Rotational allocation of tasks to multifunctional workers in a service industry

This paper deals with the assignment of tasks to the members of the multi-functional staff (each worker is able to perform a given subset of types of tasks) of a work centre, during each period (e.g. I h) into which the planning horizon (e.g. 1 shift or 1 week) can be divided. For each type of task to perform, all workers who can perform the task do so at equal worker efficiencies. There are constraints that. if possible, should be respected. The objective is that the percentage of working time dedicated by each worker to each type of task be as close as possible to reference values. The problem is modelled as a sequence of assignments, in which appropriate values for the cost matrix depend on the results of the previous assignments. The obtained results are satisfactory: the solutions meet the constraints, the scheduled percentages steadily approach reference values and the calculation times are very short. Therefore, the work presented constitutes a potential tool for assigning tasks to multi-functional workers in the service industry. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.