For a lot of businesses, shift scheduling is one of the most important things. Employees need to know when and where to be. If you want a smooth running business, you need your workers to be on time and ready to work.
Shift scheduling can take a lot of effort. Managers need to consider a lot of things when it comes to scheduling everybody’s work. Here are some of the most important considerations managers need to make for scheduling shifts.
How Busy Will You Be?
The first thing you’ll need to consider is how busy your workplace will be. If you know how many customers you’re expecting to get, you can schedule appropriately. On days you’re likely to be quiet, you can schedule fewer people in.
It might coincide with the day of the week. For instance, some shops are much busier on weekends than weekdays. Some restaurants get much more business on weekdays when business people come in for lunch.
By knowing how many hands on deck you’ll need, you can create an efficient schedule. You can ensure you have all the people you need at any given time. If you don’t have enough employees to fill busy times, you might have to look into recruiting more. Considering these things will enhance your business productivity by a great deal.
How Should You Give Employees Their Shifts?
Of course, you’ll need to inform all your workers of when they’re meant to be in work. Employees should be given their shifts well in advance. That way, they can schedule their week around being in on time.
A simple way to give workers their shifts is to have a schedule up in your workplace. It’ll give your employees a chance to note down the times they should be at work and schedule accordingly. You could also use text messages. You can find websites which allow you to send out text reminders to employees. It’ll ensure your workers never forget a shift again.
Some managers prefer to give employees personal sheets of their schedule. Having something to keep hold of will make sure they can’t forget.
Who’s Available?
When scheduling employee shifts in, it’s crucial to consider who’s available. With any luck, you’ll be able to call anyone you need into work. But it’s more likely that some of your staff will have other commitments they need to take care of.
Before you start scheduling shifts, you need to ensure you’ll have people to fill them. It might help to ask all of your employees who will be available at certain times. That way, you can ensure you have the people you need when you need them.
You need to know if you’ll have the right amount of people to work. If you bring in a small team for a busy shift, then you can easily fall behind.
What Times Are The Busiest?
Businesses are often busier at different times. While cafes are likely to hit peak business around lunchtime, restaurants are busier later on. Shops can vary largely depending on what they’re offering. There can also be seasonal differences- Christmas is the busiest time of the year for many companies.
It’s important to keep these things in mind when you’re creating employee schedules. You might need to bring more people in for the morning than the afternoon. Make sure you have the appropriate amount of staff throughout the day. Overstaffing during quiet times isn’t always a good idea- it can often create more problems than it solves.
