Being able to view schedules in real time, switch shifts and pick up new shifts are conveniences that are now expected by many employees, according to Nichols. “Whereas previously, flexibility was kind of nice to have, employees today are starting to expect it,” she says.
As for picking up last-minute shifts, she points to “gig” employers such as Uber, which “has the ultimate flexibility — they’ve had same-day pay functionality since 2016,” notes Nichols.
“Some employees are starting to expect that kind of flexibility from other employers. At Kronos, we talk about how the employers we work with can offer shifts for people to pick up at the last minute. That way, employees who need extra money can pick up shifts at the last minute, meeting their needs through their current employer, rather than having to do gig work through a company like Uber.”
Like JDA, Kronos has begun adding artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to its platform, which help managers make the best decisions about scheduling, adds Nichols. Kronos’ clients can explore basic descriptive and diagnostic analytics, more advanced predictive analytics, or even prescriptive analytics.
“At the most basic, descriptive analytics show you what happened, diagnostics help you understand why it happened, and predictive analytics predict what might happen,” she explains. “So, for instance, the system could tell you that next Thursday is going to be really, really busy, so you need to make sure you have enough staff on hand.
“Then we have one step after that, which we call prescriptive analytics,” continues Nichols. “This is where the artificial intelligence really comes into play.”
Kronos calls its product AIMEE, which stands for Artificial Intelligence for Managers and Employees. “AIMEE is able to understand and interpret all this data,” notes Nichols, “so she can see that the week before Thanksgiving will be really busy, and she can see all the employees who are available. She can make specific recommendations about staffing in specific departments, even at the front registers to make sure the lines keep moving. Then she can build a schedule for the managers based on all those different data inputs, and the manager can take a look and approve it or make recommendations based on his or her own knowledge and experience in the store.”
While AIMEE is still relatively new to the market, Nichols says that a few of Kronos’ grocery customers are currently implementing the solution. “We’ve got high hopes and expectations of where AIMEE is going to go,” she asserts.
One of Kronos’s customers, family-operated regional chain Roche Bros. Supermarkets, implemented the Kronos Workforce Central suite last year and has reported achieving “strong results” from it. The technology allows the Wellesley, Mass.-based grocer to offer its 4,600 associates time and attendance, scheduling, and self-service applications. The system’s forecasting application gives managers at particular locations access to actionable insights, matching labor volume to anticipated demand. This helps avoid under- or over-staffing situations.
Michael Moriello, payroll and process analyst at Roche Bros., notes: “Kronos has been instrumental in our efforts to increase employee engagement and labor productivity by not only simplifying the scheduling process, but also by empowering our associates with a workforce management solution that appeals to today’s talent. We anticipate this solution will continue to build on our reputation as a customer-focused employer.”
