Top 5 Restaurant Staff Scheduling Tips

Restaurant scheduling can make or break your operation. Here are our top five tips for creating staff schedules that work for everyone:

1. Know Your Peak Hours

Analyze your sales data to identify your busiest hours and days. Staff accordingly, with your strongest team members during peak periods. This ensures you have adequate coverage when you need it most, without overstaffing during slower periods.

2. Consider Employee Preferences

When possible, accommodate your staff's availability preferences. Happy employees are more likely to show up on time and perform well. Total Work makes it easy for staff to submit their availability and time-off requests.

3. Create Consistent Schedules

While the restaurant industry is known for variable schedules, providing some consistency helps your staff plan their lives. Try to give employees similar shifts each week when possible.

4. Build a Balanced Team for Each Shift

Each shift should have a good mix of experienced and newer staff. This balance ensures efficient service and provides training opportunities for less experienced team members.

5. Use Scheduling Software

Manual scheduling is time-consuming and prone to errors. Restaurant scheduling software like Total Work automates the process, ensuring compliance with labor laws and making it easy to handle shift swaps and last-minute changes.

By implementing these strategies, you'll create more effective schedules that satisfy both your operational needs and your employees' preferences.