First published on Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Last updated on Tuesday, October 15, 2024
As a business owner, mastering staff scheduling isn't just a nice to have —your business needs it to run smoothly.
Poor scheduling can lead to understaffing, higher labour costs, and unhappy, overworked employees. On the other hand, great scheduling can streamline operations, lift employee morale, and improve customer satisfaction.
That’s why we’re going to cover the essentials of staff scheduling, explore the various available methods, and show you how technology can simplify the process. You'll also learn how shift and scheduling tools can help you automate and optimize your scheduling—so you can focus on growing your business, not just managing shifts.
What is staff scheduling?
Staff scheduling consists of planning and assigning shifts to ensure your business runs like a well-oiled machine. It involves:
Assigning shifts: Figuring out who's covering which shift.
Managing availability: Keeping track of when employees are available—and when they'd rather not be!
Balancing workload: Making sure everyone's workload is fair and even.
When done right, staff scheduling directly impacts business efficiency, employee morale, and customer satisfaction.
If you want to dive deeper into optimizing your scheduling, our article on optimizing shift scheduling for better productivity will be worth reading.
Why staff scheduling matters for Canadian employers
Effective staff scheduling offers numerous benefits for Canadian businesses. Here's why it should be on every employer's radar:
Enhanced productivity and service quality
If you run a chain of coffee shops, do you have enough staff during the lunch rush? If you run a mortgage brokerage, do you have enough staff operating the phones on weekends? Proper staff scheduling ensures you have the correct number of employees during peak business hours.
This not only keeps your operations efficient but also guarantees customers receive prompt service. Better staffing = better service quality. Better service = more revenue.
Better employee engagement and reduced turnover
Employees with predictable schedules that respect their availability and preferences are happier and more engaged at work. This is a win-win situation—happy employees lead to higher retention rates, saving you the cost (and headache) of constantly replacing staff.
Cost control through optimized labour allocation
Nobody wants to pay employees for standing around with nothing to do. Efficient scheduling decreases labour costs by ensuring you have the correct number of people working when you need them. This directly improves your bottom line.
Compliance with Canadian laws and regulations
Navigating Canadian labour laws can be tricky, especially when it comes to covering everything from break times to paid vacations and public holidays. Effective scheduling helps you stay compliant, avoid legal pitfalls, and treat your employees fairly.
Some common examples are:
Break times: Employees are entitled to rest periods every work day. The duration of these breaks varies depending on provincial employment standards. Proper scheduling can ensure these breaks are observed to avoid violations.
Overtime: Scheduling must respect overtime rules, with hours worked beyond the legal limits (usually 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week) requiring extra pay. Check your provincial employment standards for specific hours to ensure your employees overtime don’t go over maximum working hours.
Public holidays: Staff scheduling must account for holidays, ensuring employees receive either holiday pay or time off in lieu.
Paid vacation: Scheduling software helps track vacation entitlements, preventing conflicts and ensuring employees get the required leave.
By incorporating these compliance considerations into your scheduling, businesses can avoid hefty fines and legal complications. Government resources specific to your province (like Ontario's Employment Standards Act or Alberta’s Employment Standards) offer guidelines for more detailed information.
Common staff scheduling methods
Every business has unique needs, therefore, no single scheduling method would work for everyone. So, as you research what types of scheduling would work best for your business, here are some of the standard options:
Fixed schedules
With fixed schedules, employees work the same hours on the same days each week. This arrangement is predictable, which is great for consistency, but it needs more flexibility for some businesses and employees.
Rotating shifts
Rotating shifts involves employees working different shifts on a set rotation. While this helps distribute the workload evenly, it can be challenging for employees juggling other commitments.
For more details, check out our guide on rotating shifts.
Split shifts
Split shifts divide an employee's workday into two or more parts, separated by unpaid breaks. This method works well for businesses that have peak times throughout the day.
To learn more about using this scheduling method, see our guide to spilt shifts.
On-call scheduling
On-call scheduling requires employees to be available to work on short notice. While this offers business flexibility, it can be unpredictable and stressful for employees.
When choosing a scheduling method, it’s vital to consider your business's unique needs and your employees' preferences. Every method has its pros and cons, so finding the right balance is critical.
Leveraging technology for enhanced staff scheduling
Staff scheduling doesn't have to be a manual headache. Today, technology can do most of the heavy lifting for you. Here's how online scheduling software can save you time and improve accuracy:
Automating and streamlining the scheduling process
Software like BrightHR's staff scheduling solution automates assigning shifts, managing employee availability, and balancing workloads. This reduces errors and saves you time—so you can focus on running your business, not just the schedule.
Integrating time and attendance systems
Scheduling software integrates with time and attendance systems to accurately track worked hours and labour costs. As a result, you'll stay on budget, and your payroll will be a breeze.
Harnessing data analytics
Advanced scheduling tools use data analytics to identify trends, forecast staffing needs, and optimize labour allocation. This ensures you're always staffed just right—not too much, not too little.
For more insights on leveraging technology for scheduling, check out our article on enhancing shift scheduling through scheduling apps.
How BrightHR helps you optimize your staff scheduling
Staff scheduling shouldn’t be just about filling shifts—it's about running an innovative, efficient business. BrightHR's comprehensive scheduling software simplifies your scheduling process and ensures you have the right number of people at the right time.
Our software offers automated scheduling, time and attendance tracking, and robust data analytics to optimize labour costs and improve efficiency.
Ready to take control of your scheduling? Book a free demo today and see how BrightHR can help you master the art of staff scheduling.
