This paper introduces a practical approach to multiple-shift manpower scheduling by presenting an algorithm that applies the approach to a large and common class of problems. The algorithm constructs schedules that utilize no more than the minimum number of workers necessary for a schedule satisfying constraints that include two offdays each week, a specified number of offweekends in any fixed number of consecutive weekends, a maximum of six consecutive work shifts and different staffing demands for each type of shift. We discuss the application of the approach to several other classes of manpower scheduling problems.

No abstract

Previous lower bounds on workforce size have been derived from the consideration that the number of working shifts which can be provided by the workers over a given period of time must be at least as large as the number of working shifts required by the staffing demands over that period. None of those bounds incorporates the effect of constraints on the changing of shifts in a multiple shift manpower scheduling problem. This paper utilizes a network model of the problem to model its multiple shift aspect and provide new lower bounds on workforce size. For some common special cases of constraints these lower bounds can be calculated by band. For some common special cases of demands the multiple shift lower bounds degenerate to the single shift lower bounds.labor, production/scheduling, networks/graphs: applications