see exactly how the department scheduling software works in action.

Consider whether the interface is user-friendly and intuitive. Are there any key features that you don’t see available? Does it have web-based applica-tions? Is there both an iOS and an Android app?

Viewing a demonstration helps you see firsthand if a particular scheduling solution meets your needs. In addition, a demonstration helps you become familiar with new software that may have a different look and feel from other options you have seen previ-ously. Agencies should also use the demonstration to assess if the product is designed for people with different levels of IT experience and whether your staff will find the software easy-to-use.

A demonstration is also your opportunity to ask specific questions pertinent to your department to the software subject matter expert who knows the product inside and out.

This way, you can see exactly how the department scheduling software works in action.

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STEP 5

Implement and Train Your Staff

Congratulations! -You’ve found the scheduling software that meets your department’s needs… but you’re not done just yet.

When implementing the product, it is imperative to allow for time to train your staff, especially your shift commanders and administrators, on how the system works. Once your administrators and personnel feel comfortable using the product, it’s more likely that they will use it in their day-to-day activities. If your scheduling software offers self-ser-vice options or apps for first responders to request leave or trades, it is also advisable to develop departmental usage guidelines and communicate the appropriate protocol.

Lack of, as well as improper training, often leaves software unused. Many staff members don’t want to learn a new system by themselves on their own time. It is essential to stress the importance of training for your team to fully adopt your new software.

When you enter the purchasing process, implemen-tation and training are important things to keep in mind. Consider:

How will we implement the product?

Will the provider customize training sessions based on my needs?

Do they offer Train-the-Trainer?

Once there is a solid understanding of how the soft-ware works, it can become a part of your sched-uling routine, and many departments see imme-diate benefits.

When implementing the product, it is imperative to allow for time to train your staff, especially your shift commanders and administrators, on how the system works.

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Conclusion

Many departments use the same software for years and years because they’re used to how it works and “it has always been done that way”. Just like other forms of technology, scheduling software is always innovating and continuing to grow with the times.

With these tips, you should be able to navigate the scheduling software purchase process with increased effectiveness. When considering a new software option, use the checklist below to make sure that you:

Talked to your staff about their needs

Discovered the main department pain points

Identified the specific union and departmental rules and protocols

Determined which features/specifications should be included

Compiled a list of software providers

Compared the main features of each scheduling option

Viewed product demonstrations of your top choices

Asked important questions about the software

Developed a plan for implementation

Trained staff on how the new software works

By keeping these things in mind, you can find the right department scheduling software for your public safety agency and ensure that your soft-

ware is providing a tangible value to your staff and community.

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Toll-Free: +01.877.563.9980 x1Sales: +01.443.808.0737sales@AdashiSystems.com

Adashi Systems is the leading provider of technology solutions for public

safety agencies worldwide. Adashi’s full suite of products offers solutions

for scheduling, notification, response, incident command, and situational

awareness. Together, Adashi’s products provide an end-to-end solution

to help public safety agencies create a coordinated response before,

during, and after incidents occur.