Alternate Crewing Schedules
ALTERNATIVE CREWING / SCHEDULING OPTIONS
Five, Six, and Seven Day Week with Ten Hour Shifts
Standard 5 day week, 8 hrs per day
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun TOTAL
Operator #1 X X X X X NA NA
Operator #2 X X X X X NA NA
Operator #3 X X X X X NA NA Note: 7 people/shift,
Operator #4 X X X X X NA NA 7 pieces of equipment
Operator #5 X X X X X NA NA
Operator #6 X X X X X NA NA
Operator #7 X X X X X NA NA
CREW SIZE 7 7 7 7 7 0 0
Prod'n Hrs 56 56 56 56 56 0 0 280 Prod'n Hours
A) Example: Five Days Coverage, Each Employee Working 4 Days/Week, 10 Hr Days
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun TOTAL
Operator #1 Off X X X X NA NA
Operator #2 X Off X X X NA NA
Operator #3 X X Off X X NA NA Note: 5-6 people/shift,
Operator #4 X X X Off X NA NA 7 pieces of equipment
Operator #5 X X X X Off NA NA
Operator #6 Off X X X X NA NA
Operator #7 X Off X X X NA NA
CREW SIZE 5 5 6 6 6 0 0
Prod'n Hrs 50 50 60 60 60 0 0 280 Prod'n Hours
What’s the advantage? Easier recruiting (people like a 4 day week). 15%-20% more equipment availability.
Add people to add capacity (the equipment and space are available)
B) Example: Six Days Coverage, Each Employee Working 4 Days/Week, 10 Hr Days
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun TOTAL
Operator #1 Off Off X X X X NA
Operator #2 X Off Off X X X NA
Operator #3 X X Off Off X X NA Note: 4-5 people/shift,
Operator #4 X X X Off Off X NA 7 pieces of equipment
Operator #5 X X X X Off Off NA
Operator #6 Off X X X X Off NA
Operator #7 X Off Off X X X NA
CREW SIZE 5 4 4 5 5 5 0
Prod'n Hrs 50 40 40 50 50 50 0 280 Prod'n Hours
What’s the advantage? Easier recruiting (people like a 4 day week). 30% more equipment availability!
Shorter Lead Times. Add people to add capacity (the equipment and space are available)
C) Example: Seven Days Coverage, Each Employee Working 4 Days/Week, 10 Hr Days
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun TOTAL
Operator #1 Off Off Off X X X X
Operator #2 X Off Off Off X X X
Operator #3 X X Off Off Off X X Note: 4 people/shift,
Operator #4 X X X Off Off Off X 7 pieces of equipment
Operator #5 X X X X Off Off Off
Operator #6 Off X X X X Off Off
Operator #7 Off Off X X X X Off
CREW SIZE 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Prod'n Hrs 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 280 Prod'n Hours
What’s the advantage? 43% more equipment availability! People still get 3 days off/week.
Shorter Lead Times. Add people to add capacity (the equipment and space are available)
Some things to consider.
Note that the above examples do NOT increase capacity. Each alternative provides the same number of working hours. However, by staggering the days off, we provide the equivalent of additional equipment, and shorten lead times. These alternate crewing schedules also make adding capacity much easier. Just add people. The equipment and a trained workforce is already on board. Also, adding capacity via overtime is generally more acceptable: work 8-10 hrs O.T. and still get a 2 day weekend! We recommend that you do NOT promise a Mon-Fri work week when initiating the 4 day week. Leave yourself the ability to go to a 6 or 7 day coverage week, i.e. trade the appeal of 3 days off per week for the occasional working a Sat and/or Sun.
Days off can be adjusted in order to meet weekly swings up and down if needed (e.g. everyone works on Monday’s because it is a high ship day. Overtime is based on anything in excess of 40 hours per week. Same total number of holiday HOURS are provided for the year. The number of days will be less.
Schedules above can rotate the day off so that every X weeks each operator has off one Monday, Tuesday, etc. if desired. Needless to say, these same alternatives can be used on a second shift to further reduce lead times and increase the amount of available equipment.
Jack B. Harrison
Senior Partner
The Hands-On Group
info@handsongroup.com
407-299-5245
www.handsongroup.com
