http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:43:45 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It’s been an extremely hot summer here in Maryland with many days exceeding the 100 degree mark. While most people get excited talking about their vacation destinations, there is no rest for the folks that have to manage all that time off for large companies. They are the unsung heroes ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/the-unsung-heros-of-vacation-scheduling/ One might think that the longest part of an implementation project for workforce scheduling would be the customization of the software. Our customers at Tugboat have taught us that more often it’s entering local data for job skills into the SOS system that holds up the “go live” date. ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/speeding-the-implementation-process/ Resistance from front line managers when implementing a labor scheduling solution happens for a variety of reason. One reason being that the order has been brought down from corporate. Unfortunately there is always resistance to any software solution that is sent down the pipe from corporate whether it be a ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/how-scheduling-projects-go-wrong/ We recently completed work with a customer where we were able to reduce their overall cost of labor and measure the results as well. The goal was to reduce the use of temporary workers (Temps). Temps are an ideal resource when balancing the ups-&-downs of production demand with a finite labor ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/labor-waste-over-use-of-temporary-workers/ In a recent article in the Manufacturing Business Technology magazine, Julie Fraser discusses how "software can bring some capabilities to the plant environment that are very difficult - if not impossible - to achieve by other means." In particular, she highlights resource allocation as a need that can only truly ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/the-benefits-of-software-in-a-lean-production-environment/ At some point I’m usually asked “Why automate (the process) when our scheduler is already doing a good job?” It might seem counter-intuitive, but this is actually the best time to bring the tools of automation to bear. This is the time, before a talented scheduler moves-on ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/were-doing-fine-why-automate-now/ New approaches to managing the workforce can be unsettling to your line employees. Change is often a tough pill to swallow. Automating your scheduling process, by definition, can appear de-humanizing – ‘I’m scheduled by a black box!’ Actually, if handled correctly, union members come to embrace this ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/automated-scheduling-and-your-union/ Reduced hourly wages. Shrinking labor union membership. Plants moving offshore or outright closing. Today’s business news paints a grim picture of modern manufacturing’s sad decline, at least in north America. Has the well spring of invention that fueled the long history of improved productivity in US manufacturing finally run dry? Hopefully ... http://blog.tugboatsoftware.com/hello-world/