Now that the holidays are behind us, it’s time to begin gearing up for busy season. Although it’s a lucrative time of year, you probably find yourself feeling a bit strained from time to time. Perhaps one of your New Year’s resolutions is to become more efficient within your organization this season, so that you’re even more profitable than last year?
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Having a loyal staff that is consistently engaged can make all the difference in ensuring that your business runs like a well-oiled machine. When thinking about what makes for a happy employee, perks like a generous commission structure or free tanning and discounted services might be the first things that come to mind. Sure, those benefits help to keep team members satisfied, but you might want to consider the less obvious – such as a solid system for employee scheduling.
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There are some simple yet key aspects to effective scheduling during busy season. First and foremost, take the time to review data from previous years’ activities. An employee will undoubtedly become frustrated if they are the only person on the schedule at the busiest time of day in the heart of your season (not to mention the effect this will have on customer service). Minimize potential angst amongst staff by viewing historical reports in order to project what will be an ample amount of staff coverage – how many tanners per hour/per day of the week did you see at this time last year? Using the knowledge that these metrics provide is the first step toward developing your ideal employee schedule.
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Once you know what coverage is needed in order to achieve optimal productivity within your salon, you will want to create a schedule in an electronic format so that it is easily accessed by both you and your staff. It is inevitable that hard copies will get misplaced or lost. If your staff can readily access their schedule within the same point of sale system that they use on a daily basis, you can eliminate at least one of the excuses as to why they didn’t show up for their scheduled shift.
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Also be sure that you create your schedule well in advance, so that you can readily manage any potential conflicts.
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It is imperative that the schedule can be edited as needed, as flexibility is crucial when it comes to employee satisfaction. Do you allow your staff to submit requests for time off? How about posting shifts to a trade board, with your approval and within established guidelines, in order to swap shifts with a coworker? Being fair when developing a schedule and publishing it sooner than later, will prove to be effective in decreasing absenteeism during a time when you simply can’t afford to be scrambling to find replacements.
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Turnover can be costly, especially during this critical time of year. Maintaining fair and flexible work schedules that are easily accessed and managed regularly for your staff will not only keep your employees satisfied, but promote retention within your organization.
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Enhancing your staff scheduling process is a goal that is truly achievable, so consider making it your New Year’s resolution!
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