Businesses across the US are still dealing with the Great Resignation, i.e., employee shortage. With Quiet Quitting, i.e., the reluctance of employees to go above and beyond, gaining popularity, scheduling has become a serious issue.
However, there are various techniques, tips, and tricks to improve staffing and scheduling despite employee shortages. Read on to find the 3 most effective tips to improve staffing and scheduling:
Create a Schedule As Per Employees’ Skills
Your business needs, and thus staffing needs, can vary during different hours of the day and days of the week. Therefore, taking employees’ skills, strengths, and weaknesses into account when creating a schedule is essential.
For example, your retail store can benefit more from an employee’s stocking and inventory skills during early morning hours. Similarly, the friendliest or most social employee can keep things running more smoothly during the peak rush hours.
Using employees’ strengths and skills to improve staffing and scheduling also helps keep employees happy. Employees are more relaxed and comfortable doing what they do naturally well, making the work hours easy.
Allow Employee Contribution to the Schedule
Besides allowing employees to play according to their strengths, you can also improve staffing and scheduling by letting employees contribute to the schedule. After all, employee shortage doesn’t just affect the business but also the remaining employees. They can feel overwhelmed and stressed by the workload that must be handled until another employee is found.
Hence, taking on the existing employees when creating a schedule can make running the business easier for you while also providing greater control over employees’ work hours. Granting employees greater control will also positively impact them by enhancing their motivation and job satisfaction.
Don’t Set the Schedule in Stone
Providing control over working hours to employees still doesn’t allow employers to hold them accountable. As an employer, your business is only your responsibility. When you hire employees, you don’t transfer ownership of the business. Therefore, employees only care about their work until they can. This means you cannot make your employees responsible for your business when they are not in a position to accept the responsibility, i.e., during emergencies.
Hence, always stay prepared for employees not showing up or requesting a schedule change. You don’t want an employee missing one shift to leave permanently and miss numerous more shifts within the week. You must also never ask an employee requesting a schedule change to do it themselves or find their replacement for the schedule, as it is not their responsibility.
Finally, don’t forget to be kind, empathetic, and polite to employees. As an employer in the current employment landscape, you need employees more than they need you. Don’t push away your employees by overworking them and disrespecting their boundaries. Remember, the goal is to improve staffing and scheduling and not worsen the employee shortage. If you are short-staffed, consider revising your business timings rather than leading your existing employees to burnout.
