In 1995, Preben Bjerregaard had enough of messy Excel spreadsheets and complicated employment rules. There had to be an easier way to plan shifts for 60 employees in five departments. Therefore, he contacted his friend Henrik Baasch and, as it turns out, he was right.
“It was extremely time-consuming to create schedules for 60 employees in Excel. The overview was non-existent, the sources of error countless, and the administration load very heavy around the monthly payroll,” says Preben Bjerregaard, who was the Director of Inspiration in Aalborg, Denmark back then.
Therefore, he contacted his friend Henrik Baasch, who ran the IT company, Erhvervsservice Nord. Henrik Baasch welcomed the idea of developing an IT system for workforce management. Together with software developer Knud Riishøjgaard, they started creating what we now know as TimePlan.
TimePlan made everyday life easier
“We worked non-stop for two months. We sat in front of the computer 18 hours a day,” recalls Preben Bjerregaard.
The finished product TimePlan revolutionized the stores’ work day. The program gave the employer a visual overview and the employee a clear work schedule 16 weeks ahead.
“We saved costs in our budget and had happier employees. TimePlan made our everyday life so much easier,” says Preben Bjerregaard, who continues to use TimePlan today as Centre Manager at Aalborg Storcenter shopping centre.
A tool during Covid-19
In the spring of 2020, TimePlan took on yet a new role for the users in Aalborg Storcenter when Covid-19 hit Denmark. The pandemic led to a temporary lockdown of shops, restaurants and malls and thus new needs for time registration and documentation.
“TimePlan has been a credible tool during Covid-19. The stores have registered absences easily and correctly—whether the employees have taken holidays, been sent home or had sick leave. Thanks to historical data from rosters and time registration in TimePlan, the stores have been able to document how many employees are usually at work. Data from TimePlan has formed the foundation for applications for wage compensation,” says Preben Bjerregaard.
The story about Preben Bjerregaard is also published in the anniversary book, “Respecting your time – 25 years with TimePlan”.
