Which rules to choose to build you model
If you're unsure about which rules to add to your roster, don't worry! We've compiled some examples of common rules to help guide you. However, if you need assistance, feel free to start a live chat with us and we'll be happy to help.
Typical hours of work (Set up for FTEs)
Scenario:
Each person has an expected number of hours of work. For example, Daniel is expected to work exactly 80 hours per fortnight. However, he can be asked to do extra hours and should have the same number of hours each week.
Rules to create:
- Employees must work at least (80) hours per fortnight
- Employees should work at most (80) hours per fortnight
- Employees should work exactly (40) hours per week
Number of shifts that can be worked in a row
Scenario:
There are often contractual obligations about how many days in a row can be worked before a day off has to be given. While these obligations can form the hard limit, often it can be preferred to have an even lower maximum to reduce burnout and fatigue. A minimum is often a good idea as well so people can enjoy longer stretches off work.
Rules to create:
- Employees must work at most (7) days on in a row
- Employees should work at most (5) days on in a row
- Employees should work at least (3) days on in a row
Overnight shifts
Scenario:
When there are overnight shifts there are a lot of implied rules to make the transition to these night shifts more bearable. For these we will need a shift group if there is more than one type of night shift.
Rules to create:
- Employees must work at most (4) "Night Shifts" in a row
- Employees must work at most (4) "Night Shifts" in a rolling fortnight
- Employees should have at most (1) shift changes in a rolling fortnight
- Employees must have at least (9) hours between shifts
- Employees must have at least (2) days off after a night shift
Rolling Fortnight
A rolling fortnight is a timeframe used for scheduling rules that promotes a more even distribution of shifts. During a rolling fortnight, each week's schedule is evaluated in conjunction with the week before and after it. For example, if there is a rule limiting the number of night shifts to 3 in a rolling fortnight, the AI may assign 1-night shift in week 1, 2-night shifts in week 2, and at most 1-night shift in week 3. Compared to a traditional fortnight constraint period, a rolling fortnight reduces the risk of consecutive bad weeks.