As a restaurant manager, you certainly have a lot on your mind during the busy holiday season but it’s worth taking the extra time to prepare for employee shift rescheduling. Managers who prioritize scheduling reap the benefits of higher employee morale, reduced stress for everybody and a more efficient operation.
Managing employee shifts during the holiday season
In the restaurant business, it is critical to manage employee shifts, well in advance of the holidays. Employees anticipate the festivities, time with friends and family, and sometimes travel. The restaurant business is founded on catering to the needs of others, and workers need to know they will be afforded time to be on the receiving end of hospitality services.
Poorly managed scheduling can result in declined vacation requests, which would not be well-received during the holidays when employees struggle to align their schedules with school recess or traditional family gatherings. Another fallout of poor planning is being understaffed. Overworked employees may work double shifts to fill the gap, which results in fatigue, ultimately leading to mistakes, moodiness and poor customer service. Both scenarios set the wrong tone, possibly cascading down and becoming transparent to patrons.
Developing an employee shift policy
Shift work reflects any type of schedule that requires coverage outside the normal Monday through Friday day-shift operations. A shift policy delineates the shift length, schedule format (fixed or rotating), on-off work pattern (weekends off, consecutive days worked and days off), overtime, and scheduling policies (shift assignment and pay policies). Vacations are one of the most common pay policy problems. Traditional nine-to-five work schedules typically track vacation time in days or weeks. For shift work, this does not apply. The practices of assigning employees to different shifts and compensating employees during time off are a common source of grievances and labor relations issues in 24-hour operations. A shift policy is important to ensure legal compliance while business requirements are met.
Applying five solid tips to manage employee schedules
- Using historical data, project the size of staff needed at the peak holiday period, and announce black-out dates during which no vacation will be approved.
- Require employees to take vacation annually and set a maximum accrual. This will avoid carry-over vacation time, which can extend vacation during the holiday season.
- Solicit vacation preferences by circulating a communication to all staff at least two months before the holiday season. Set expectations of deadlines, both when requests need to be submitted and when approvals will be communicated.
- Give a deadline for vacation requests, alerting employees it is in their best interest to advise early on if they want priority consideration. Post vacation schedules in a common work area, so employees are aware of vacation time slots filling up.
- When evaluating time-off requests, try to find a balance between seasoned and less experienced workers, building up seasoned staff during peak times.
Encouraging team work
Restaurant managers who effectively manage employee shift scheduling give their business a competitive advantage. Recognize that the holidays are a stressful time for everyone and try to keep the environment positive. Foster a team spirit so employees feel vested in the success of the restaurant and serve customers with a smile.
For more information on handling staff scheduling during the holidays, please visit Five Tips For Managing Restaurant Employee Attendance During The Holidays.
