Movie theaters, restaurants and other hourly positions need to have management work on creating a work schedule so that companies run flawlessly and efficiently. Without having open communication, work schedules can easily fall apart, leaving companies scattered, unorganized and scrambling to fill shifts.
Tips for Creating a Work Schedule
Here are some excellent tips for creating a work schedule for hourly shifts.
Advance Scheduling
Employees have schedules outside of work, and it’s hard for people to find out their work schedule just hours or a day or two in advance. That’s why it’s essential to schedule shifts in advance so employees can plan. Emergencies happen, such as illness and deaths, but having a schedule published in advance can help minimize shift cancellations and streamline communication among the team.
Know Your Team
If you have team members that prefer morning shifts and others that prefer late-night shifts, try to accommodate team members’ preferences and strengths. Not everyone is suited for the busy morning shift, and the same can be true for the late-night hustle and bustle.
Respect Requests
Whether someone has a doctor’s appointment, needs to be at the bus stop by a particular time or prefers not to work on Sundays for religious reasons, it’s important to attempt to accommodate these types of requests when scheduling shifts. Request that employees submit their vacation requests as far in advance as possible to help accommodate any necessary requests. There may be times when employers cannot honor these requests, such as during busy holiday seasons, but it’s important to attempt to try to work around employees’ schedules as much as possible.
Shift Swapping
Having a policy that permits shift swapping is a great way to make sure that shifts are covered in advance and at the last minute. Have a clear process about shift-swapping in place to help avoid confusion, so all shifts are covered in advance. If employers don’t spell out a policy, they likely won’t know when employees change their shift schedules, which can cause abundant confusion and strife.
Busy Times
Customer demands play a central role in how employers should go about creating a work schedule for employees. Maybe weekends are the peak busy times, which means that businesses may need to schedule extra employees for those shift schedules. When businesses identify busy times, it’s important to relay this to the employees to know that all extra shifts during peak hours need coverage.
Learn more about managing hourly employees.
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