Allocating work patterns and striking the right balance between customer and colleague needs and expectations is an enduring task that occupies many of us. We spend much time on admin tasks such as monitoring and tweaking metrics on lates and weekends. Over time, this becomes a heavy administrative burden. In reality, scheduling decisions often come down to personal preferences. Not everyone fits neatly into these established patterns.

What is Fairness?

Fairness is a subjective concept, often interpreted as a single point of reference. Yet, in reality, it’s a complex blend of considerations such as SLAs, multi-channel requirements, seasonality, and the need for tactical adjustments. Scheduling processes and shift reviews often fixate on monitoring metrics like the number of late shifts and weekends, but this approach can fail to meet everyone’s needs. We must rethink our approach. Employee and customer needs are changing, as are expectations for work-life balance.

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This article was first published in the 2025 Best Practice Guide - Raising Standards

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