Preparing an employee schedule is an integral part of running the business. However, building and updating the schedule can be a demanding, time-consuming and a painstaking task. Here expert work scheduling tips for managers;
Ensure Equality in Shift Allocation
Disgruntled members of the staff are highly toxic to the business. At all times, make sure that the staff scheduling software doesn’t favor a few staff members. For instance, most employees prefer the day shifts to night shifts. To reduce discrimination conflicts, and resentment, make sure the software gives each of them gets at least one-day shift per week.
Similarly, if there are shifts that pay higher than the standard ones, make sure there’s equal distribution. Regardless of the rank, give each of the employees a chance to work these high-dollar shifts to keep them satisfied, happy and engaged.
Involve Employees in Creating Work Schedule
Employees’ input is crucial when it comes to the preparation of the staff schedule. That eliminates the culture of dictatorship and resentment toward the management. Some workers may have other legitimate issues that make it impossible to work at certain hours.
By involving employees, you’ll put into consideration these obligations when preparing your work schedule. That way, you can avoid issues of turnover, unavailability, and conflicts down the road.
Incorporate Technology in Scheduling
Irrespective of the number of employees, a staff scheduling software makes a significant difference in your business operations. Proper worker scheduling requires that you have all the relevant information at your fingertips to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Scheduling software use alerts to notify employees the place and time of work and the changes made to the work programs without much hassle. That ensures fewer conflicts, reduces absenteeism, excuses, and makes it easy for the staff to swap their shifts relieving the management the burden of having to replace. That guarantees a remarkable improvement in the employee productivity.
Create & Enforce a Time-Off Policy
When preparing your work schedule, it pays to come up with ground rules regarding the procedures for requesting a time-off. Without a policy, you’ll be bombarded with random lame requests and excuses that’ll get you confused.
Employees should provide notice within a specified duration. It should also state precisely the number of off days allowed for each case. Notify the employees of these policies to reduce misunderstandings.
Evaluate Your Staffing Levels Regularly
Staff scheduling is never an easy task. If you’re understaffed, then your current team will feel overwhelmed, and you risk missing sales. In a similar vein, your wage bill will be way above your expectations when you overstaff.
That means you have to look at the status of the business carefully, so you can know the number of staff needed at any given time. Forget about copying the staffing schedule from last week or last month. Instead, use it as a template or tweak it to suit the needs of the business now.
