Employee scheduling – your hotel can’t operate without it. But why is it so challenging? Hotel managers and owners often say that scheduling their staff is one of the most time-consuming and complex challenges they have to deal with.
Don’t believe us? Just look at the numbers from the researchers:
- Over 20% of a manager’s time is wasted on scheduling.
- Nearly 175% more turnover happens because of scheduling.
- Some 140 hours are wasted every year because of – you guessed it – scheduling.
What’s the solution to this? Hotel scheduling software, of course. Today, we’ll explain how to use a digital solution to deliver results and maximize productivity.
What Are Common Hotel Scheduling Problems?
Hotel scheduling problems commonly arise due to the complex nature of managing staff, room bookings, and various services in a fast-paced environment. These challenges can impact the hotel’s efficiency and quality of service. Here are some common hotel scheduling problems:
- Staffing Issues: Balancing staff schedules to meet fluctuating demand can be challenging. Hotels must ensure adequate staffing during peak hours while avoiding overstaffing during slower periods. Factors like employee availability, skills, and preferences further complicate the scheduling process.
- Housekeeping and Maintenance Scheduling: Scheduling housekeeping and maintenance tasks efficiently is essential to maintain guests’ cleanliness, comfort, and safety. Factors like room turnover rates, cleaning requirements, and equipment availability must be considered to ensure prompt and effective service.
- Front Desk and Concierge Services: Scheduling the front desk and concierge staff is crucial to providing efficient guest services. Hotels must ensure adequate coverage during busy check-in/check-out times and manage staff shifts to handle guest requests promptly.
Addressing these common hotel scheduling problems requires effective communication, coordination, and the use of appropriate scheduling tools and systems. Hotels that successfully manage these challenges can optimize their operations, improve guest satisfaction, and increase overall efficiency.
What is Hotel Scheduling Software?
Hotel scheduling software is a specialized tool designed to assist hotels in managing their daily operations and optimizing staff scheduling. It offers a range of features to help hotels streamline their workforce management processes, improve efficiency, and enhance guest satisfaction.
Key functions of hotel scheduling software include:
- Employee Scheduling: Allows hotels to create and manage employee schedules, considering factors such as availability, skills, and workload. It helps ensure adequate staffing levels to meet guest demands while optimizing labor costs.
- Shift Management: Enables hotels to create and assign shifts, including regular shifts, split shifts, and overtime. It provides flexibility in scheduling and allows for easy shift swapping and adjustments
- Time Tracking: Helps hotels accurately track employee work hours, including regular hours, overtime, and breaks. This information is crucial for payroll processing and ensuring compliance with labor laws.
What Are the Benefits of Hotel Scheduling Software?
Hotel scheduling software is a specialized tool designed to streamline and optimize the scheduling processes within the hospitality industry. It offers numerous benefits that can significantly enhance the efficiency, productivity, and overall operations of hotels. Here are some key advantages of using hotel scheduling software:
1. Efficient Scheduling:
- Automates the scheduling process, reducing manual labor and saving valuable time for hotel staff.
- Managers can create and modify schedules quickly and easily, ensuring optimal staff allocation.
- Facilitates the creation of shift patterns, including rotating shifts, split shifts, and on-call schedules.
2. Improved Labor Cost Management:
- Helps control labor costs by optimizing staff schedules based on occupancy rates, demand forecasts, and historical data.
- Provides insights into labor expenses, allowing managers to make informed decisions about staffing levels.
- Reduces the risk of over/understaffing, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
3. Enhanced Employee Satisfaction:
- Empowers employees with self-scheduling options, increasing job satisfaction and reducing scheduling conflicts.
- Employees can view their schedules, request time off, and swap shifts, fostering a positive work environment.
- Improves communication between managers and employees, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
How to Schedule Hotel Staff in 5 Steps
Scheduling hotel staff efficiently is not just about filling shifts; it’s about optimizing your workforce to meet your hotel’s operational needs while ensuring employee satisfaction. The right approach can significantly enhance productivity and guest experience. Here’s how to schedule your hotel staff in five strategic steps:
Step #1: Consider Your Business Needs
Start by evaluating your hotel’s specific needs. This involves understanding the ebb and flow of your business, identifying peak periods, and recognizing the times when you can operate with a leaner staff. Consider factors such as historical occupancy rates, upcoming events, and seasonal trends. A data-driven approach ensures that you have enough hands on deck when needed without overscheduling during quieter times, ultimately saving costs and preventing staff burnout.
Step #2: Select the Appropriate Shift Type
Choosing the right shift types is crucial for operational efficiency. Hotels typically benefit from a mix of fixed, rotating, and split shifts to accommodate the varying daily demands. Fixed shifts are ideal for staff with specialized roles, such as night auditors, while rotating shifts can help evenly distribute weekend and evening work among front desk staff. Split shifts, though less popular due to their potential impact on employee satisfaction, can be useful for roles like housekeeping aligning staff presence with check-in/check-out times.
Step #3: Schedule Shifts in Advance (But Stay Flexible)
Advance scheduling provides staff with the stability they need to manage their personal lives around their work, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and lower turnover rates. Ideally, schedules should be released two weeks in advance. However, the unpredictable nature of the hospitality industry requires a degree of flexibility. Using scheduling software that allows for easy updates and instant communication can help manage last-minute changes without causing chaos.
Step #4: Share the Schedule Promptly
Once the schedule is set, share it with your team immediately. That helps in planning their commitments and reduces the likelihood of no-shows and last-minute scrambles to find cover. Digital scheduling tools can be particularly effective here, as they allow for schedules to be published online or via mobile apps, ensuring everyone can access real-time updates.
Step #5: Track Attendance and Absence (To identify Patterns)
Monitoring attendance and absence patterns is key to identifying potential issues before they become problematic. High absenteeism indicates burnout, dissatisfaction, or scheduling issues, while consistent punctuality and presence highlight staff members who are potential leaders. Use this data to make informed decisions about future scheduling, reward reliable staff, and address any underlying issues contributing to absenteeism.
Implementing these steps requires attention to detail, a deep understanding of your hotel’s operational dynamics, and effective communication with your team. The goal is to create a scheduling system that supports your business objectives while also respecting your employees’ time and commitments. With the right approach, you can turn scheduling from a daunting task into a strategic advantage for your hotel.
Start Scheduling With HelloShift Today!
A good hotel management software should streamline how you run things, from reservations to housekeeping. Consider if it has:
- A user-friendly mobile app for on-the-go management.
- Seamless integration with your current systems to avoid hiccups.
- Organized housekeeping schedules for spotless rooms.
Hospitality management software like HelloShift can bring your hotel’s operations together under one roof, enhancing guest experience even with a lean team.
Hotel guests receive automated texts powered by AI and are empowered with the convenience of self-service via digital hotel guidebook. Hotel teams work together with notes, tasks, and checklist software for hotels. Uptodate room status via Housekeeper mobile app.
Transform your hotel into a digital hotel. Enable guests to text your hotel and pre-checkin, empower staff with staff collaboration, and schedule room cleaning efficiently.
