Smart scheduling practices can help employers manage costs and meet company, customer, and employee needs. Here are some tips for managing employee schedules.
Make accurate projections.
Using analytics, make projections based on the amount and type of work that needs to get done, when it must be done, and the talent you have available. Factor in business growth (for example, if sales are increasing by 10 percent, your staffing projections should reflect this). Afterward, go back and evaluate whether your projections were accurate and make adjustments if necessary.
Ensure proper balance in staffing.
Too many new or inexperienced employees on a shift can result in stress for both customers and other employees. During each shift, make sure you have enough supervisors and experienced employees to ensure that your business runs smoothly.
Be prepared for special circumstances.
Many businesses have peak times each day, week, or season, but special circumstances could also lead to an increase in business. For example, a downtown cafe may see most of its business during the workweek but a special event, such as a weekend parade, could result in more customers. Be familiar with what is going on in your area and how that may affect business demands.
Keep an eye on overtime.
Under federal law, employers must pay non-exempt employees overtime (1.5 times their regular rate of pay) whenever they work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Some states require overtime in additional circumstances. Extensive overtime can drive up labor costs and lead to lower productivity and morale. Monitor overtime closely and make sure you consider its impact when scheduling employees.
Provide enough time off between shifts.
Provide employees with enough rest in between shifts, especially for safety-sensitive positions. Certain federal, state and local laws place restrictions on the number of hours an employee can work per week and how much time off must be provided between shifts. For example, nurses, certain drivers and other types of workers must be provided with a specific amount of off-duty time between shifts. Check your applicable law for more information.
Post schedules in advance.
Give employees as much notice as possible about their schedules, preferably at least two weeks. This will give them more time to plan appointments and other commitments around their work schedules. If extra hours become available, or you need to make changes to the schedule, post those as well.
Track vacation, sick, and other paid time off.
When scheduling employees, you’ll need to know who has been approved for time off so you don't mistakenly put them on the schedule. Additionally, unless you plan for scheduled absences, an employee's paid time off can lead to overtime work for other employees. To plan ahead, track time-off requests closely and look for certain times of the year or days of the week where requests spike.
Involve employees.
When you involve employees in the scheduling process, you can account for outside conflicts. Ask for your employees' availability, preferred shifts, and desired number of hours per week in advance. Additionally, offering employees flexible work schedules or telecommuting options can help them better manage their work and personal responsibilities. While flexible work arrangements may not be practical for every job, consider evaluating such requests on a case-by-case basis.
Consider shift swaps and cross training.
Allowing employees to swap shifts can make it easier to maintain adequate staffing levels and give employees flexibility when work-life conflicts arise. Consider cross training employees to make it easier to find a back-up for unscheduled absences. Additionally, establish and communicate rules to employees concerning shift swaps, such as requiring that they submit written requests in advance.
Understand predictive scheduling laws (if applicable).
Currently, one state and ten local jurisdictions have enacted laws that require, among other things, employers to provide a good faith estimate of hours upon hiring, furnish written work schedules to employees in advance, give workers a certain amount of rest in between shifts, and pay a penalty when they make changes to schedules without the proper notice required.
To date, the coverage of these laws has been limited to large employers (including their franchisees) and certain sectors, such as the retail, hospitality, food service industries. If you have employees in a location with a predictive scheduling law, check the law for details.
As of March 2025, the state and local jurisdictions with predictive scheduling laws include:
State
Local Jurisdictions
- Berkeley, CA
- Emeryville, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Los Angeles County, CA (effective July 1, 2025 in unincorporated areas only)
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA (limited in scope)
- Chicago, IL
- Evanston, IL
- New York City, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
Conclusion
Effective scheduling practices can benefit your customers, employees, and the bottom line.