Maximising Summer Savings: Efficient Staff Allocation with RotaMaster’s Allocation Wizard

In our previous blog, we explored how utilising contracted hours and bank staff can be more cost-effective than relying on agency staff. As summer unfolds, it’s essential to further refine our staffing strategies to ensure we maximise savings and maintain high-quality care. This follow-up focuses on a powerful feature of RotaMaster that can revolutionise how you allocate your staff: the Allocation Wizard.

The Challenge of Efficient Staff Allocation

Staffing healthcare facilities, especially during the busy summer months, can be a complex puzzle. Balancing contracted hours, bank staff, and agency staff requires meticulous planning and execution. Inefficiencies in this process can lead to unnecessary expenditures, particularly on costly agency staff. The goal is to optimise your existing resources before resorting to external solutions.

The Advantage of Dedicated Workforce Management Software

Using dedicated workforce management software like RotaMaster makes planning and changing rotas significantly easier and quicker than manual rotas. With advanced features designed to streamline the process, it reduces administrative workload, minimises errors, and enhances overall efficiency. Automated scheduling, real-time updates, and intuitive interfaces ensure that staffing adjustments can be made swiftly and accurately, allowing you to focus on delivering quality care without the constant stress of manual rota management.

Introducing the Allocation Wizard

RotaMaster’s Allocation Wizard is designed to streamline this process, making staff allocation more efficient and cost-effective. This tool ensures that your contracted staff and bank staff are utilised to their fullest potential before you consider hiring agency staff.

How the Allocation Wizard Works

1. Allocate Contracted Staff First: The Allocation Wizard prioritises the allocation of your contracted staff. By ensuring that their hours are maximised, you make full use of your existing workforce, which is typically the most cost-effective option.
2. Utilise Overtime and Bank Staff: Once contracted hours are allocated, the Allocation Wizard moves to filling remaining shifts with overtime and bank staff. This step helps in leveraging the flexibility and availability of your internal pool without incurring the higher costs associated with agency staff.
3. Reserve Agency Staff as a Last Resort: Only after all possibilities with contracted, overtime, and bank staff have been exhausted does the Allocation Wizard suggest the use of agency staff. This strategic approach ensures that agency staff are only used when absolutely necessary, helping to control costs.

Benefits of Using the Allocation Wizard

• Cost Savings: By maximising the use of contracted and bank staff, you significantly reduce the need for expensive agency staff, leading to substantial savings.
• Efficiency: The Allocation Wizard automates the complex task of staff allocation, saving time and reducing administrative burden.
• Resource Optimisation: Ensuring that your existing staff are fully utilised not only saves money but also boosts staff morale by providing them with more consistent hours and opportunities for overtime.
• Allocation Fairness: Make sure your session types are distributed evenly between your staff members by setting limits.

Practical Tips for Using the Allocation Wizard

• Review Contracted Hours Regularly: Ensure that all contracted staff hours are up-to-date and accurately reflected in RotaMaster. This will help the Allocation Wizard in making precise allocations.
• Maintain an Active Bank Staff Pool: Keep your bank staff list current and make sure they are readily available to fill in shifts as needed.
• Monitor and Adjust: Regularly review the allocations made by the wizard and adjust as necessary to accommodate changes in staff availability or demand.

Conclusion

As we continue our summer savings campaign, leveraging RotaMaster’s Allocation Wizard can be a game-changer in how you manage your staffing needs. By prioritising the allocation of contracted staff and then utilising overtime and bank staff, you can minimise reliance on costly agency staff, resulting in significant cost savings and more efficient operations.

Stay tuned for more tips and strategies on maximising savings and optimising your workforce. If you haven’t already, explore the features of RotaMaster and see how the Allocation Wizard can transform your staffing approach this summer.

For more information on how RotaMaster can help you achieve your staffing goals, visit our website or contact our support team. Let’s make this summer not only productive but also cost-effective!

Read our previous blogs here:

Maximising Summer Savings: Why Overtime and Bank Staff are More Cost-Effective Than Agency Staff

Maximising Summer Savings: Enhancing Efficiency with RotaMaster’s Availability Collection Feature