Sustainable Workforce Management: Fewer Overtime Hours = More Energy Saved
Why it’s time to focus on overtime as an energy drain and how modern workforce management software helps conserve valuable resources.
Overtime is often considered a sign of dedication or a necessary evil during peak business periods. But it doesn’t just cost time, money, and morality also consumes energy. Longer working hours mean more electricity, more heating or cooling, and more IT usage. The result: higher operational costs and an unnecessarily large carbon footprint.
On top of that, chronic overtime takes a toll on employee health, long-term performance, and motivation. That’s a risk no company can afford, especially in times of skilled labor shortages.
Contents:
↓ Definition: What is sustainable workforce management?
↓ Why is it worth reducing overtime?
↓ How does workforce management help to reduce overtime?
↓ Who benefits from sustainable workforce management?
↓ When is the right time for sustainable workforce management?
Definition: What is sustainable workforce management?
Sustainable workforce management is a modern, strategic approach to scheduling and staff planning. The goal is to align operational needs with employee well-being and the environmental impact of work organization. It’s not just about efficiency – it’s also about fairness, health, and sustainability.
A key component of this approach is reducing overtime. Overtime doesn’t just affect employee well-being; it also has a measurable impact on energy consumption and therefore on a company’s environmental footprint.
Why is it worth reducing overtime?
Overtime is often considered a necessary part of business flexibility. It helps manage workload peaks and ensures projects are completed on time. But in reality, it comes with a range of unwanted side effects. Employees who regularly work longer hours experience more stress, are more likely to get sick, and tend to lose motivation over time. At the same time, every extra hour spent at the workplace increases energy consumption—lights stay on, heating or cooling systems keep running, and IT infrastructure continues to operate, even when the business could already be winding down. Reducing overtime is therefore a powerful lever for cutting operating expenses, easing environmental impact, and supporting employee health. A true triple win for any organization.
How does workforce management help reduce overtime?
Digital time recording and automated compliance rules ensure that legal requirements are met and deviations are detected early.
In addition, modern WFM systems empower employees through self-service portals where they can enter their availability or swap shifts. This not only improves work-life balance but also relieves the burden on HR and scheduling teams.
Who benefits from sustainable workforce management?
Everyone in the organization stands to gain from sustainable workforce management.
Executives benefit from lower operating expenses and an improved energy footprint – both increasingly important factors for investors and partners. HR teams gain more planning stability and spend less time dealing with last-minute schedule changes or overtime issues. Managers get tools to better distribute workloads and lead their teams more effectively.
And most importantly, employees benefit from more reliable schedules, greater say in their planning, and a healthier work-life balance. The result is a work environment that boosts motivation and strengthens employee retention. A decisive competitive edge in times of skilled labor shortages.
Also worth exploring: Work-Life Balance – Focusing on HR, IT & Planning: How to Improve Your Employees’ Work-Life Balance with WFM Software
Learn how workforce management software can help improve your team’s balance between work and personal life.
Read the full blog here: https://plano-wfm.com/en/work-life-balance-wfm-software/
When is the right time for sustainable workforce management?
The best time to implement or optimize sustainable workforce management is right now. More than ever, companies are under pressure, demands for flexibility are increasing, while employees expect more predictability and involvement in scheduling decisions. Moreover, there are external factors such as rising energy costs, legal requirements for time recording, and a broader societal shift toward sustainability. Acting early doesn’t just create an operational edge – it also strengthens your position as an attractive, forward-thinking employer. Times of transition – like introducing new working time models or launching
Where is the greatest potential for savings?
The greatest savings potential through sustainable workforce management lies in areas where a high volume of working hours coincides with continuous infrastructure costs – such as production facilities, logistics centers, or retail floors. In these environments, intelligent, demand-driven workforce planning pays off twice: it not only reduces labor costs but also cuts energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. But even traditional office settings or the healthcare sector offer surprisingly strong opportunities for resource-efficient planning.
Manufacturing
Real-life example:
With precise forecasts, machine runtimes can be better aligned with actual staffing needs. The software ensures that only the necessary number of employees are scheduled – exactly when machines can operate at peak efficiency.
Sustainability impact: Lower energy and material consumption thanks to shorter machine runtimes and the elimination of unnecessary idle phases.
Retail
Real-life example:
In retail, AI-powered customer traffic forecasts make it possible to accurately predict when more or fewer staff members are needed. The software schedules optimal shifts and breaks accordingly.
Sustainability impact: Reduced overtime, fewer idle hours, and lower energy use on the sales floor through aligned opening hours and staff presence.
Logistics
Real-life example:
The software can automatically factor in carpooling for early and late shifts by scheduling shifts so that employees can commute together.
Sustainability impact: Fewer solo commutes mean reduced CO₂ emissions—a tangible step toward sustainability.
Contact Center
Real-life example:
By forecasting call volumes with precision, schedules can be aligned with peak hours. Overstaffing and downtime are avoided.
Sustainability impact: Less unnecessary working time in air-conditioned open-plan offices means savings on electricity, heating, and cooling.
Healthcare
Real-life example:
Digital shift scheduling ensures staffing is based on actual care needs rather than rigid patterns. Rest periods and legal requirements are automatically respected.
Sustainability impact: Avoiding staff overload leads to healthier employees and longer retention in the profession – a key factor in an industry facing a skilled labor shortage.
Office Environments (Back Office, Administration, IT)
Real-life example:
The software supports shared desk models by automatically identifying who’s in the office and allocating workspaces efficiently. Shifts can also be scheduled to minimize overtime.
Sustainability impact: Less office space needed and lower energy costs through targeted use – plus better work-life balance thanks to structured working hours.
What are the benefits of sustainable workforce management?
Sustainable workforce management contributes to multiple strategic goals of a modern organization. It reduces labor costs by minimizing overtime and idle time. At the same time, it lowers energy consumption, supporting ecological sustainability targets. Employees benefit from more predictable schedules, fairer shift distribution, and greater influence over their working hours – all of which boost satisfaction and reduce turnover.
A frequently underestimated side effect: reducing overtime isn’t just about productivity – it’s a cornerstone of responsible business leadership and a clear competitive advantage in today’s labor market. Companies known for structured schedules and fair planning significantly enhance their appeal – not only to current employees but also to new talent.
Sustainable workforce management also improves transparency and compliance in time recording. Organizations that actively embrace these benefits don’t just streamline internal processes – they also enhance their public image, particularly in the context of ESG strategies and sustainability reporting.
As part of the Allegion family, plano is embedded in a comprehensive sustainability framework. Allegion is committed to ambitious ESG goals, including a 25% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030 and a full transition to renewable electricity. The company also sets globally binding standards for diversity, inclusion, and ethical business practices.
For more information on specific goals and metrics, click here: https://www.allegion.com/corp/en/about/ESG/goals-kpis.html
Conclusion:
With modern workforce management solutions like plano, economic, social, and environmental goals can be achieved simultaneously. Intelligent scheduling helps save energy, reduce employee strain, and use resources more efficiently.
Organizations that embrace sustainable workforce management today are shaping the workplace of tomorrow – making it fairer, more efficient, and future-ready.
Would you like to find out more about workforce management with plano?
Would you like to find out more about workforce management with plano?
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