Important scheduling and onboarding tips

Things to Remember When Scheduling & Onboarding Restaurant Staff

Managing a restaurant staff comes with a range of responsibilities, including scheduling and onboarding. As new legislation leads to rising labor costs, restaurant operators today are looking to handle day-to-day management tasks more efficiently (and at a lower cost) with new scheduling and onboarding processes. However, this must be achieved while still accommodating employee needs. As restaurant operators entrust the task of onboarding and scheduling to their floor managers, the following factors should be kept in mind:

• Both the front and back of house employees will request time off, so be sure to establish an expectation for shift coverage.
• Be prepared for sick days and no-shows.
• Servers and bartenders are likely to desire specific shifts, as the tips might be more lucrative during certain times.

Restaurant operators often turn to schedule templates to help them coordinate with their staff members. You can create one in an excel grid, or you can find a free version online. 

There are also platforms that can take over the tedious day-to-day tasks that come with scheduling and onboarding. Through a forward-thinking company like ShiftPixy, operators can utilize the gig workforce to preserve each customer experience. 

ShiftPixy utilizes artificial intelligence to find part-time workers, keeping shifts covered and schedules filled. With technology such as this available, there just might be a key to toxic turnover.

Toxic Turnover and Its Impact on Restaurant Operators

Today, turnover is a  costly challenge plaguing restaurants, making both hiring and scheduling exceedingly difficult for managers  With this in mind, operators should create a fair scheduling process that incentives employees to show up to their shifts, and remain with their establishment as long as possible. How can turnover impact scheduling?

While many employees will abide by the “two weeks notice” standard, managers will undoubtedly have to deal with the consequences of other employees that quit suddenly, and sometimes, right before a shift. If an employee leaves without giving notice, be sure to stay calm. If you’ve done your due diligence and have company protocols in place, you can coordinate with your staff for shift coverage.

Learn How to Schedule Restaurant Employees

If you’re in the business of making updates to your scheduling and onboarding process, a restaurant scheduling template could be beneficial. However, other tips will also help you master your restaurant employee scheduling.

To ensure a seamless scheduling process for you and your employees, be sure to make the schedule several weeks in advance. Doing so makes it easy for your staff to plan around their position at the restaurant. It also gives you room to make changes. By making the schedule a month ahead, you will be better suited to accommodate emergency shift swaps as well.

You should also provide a range of shift options, in case something comes up and your employees need to switch. As you’re scheduling staff members, you should consider your top performers and their interests. If they have expressed a desire to work a particular shift, give them the opportunity to do so. Happy employees perform even better, thus increasing restaurant revenue. While it’s not always possible in the foodservice industry, giving your employees two days off in a row can also be a helpful incentive. 

Ultimately, be considerate of your team as you create your monthly shift schedule and see how well they perform. It may take a few tries, but you will eventually find a flow that works for your restaurant.

Additional Scheduling and Onboarding Tips

With operating hours outside of the traditional 9-5, restaurant operators need to master the art of scheduling. Here are some key tips for restaurant scheduling and onboarding:

• Be aware of the labor laws in your state, to ensure compliance.
• Work out a predictive scheduling plan that makes sense for your restaurant staff.
• When onboarding, plan for health care and other benefits, as some employees might be eligible, and certain states require it.
• Allow enough time for side work. While this might seem like a no-brainer, it’s not always as simple as it sounds. There will be days when your servers are slammed and can barely get to their side work, which means you will need to adjust. Splitting up the side work into smaller increments might make it easier for those busy days.
• Have an Open Door Policy when it comes to questions about scheduling or shift coverage. By giving your team access to you, you’re making it easier for them to adjust to the current scheduling template that is in place. Some members of your team might want open shifts. Allowing your staff to make changes to their schedules will leave them feeling empowered and engaged.

With the help of these tips, you will make it easier for your restaurant staff members to work without the issue of unnecessary overtime pay. Make the most of your restaurant schedule by maximizing your efficiency and inspire your employees to engage and prepare.