What is restaurant scheduling?

Restaurant scheduling means allocating staff members to certain working hours on specific days of the week. Restaurant managers usually create team schedules in two-week increments and post copies a few days in advance to sort out any discrepancies or amendments. This process allows employees to:

• Swap shifts with another staff member;
• Request changes to their schedule;
• Accommodate their personal schedule according to the new work schedule.

Employers have long used the pen-and-paper method when creating work schedules. Some still use a whiteboard and dry-erase markers, while others use a chalkboard. However, in the last 15 years, many employers have upgraded to Word or Google docs to make the process a little easier but not necessarily less time consuming. Enter the modern world, where there’s an app at your fingertips for almost everything – including restaurant scheduling.

Problems with physical scheduling

Staffing schedules are a necessary part of running a restaurant but creating them manually has its share of problems. Restaurant managers who continue to use traditional scheduling measures widely agree on the following issues:

• Poor communication: Many restaurant staff agree that it isn’t fair for those on shift to see the posted schedule before those who aren’t. When employees don’t have access to the schedule simultaneously, scheduling conflicts can occur – shifts need changing, requested days off get missed, etc. This can be a nightmare for managing and maintaining a proper staff ratio. Having equal, immediate access to future schedules would increase scheduling efficiency and reduce shift conflicts.
• Monotonous routine: Writing out schedules can be tedious, especially when you have all employees where you want them and have adjusted things according to their availability. You post the schedule a few days before it begins, and suddenly, your well-thought-out plans become a mess of scribbles, scratches, and Xs. You’re lucky if you can read it, let alone understand it.
• Inefficient and error-prone: Pen-to-paper and spreadsheet scheduling are inefficient, inconvenient, and error-prone schedule management methods, especially when keeping track of employee availability. Did Sarah say she needed Wednesdays off? I’ll recheck her email. Or wait, maybe she gave me her availability on a sticky note? Where did that note go? …Sound familiar? These antiquated methods create a snowball effect of lost time and lack of productivity, resulting in a big pile of inefficiency.

The beauty of restaurant scheduling software

Restaurant scheduling software is an intuitive and easy-to-use web-based approach that allows restaurant managers to create weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly staffing schedules easily. This software helps streamline the scheduling process and offers real-time updates, time tracking, automated notifications and mobile alerts, and integration with your payroll system and point-of-sale (POS) software.

What can restaurant scheduling software do?

Restaurant scheduling apps empower staff members to send their availability within the app, doing away with misplaced notes. The software alerts employees to schedule changes and lets managers know when an employee has a request. Restaurant scheduling software streamlines and speeds up the scheduling process, making it more efficient for restaurant owners, managers, and employees.

Benefits of restaurant scheduling software

Having all your information in one place is an effective way to improve scheduling management and boost business. Restaurant scheduling tools:

• Lower labour costs;
• Create convenience;
• Improve management and staff relations;
• Reduce errors;
• Promote and foster a team culture;
• Improve communication;
• Share synchronized information;
• Allow real-time changes;
• Offer better control over shift allocation;
• Send automated alerts.

Understand the challenges of implementing scheduling software

Implementing automated scheduling tools doesn’t come without its challenges. Getting your entire team on board with technology may be difficult, especially for those less experienced with using apps. However, you can make the transition easier by getting everyone involved. Thorough training is essential for your entire team, from upper management, line staff, and cooks, to anyone who will regularly use the software. In addition, an efficient onboarding process and clear direction from leadership will help your employees adapt quicker with less kickback.

Ultimately, restaurant scheduling software can drastically improve your team’s efficiency, when you choose the right one. It’s essential to consider your specific scheduling needs, the features offered by different scheduling tools, and the user-friendliness and support provided by the vendor. It’s never a good idea to jump into the first software you find. Instead, research your options to find a scheduling tool that works best for your restaurant and streamlines your scheduling processes. To get a better understanding of your needs, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you need software that can help you run a chain of restaurants?
• Do you need something that can handle different working hours, like split, four-hour, or eight-hour shifts?
• Will your software need to track overtime pay and breaks?

Answering these questions will help you find the software that suits your restaurant’s every need.

What features should restaurant scheduling software have?

Scheduling has long been a burden on restaurant owners and managers. Not only does it create frustration for leaders and employees, but it can also create animosity among staff members. Automated restaurant scheduling software is changing that outlook. Here’s what to look for when choosing restaurant management features:

1. Smartphone access and training resources

Ensure the software has excellent mobile functionality. Smartphone access allows staff to stay connected and up to date and enables managers to access schedules anytime, anywhere. Remember, people are naturally resistant to change. Poor connectivity and functionality can discourage your staff from engaging in your investment and will give them even more reasons to stay stuck in the past with traditional methods. Choosing software with adequate training resources is crucial to success. Tutorials, training videos, agents available 24/7, and FAQ pages are all excellent resources for quicker adjustments.

2. Easy to operate with full capabilities

Humans are more open to change when it makes their lives easier. Get your managers onboard with restaurant scheduling software that allows them to:

• Communicate using an internal messaging system with the capability of receiving an immediate response;
• Share work schedules with the whole team as soon as they’re ready;
• Have access to schedules at their fingertips using their smartphone, tablet, or desktop;
• Track employee performance using a digital notebook;
• Forecast labour needs according to restaurant demands;
• Track employee attendance using an automated time clock;
• Calculate accurate payroll according to employee time clock readings.

3. Automation features

Automation features are huge time savers when it comes to restaurant scheduling. Auto schedulers create work schedules by:

• Using staff-generated availability;
• Making adjustments to staff preferences and needs;
• Significantly lowering the margin for error;
• Causing fewer scheduling conflicts.

All automation features require some manual data to work efficiently. To create successful schedules, managers and employees will need to input the following:

• Requests for time off
• Shift preferences
• Staff availability
• Level of experience
• A forecast for busy times and slow periods
• Statutory holidays
• High-demand days, like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day
• Seasonal adjustments

4. Integration

Having everything in one place can streamline many processes when it integrates with other programs. For example, good scheduling software should be able to:

• Integrate with digital calendars, payroll systems, and POS software;
• Create notifications for time off requests, shift breaks, and staff holidays;
• Synchronize calendar appointments;
• Recognize customer reservations;
• Sync data with common restaurant POS and time clock systems.

Linking all your tools ensures quick, accurate information and collaborative communication while eliminating redundancies.

5. Reports

Look for software that provides data-driven insights and real-time updates. Data analytics ensures everyone is on the same page and reduces the risk of scheduling errors.

The software should have the ability to generate reports for things including the following:

• The amount of overtime worked (both restaurant total and individual employees).
• Which employees work the most hours.
• Attendance records (call in sick, late, no show).
• Some restaurant scheduling tools can even offer employee expense, staff performance, and payroll reports.

Keeping an eye on these metrics allows your managers to stay within budget, keep the business healthy during ever-changing restaurant demands, and improve your bottom line.