We run public training courses to address, in a general way, various aspects of the rostering process - see our training page.

However, you may have a specific problem and deadlines to meet and so we also run on-site workshops designed to explore the problem, evaluate the options and find a solution. For example, you may be considering the move from semi-continuous working (eg. 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday) towards fully continuous working (ie. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Currently, you may work 8-hour shifts and use overtime to cover weekends. In the workshop we would typically present a range of options. We would, for example, for 24/7 working describe the traditional 4-team systems; explain the concept of annualised hours and how it works within a 5-team system; and explore shift systems based on 8 or 12-hour shifts or a mix of 8's and 12's.

The general process is as follows:

• You describe the problem to us and supply us with all relevant background information
• We sketch out an outline programme for the workshop, agree it and then do any required preparatory work
• We run the workshop on-site for a working group. Workshops such as these, when there are typically a number of options, work best with a smallish group of people who have a knowledge of the problem
• We sometimes, if applicable, make use of our rostering software system, RotaView, which can access libraries of standard shift rotas and is a very useful tool for evaluating rostering systems,  which may consist of different rotas, taking into account staff grades, skills, hours worked etc.
• Typical length of workshop - half to a full day
• If required, we write-up off-site the main issues covered during the workshop

At the end of the process the working group has explored the available options and has a report summarising them. Our typical charge for this stage is one to two days but much depends on the amount of preparatory work and the content of the report. The next stage is to decide how best to present a suitable option to staff, a process that we can help with possibly making use of some of our software tools.