· The output from manufacturing and design teams is basically dependent on the -hours people are available to perform various tasks
· Overtime is one of the few ways a business can use to quickly adjust manpower availability to meet short-term fluctuating demands on the business
· Regular, routine overtime, however, removes a manager’s ability to adjust the available manpower to meet these fluctuating business requirements
· In order to reduce the need for regular overtime, you can:
o Introduce annualised hours to accommodate seasonal variations in work load
o Introduce flexi-time, where people work core hours plus the time needed to complete the job
o Train people to perform their jobs more effectively, eliminating non value adding activities and making more time available
o Simplify, eliminate and/or automate routine administrative tasks
o Employ additional people on temporary contacts to cover peak/seasonal load variations
o Find ways to significantly reduce absenteeism and lost time; Introduce process orientated self-directed teams, re-designing tasks so jobs can be completed in normal working time
o Review shift patterns to create additional flexibility and available capacity
o Employ a proportion of the workforce on fixed term contracts to provide the flexibility needed to match resources to demand
o Implementing appropriate ICT systems to reduce workloads
o Off load or subcontract additional work to capable suppliers
o Build an overtime element into pay rates and don’t pay for overtime
· Monitor the time employees spend at work and encourage people to adopt an acceptable work/life balance
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