PD - 6-18-13 Dispatch Work Schedule1
A3 Problem Solving
Concern/Problem
(Describe concern or problem in a very brief statement that clearly identifies the
issue)
With the current work schedule employees rarely have weekends off and work five to
seven days in a row.
Processes that may be
impacted
Salina Police Dispatch: 210
Work schedule
Date problem was
identified
February 7, 2013
Originator
(Record the name(s) of the individual(s) or team who identified this
concern/problem)
Angela Fuller, Amber Anderson, Janell Murphey
Contacts
(Identify all those that were contacted in order to obtain information regarding this
issue)
Lt. Wayne Pruitt, Angela Fuller, Darci Scheele, Amber Caswell, Janell Murphey,
Manissa Hull, Linda Miller, Rose Haaga, DeAnn Cornwell, John Ziegler, Jan
Guerrero, Pam George, Rachelle Kelley, Johna Hein, Corey Steinert
Problem Solving Team
(Identify all those who participated in solving this concern/problem)
Angela Fuller, Darci Scheele, Amber Caswell, Janell Murphey, Manissa Hull,
Rachelle Kelley, Lt. Wayne Pruitt
Describe Current
Situation
(using a narrative form describe e in detail the current situation, including all issues
that arose)
Currently dispatchers work a 40 hour week which includes 8 hour work days. The
shifts are as follows: 1st
shift (06:30 – 14:30), 2nd
shift (14:30 – 22:30), 3rd
shift
(22:30 – 06:30), Day power (10:30 – 18:30), Evening power (18:30 – 02:30). Days off
rotate monthly.
Analysis
(using bullet points, LSS charts or diagrams, or any other analytical tools provide a
thorough, yet succinct analysis that clearly identifies the root cause of the problem)
• With the current schedule there are times that only 2 dispatchers are
working an entire shift on 3rd
shift, which can be overwhelming if it is a
busy shift.
• Only 2nd
shift has 4 person coverage for an entire shift and this only occurs
a maximum of 4 days per week when we are at full staff.
• Shift changes occur 3 times a day, each with a chance for knowledge loss
between shifts.
• Dispatchers do not always work with the same people. Dispatchers may
work with many different dispatchers during a single week. Especially true
for dispatchers working the power shift who may work with 6 different
dispatchers during a single shift.
• Weekends off only occur three months out of the year.
• Multiple dispatchers are required to work 7 days in a row each month
when days off rotate.
• Supervisor must create the schedule each month, adjusting each
dispatcher’s rotating days off.
• Dispatchers are required to work 12 hour shifts to cover vacation and sick
leave at times with little to no notice. Sometimes this happens multiple
times in a single week often during the week dispatchers are already
working 7 days in a row.
• Rarely having weekends off make it difficult to attend family functions,
which often occur during the weekend
• Lower morale due to missing family events that often fall on the weekend
Recommendation
(identify the actions required in order to solve this concern/problem and prevent it
from ever happening again)
2
• Create a 12 hour schedule, working 36 hours one week and 44 hours the
second week.
• This schedule results in a 3 day weekend every other weekend,
• The normal schedule results in no more than three 12 hour days in a row.
• This schedule creates a 2 week rotation with set days off.
• Every dispatcher would be scheduled a minimum of three days off each
week.
• Dispatcher’s would be required to submit requested time off a minimum of
2 weeks in advance or must find a volunteer to work their requested time
off. If no one is willing to volunteer to work and it is less than 2 weeks
before the time they want off, the request for time off will be denied. This
will eliminate a dispatcher being given short notice to work a 12 hour shift,
except in the case of sick coverage.
• Create a volunteer signup sheet that allows dispatchers that want extra
overtime to volunteer to be called if coverage is needed due to someone
calling in sick. If no one has signed up for a day that needs covered, the
dispatchers not working that day will be called in order of seniority and
offered the overtime. If none of the dispatchers called want the overtime,
the least senior dispatcher will be required to work. Once a dispatch has
been called in once in any given month, they will have the opportunity to
decline until all dispatcher working that same shift have been called in.
Labor and Cost Savings
Annual dollar savings:
$21,616.96 (785.5 hours * 27.52 Avg. O.T. pay rate)
Annual hours of increased capacity:
663 hours per year with 1 additional dispatcher working
8 hr schedule (48 hrs wk. * 52 wks = 2496)
12 hr schedule (64 hrs wk * 26 wks + 57.5 hrs wk * 26 wks = 3159)
Use bullet points to identify customer service or employee benefits:
• At least 3 dispatchers working at a time except for 2 Mondays a month
from 2-6 am.
• Two shifts would have 4 dispatcher coverage 4 days per week instead of 1.
This is double the amount of shifts that currently have 4 dispatcher
coverage. Currently, with the 8 hour schedule the 4 dispatcher coverage is
split between shifts. Second shift is the only shift that has 4 dispatcher
coverage for an entire shift for 4 days per week.
• Reduce the amount of time the Communications supervisor has to work
the dispatch floor. (28 hours saved for Jan. – Mar. 2013)
• Scheduled three day weekend, every other weekend
• No more than three scheduled 12 hour work days in a row (usually no
more than two 12 hour days and one 8 hour day in a row). However, sick
and vacation day coverage may at times cause this to increase.
• Fewer shift changes each day resulting in less of a chance to information
loss between shifts. Two shift changes compared with three shift changes
with the 8 hour schedule.
• More weekend days to spend with family
• Increased morale and enthusiasm for work
• Working in shifts or teams can foster a team work mentality and employees
will be able to know what the other dispatchers are doing during high
stress situations and during very busy times in dispatch.
• Reduced overtime costs
• The same dispatchers will be working after a patrol shift change.
Dispatchers will have knowledge of what happened during the prior patrol
shift and can share this information with officers.
• Less burnout due to working fewer days in a row and having weekends off
more frequently.
• 12 hour shifts with every other weekend off can be used as an effective
recruiting tool for new dispatchers.
• Possibility of improved employee retention, since several past dispatchers
have resigned at least partially due to rarely having weekends off.
• Knowing the work schedule many months in advance will make it easier to
make plans on scheduled days off, likely resulting in fewer leave requests.
• Employees can request just 24 hours of leave time and end up with seven
days off in a row.
• Time & gas savings for employees due to less commutes to and from work
3
Looking towards the future, the 12 hour schedule would allow 4 dispatcher coverage
every day while only requiring 16 full-time dispatchers. Sixteen full-time
dispatchers in the current 8-hour schedule are split so that three dispatchers work
on shift six days a week, and five work two days a week. Five dispatchers is more
than required, and can be a waste of manpower.
Implementation Plan
(briefly describe the implementation plan upon approval of this project)
• Change to the new 12 hour schedule at the next shift bid.
• Try the 12 hour schedule for six months
• Meet and identify all negative effects and issues involving the 12 hour
schedule at 3 and 6 months.
• Meet and identify all positive effects and issues involving the 12 hour
schedule at 3 and 6 months.
• Meet after 3 months and evaluate how the 12 hour shifts are going. If the
negatives are too high switch back to the 8 hour schedule, otherwise
continue the 12 hour schedule for the full 6 months, before having a final
evaluation of the trial period.
• After 6 months re-evaluate, surveying all employees to see if they prefer the
12 hour schedule or the old 8 hour schedule.
• Decide whether to continue with the 12 hour schedule or switch back to
the previous 8 hour schedule after the 6 month trial period is over.
• If it is determined that we need to switch back to 8 hour shifts
immediately, the schedule would switch back on the following Monday
after this determination is made. If the need is not immediate, but it is still
determined that 8 hour shifts are the better option, the schedule would
switch back to 8 hours on the first Monday of the following month.
Attachments
(include current and proposed process documentation forms, or before and after
photos, or other before and after descriptions as appropriate)
• Proposed 12 hour schedule
• Current 8 hour schedule
• Overtime hours and the cost of each schedule based upon past monthly
schedules.
• Comparison of cost/savings between the schedules
• Dispatcher 12 hour survey results
• Information from other agencies that currently use or have in the past used
12 hour schedules.
• 8 hour schedule with 16 dispatcher coverage
Approval Process
Supervisor’s Review
and others in the Chain of
Command
Instructions: This form is submitted through the chain of command to the Director
Date: 06/12/2013
Name: Lt. Pruitt and Deputy Chief Mansfield
Comments: Approved
Director’s Approval
Instructions: Approval authority is delegated to each Director for all
recommendations that results in $5,000 or less in annual savings, or 250 hours or
less of annual increased capacity.
Date: 06/12/2103
Name: Chief Hill
Approved/Denied
Process Improvement
Director’s Approval
Instructions: Upon approval this form is sent to the CMO Executive Assistant, who
forwards a copy to members to the Executive Support Team. They determine how to
convert hours into budgetary savings.
Date: June 18, 2013
Approved/Denied
City Manager