Being able to effectively roster your employees is important because it means you’re servicing your customers more effectively, minimising the risk of missing a sale, and raising your team’s morale. Here are four simple tips for better employee management.
Know the law
Employees have workplace rights and obligations that you need to be aware of. These can relate to awards and agreements, leave, termination and other entitlements. Australia’s Federal Government provides valuable information at the Fair Work Ombudsman website. It’s also important to remember that these rights and obligations can change from time to time, so make sure you check back regularly to stay up to date.
Determine how much help you need
Your business undoubtedly has its own sales trends, busy periods and rush hours, whether you work in hospitality, retail or services. One of the great tools included in Square Point of Sale is access to powerful analytics and reporting tools that help you identify these sales trends. If you’re a coffee shop owner, you’re more likely to see sales at the beginning of the day when people are rushing to pick up their morning coffee. If you’re running a bar, your sales are likely to spike at around 5 p.m. (aka happy hour).
Consider scheduling your extra help to come in a half hour before the rush begins, so they’ve got time to prepare. If you’re an existing Square seller, log in to your Square Dashboard to see your busiest hours, days, weeks and months.
Get to know your team
Your workplace culture and team dynamic is important to get right. Make sure you check in with your staff regularly to understand their future availability (aim to schedule your rosters a month in advance). Be aware of who works best in the evenings and who’s an early riser for the morning shift. Avoid workplace tension by being transparent about how you schedule your team (for example, if you allocate particular shifts to senior employees).
Set yourself up to be disaster-proof
It’s a fact of business — whether small or big. Employees get sick. Their cars break down. They have an exam to study for. Make sure you’ve got a backup plan for any emergencies. Know who’s available to cover the shifts and keep a short list of backup staff that you know you can rely on in a tight spot. Holiday periods like Christmas and the Easter weekend are also popular times for staff to take time off, so be sure to ask about everyone’s holiday plans for the year and roster well in advance—and try to fit in a bit of time off for yourself as well!
