Comments for http://orcaeyes.com/blog A Vision From Our Perspective Wed, 16 May 2012 21:49:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 Comment on Are “Optimal” staffing levels truly optimal? Part 1: One-Up Theory by Josh Kessler http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1337 Josh Kessler Wed, 16 May 2012 21:49:02 +0000 http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1337 Brad, not only was this a great analysis, but you managed to weave two video-game references into a single post. My organization, an electric utility company, has about a 4 to 5-year training period for many of our skilled jobs where apprentices learn to build transmission infrastructure, operate power plants, and probably play Angry Birds pretty well. The long training window presents a major challenge in forecasting appropriate staffing levels. This is especially true in our transmission & distribution division, where business activity is very cyclical. That underlines the importance of both understanding the forecasting/analytical side and flexible staffing strategies. Brad, not only was this a great analysis, but you managed to weave two video-game references into a single post.

My organization, an electric utility company, has about a 4 to 5-year training period for many of our skilled jobs where apprentices learn to build transmission infrastructure, operate power plants, and probably play Angry Birds pretty well. The long training window presents a major challenge in forecasting appropriate staffing levels. This is especially true in our transmission & distribution division, where business activity is very cyclical. That underlines the importance of both understanding the forecasting/analytical side and flexible staffing strategies.

]]> Comment on Are “Optimal” staffing levels truly optimal? Part 1: One-Up Theory by Are “Optimal” staffing levels truly optimal? Part 2: Redefining the phrase “Fully Staffed” | http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1306 Are “Optimal” staffing levels truly optimal? Part 2: Redefining the phrase “Fully Staffed” | Fri, 11 May 2012 11:53:41 +0000 http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1306 [...] Part 1 [...] [...] Part 1 [...]

]]> Comment on Are “Optimal” staffing levels truly optimal? Part 1: One-Up Theory by Brad Hilbert http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1200 Brad Hilbert Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:35:30 +0000 http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1200 Thanks for the comments Steve. Part 2 will be coming next week. In terms of getting your hands around retirement and voluntary turnover, that's where you'd need some predictive capability that's not just throwing some straight line trends on the screen. There are definitely organization types and industries that this is more applicable to than others, which I'll be exploring a bit in the next part. Thanks for the comments Steve. Part 2 will be coming next week. In terms of getting your hands around retirement and voluntary turnover, that’s where you’d need some predictive capability that’s not just throwing some straight line trends on the screen. There are definitely organization types and industries that this is more applicable to than others, which I’ll be exploring a bit in the next part.

]]> Comment on Are “Optimal” staffing levels truly optimal? Part 1: One-Up Theory by Steve Owens http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1199 Steve Owens Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:10:28 +0000 http://orcaeyes.com/blog/?p=231#comment-1199 Brad, Very interesting theory. In most high performing manufacturing environments this theory is used but it is on steroids if the organization has a good understanding of there attrition rates. Applying this in an administrative environment might be a little more difficult unless you have a great understanding of causes of attrition that are beyond the organizations control and retirement eligibility #s. Then I think you could utilize your theory in a more deliberate manner. I look forward to you next article and your spreadsheet to run my own scenario with my organization and see how it pans out. Brad, Very interesting theory. In most high performing manufacturing environments this theory is used but it is on steroids if the organization has a good understanding of there attrition rates. Applying this in an administrative environment might be a little more difficult unless you have a great understanding of causes of attrition that are beyond the organizations control and retirement eligibility #s. Then I think you could utilize your theory in a more deliberate manner. I look forward to you next article and your spreadsheet to run my own scenario with my organization and see how it pans out.

]]>