Courtesy FMS Solutions
Over the past decade, emerging technologies have shifted the way businesses manage their employees. Whether you use scheduling software, have your own Excel system, or rely on the pen-and-paper method, there are some essential points to keep in mind. The perfect work schedule doesn’t exist, but you can simplify your life by making simple adjustments.
To help you in that regard, our time management experts at FMS Solutions have put together 5 tips to help you set up an effective work schedule.
1- Know Your Staff to Create the Best Work Schedule
When identifying your strongest assets, consider their efficiency, experience, and how well they work with others. Once you have your list, create your work schedule around your best-performing employees. Why? It ensures every shift is well-balanced and your best talents are spread strategically.
2- Communicate
Communication is essential for any company, but especially in the retail industry. It can mean the difference between having enough employees to cover a shift and being short-staffed. Break room walls, emails, mobile notifications, and scheduling tools like Labor Saver offer an excellent opportunity to communicate with staff on a regular and consistent basis. Be careful not to double-schedule your employees or to schedule them in the wrong department.
3- Be Flexible
When possible, observe work preferences and time-off requests; employees do a much better job when they are happy with their work schedule. You want your staff to have enough time to feel well-rested before returning to work. They will appreciate your flexibility, hopefully working harder.
4- Encourage Employees to Find Their Replacements
Putting your employees in charge of finding a substitute to cover their working hours promotes employee collaboration and can help reduce your workload.
5- Have a Backup for Your Backup
Ensure that you always have enough employees in your stores. If one thing the recent pandemic has taught us is that having a Plan B is not enough, you need a plan C, and maybe a D. Always have a list of available employees willing to cover shifts on short notice. Holidays and special events can cause an unusual spike in customers, so be aware of preparing the work schedule.
There’s no doubt creating retail shifts can be stressful and time-consuming. Make sure you select your staff wisely and find the right tools to help you simplify the process; that can save you a headache or two.