Employee Scheduling

Key Features

• Labor Costs
• Task Management
• Time Clock
• Multiple Work Locations
• Communication
• Integrations

Scheduling Tips for Creating the Best Retail Schedule

Creating a good retail schedule is one of the most important jobs you will face as a manager. A lot is riding on the names, dates, and times you put to paper, so it’s essential to do your best to create the best schedule possible.

How to Create the Best Retail Schedule

1. Plan Shifts Based on Peak Sales Periods

   Analyze the sales periods of your retail establishment and plan shifts to provide the right number of employees for the traffic in your store. Review patterns of activity for days, weeks, months, and even years.

2. Combine Full-Time and Part-Time Employees

   Creating the best retail schedule often means scheduling a mix of full-time and part-time employees to avoid overtime costs and provide valuable training opportunities.

3. Set Up a Budget and Stick To It

   Establish a budget before you start scheduling to control costs. Arrange shifts so that labor costs stay under pre-arranged numbers, using flat rate or percentage of sales methods.

4. Create a Template for Repeated Use

   Create a custom template to streamline future scheduling efforts, allowing you to focus on assigning names to shifts rather than formatting.

5. Arrange Shifts Around Your Best Workers

   Ensure peak activity times are covered by experienced employees who can manage customer flow effectively.

6. Make the Schedule Easy to Read

   Keep the schedule simple and easy to read, allowing employees to quickly understand their work hours and duties.

7. Publish Your Retail Schedule with Plenty of Lead Time

   Allow employees to plan their personal lives around their work schedule by publishing the schedule well in advance.

8. Allow for Changes Within Limits

   Encourage employees to find their substitutes but ensure all changes receive managerial approval to maintain shift quality.

9. Keep Employees on Task with To-Do Lists

   Use mobile devices to send to-do lists to employees, ensuring they stay focused and engaged during their shifts.

10. Set Up a Method of Business Communication

    Establish a reliable communication method, such as the Sling app, to facilitate effective intra-business communication.

11. Establish a Routine for Retail Schedule Creation

    Consistently release the schedule on the same day and time each week to set clear expectations for your team.

12. Allow Employees to Self-Schedule

    Lighten your workload by letting employees self-schedule shifts, ensuring your best workers cover essential times.

13. Make Employees Responsible for Finding Substitutes

    Empower employees to find substitutes on their own, but ensure you approve all changes to maintain shift quality.

14. Create an Availability Chart as Plan B

    Have a chart of employees’ availability as a backup plan to quickly find substitutes when needed.

15. Create a Plan C for Your Plan B

    Establish a list of trusted and reliable part-time workers as a last resort for sudden shift vacancies.

Regularly Reevaluate Your Retail Schedule

No retail schedule should be set in stone. Regularly reevaluate the finished product and the steps you took to get there, implementing changes to improve the workflow. Get feedback from employees to enhance the process.

Use Technology to Make Your Retail Schedule Better

Sling offers a wide range of tools that simplify and streamline the scheduling process. With free access to essential features such as time and attendance tracking, labor cost optimization, and message communication, Sling is the smart choice for retail scheduling.