For any company, resource allocation is a time-consuming process. As a manager, you are always juggling multiple projects, plans, and tasks. And if you have poor resource management practices, they struggle with overallocation of resources, unclear goals, miscommunication, and overworked staff too. Not to mention, the costs continue to pile up.
Resource scheduling solutionshelp you handle different company resources – people, equipment, and spaces effectively. They give you visibility into all the company’s resources and simplify tracking and updating them through automation.
So, should you switch your manual scheduling processes and invest in a resource scheduling solution? Here are the top five benefits a resource scheduling solution offers any business to help you decide
1. Makes Project Management Easier
According to a survey by Monday, about 42% of managers still use manual methods to manage employees and other resources. Such manual scheduling processes involve several sheets of data that need constant tracking and updating. No wonder handling many complex tasks at once is hard and takes up a lot of time.
A resource scheduling solution simplifies such routine tracking and updating tasks through automation. All you need to do is upload the data into the resource scheduling solution once. Now, the software will automatically update resource availability based on their usage in real time. Managers can use it to track project progress, timeline, team members, and project needs with ease.
2. Simplifies Resource Allocation
With a good resource scheduling solution, managers can match needs with resource availability.
They can view resource availability across all floors and projects through a centralized dashboard. Then, they can decide allocations based on need. For instance, if the company is planning to adopt a hybrid working model after a prolonged period of remote work, managers will have to increase the number of desks to accommodate the new employees.
Managers can easily view the total number of available desks and plan how to allocate them to the new employees. They can also decide to convert the unused meeting rooms into ad-hoc workstations temporarily if required. This ensures your employees are not finding a place to work when they come into the office.
Thus, resource scheduling solutions simplify resource allocation by giving managers greater visibility into the company’s resources.
3. Ensures Effective Capacity Planning
Managers need 360-degree insights into the various resources for the timely completion of projects. This includes employee schedules, skills, ongoing projects, time-off, holidays, etc.
A resource scheduling solution helps you keep track of all the resources, whether employees, spaces, or tools.
Say a particular project requires employees with specific skills. You can track if the employees are engaged in other ongoing projects and allot tasks accordingly with a resource management software. This ensures your employees are never overburdened. Plus, your projects always get delivered on time.
4. Increases Employee Engagement
Employee burnout is real and plays a vital role in affecting worker engagement. When a company is handling multiple projects at a time, tracking the work allocated to different resources can be challenging. Managers might end up dividing the workload unevenly and overbooking the employees.
Overworked employees are less likely to be happy. Companies are more likely to see an unproductive workforce. Hence, a higher turnover rate. As a result, companies need to focus on happiness at work, especially in the post-pandemic period that has reset our view of work-life balance.
Managers can reduce instances of overworked staff with a resource scheduling tools. Companies can keep track of employee schedules, working hours, skillset, overtime, etc.
This way, managers can ensure fair allocation of tasks. They can redirect work if some employee is more booked. Thus, leading to higher employee engagement and performance.
5. Forecasts Demand
A resource scheduling solution helps managers forecast the demand for various resources. Managers can understand the current usage patterns and use this data to plan resources for the future.
For instance, by using a resource scheduling software, managers can see how employees are using the workspace. Suppose, the office is downsizing. With fewer employees in the office, desks will go largely unused.
You can use a resource scheduling solution to understand the kind of workspaces employees prefer based on past usage data. If you find that they use more lounge rooms than desks, you can alter the office floor plan, reduce the number of desks and increase the total lounge rooms available.
Over to You
Proper resource scheduling is the key to effective project management. And a robust resource scheduling solution is the way to make it simpler. But that is not all. It can help control costs, keep the employees engaged, predict resource demand, and ensure optimal use of resources without straining them.
To make resource planning easy, choose WorkInSync resource management tools. From scheduling features to managing resource capacity, to even tracking resource utilization, the tool allows you to do it all.
If you want to know more about the product, you can opt for a demo today!
