Husqvarna mows down employee scheduling effort with Kronos

Yvonne Dockray, Financial Controller at Husqvarna explains that the move to Kronos began with a flexible working pilot covering two internal departments. That showed that its existing workforce management system could not cope, and hence the search for an alternative. “It’s imperative that we are able to manage increased production in the most efficient way with the correct manning levels and most cost-effective shift patterns,” says Dockray. “With labour costs being a significant element of our manufacturing cost-base, the ability to use Kronos to make fast scheduling decisions and calculate risk will optimise our manufacturing capacity and potentially lead to a more efficient cost-base,” she adds. Kronos will automate administrative tasks associated with managing the flexible working programme, such as meeting compliance standards and managing shift patterns. And it will reduce administration by automating payroll and abasence reporting. Most important, Husqvarna expects the system to reduce the level of payroll administration, automate absence management and provide the business with timely, accurate reporting. And Dockray makes the point that with seasonal peaks in product demand, the system will also optimise highly variable staff schedules.