plano | References | Städtische Werke AG

Initial situation

Before the plano WFM solution was introduced, shift scheduling was primarily handled using Excel spreadsheets. Monthly planning, last-minute changes, sick leave, and vacation coordination resulted in a high manual workload and limited transparency for employees.

Vacation planning presented a recurring challenge: employee requests, coverage arrangements and service requirements had to be coordinated manually — often under pressure. For managers, this meant a constant additional burden in their already demanding day-to-day operations.

Planning certainty & operational stability

• Ensuring reliable service hours in customer-intensive dayto-
  day operations
• Early detection of understaffing and overstaffing
• Quick response to absences, sick leave, and last-minute changes

Transparency & employee-centric approach

• Clear and easily accessible shift schedules for employees
• Accommodation of individual employee preferences, particularly when planning vacation time
• Early communication of assignments and changes

Efficiency, Streamlining & Regulatory Compliance

• Reduction of manual planning and coordination efforts
• Relief for managers in day-to-day operations
• Reliable compliance with collective bargaining agreements
  and statutory working time regulations

Planning Certainty and Process Stability

plano provides a reliable framework for staff planning in customer service. Staff shortfalls, policy violations, or critical situations become apparent early on. This allows measures to be taken in a timely way before service disruptions occur. Overall, planning becomes more stable and less susceptible to last-minute disruptions.

Relief for managers and planning officials

By digitizing the planning process, numerous manual coordination steps, follow-ups, and correction loops are eliminated. Managers gain time for their core responsibilities, such as leadership, management, and employee development. At the same time, the quality of planning improves thanks to system-generated prompts and clear structures.

Increasing employee satisfaction

Transparent vacation planning that takes employees’ preferred time frames into account is viewed particularly positively. Employees receive feedback early on and can better plan their personal appointments. This strengthens trust, acceptance, and motivation within the team.

Starting Point: Complexity in Customer Service

The demands on customer service at Städtische Werke AG are high: variable service hours, diverse skill sets, and lastminute changes in day-to-day operations. It quickly became clear that the existing complexity in customer service could only be effectively managed in the long term with a structured, system-supported solution. Modern workforce management software was the key prerequisite for creating transparency, regulatory compliance, and stability in planning.

The Role of Professional Workforce GmbH

As a specialized partner for Workforce Management as a Service, Professional Workforce brings in-depth expertise in forecasting, capacity planning, and operational management. This collaboration makes it possible not only to implement workforce management technically, but also to actively put it into practice.

plano WFM as the technological foundation

plano provides the technological foundation. The software digitally maps all planning processes: from work schedules and qualifications to absences and automated verification of collective bargaining and legal requirements. Shortages or surpluses are highlighted by the system, changes are traceably documented, and work schedules are centrally managed. This three-pronged approach combines technology, operational expertise, and business requirements, thereby creating a solution that goes far beyond traditional software projects.

Collaborative Management Instead of Additional
Operational Burden

With Workforce Management as a Service, Städtische Werke AG combines the capabilities of the plano WFM software solution with the external planning expertise of Professional Workforce. Professional Workforce handles the entire operational planning process administratively, i.e., creating demand forecasts, capacity planning, maintaining shift schedules, managing vacation and absences, and rescheduling in the event of short-term changes such as sick leave. The managers at Städtische Werke AG retain an overview without having to build up additional internal resources or intervene operationally in the planning process. This creates space for leadership tasks and the direct support of employees.