Security Guard Scheduling: Avoid Common Problems and Schedule More Efficiently

When companies have issues with security guard scheduling, workers can miss shifts or accumulate more overtime than necessary, which can hurt businesses financially and lead to workers feeling dissatisfied. Common scheduling problems include overstaffing, employee shortages, regulatory compliance, tracking absences, overtime, using sub-contractors, ensuring that certifications (i.e. firearm training) are met and issues with swapping shifts. 

Creating and maintaining staff schedules can be an arduous task for supervisors, administrative staff and employees. It requires dealing with different operational needs and juggling time-off requests, which can reduce the amount of time devoted to higher-level tasks. 

Workforce scheduling software can help contractors avoid common problems by reducing unnecessary overtime, empowering employees by integrating systems and providing high-level data reports that have the potential to boost employee retention.  

Integrate systems to reduce unnecessary overtime

Security guard scheduling errors can lead to customers billing contractors for uncompleted work. It can also cause overbilling for work that was completed but required more hours than necessary. Both trends lead to increased costs which lowers customer satisfaction and profitability on a contract.

Minimizing issues with security guard scheduling software involves using accurate data to provide a clearer picture of the staff schedules and how many hours employees are actually working. With a workforce management solution that provides data reports, it is possible to minimize costs by regularly reviewing budgeted hours against the contract and overall reported overtime.

It is possible to prevent adding particular employees to the schedule, if it will result in overtime pay. System tools can be configured to filter out and only identify employees who are available to work without incurring overtime pay. Also use security guard scheduling software tools to make timely updates to staff schedules, as quickly identifying discrepancies can mean solving issues more expediently. 

Empower employees with security guard scheduling tools

Self-scheduling is a modern approach to workforce management. It lets workers post shifts for other employees to claim, or workers can simply swap shifts. Giving guards the ability to post, pick up and swap shifts encourages them to independently minimize scheduling gaps. 

Specifically, workers can take advantage of self-scheduling through a self-service portal. It also supports recordkeeping efforts by storing information on employee qualifications and other relevant data within the workforce management software. 

A self-scheduling system can also provide visibility and accessibility by letting workers easily view and make changes to their schedules without involving a manager. Instead of back-and-forth messaging requesting approvals that can distract supervisors from higher-level tasks, self-scheduling relies on autonomy and communication between workers. 

Employees feel empowered when they can take control of their schedules. That can be especially true when staffers are encouraged to do so by their managers. Empowering workers to own their schedules gives them options to make up for missed work and pick up additional work. Overall, guards appreciate the flexibility to change shifts because of outside events and scheduling conflicts. It encourages work-life balance and company morale. 

Boost retention and reduce turnover

In addition to empowering employees, a company that takes advantage of security guard scheduling software tools can better retain employees. First Coast Security, a firm with over 2,000 employees in 12 different states within the U.S., was able to utilize a self-scheduling program so that employees could pick up and post shifts. 

FCS successfully implemented scheduling tools for around 1,100 security officers and their supervisors. They took advantage of software features to ensure that only qualified workers would be able to take certain shifts. Additionally, FCS made sure that compliance and contractual requirements were completed. These tools allowed them to improve employee engagement and retention while reducing turnover through their employee-driven shift scheduling program.

“Instead of losing out on the investment we’ve put into their training, we are able to offer them an alternative to a true resignation. By moving them into our self-scheduling program, those employees can stay in our system and pick up shifts at their leisure. It’s a win-win: FCS doesn’t lose great employees or the investment we put into their hire, and the employee is able to have a flexible second stream of income based entirely on when they want to work,” said David Snyder, the National Security Director at FCS.

The scheduling tools were so effective in part because employees could access tools through their own mobile self-service portal. Each self-portal enabled workers to conveniently offer and accept shifts. Additionally, managers and supervisors were able to receive alerts or notifications in real-time whether they were in the office or on-site. Learn more about how FSC was able to refocus about $2,000 per week that was put back into higher value tasks for paid supervisors: First Coast Security: Leveraging Self-Scheduling Technology.

Finding the right security guard scheduling system

Managing scheduling exceptions and avoiding costly overtime is a proactive business decision. Choosing the right security guard scheduling software system can help. Taking steps to implement scheduling tools can reduce overtime, empower employees and reduce turnover. 

To learn more about scheduling software designed to make scheduling run more smoothly at your company, set up a time to speak with one of our specialists. Ask questions and get real answers to solve common scheduling problems. Learn more before issues happen so you can better identify problems that may already be occurring at your company.