Automatic generation of optimised working time models in personnel planning

Abstract

Retail is traditionally labour-intensive. Demand-oriented workforce management has great significance due to the amount of competition which enforces a strict cost management while keeping a good service level. Thus, highly flexible working time models are of particular importance. Our project addresses the question how to automatically and simultaneously assign staff to workstations and generate optimised working time models under constraints and on the basis of fluctuating personnel demand. The planning is completed for an entire year in order to assess adapted versions of the evolution strategy and particle swarm optimisation. A commercial constructive method is used as benchmark. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.