The rostering process of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) is complex enough. A practical method to produce flexible rosters requires being able to model shifts and breaks, distribute the workload between several working positions, and rotate staff through all the tasks they are qualified to do. For most ANSPs, more than 60% of them, spreadsheets are still their rostering tool. We know it can be arduous to change from the classic rostering to automation, but it is possible to do it even if you are working with budget limitations.
Rostering automation comes in handy with cost control. Calculating the Return on Investment will help you estimate potential cost savings using rostering automation.
But first of all, let’s discuss ROI in general.
What is Return on Investment (ROI)?
Simply, Return on investment (ROI) is a metric used to assess the profitability or effectiveness of an investment or compare the efficacy of multiple investments.
Two standard formulas to calculate the ROI are the net income divided by the total cost of the investment and the investment gain divided by the investment base.
Why is the ROI significant when creating a duty roster?
There are multiple factors to consider when creating a duty roster, such as workforce availability or preferences, but another significant aspect is the Return on Investment.
The ROI will give an overview of how much value you get for the resources you invest. In other words, it is a way to measure whether or not your duty roster is compelling. Clear cost estimates can be a good first step for roster managers who want to streamline the rostering process and the satisfaction of Air Traffic Controllers in the long term.
Essential ROI variables for the rostering process
Time and money are two essential factors when tracking the rostering process. You can get a more accurate picture of where your resources are being wasted by following some relevant variables that can be divided as above:
Average cost/hour/employee;
Average cost/hour/planner;
Hours wasted by planners per year;
Money wasted on manual rostering by planners per year;
Money wasted on overtime per year;
Money wasted on rostering non-compliance;
Money wasted on unoptimized rosters.
Tracking these variables will make it easier to identify areas where time and money are wasted and to develop plans to address those issues. For example, by having a good overview of the licenses, you and the Air Traffic Controllers will know when they need to retake recertification/training, preventing short-staffing and cost increases. Also, considering the money wasted on overtime, you can avoid unnecessarily going over budget by rostering too many people.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, a practical solution for the cost optimization of your roster is automation; this will lead to building balanced rosters by automating the repetitive scheduling process.
Do you want to calculate your ROI considering the variables mentioned above?
One of our Rostering Specialists will analyze the data, and you will receive results for total estimated economies. And also, we can guide you through automating your rostering process.
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