Anyone who has ever stayed in a hotel, eaten at a restaurant, had a beer at a bar, or attended a conference has been served by a hospitality industry worker. When staff is attentive, customers feel cared for and are happy to spread the word and look forward to coming back. When the opposite occurs, it can lead to poor reviews, a damaged reputation, customer churn and lost revenues.

Customer satisfaction is achieved, in large part, by the business’s ability to schedule enough staff to meet customer demands promptly and effectively. Proper staff scheduling is also integral to maintaining smooth operations, managing costs, keeping employees happy, complying with regulations, and supporting overall productivity. In other words, there’s a lot riding on a process that might appear straightforward but, in practice, has many moving parts.

What Is Staff Scheduling in Hospitality?

Staff scheduling is the process of assigning the right number and types of staff—front-desk agents and concierge, waiters and chefs, managers and maintenance staff—so that all shifts are covered adequately. Staff scheduling in hospitality falls under the umbrella of workforce management, which involves all of the activities associated with attracting and retaining a company’s most valuable resource: its employees. A well-managed schedule keeps operational costs in check, employee morale high, and customers satisfied, even during periods of high and low demand.

Key Takeaways

  • An optimized staff schedule is necessary to maintain a productive and profitable hospitality business.
  • The challenge is having just enough employees on hand or on call to meet demand.
  • Hospitality scheduling techniques include fixed or rotating schedules and split shifts.
  • Scheduling software and workforce management systems can assist with scheduling tasks and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Hospitality Staff Scheduling Explained

Hospitality is a broad business category within the service industries that includes hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and food trucks. It also includes theme parks, event venues, and tourism-related businesses, such as travel agencies, airlines, and cruise lines.

Proper staff scheduling is essential if the hospitality business is to be productive and profitable. Yet, because of the need to account for daily shifts, employee absences, requested time off, and seasonal changes in demand, among other challenges, creating a perfect schedule is difficult, especially without the proper technology tools.

Generally speaking, creating a hospitality workforce schedule that ensures appropriate service levels is a four-step process: forecasting business demand, translating that demand into employee requirements, scheduling employees, and controlling/adjusting the schedule. Some techniques used for hospitality staff scheduling are fixed schedules, rotating schedules, split shifts, and on-call shifts. (More on those later.)

Fortunately, scheduling applications can assist managers with most of these tasks. These tools automate the scheduling process, reduce the time spent on devising schedules, and help ensure compliance with labor laws.

Hospitality Staff Scheduling Challenges

Hospitality businesses face their fair share of staff-related challenges. Among the most common, according to the “State of Hospitality Staffing + 2024 Outlook,” a National Association of Catering and Events report, are unpredictable demand, employee absenteeism, and employee turnover.

  • Unpredictable customer flow: The flow of customers can vary greatly in the hospitality industry, depending on time of day, day of the week, season, and type of event, all of which can complicate accurate headcount planning. The number of customers can surge or drop off with little warning, such as with a last-minute cancellation of a large dinner party, calling for immediate schedule adjustments. Overstaffing inflates labor costs, while understaffing hurts service quality.
  • High employee turnover rates: High turnover rates are common in the hospitality industry, due to the long, intense hours, relatively low wages, and seasonality of the business. This means the need to frequently train new employees, which is time-consuming. What’s more, new or temporary staff won’t be as skilled or as familiar with the ins and outs of the operation, which can reduce service quality and efficiency. It can also disrupt team cohesion. Budgets can take a hit, too, given that the average cost of recruiting and hiring a new employee is around $4,700, according to the Society for Human Resource Management.
  • Balancing costs with service quality: Indeed, those tasked with overseeing staff scheduling must, above all, stay within their budgets, yet ensure that enough staff is available to maintain expected levels of service. Containing labor costs requires careful forecasting, planning, and flexibility. Looming over all decisions is customers’ expectations for top-notch service, which could be jeopardized if the establishment is short-staffed.

Hospitality Staff Scheduling Techniques

Hospitality managers have at their disposal four main types of scheduling techniques: fixed schedules, rotating schedules, split shifts, and on-call shifts. Understand the pros and cons of each one:

  • Fixed schedules:

    With fixed schedules, employees work the same number of hours, days, and times every week. This type of schedule provides stability and predictability for both the business and its employees: The hospitality company is better able to control what can be a significant variable business expense. It also speeds the scheduling process. Meanwhile, employees are fond of fixed schedules because they can better balance their lives. This contributes to higher job satisfaction and reduced stress, because they don’t need to worry about when they’re going to work next or having to put in for days off for scheduled appointments.

  • Rotating schedules:

    Rotating schedules change, though often in a predictable pattern. They offer some flexibility and help distribute shifts and workloads more evenly, reducing staff burnout and improving morale. Rotating schedules are often seen as fairer by staff because they ensure no one person consistently gets the most—or fewest—desirable shifts.

    On the other hand, if they’re not managed well, rotating schedules can disrupt routines, leading to staff fatigue and decreased productivity. From a management perspective, devising and implementing a rotating schedule takes careful planning. Frequent shift changes can sometimes cause inconsistencies in service quality. Different staff might take longer to adjust to the needs of different shifts—for example, breakfast service versus dinner service or weekday shifts versus weekend shifts—potentially affecting guest satisfaction.

  • Split shifts:

    Split-shift schedules, in which an employee’s workday is divided into two segments, with a sizable break in between, is a method used to ensure daily coverage during peak demand. For example, in a single day a customer service agent at an airport might be scheduled from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to handle the rush of early and late-day flights. Aligning staff levels with demand helps businesses manage labor costs by not scheduling people for times when there isn’t enough work.

    However, for staff, the feeling of being “on” all day can increase fatigue and stress, leading to decreased job satisfaction and productivity, higher absenteeism, and possible defection. For the business, it requires close tracking of employee hours to respect their time off the clock. Compliance with labor laws that govern split shifts is also a factor. In New York, for example, employees with split-shift schedules may be entitled to an extra hour of pay.

  • On-Call shifts:

    On-call shifts ensure that additional staff can be quickly mobilized to handle unexpected demand. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines on-call time as the time “an employee … is required to remain on his or her employer’s premises or so close thereto that he or she cannot use the time effectively for his or her own purposes.”

    On-call shifts offer significant advantages for hospitality businesses, in terms of operational agility. For employees, they present an opportunity for extra income and, perhaps, additional skills development, if they’re working different roles. However, being on call can make it difficult for employees to attend to their personal lives, due to the uncertainty of whether they’ll have to work. The resulting stress can negatively affect their work and, in turn, the customer experience they provide.

    Importantly, businesses must factor on-call shifts into their budgets. Without careful planning, the additional compensation required could strain their finances. They must also be mindful of applicable labor laws. The FLSA considers on-call staff who are required to remain on the premises to be working, which “could require” compensation for their off-duty time. California and Oregon are among the states that mandate pay.

8 Hospitality Staff Scheduling Best Practices

To navigate the complexities of staff scheduling, hospitality managers can turn to some proven best practices that not only streamline operations but also build a resilient workforce capable of adapting to fluctuating demand. Here are eight best practices to consider.

1. Anticipate Customer Demand

Managers must determine which positions must be filled and what needs to be ready in order to meet the expected customer volume and workload for a given planning period. Some workloads are time-variant, such as a restaurant preparing for the breakfast rush, while others aren’t, such as routine maintenance or inventory management, which can be scheduled during quieter periods without affecting service quality. Analyzing historical data and sales patterns, forecasting demand using a modern software application, and monitoring real-time conditions can help managers hone their planning.

2. Understand Staffing Needs

Managers charged with staff scheduling must then translate customer demand into the optimal headcount, without over- or understaffing. An all-day diner, for example, will need fewer servers on hand in between the busy breakfast, lunch, and dinner times. Clear-cut scheduling considerations include the number of hours a given employee can work in a day, as well as “soft” constraints, such as employees’ desires for certain days or shifts they work and the types of tasks they perform.

XYZ Restaurant Schedule, 8/25/24

Employee Name Role Start Time End Time Notes
Jane Smith Cook 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Lunch & Prep
John Doe Server 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Lunch
Mary Johnson Host 1:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m.
Anna White Chef 2:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. Dinner
Mark Lee Server 4:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. Dinner
Tom Brown Sanitation 6:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. Closing Duties
This sample schedule makes clear which employees are expected to come in, their roles and shift hours, and the type of shifts they’re covering.

3. Manage Staff Preferences and Morale

Scheduling plays an indisputable role in staff morale. Done well, it can improve employee satisfaction and reduce turnover. Hospitality companies should make every effort to consider their employees’ preferences and try to be flexible, fair, and transparent when devising their schedules. It’s also a good idea to publish schedules as early as possible, have a set plan for responding to requests for changes, and gather feedback via regular team meetings to address scheduling concerns and ways to improve future schedules.

4. Adjust to Changes

Staff scheduling in hospitality requires a high tolerance for adapting to ever-fluid circumstances. Some of the most common occurrences and what they entail include:

  • Varying shifts: Ensuring coverage throughout the day and night.
  • Employee absences: Finding replacements quickly when workers call out unexpectedly.
  • Seasonal demand: Adjusting staff levels to handle peak and off-peak times of the year.
  • Overtime rules: Complying with laws about overtime while minding costs.
  • Special events: Planning for big events, such as an industry conference, that require additional staff.

Managers often find themselves tweaking the schedule as each day unfolds and new situations arise.

5. Maintain Compliance

Staffing is rife with rules and regulations that hospitality companies must follow—or find themselves at risk of facing fines or lawsuits. The main issues often concern working hours and compensation. Managers must abide by legal limitations on working hours, including daily and weekly maximums. They must also comply with regulations governing overtime and on-call pay, as well as the federal minimum wage. Many states and localities also have their own laws on minimum wages, which can be higher than the federal minimum wage.

In addition, employees under the age of 18 are restricted in the types of work they can perform and the hours they can work. Employers also must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ensuring that reasonable scheduling accommodations are made for employees with disabilities.

The list goes on to include FLSA compliance; the proper handling of exempt and nonexempt employees; adherence to health and safety regulations, such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, and to nondiscriminatory practices under Equal Employment Opportunity laws; and compliance with any union agreements or specific local labor laws.

6. Prioritize Communications

Clear communications ensures that team members understand which shifts they’re working and their responsibilities. Staff should also be notified as quickly as possible about any changes to the schedule to avoid last-minute confusion. Regularly scheduled team meetings and frequent updates can help managers understand staff needs and vice versa. Additionally, prioritizing communications fosters a collaborative environment in which employees feel valued and heard, leading to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates. The use of messaging apps and/or dedicated scheduling platforms can help streamline the process.

7. Plan for Contingencies

Anyone who has worked in hospitality can attest to the fact that things don’t always go as expected. Staff, for example, call in sick, which can result in order backups in the kitchen or delays in cleaning rooms for arriving hotel guests. Savvy staff schedulers will have any number of backup strategies in place, such as a pool of on-call employees or cross-trained staff to handle multiple roles, to help guarantee smooth operation at all times. Such contingency planning also helps ensure a consistent customer experience by maintaining service levels.

8. Use Scheduling Software

While manual scheduling methods may do the trick for the smallest of hospitality businesses, scheduling applications make the job easier and less time-consuming for all concerned. Such applications can quickly incorporate schedule changes and arrange optimal staffing levels, improving operational efficiency. Advanced features, such as real-time updates, shift swaps, availability tracking, and integration with payroll, time tracking, and other systems, streamline administrative tasks. When equipped with data analytics, scheduling software can provide insights into staffing patterns and help forecast future needs with a level of accuracy that wouldn’t be possible using manual methods.

Tools for Managing Hospitality Staff Scheduling

For the most part, long gone are the days of paper schedules pinned to bulletin boards in the break room. The demands and dynamic nature of hospitality environments call for modern software tools. They include:

  • Spreadsheets:

    Spreadsheets are typically used to organize and store data in rows and columns. They allow managers to create and modify schedules quickly and create custom layouts for specific circumstances or positions. Many spreadsheets provide built-in functions and formulas that can aid with tracking employee availability and automatically calculate the number of hours worked. Templates and real-time collaboration features can help speed up the scheduling process and allow for a more standardized scheduling system.

  • Time-tracking tools:

    Time-tracking tools are designed to record when employees clock in and clock out and the amount of time they spend on specific tasks. These applications are available as standalone products or are integrated in other accounting, payroll, or human resources platforms. Automated time-tracking tools reduce errors in payroll processing and help ensure that management is complying with labor regulations, specifically with regard to overtime and mandatory breaks. Managers also have access to real-time data and metrics that can help them identify productivity patterns and areas for improvement, analyze labor costs, and forecast future staffing needs.

  • Communication platforms:

    Communication platforms, including messaging apps, email, dedicated communication software, and file-sharing capabilities, facilitate information-sharing and collaboration between team members and management. These applications allow for real-time updates about schedule changes, shift swaps, and urgent staffing needs. They can also keep everyone informed about new policies and other important changes, which goes a long way toward reducing everyday misunderstandings and increasing transparency. As with time-tracking tools, many of these applications integrate with other software platforms.

  • Workforce management systems:

    Workforce management systems are comprehensive software solutions designed to oversee all aspects of employee scheduling, time tracking, attendance, and workforce planning, with the goal of improving efficiency, accuracy, and communication. Staff can also use these systems to access their schedules, request time off, and swap shifts with others. Workforce management systems streamline the scheduling process by automating shift assignments, checking availability and monitoring compliance with labor laws and regulations. They often integrate with payroll, HR, and other business systems. Demand forecasting, real-time scheduling adjustments, and detailed analytics can help keep labor costs in line and service quality high.

Streamline Scheduling in Hospitality with NetSuite Workforce Management

What does scheduling software look like in the always-in-motion world of hospitality? Look no further than NetSuite SuitePeople Workforce Management (WFM), which handles the many challenges that industry professionals deal with every day. WFM replaces the need for spreadsheets, multiple applications, and old-fashioned punch cards with a single system that schedules shifts, captures time and attendance, and accurately calculates wages, improving operational efficiency. Another advantage is its visual shift-scheduling capability, which lets managers clearly see whether they have under- or overstaffed for upcoming shifts. Data-entry errors are also eliminated because employees can easily clock in and out using a computer, tablet, or other mobile device. In addition, the automatic calculation of hours minimizes noncompliance risks and can be seamlessly transferred to SuitePeople Payroll for processing. Notably, managers and employees can access WFM from a convenient mobile app that allows them to check, modify, or request changes to their schedules.

An optimized hospitality staff schedule serves both the customer and the business. When creating schedules, companies must manage three main priorities: customer needs, operational demands, and employee happiness. By adopting advanced scheduling techniques and best practices, hospitality managers can ensure that the right number and types of staff are on hand to satisfy customer demand, while fostering a positive work environment that ultimately contributes to the company’s long-term success.

#1 Cloud
Planning Software

Free Product Tour

Hospitality Staff Scheduling FAQs

How do you schedule staff effectively?

Effective staff scheduling involves understanding demand, communicating clearly with staff, and making use of the right software tools. Analysis of past data can help managers forecast busy periods and determine peak times. Regular check-ins with employees about their availability, preferences, and time-off requests are other best practices. Furthermore, scheduling software can streamline the organization of shifts, track availability, and manage changes efficiently. Managers can also aim to balance staff skills across different shifts to ensure that both experienced and less experienced staff are appropriately distributed.

How do I schedule staff for a restaurant?

Start by determining peak dining hours and/or days and anticipating special events that may require additional staff. Assign shifts based on roles, such as manager, hosts, servers, bussers, chef, cooks, and bartenders, to provide comprehensive coverage. Consider employees’ availability and shift preferences and take both part-time and full-time workers into account when distributing shifts. Scheduling software and workforce management systems can assist with creating, adjusting, and communicating schedules efficiently.

What is a timesheet for hospitality?

A timesheet in the hospitality industry is a document or digital record used to track employees’ work hours. It generally includes employee information, such as name, position, and employment ID, as well as the start and end times for each shift and break period. Properly managed timesheets make for accurate payroll processing and help with cost management and regulatory compliance.

What does a restaurant schedule look like?

A restaurant schedule usually includes an employee roster, weekly or biweekly views, and shift details. The employee roster lists all employees, their roles, and contact information. The schedule can be laid out in a calendar format, with specific start and end times for each shift clearly indicated. A special “notes” section can highlight events, peak times, and important reminders. Best practices include information on employee availability and approved time off. A designated space for traded shifts or approved replacements can also ensure transparency and accountability.