E-rostering can boost staff contentment and bring flexibility

I had the opportunity of working with an American e-rostering system that offered real advantages. The system proved a time-saver for senior staff, providing accurate and timely access to staffing at local and senior level, as well as fairness, equity of shift patterns and easy management of leave.

So it was surprising to hear from colleagues in emergency departments that the system was creating chaotic shift patterns, leading some to consider resignation, instead taking up full-time bank/agency work or nursing roles that offered more consistent shift systems.

Whether undesirable shift patterns are due to the system or not, we should ask whether it is contributing to a sense of unhappiness in the workplace.

Research has long indicated that staff happiness and organisational success are inextricably linked. Recently, economists at the University of Warwick found that ‘happy’ staff were 12% more productive. With increasing workloads and