Multi-objective scheduling plans for security guards

This paper presents two algorithms for scheduling security guards in a large organization in Israel. The scheduling plan must meet three main objectives: to satisfy the number of guards required for each shift as much as possible; to satisfy the guards’ requests for vacations as much as possible; and to satisfy the periodic training needs of the guards as much as possible. There is priority order among these three objectives in the order they are stated above. The paper first provides a description of the guarding system constraints and requirements. Then follows a mathematical formulation of this multi-objective problem and a procedure for finding the optimal solution to it. A simpler heuristic intuitive algorithm was developed and computerized. Finally, a summary and conclusions are given.