Create employee schedules that work for everyone

Scheduling can turn into a game of Tetris when you try to fit in all your different employee schedules for the week. And setting a schedule that works for your team is key to keeping employees happy and your business running smoothly.

But there are so many moving pieces in the employee scheduling puzzle that it can be hard to keep track. One wrong move and you get scheduling issues like understaffed shifts and too much overtime.

So here's our guide to creating an employee schedule that will work and set your business up for success.

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Why is effective employee scheduling important?

Effective planning is essential to keep your business running smoothly and smoothly. Let's see how efficient and error-free planning can benefit you.

Streamline business operations

Businesses can only function as they should if everyone is in the right place at the right time. A well-designed schedule means that no task is overlooked or overlooked: you'll always have the people you need available and you won't keep customers waiting unnecessarily.

You also won't waste time resolving issues like team conflicts, so you can focus on the day-to-day operations of your business.

Increase employee productivity

Employees perform better when they know what they are supposed to do. The reverse is also true. When employees are unsure of their schedules, they arrive early, late, or not at all. They also have to spend time double-checking their schedules or correcting errors instead of focusing on their work.

Inconsistent schedules also impact employee morale. Nobody likes to feel like they're failing, especially if it's not their fault.

Maintain employee satisfaction and reduce turnover

Employees want fair, consistent, and transparent schedules, so providing them with that means meeting their needs and keeping them happy. You will:

Everyone has access to desirable shifts and time off There's no doubt about the unpredictable schedules People understand why they have the schedules they have

And when you organize shifts systematically and use scheduling tools to help you, you can make it all happen and too. Even if your schedule isn't totally perfect, your employees will be satisfied, leading to better morale and retention rates.

Manage attendance issues

Ad-hoc scheduling makes attendance issues harder to spot. Because when you have unpredictable schedules, you can't see patterns like an employee being fifteen minutes late every Wednesday.

A great employee scheduling system means you can spot people with punctuality issues earlier. Then you can talk to them, figure out the cause of the problem, and take action to fix it.

Characteristics of a good work schedule for employees

Before we get to creating a calendar, let's talk about the ideal features to include first. In other words, what exactly does a good work schedule look like for an employee?

All shifts are covered

The most important feature of a good schedule is that every shift is full. That means there's no understaffing or having to jump in yourself. Regardless of how you schedule your employees, there shouldn't be a single discrepancy.

All positions are filled

Filling all positions on your schedule is almost as important as covering all your shifts. You don't want employees performing tasks they haven't been trained to do or managers performing tasks on the floor when they should be concentrating on running the business.

A good schedule means having well-trained employees for each position (and enough of them to fill the schedule).

Employee backups in place

It's impossible to have a backup for every person every shift, but you can create contingency plans. Note which employees are available and willing to work during each shift, especially those who live nearby or are often free on short notice. This way you will know who to call first when someone calls in sick.

No scheduling conflicts