Introduction
You’ve probably heard of predictive scheduling, but you may not be sure exactly what it is. We've created a quick guide on everything you need to know about predictive scheduling, the laws around it, and how to create this change within your business.
What is predictive scheduling?
Predictive scheduling is a method of setting employee schedules in advance. This means that the employer knows what hours an employee will work, and the employee also knows their schedule ahead of time.The goal of predictive scheduling is to make sure that both employers and employees have more control over their lives.
Predictive scheduling can be used for both hourly and salaried employees. It can help employers avoid staffing shortages by knowing when they need more employees and when they don’t. It also helps employees plan their lives better, especially if they have other commitments such as school or family.
What provinces have laws around this issue?
These provinces have laws around predictive scheduling:
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Quebec
Ontario
The Yukon is considering legislation
The laws in these provinces require companies to give employees their schedules at least two weeks in advance, and provide them with compensation if they are asked to work with less than four days’ notice. In Ontario, there is no compensation for being last-minute without pay.
Potential issues in Canada
There are some issues in Canada that you may not be aware of. For example, employees have the right to refuse work if they are not given enough notice. If an employee is scheduled for a shift but doesn't get enough notice of it, they can refuse to work that shift and still get paid for their time at work. This means that even if you want someone on your team to take over another person's shift because they aren't able to make it in due either illness or personal reasons (e.g., vacation), this won't always be possible without risking legal action from employees who feel as though their rights were violated.
Preparing your business
Switching to predictive scheduling is a big adjustment for staff and managers. The sooner you give it a try with your team, the sooner you’ll find out what works best for your business. Ease your team into the transition by incorporating these predictive scheduling duties along the way:
Avoid closing and opening shifts
Employers should avoid closing and opening shifts. This is a common practice that can be very detrimental to employees' lives, since it often means they have to work late on one day and early the next. The best way to avoid this is by using predictive scheduling software, which will give you an accurate idea of how many people are needed at each hour throughout the week.
Employees should also be aware of this issue and try not to accept shifts that close or open on their days off.
Prepare “good faith estimates” for new employees
When you hire a new employee, you should provide a good faith estimate of the employee's work schedule. This includes:
The number of hours they will be expected to work each week;
When those hours will be worked; and
How often they will be scheduled for shifts (i.e., weekly vs biweekly).
Do more with Ameego
Ameego is a scheduling software that helps you create schedules, manage shifts and communicate with your employees.
Ameego's predictive scheduling software allows you to:
Create schedules in minutes instead of hours or days by automatically distributing shifts based on employee preferences and availability.
Personalize shifts based on individual preferences (e.g., location preferences).
Communicate directly with employees through email or text messages about upcoming changes in schedules (e.g., last minute cancellations).
Conclusion
We hope that this article has given you a better idea of what predictive scheduling is, and how it can benefit your business. If you're looking for a scheduling option that is quick and effective, get in touch with us to schedule a demo with Ameego!
