Workforce Management Best Practices
After completion of the WFM Assessment, clients often ask SSG to provide a detailed proposal to implement some or all of the recommendations made during the study. Examples of WFM Best Practice projects include the following:
1. Right Size Staff Implementation.
Implement the staffing recommendations made during the WFM Assessment. Our clients typically ask us to manage this process because of our unique participative approach that involves local site managers impacted by the staff level changes. For more detail, please read our article in a recent GonzoBanker article, published by Cornerstone Advisors. Our philosophy is quite simple. If you don't involve those impacted by change in the change itself, you set yourself up for failure. We learned long ago that improvements are sustainable if you involve the managers in the process.
Here is an example of a Letter of Agreement that spells out a typical project plan. This example includes the installation of GMT Planet software. As mentioned earlier, you are not obligated to license it. Some clients prefer to have us conduct periodic WFM Assessments. Others get so excited about the GMT software during the WFM Assessment, they decide they must have it for themselves. This way they can manage their workforce on an ongoing and proactive manner. Remember, SSG will tailor the solution to your needs.
2. Human Resource Consulting
For most retail organizations, the proper use of part-time tellers is essential for efficient and service based scheduling. However, the effective use of part-timers is often elusive due to difficulties with the recruitment and retention of quality part and peak time personnel. SSG has a long history of providing its clients with successful strategies to how to tackle this problem. We teach our clients proven methods on how to better integrate the use of quality part- and peak-time employees into the staffing mix to improve both efficiency and customer service. As part of this process, SSG will also look at your overall pay and benefit plans, recruiting strategy, management and retention programs, turnover rates, while assessing your current HR culture. All of these factors can have a tremendous impact in your ability to hire, schedule, and retain high quality employees. Here is an example of a success story we had helping this client find a significant number of quality part timers in a difficult labor market.
3. Branch /Department Hours of Operation
During our transaction data analysis, we will analyze your transactions by type, by day, and by time of day. Based on the patterns we see, we will make suggestions about either extending or reducing your hours of operation if appropriate. For example, we will be able to graphically show you and your managers where and when there may be a significant drop off of customer activity.