Blog

March 19, 2012

Loyola University Chicago Uses Humanity to Manage Dynamic Student Schedules

meet

The Loyola University Chicago Digital Media Services (DMS) manages and maintains a number of multimedia and digital media computer labs and services across two campuses. Between the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses, there are only a handful of full-time staff that manage approximately 65 student workers. Expanding greatly since the group began in 2007 with 25 student workers, their weekly schedules have become increasingly complicated to organize. Accommodating constantly changing student schedules that are prone to last-minute availability changes can be a challenge for management staff. On top of that, DMS staff schedules change on a week-to-week basis and they need a system that allows them to make custom schedules for specific locations as well as track when schedule requests are made.

Before Humanity, staff schedules were created and shared on a spreadsheet, paper-based system. To communicate availability, shift trades, and open shifts, DMS staff constantly sent emails back and forth or posted on discussion boards. Instead of using two disconnected modes of communication, the Humanity staff scheduling software allows all communication to take place in one centralized location, eliminating the chance of staff missing any notifications or shift changes. Between our public message wall, our private inbox and our ‘Ping’ system, DMS staff can stay connected at all times. The Humanity employee staff schedule is always up-to-date and allows DMS student workers to check the shift schedule at all hours of the day, from anywhere.

When unexpected, last-minute changes arise, there are associated hassles with making smooth employee shift trades as well as communicating those changes to staff, particularly when the majority of employees are students. Humanity makes this process as easy and convenient as possible. Juggling dynamic student schedules is now hassle-free as DMS student workers can request shift trades and pick up open shifts, with management staff absent from the process until the final approval stage. Full-time staff can now spend time they would normally spend on coordinating staff schedules, on other more important tasks.

DMS juggle student workers between multiple locations, which can be confusing and cumbersome when creating weekly shift schedules. Humanity’s customizable staff scheduling software allows managers to coordinate multiple locations from a single account. Furthermore, our employee management software encourages employee involvement, resulting in more conflict-free schedules. DMS student workers can indicate their weekly availability and any changes to their regular schedule all from the Humanity application. DMS has significantly minimized shift errors and there are fewer questions and issues regarding schedule-related issues since it is clear and structured, for both full-time staff and student workers.

”I would very much recommend Humanity: the team appears to be quite responsible to requests from clients regarding change and open to making modifications to their work schedule maker.” – Adam Smeets, Loyola University

The Humanity team enjoys working with a dynamic and involved team like DMS. We are glad to contribute to making your staff and student scheduling process easier and appreciate hearing feedback and ideas.