AirSHIFT, a Shift Management Service that Makes Communication and Creation Easier, Changes to a Simple Fee Plan of 100 yen per Linked Staff beginning August 1

Improving the efficiency of shift management operations at small and medium-sized stores is becoming increasingly complicated due to labor shortages.

Recruit Lifestyle announced today that AirSHIFT, a shift management service that makes communication and creation easier, is updating its fee plan to 100 yen per linked staff member starting August 1, 2019. Recruit Lifestyle will begin accepting applications for the new pricing plan today. Additionally, the time card function that allows digital scheduling of employees, will be free. With AirSHIFT, Recruit Lifestyle aims to help as many small and medium-sized stores streamline their shift management operations as possible.

About AirSHIFT: https://airregi.jp/shift/

Background

Shift management is becoming more complicated as Japan's labor shortage worsens.

Since 2011, the number of people who can work standard working hours has been decreasing in Japan. As seen with the enforcement of the Revised Immigration Control Act in April 2019, the labor shortage issue continues to persist, and is becoming more serious. 

A survey*1 revealed that more than 70% of part-time job applicants prefer to work small shifts of five hours or less. In response to this trend, stores are increasing the number of job offers for small shifts with a minimum of one to two days per week, and one to three hours per day, to secure workers. As a result, store managers and shift supervisors must schedule shifts by piecing together their staff members’ submitted availabilities, making shift management an overwhelming task.

In some cases AirSHIFT reduced the time required for shift management by one-third

AirSHIFT is a shift management service that makes it easy to post and exchange shifts by linking to ShiftBoard, the No. 1*2 smartphone application for part-time workers to manage their shifts and calculate payroll. The number of accounts has grown steadily, with account sign-ups 6.4 times higher than at launch 13 months ago. Stores that have switched from paper or spreadsheets to AirSHIFT have reported great success. 

A clinic with 16 staff members said that even with hiring "several staff members who work fewer days and shorter hours, the time required to create shifts has been cut in half, despite doubling the number of staff.” A bakery with 60 staff members said that "AirSHIFT enabled us to reduce the time creating shift sheets from 90 minutes to 30 minutes."

▼ AirSHIFT shift management screen

A simple fee structure of 100 yen per linked staff member reduces the cost burden on stores

Some functions, such as the time card, can now be used at no cost.

Under the previous fee plan of AirSHIFT, the fee would increase by 1,000 yen for each additional staff member. To reduce and simplify costs for customers, as of August 1, the fee plan has been simplified to 100 yen per linked staff member. For stores with high staff turnaround, the fee will only account for the number of staff linked to AirSHIFT and ShiftBoard in that month. Alongside the pricing plan update, the time card function and some of the shift creation functions*3 (which enables digital management of staff arrival and departure) will be provided at no cost.

Switch Shifts Online Campaign

The Nintendo Switch logo and Nintendo Switch are trademarks of Nintendo.

The following campaign will be implemented at the same time as the price plan change.

Campaign name: Switch Shifts to Online Campaign
Period: July 1, 2019 (Monday) - September 30, 2019 (Monday)
Eligibility: During the above period, 10 stores will be selected by lottery that meet the following conditions:

• Staff collaboration of three or more people

• Entry through the application form (linked below)

Contents: Nintendo Switch x number of staff members (Maximum of 30 people per store)

Click here for details: https://airregi.jp/shift/campaign/201907

About AirSHIFT

AirSHIFT, released in April 2018, is a shift management service that makes it easy to create shift charts and communicate with staff. Staff requests for shifts are automatically reflected in the shift chart, eliminating the hassle and possibility of errors during transcribing. Last-minute requests for work and adjustments can be made via chat, and the changes are immediately reflected in the shift chart. In July 2018, the Shift Creation Assist Function was added to the system. The function uses AI machine learning to automatically create shifts in line with staff preferences, further reducing the burden of shift management work. In addition, AirSHIFT can be linked to ShiftBoard, a shift management and payroll application operated by Recruit Lifestyle (with 4.7 million downloads as of the end of May 2019), allowing staff to submit, check, and contact their shifts anytime and anywhere. This system eliminates cumbersome communication for store managers and staff.

Main functions: 

1. Collect shifts: Collect attendance and absence requests, automatic reminders for employees to submit their desired shifts, and automatic reflection of desired shifts in the shift chart. 

2. Create shifts: Switch between daily, weekly, half-monthly, and monthly shifts. Display the number of employees required by time zone. Add, delete, and edit shifts. Enter "busy" marks on the shift chart, save shift drafts, and improve automatic creation accuracy using AI.

3. Adjust shifts: Request staff to adjust shifts and automatically alert staff of unanswered requests.

4. Shift sharing: Share shift charts with staff. Download and print PDFs of shift charts.

5. Chat communication: Message and reply to staff requests.

6. Staff management: Aggregate shift hours for each staff member, manage staff by group, and download shift charts by CSV.

7. Time card: Record staff's arrival and departure times, total their working hours, estimate labor costs based on working hours, and set hourly rates.

After August 1, part of the shift creation function*3 and time card function will be available at no cost.

ShiftBoard can be linked to AirSHIFT

ShiftBoard, released in January 2014, is the No. 1*2 smartphone application (available for iOS and Android) for part-time workers to manage their shifts and calculate payroll (4.7 million downloads as of May 2019). By linking to AirSHIFT, users can submit their desired shifts, check confirmed shifts, and adjust shifts while referencing vacancies, changes, and replacement requests from ShiftBoard.

Main functions: 

1. Shift management: Input and display of shifts, synchronization with smartphone calendars.
2. Simple salary calculation: Calculate estimated salary, check affected taxes and insurance premiums, manage monthly income pace management.

Functions that can be used with AirSHIFT:

3. Submit shifts: Submit desired shifts, check confirmed shifts.
4. Adjust shifts: Submit requests for shifts to be absent, changed, or replaced, respond to attendance requests, and message with stores and other staff.

Price: Free

Click here to read the original press release.