The Northshore Bank is working to develop an efficient work schedule
The Northshore Bank is working to develop an efficient work schedule for full-time and part-time tellers. The schedule must provide for efficient operation of the bank including adequate customer service, employee breaks, and so on. On Fridays, the bank is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The number of tellers necessary to provide adequate customer service during each hour of operation is summarized here:
Each full-time employee starts on the hour and works a 4-hour shift, followed by a 1-hour break and then a 3-hour shift. Part-time employees work one 4-hour shift beginning on the hour. Considering salary and fringe benefits, full-time employees cost the bank $15 per hour ($105 a day), and part-time employees cost the bank $8 per hour ($32 per day).
A. Formulate an integer-programming model that can be used to develop a schedule that will satisfy customer service needs at a minimum employee cost. (Hint: Let xi = number of full-time employees coming on duty at the beginning of hour i and yi = number of part-time employees coming on duty at the beginning of hour i.)
B. Solve the LP Relaxation of your model in part a.
C. Solve your model in part a for the optimal schedule of tellers. Comment on the solution.