Managing staff schedules in the food and beverage industry is no small task.
From busy weekends to special events, making sure you have the right team in place at the right time can be tricky.
But with the right approach, you can make scheduling easier, keep your staff happy, and ensure your customers always get great service.
Here are six practical strategies to help you get it right.
Key Takeaways
- Match the right staff to the right shifts to keep things running smoothly.
- Use a single system to keep track of schedules and avoid confusion.
- Give employees some flexibility with their shifts to keep morale high and reduce turnover.
Keep Things Flexible for Peak Times and Special Events
Problem
Restaurants and bars often see a huge swing in customer demand, especially during peak hours or special events. If you’re not careful, you might end up with too many staff when it’s quiet, or not enough when it’s busy.
Solution
Using a scheduling system that accounts for these changes can make a huge difference. Look at past patterns to predict when your business will be busiest, like weekends or holidays, and plan your staffing accordingly. This way, you’ll always have enough hands on deck when needed and avoid overstaffing during slow times.
Pro Tip
With Connecteam’s smart employee scheduler, you can create shift templates for busy times like “weekend rush” or “holiday season” and easily adjust staffing levels when needed.
Avoid Scheduling Mistakes and No-Shows
Problem
Double-booked shifts or missed shifts can throw everything off. These mistakes lead to frustrated staff and unhappy customers.
Solution
Keep all your scheduling information in one place so everyone can see who’s working when and where. A system like Connecteam makes it easy to see the full schedule at a glance, so you’ll quickly spot any gaps or conflicts.
Did You Know?
Connecteam’s scheduler sends automatic reminders to your team about their shifts and alerts managers when something goes wrong. No more confusion or missed shifts!
Match Staff to Shifts Based on Their Skills
Problem
Not every employee is trained for every role. You wouldn’t want a server with no bartending experience handling the bar during a rush, for example.
Solution
Track each staff member’s skills and certifications in your scheduling system. That way, you can assign the right person to the right job every time. This keeps operations running smoothly and makes sure your staff aren’t asked to do tasks they’re not qualified for.
Pro Tip
With Connecteam’s auto-scheduler, you can automatically match employees to shifts based on their skills, so you’re always sure to have the right person in the right place.
Distribute Workload Evenly to Prevent Burnout
Problem
When employees work too much without a proper break, they can burn out fast. Overworked staff make mistakes and may even quit, leaving you short-handed during busy times.
Solution
A good scheduling system helps distribute shifts evenly, so no one is working excessive hours. Plus, it helps make sure that employees are getting their breaks and staying within legal work-hour limits. This keeps everyone happy and healthy, and you avoid burnout.
Did You Know?
With Connecteam’s scheduling system, you can track hours, set up break reminders, and get alerts if anyone is working too much or too little.
Give Employees More Control Over Their Schedules
Problem
Workers in the food and beverage industry often need to adjust their schedules for personal reasons. When they don’t have the flexibility to do this, it can lead to frustration and even higher turnover.
Solution
Give employees a chance to swap shifts or pick up available shifts on their own. A flexible scheduling system that lets your team take control helps them feel more valued and reduces the stress of managing last-minute changes.
Pro Tip
With Connecteam, employees can request shift swaps or pick up open shifts directly from their phone, and you can approve them with just a tap.
Stay Flexible During Demand Changes
Problem
Customer demand can be unpredictable—one day you’re slammed, and the next, it’s quiet. Without a system to adjust on the fly, this can put a strain on your resources.
Solution
Using historical data from past shifts, you can identify trends in when you need more or fewer staff. Set up flexible scheduling that lets you adjust quickly, whether you need extra help during busy times or can scale back during slower periods.
Pro Tip
With Connecteam, you can create schedule templates for different scenarios (like busy weekends or slower weekdays) and switch between them as demand changes.
These six simple strategies will help you streamline your scheduling, reduce mistakes, and keep your team and customers happy.
With the right tools, you’ll be able to handle the ups and downs of the food and beverage industry without the stress.
Streamline Your Food & Beverage Scheduling with Connecteam
Optimizing your scheduling isn’t as hard as it seems. With the right system, you can ensure you’ve got the right staff in place when needed, reduce errors, prevent burnout, and keep your employees happy.
Get started with Connecteam today for free and see how easy it can be to keep your food and beverage business running smoothly.