The 24-Hour Business: Maximizing Productivity Through Round-the-Clock Operations [Hardcover]

Richard M. Coleman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 1995

"There are 8,760 hours in a year. How many companies use all those hours as effectively as they could? This succinct new guide shows how to squeeze productivity from every hour of the day -- without squeezing employees dry. Author Richard Coleman, a much sought after authority on "shiftwork" schedules, explains that round-the-clock business hours are no longer just for manufacturing, but can raise productivity and lower costs in a wide range of industries: retail, hospitality, transportation, insurance, banking, and many others. With many examples from around the globe, Coleman shows readers how to launch or improve a 24-hour operation. He addresses such issues as: * making maximum use of time, equipment, and people * avoiding serious and costly problems of morale, health, and safety * designing a schedule that meets the particular needs of a business"

Editorial Reviews

Review

Imagine an ideal company which runs at peak efficiency 24 hours a day, with all the perks attached: then learn from authority Coleman, who tells how to organize and tailor shift schedules for maximum employee benefits and company advantage. This provides a flexible formula adaptable to a variety of businesses which utilize shift workers, providing strong guidance on organizing work schedules. -- Midwest Book Review

Book Description

"There are 8,760 hours in a year. How many companies use all those hours as effectively as they could?

This succinct new guide shows how to squeeze productivity from every hour of the day -- without squeezing employees dry. Author Richard Coleman, a much sought after authority on ""shiftwork"" schedules, explains that round-the-clock business hours are no longer just for manufacturing, but can raise productivity and lower costs in a wide range of industries: retail, hospitality, transportation, insurance, banking, and many others.

With many examples from around the globe, Coleman shows readers how to launch or improve a 24-hour operation. He addresses such issues as:

• making maximum use of time, equipment, and people

• avoiding serious and costly problems of morale, health, and safety

• designing a schedule that meets the particular needs of a business"

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 17 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM (June 5, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814402402
• ISBN-13: 978-0814402405
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #490,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, Enlightening, August 25, 2001

By 

Roger E. Herman (Greensboro, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The 24-Hour Business: Maximizing Productivity Through Round-the-Clock Operations (Hardcover)

As more businesses move to 24/7 operations, round-the-clock scheduling will become an hotter issue. This is not new. Some companies, some industries, have been operating with a 24-hour schedule since the 19th century. Now the issue carries greater importance since workers are increasingly concerned about work-life balance, career development, and alternative work schedules. The author of this book, Richard Coleman, is a consultant with over two decades of experience helping a wide range of employers develop the Best Cost schedule that balances business needs like productivity and profit with health and safety requirements and employee desires. All these factors must be taken into consideration, and there is an almost infinite number of designs that can be applied. Coleman's experience comes out early in the book. I was fascinated by all the factors involved in determining the right schedule. My learning was enhanced by example after example from the author's work that illuminated the reading. During the first few chapters, I felt like I was reading a continuous commercial for Coleman's consulting firm, but this barrage eased as the book moved into the latter chapters. While I am not by any means an expert in scheduling, I learned a lot from this book. OK, I didn't know anything about scheduling before I read this book. However, I now have a healthy respect and understanding for what goes into developing a work schedule for a round-the-clock operation. Human resource professionals, plant managers, and others with operational knowledge of staffing and scheduling will gain considerably more than I did because of their familiarity with the topic. Coleman covers all aspects of shift work schedules, even including Circadian rhythms. It's all here. Readers will learn how to better use time and human resources to maximize return on capital investment and equipment. They'll learn how to achieve greater results without overstaffing, certainly a serious issue in today's labor-scarce world. If your interest is in squeezing more productivity from every hour of the day-without squeezing employees, this book is for you. Ignore the 1995 copyright. The principles taught in this volume are high relevant, quite timely for what's happening in the early 21st century.