How to Schedule Employee Shifts at Your Self-Care Business

Let’s face it – running a beauty business solo is a challenge. Between managing clients, inventory, sales, and maintenance, it can take every morsel of energy you have just to stay afloat. If you have the budget, however, hiring a team can be just what you need to take your client services to the next level. But even after you put together your dream team, there’s still the matter of creating the right schedule to perfectly suit your business needs.

This article will explore why employee schedules are crucial for the success of your beauty and wellness business, plus how to schedule employees effectively, and tips for creating the optimal staff scheduling plan. 

Why Are Employee Schedules Essential for Beauty & Wellness Businesses?

Creating work schedules for employees is an essential part of a well-run operation. Here, we lay out the benefits of scheduling employees for shifts, and how they can boost your business. 

Creates optimal staffing

Having too few employees during your busiest hours can seem unprofessional – not to mention frustrating – for clients. Carefully crafting your employees’ schedules can help you keep the right amount of workers on hand and avoid understaffing, which can increase wait times, employee stress, and the risk of lost revenue. 

Keeps downtime minimal

Having a bunch of employees standing around doing nothing isn’t just a waste of money, it’s not a good look for your business either. Smart scheduling can help you avoid overstaffing, which can result in wasted labor costs and reduced productivity. 

Boosts morale

Creating a program that works with your employees’ availability can ensure your workers feel respected, considered, and empowered. An increase in staff morale can facilitate a more pleasant working environment, reducing turnover and potential burnout.  

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How to Schedule Employees Effectively in 5 Steps

There are a few things to consider when creating work schedules for employees. Below, we outline a step-by-step guide to effectively scheduling employees for shifts. 

1. Collect relevant employee information

Collect information regarding your staff’s availability, such as their full-time or part-time status, preferred working hours, qualifications, certifications, time constraints, and days off. This info can simplify your efforts by providing clear time blocks and the necessary details to properly schedule your employees. Do your best to accommodate these preferences, but also remember that you’re running a business and it may not be possible to specifically cater to everyone at all times.

You can also collect staff information to generate an on-call list, which gives you convenient access to a pool of qualified employees (available at times outside their normal schedule) should you need them in a pinch. 

2. Know their strengths

Assess your needs as a beauty business and match your employees to where they’ll fit best. For example, if you run a spa and the majority of your clients come in for deep tissue massages around lunchtime, keep the employees best equipped for the job on staff during that time frame. 

3. Choose a scheduling method

When it comes to staff scheduling, you can use an excel spreadsheet, calendar app, or dedicated software to manage this task. Whichever method you prefer, make sure it’s accessible to every employee. It should also be easy to read, navigate, and input information – the more user-friendly, the better. Complicated apps or poorly-designed programs will only increase the risk of error or confusion, which is the last thing you want when dealing with your employees’ time. 

GlossGenius’ Time Tracking allows your staff to input their own working hours, automatically creating timesheets that sync with our payroll features. 

4. Follow the law

Some state and local labor laws mandate employers to follow specific guidelines when scheduling employees for shifts. For example, certain rules may require employers to present a reasonable schedule within a certain timeframe (such as two weeks in advance) or face a penalty. Other laws may limit employers to scheduling shifts eight hours at a time, or assigning a maximum number of days in a row before mandatory breaks. 

5. Review your schedule

Running the same exact schedule every single week may not work for each employee or your business. For instance, if you’re offering a seasonal promo for new and existing customers, you may want to have extra staff on hand to help handle the influx of appointments. Similarly, if you’re looking to reduce your operational hours, you’ll likely need fewer workers on site than usual.

Regularly review your staffing program to ensure all of the information is current and accurate, and that your arrangements meet both your business and staff needs. If you find that employees are regularly rescheduling their shifts or that your business is overstaffed too often, you may want to revisit your plan and make changes accordingly. 

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3 Tips for Scheduling Beauty and Wellness Employees

Looking for more guidance on how to schedule employees effectively? Here, we list a few tips for scheduling employees at your beauty and wellness business. 

1. Let employees trade shifts

Even with the best planning, there’s always the dreaded unforeseen circumstance – and last-minute changes can derail your whole scheduling strategy. However, allowing employees to find their own substitutes and trade shifts can ensure you always have someone on staff without having to completely reconfigure your calendar. This also makes it easier for readily available staff members to jump in when they’re needed, particularly those looking to pick up extra hours, while saving you the hassle of frantic text blasts or phone calls to find willing employees.

Keep in mind that certain services may demand employees with specific qualifications, so be sure to include these details on the work schedule. (For instance, only licensed estheticians can pick up waxing/laser hair removal shifts.)

2. Accommodate seniority

While it would be great to give each employee their exact shift requests, consider making it a priority to schedule accommodations for senior staff. Giving your most loyal employees more freedom to control their schedules can boost their satisfaction and show them you recognize their value and commitment to your business. (If a senior employee passes on a particular shift, it can go to the next most senior employee or up for grabs to whomever volunteers first.)

3. Make the schedule as accessible as possible

Utilize a combination of email, text messages, and apps to make sure each employee can access the schedule through a number of methods and from any device. An easy interface will allow your staff to quickly navigate the most pertinent scheduling information and give them the chance to voice any concerns or issues with its current iteration. 

Manage Your Team Like a Pro with GlossGenius

Properly scheduling employees for shifts provides a number of benefits for your business, such as establishing a more respectful environment, reducing burnout, and increasing team spirit. Both overstaffing and understaffing can pose grave problems for your business, making it all the more important to develop an effective scheduling procedure that complements your self-care business needs. 

Whether you’re running a salon, med spa, yoga studio, or barbershop, GlossGenius is the perfect software for all beauty and wellness professionals. Streamline your employee management with our Team & Staff features, which allows you to track performance and edit your shared calendar, all from one convenient platform. You can also automate Payroll to sync with your staff’s appointments, tips, and commissions, reducing the stress of tax season and giving you one less thing to worry about. And with Reports & Analytics, you can get a snapshot of key metrics such as client retention, booking usage, and expenses, so you can more accurately assess your business trajectory to see if you’re currently on track to hit your goals.

Try GlossGenius today and get a 14-day free trial!

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