Staffing Smarter: How to Plan Schedules Before Things Get Busy

Seasonal staff are employees engaged for temporary periods to meet seasonal increases in business demand, as outlined by the U.S. Department of Labor. This includes roles like retail sales associates during holiday seasons or lifeguards during summer months. Planning schedules before the busy season is essential to ensure adequate coverage, minimize labor costs, and maintain customer satisfaction. Research suggests that stable scheduling can increase sales by 7% and labor productivity by 5%, highlighting the financial benefits of proactive planning.

Steps to Plan Seasonal Schedules

• Identify the Busy Season

• Determine Staffing Needs

• Create the Schedule

• Manage and Train Seasonal Staff

• Unexpected Detail

Step 1: Identifying the Busy Season

The first step is to determine when your busy season occurs. This involves analyzing historical data to identify patterns in customer demand.

Workforce.com recommends tracking day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month business activity to pinpoint busiest and quietest periods. External factors, such as holidays, local events, and weather, also play a role. For example, a retail store might experience a surge during November and December due to holiday shopping, while a beach resort might peak in July and August. Using tools like Canva can help visualize these patterns.

Step 2: Determining Staffing Needs

Once the busy season is identified, calculate the number of seasonal staff required. Start by assessing current full-time staff capacity and identifying gaps. Estimate increased demand based on historical sales and traffic data. Define specific roles, such as additional cashiers for retail or kitchen staff for restaurants, ensuring alignment with the workload. Align staffing with sales and traffic trends to avoid overstaffing, which can inflate labor costs.

Step 3: Creating the Schedule

Creating an effective schedule involves planning shifts to match customer traffic patterns, considering employee availability, and using technology for efficiency. Use shift planning software with built-in AI to suggest optimal schedules and notify of conflicts. Plan more staff during peak hours, such as weekends for hospitality. Communicate the schedule clearly to minimize confusion. Be prepared to adjust based on real-time data, ensuring flexibility.

Step 4: Managing and Training Seasonal Staff

Managing seasonal staff effectively is crucial given their limited tenure. Provide orientation and role-specific training to integrate them quickly. Pair them with permanent staff for mentorship, ensuring a smooth transition. Maintain open communication channels for feedback to keep them productive and engaged. Regular check-ins can help address any issues, enhancing their performance and experience.

Unexpected Insight: Leveraging Historical Data

An unexpected insight from the research is the power of historical data in predicting future staffing needs. For instance, analyzing production or volume history can justify scheduling more employees during peak seasons, helping avoid understaffing. This data-driven approach can save costs by preventing overstaffing, a detail that might not be immediately obvious but is critical for financial efficiency.

Conclusion and Resources

In conclusion, planning schedules for seasonal staff before the busy season is vital for operational success. By understanding your busy season, determining staffing needs, creating effective schedules, and managing and training your workforce, you can ensure smooth operations and customer satisfaction. If you need support or are looking for a software that fits your business, we can help.

Key Points

• Research suggests that planning schedules for seasonal staff before busy periods can improve efficiency and reduce stress.

• It seems likely that analyzing past data and using scheduling tools helps determine staffing needs.

• The evidence leans toward clear communication and training being essential for managing seasonal staff effectively.