Today I focused on improving how employee information is displayed within shift calendar cells, making it easier for managers to quickly identify who’s assigned to each shift without needing to click for additional details. This enhancement significantly improves at-a-glance scheduling overview.
The previous shift display only showed minimal information—primarily the shift time and status—with employee details hidden behind an additional click. This meant managers had to perform multiple interactions just to see who was assigned to each position, making schedule review unnecessarily time-consuming. My goal was to include essential employee information directly in the calendar view without overwhelming the limited space in each cell.
I started by modifying the calendar event template to include employee name and position alongside the existing shift details. The challenge was finding the right balance between information density and readability—too much text would make the calendar cluttered and difficult to scan, while too little would defeat the purpose of the enhancement.
After experimenting with several layouts, I settled on a two-line format: the first line shows the employee’s name and the second displays their position along with the shift time. I used typography techniques like varying font weights and subtle color differences to create visual hierarchy, making it easy to distinguish between different pieces of information at a glance.
The most technically challenging aspect was handling long employee names or positions that might overflow the available space. I implemented an intelligent truncation system that abbreviates text when necessary while still preserving uniqueness. For example, “Software Development Engineer” might be shortened to “SW Dev Engineer” rather than simply cutting it off. For employee names, I ensured the truncation preserves the first name completely and abbreviates only the last name if needed.
I also enhanced the display with subtle visual indicators that convey additional information about each employee. For instance, new employees (less than 30 days with the company) now show with a small “new” badge, and employees working overtime hours display with a distinct border color. These visual cues help managers quickly identify situations that might require special attention without having to run separate reports.
To maintain performance with this additional information, I optimized how the calendar data is retrieved and processed. Rather than making separate API calls for shift and employee data, I implemented a joined query that fetches all necessary information in a single request. This not only improves initial load time but also makes subsequent updates more efficient.
I tested this enhancement extensively across different screen sizes and device types to ensure the information remains legible and useful even on mobile devices where space is particularly limited. The responsive design adjusts the information density based on available screen real estate, ensuring a good experience across all devices.
This seemingly simple enhancement has had an immediate positive impact on how managers interact with the scheduling system. What previously required dozens of clicks to review a week’s schedule can now be accomplished with a quick visual scan, freeing up valuable time for more important tasks.