Let’s be honest: if you are a manager, you have undoubtedly dealt with scheduling problems directly in the last few months (or even weeks). It might be anything from juggling several projects at once to dealing with competing supplier meetings and deadlines to possibly skipping that brainstorming session with the web designers!
What are you able to do then? Don’t you care as much about scheduling conflicts? Learn to cope with the tension and accept that this is the way things are. Or simply cross your fingers and keep hoping for the best? You will understand the primary causes of these disputes, the most common ones, and how to prevent them at the end of this essay.
Sounds difficult? It might be. However, it’s definitely not impossible.
What are conflicts in scheduling?
Conflicts over scheduling arise when a team member is expected to be in two locations simultaneously, conflicting with other appointments or commitments on your calendar.
Let’s clarify this for you because you’ll undoubtedly require extra assistance to comprehend it. Consider giving a product manager some papers to complete while he’s at a worldwide conference, or giving your graphic designer an urgent assignment while she’s on maternity leave.
Because they are juggling several duties at once, these conflicts will make your team members feel under pressure all the time. What’s the end of it all? decreased team output, project delays, and possible overspending.
Worse still! Frequent schedule problems might cause the project to fail or even interrupt the entire corporate workflow.
Conflicts in Scheduling: How Did We Get Here?
We now know the definition of scheduling conflicts and the potential effects they may have on the progress of the project. We need to turn our attention to a solution now.
But hold on, perhaps we should start talking about how we arrived at these disputes in the first place.
Losing out on important opportunities
It should go without saying that schedule difficulties will cause you to lose out on some priceless possibilities due to unattended meetings or activities. losing a potential customer, finding untapped market gaps, or networking with important stakeholders.
Making two reservations
CEOs and department heads experience this extremely frequently. Due to their hectic schedules, people frequently inadvertently reserve multiple spots for two events at the same time, which leads to scheduling issues.
Clashing responsibilities
When team members’ responsibilities and tasks overlap, scheduling conflicts can frequently occur. When teams schedule meetings and appointments without taking into account everyone’s prior obligations, it is more likely to occur. This not only causes certain team members to become overburdened with unfinished work that has accumulated while they were away, but it also throws off their work schedules.
Insufficient communication
It’s easy to understand why poor communication is one of the most common reasons for scheduling issues. Employees are more likely to inadvertently double-book themselves or find it difficult to cooperate with their coworkers when the team does not effectively convey the information.
Unexpected events
Not all schedule conflicts are the result of human error; rather, many of them are brought on by unanticipated circumstances or crises, which occur frequently and include everything from transportation to health concerns to technical difficulties to anything else that necessitates quick attention.
Poor planning
When jobs and events with tight deadlines are poorly planned, it’s like shooting in the dark. Unrealistic deadlines, an intolerable workload, and, of course, schedule issues are the payoff.
Differences in time zones
We may both be lying if you said that your remote workforce could always adjust to time management. Imagine having US, Australian, and Argentinean team members. Do you anticipate the time slot conflict?
4 Strategies to Prevent Scheduling Conflicts
The exciting part is about to begin! The advice that follows isn’t only a set of rules. It’s the strategy for preventing (or at least lessening) the most frequent scheduling conflicts.
Share the disagreement with your group
Improved communication leads to improved results. Additionally, well-considered choices about scheduling conflicts result in improved outputs. When all members of the project team are aware of the impending dispute, the team can talk about it and deal with it before it happens.
Plan beforehand
Let’s face it: most workers have little control over their working hours, and this occurs more frequently than you might imagine. According to Statista research, 47% of employers provide very little flexibility, despite the fact that most workers would prefer to work according to a more set schedule if given the option.
However, despite their desire to work more, some employees are forced to work part-time (less than 35 hours a week) due to a lack of working hours.
This issue usually arises when company owners are unable to track their employee’s time using Efficient Lab and assess workload. The answer to this? Make a plan! Because you can provide your workforce with consistent hours and, preferably, full-time employment by creating a timetable in advance.
Establish a specific timetable for your group
Your one-stop solution is to set up a daily routine planner where team members can visualize the entire project timeline and their own dedicated schedule so they can plan the deadlines according to their availability. This is because what team members really want from you is a plan that fits with their work schedule. You see? Very simple.
Have reasonable expectations
We completely understand that time is money, just as resources like staff, supplies, and training are. Regarding the project’s completion date, however, you should always be reasonable. Task assignments, vacations, leaves, delegation, scheduling flexibility, and everything else are all made easier by this.
