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Predictive Scheduling for Restaurants<\/h2>\nPredictive Scheduling for Restaurants<\/h2>\nAs anyone who has worked in retail or the restaurant industry can attest to, one of the biggest challenges an employee faces is dealing with the unpredictable nature of their schedule. Shifts are rarely posted more than a week in advance, and last-minute changes by management or the scheduler are commonplace. A study conducted by 7shifts in 2017 found that the average number of days in advance a restaurant posts next week\u2019s schedule is just 2.4. This makes it difficult for workers to find childcare or plan anything ahead of time. And the flip side of this scenario is that workers aren\u2019t guaranteed their shifts, either; if a restaurant is experiencing a slow night, it\u2019s not unheard of for staffers to be sent home (without pay, of course).<\/p>\n
Scheduling is a chore for the employer, as well. In contrast to regular 9-5 staffing requirements you\u2019d see with bigger companies, restaurants must navigate the difficult task of piecing together a staff of mostly part-timers who all have varying availability. It\u2019s no wonder schedules change so much from day-to-day.<\/p>\n
These issues have been heard loud and clear, with four cities and one state in the United States having already passed what are called \u201cpredictive scheduling laws.\u201d These laws are known by other names like \u201cfair scheduling\u201d or \u201csecure scheduling\u201d as well, but their intention is the same: to eliminate on-call scheduling and provide employees with schedules they can count on.<\/p>\n
Under these laws employees must be given sufficient notice of their shifts\u2014typically 14 days. And if an employer alters a schedule after its been posted, either by adding or subtracting hours, the employees affected have to be notified in person, in writing, or by some means of electronic format (like a text message or email); they also have to be compensated for the change.<\/p>\n
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Secure scheduling also says workers are entitled to a set number of hours off between shifts, sometimes referred to as \u201cmandatory downtime\u201d; in cases where these guidelines are not followed, employees have to put it in writing that they are okay with the situation, and they will be further compensated for their flexibility.<\/p>\n
When it comes to open shifts, additional hours must be offered to existing employees before new ones can be hired. In effect, this rule makes it impossible for an owner or manager to hire someone with a different or better skillset to absorb available shifts.<\/p>\n
Even if your area hasn\u2019t mandated predictive scheduling (see where laws have already been enacted here), it wouldn\u2019t hurt to implement some of these practices on your own. When employees have a more predictable, steady work-life balance and schedule, morale improves and you\u2019re more likely to retain those great workers.<\/p>\n
There are a wide range of digital options out there to make scheduling less of a headache. HotSchedules claims to allow users to create schedules \u201c75% faster,\u201d and they offer a mobile app for both you and your employees. When I Work is free for up to 75 employees, while 7shifts offers a free 2-week trial and no contract obligations.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re interested in adding predictive scheduling technology to your restaurant, you might need some extra cash on hand to implement it. Come visit ARF Financial online<\/a> to learn about our flexible loan terms, affordable rates, and absolutely no need for collateral. APPLY NOW<\/a> to find out how much you qualify for!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Predictive Scheduling for Restaurants As anyone who has worked in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":31272,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[128,690],"tags":[212,215,213,116,173,221,218,142],"class_list":{"0":"post-31271","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-day-to-day-business-operations","8":"category-restaurant-financing","9":"tag-bridge-loan","10":"tag-flex-pay-loan","11":"tag-line-of-credit","12":"tag-restaurant-financing","13":"tag-restaurant-funding","14":"tag-restaurant-loan","15":"tag-small-business-loan","16":"tag-working-capital"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n