Shift Management: Break Time and Effective Hours Enhancements

Overview:

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Enhanced Break Time Management and Effective Hours Calculation feature in Keka's Core HR module. This update addresses client demands and operational efficiency challenges by allowing administrators to define specific break timings rather than just break duration. The system will also track deviations from scheduled break times and adjust effective hours calculations accordingly, ensuring better productivity and compliance.

Key Features:

1. Define Specific Break Timings:

   • Admins can now define specific start and end times for breaks within each shift policy.

   • This feature applies only to regular shifts, not flexible shifts, ensuring that breaks occur within predefined windows.

2. Penalisation Policy Updates:

   • A new configuration in the Penalisation Policy allows for accurate tracking of effective hours.

   • The system will now exclude work done during scheduled break periods and any unsanctioned breaks when calculating effective hours for penalisation.

3. Updated Effective Hours Calculation:

   • The effective hours formula has been updated to:

     • Effective Hours = Total Shift Hours – (Work done during scheduled break periods is nullified, and any unsanctioned break time is deducted).

   • This ensures that only hours worked during actual shift time are considered effective.

4. Error Handling for Break Time Configuration:

   • If users select a break time outside of the shift duration, an error message will prompt: "Break time must fall within the shift duration."

   • Break duration must match the time between the defined start and end break times; if not, an error will appear: "Break duration must match the difference between break start and end time."

5. Example Scenario for Penalisation:

   • Existing Scenario: An employee works from 9 AM to 5 PM with a flexible break. If the employee works from 9 AM to 4 PM and takes a break from 4 PM to 5 PM, no penalty occurs.

   • New Scenario: With a fixed break from 1 PM to 2 PM, if the employee takes the break from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM, the system will count only the work done before 2:00 PM, resulting in a 30-minute penalty for taking the break outside the defined time.

6. Penalty Explanation:

   • When a penalty is applied, the system will include an explanation: "An additional break of [X] minutes was taken between [Start Time] and [End Time], beyond the scheduled break duration."

Benefits:

• Improved Operational Efficiency: By ensuring employees adhere to predefined break timings, delays in production lines will be reduced, improving overall productivity.

• Enhanced Data Accuracy: The more precise calculation of effective hours ensures that penalties are applied fairly and transparently.

• Increased Client Satisfaction: This update addresses long-standing requests from clients like Encardio Rite and others, providing a more robust break management system.