How a shift schedule maker can streamline scheduling for part-time employees

Managing part-time employees can be a juggling act, especially when it comes to creating and maintaining their shifts and schedules. Between balancing fluctuating hours, tracking availability, and ensuring compliance with employment standards, scheduling can quickly become a headache.

This is where efficient shift scheduling software comes in to simplify the entire process, saving you time and reducing errors.

That's why, we’re going to cover how using shift scheduling software to create and manage your staff schedules for your part-time employees can improve efficiency, boost employee satisfaction, and keep your business running smoothly.

The challenges of scheduling part-time employees

Part-time employees often have variable availability due to other commitments, such as school or family obligations. Unlike full-time workers who have set schedules, part-time employees might have different hours every week.

This variability makes it difficult to create consistent shift plans, which can lead to over- or under-staffing if not managed properly.

Without a robust system in place, you may encounter several challenges, including:

• Manual scheduling errors: Mistakes in availability tracking or overlapping shifts.

• Last-minute changes: Employees may request changes to their schedules, leading to confusion and gaps in coverage.

• Communication breakdowns: Employees may not be aware of their shifts or changes to the schedule, causing absenteeism or lateness.

• Compliance risks: Keeping track of the employment standards in your state, like overtime, break periods, or working hour regulations for part-time employees can become overwhelming.

An employee schedule maker offers an effective solution to address these issues, providing tools to automate and streamline the entire scheduling process.

Benefits of using a shift schedule maker for part-time shifts

Here are some of the key ways an employee shifts and rosters tool can help you manage part-time shift schedules more efficiently:

Automated scheduling

Instead of manually piecing together schedules for your part-time staff, an employee schedule creator allows you to automate much of the process. Based on employee availability, the software can automatically generate shift schedules that fit your staffing needs.

This automation reduces human error and frees up your time, so you can focus on other tasks.

Real-time availability tracking

It enables employees to update their availability directly in the system. Whether it’s a student adjusting their schedule for exams or someone needing time off for personal reasons, the software keeps real-time availability up to date.

This makes it easy for managers to see who’s available for shifts, avoiding scheduling conflicts and last-minute changes.

Shift swapping and open shifts

Many shift schedule makers offer a shift swapping or an open shift feature. This feature allows part-time employees view open shifts, volunteer for extra hours, or trade shifts with their coworkers directly through the platform.

This level of flexibility empowers employees to take control of their schedules, leading to higher job satisfaction.

You still have the final say and can approve or reject shift swaps, ensuring that staffing needs are met while giving employees the freedom to adjust their shifts.

Compliance with employment standards

One of the trickiest parts of scheduling part-time employees is ensuring compliance with the employment standards. For example, students or temporary workers may have restrictions on the number of hours they can work.

A shift schedule maker can help you track this automatically, alerting you if a part-time worker is scheduled for too many hours or if overtime laws apply.

This software can also track breaks, ensuring that all legal requirements are met and protecting you from potential compliance issues.

As employment standards vary between states, it’s also best practice to contact employment relations experts before making any adjustments to your employees hours of work.

Reduced absenteeism

Clear and accessible schedules can help prevent absenteeism and lateness. A shift schedule maker can notify employees of upcoming shifts via email or mobile app notifications — so there’s no excuse for missing a shift.

Employees can also confirm their schedules and request changes well in advance, which gives you ample time to adjust and ensure all shifts are covered.

Improved communication

Good communication is key when managing part-time workers. Shift schedule makers often come with built-in messaging or notification systems that allow managers to communicate directly with employees about their schedules.

Employees can be reminded of upcoming shifts or notified of any last-minute changes, helping to reduce confusion and improve attendance.

Mobile accessibility

Many shift schedule makers are accessible via mobile apps, making it easy for part-time workers to check their schedules, request changes, or update their availability on the go.

This accessibility is especially useful for part-time employees who may not always have access to a computer.

Analytics and reporting

This software can provide insights and analytics on scheduling patterns, allowing you to identify trends, such as frequent shift cancellations or areas of understaffing. These reports help you make data-driven decisions to optimise scheduling, ensuring you have the right number of staff at the right times.

You can also track employee performance based on attendance and punctuality, helping you identify reliable part-time workers who could be given more hours or new responsibilities.

Use a digital shifts and roster planner for your part-time staff

Using work shift schedule makers to schedule part-time shifts is a game-changer for businesses of all sizes. It reduces the administrative burden on managers, improves communication with employees, and ensures that you stay compliant with employment standards.

Whether you manage a small team or a large workforce, investing in a reputable shift schedule maker can help you better manage not just your part-time employees — but all your staff members — ultimately leading to smoother operations and a happier, more productive team.

How HR software can make scheduling part-time employees a breeze

BrightHR’s shift schedule maker is built into our award-winning HR software, and is the most efficient way to manage your employees’ shifts, create schedules, track attendance and fill open shifts.

To start enjoying stress-free shift and schedule planning for any working pattern, book your free demo today.