Effectively managing schedules in the tourism sector is essential for attracting and retaining talent. Discover 6 tips for optimizing work schedules and creating schedules more attractive and productive.

There is a lot of talk these days about the need to win back Tourism professionals. Hotels and restaurants notice an increased difficulty in attract labor, especially since the pandemic. The issue is the search for better working conditions.

But younger generations no longer prioritize just salary. According to a study of employment perception in the hotel and restaurant sector, carried out in 2022, by Eurofirms Group, around 42% of the professionals surveyed report valuing the offering schedules compatible with family life, free time and other responsibilities, to the detriment of remuneration.

This trend only demonstrates that The managing schedules and optimizing work schedules is one of the priorities of workers.

Why should your business practice efficient scale management?

And for Human Resources this is also a strategy that is worth studying and planning carefully. Because optimizing work schedules that include shifts and the distribution of tasks among various employees and teams can be a complex task.

However, when done well, work schedules can lead to satisfied employees, and, consequently, greater productivity and better quality of customer service.

Furthermore, planning that is proof against unforeseen events, last-minute changes and mismatches allows save time and resources your enterprise.

6 ways to optimize work schedules to motivate your team:

We talked above about the importance of good team management and careful planning of work schedules, here are some tips to start optimizing work schedules:

1. Define your needs

There is no point in resorting to highly complex and sophisticated solutions if you do not know the reality of your organization. Forecasting the organization's needs is essential to avoid exhausted employees and frustrated customers. Know how to answer the following questions and distribute employees across different tasks according to their needs and profiles:

• How many workers do I need?
• What areas do I need to allocate staff to?
• Are there specific times when I need more workers?
• Do I need extra staff?

2. Take into account the reality and preferences of your employees

Ensuring a fair, empathetic roster system adapted to the needs of your employees is essential, especially since their personal lives are conditioned by the management of their work schedules.

Do you happen to know how many of your employees have small children, study while working or make long journeys to work?

Having an idea of your employees’ routine helps you plan more functional schedules and avoiding constant requests for change of schedule. In addition, they will feel heard and appreciated, and, therefore, naturally more motivated.

3. Publicize the scale more easily and quickly

Do you still use the system of making scales by hand and posting them on a board for everyone to see?

Nowadays there are online tools that allow everyone in the organization to access rosters wherever they are and receive notifications to be alerted to changes.

This not only prevents Human Resources from always receiving calls to answer questions, but also from confusion with schedules, which could affect team productivity.

Investing in a more effective internal communication solution to publicize and optimize work schedules guarantees transparency and makes the environment more peaceful and motivating.

4. Create a flexible system for exchanges and avoid conflicts

When your employees need to change shifts, do they know how to do it? Do you know how to communicate change requests? Do you know what conditions and limits they must respect regarding the schedule?

If none of these issues are defined and clarified, it is natural for there to be conflicts and discomfort when making changes to the scale.

And that's not what you want. Your employees need a flexible scheduling system to balance their personal and professional lives. Therefore, it is important to establish clear rules for changing schedules, namely:

• means of communication to inform the change;
• advance notice required;
• maximum frequency.

By showing openness to your employees' requests while maintaining a boundary as to what is reasonable and permissible, you are promoting a good organizational climate.

5. Take advantage of available technological solutions

Available HR software offers tools that automate processes, reduce errors and save time in scale management.

By allowing you to control and provide reports on compliance with schedules, overtime and the balance of the time bank, they also allow you to reduce absences and delays, avoid confusion and reduce costs.

Another advantage of these digital solutions is that when combined with point systems, make it possible to cross-reference data and even notify employees when they are not taking appropriate breaks.

6. Know labor laws

Finally, make sure you know the labor laws regarding working hours, weekly days off, rest breaks and vacations, in order to guarantee respect for workers' rights.

Therefore, you must know what you can and cannot do, what are the exceptions to the rule, and what the law says regarding situations such as the maximum number of hours your employees can work per day, or minimum period of rest and breaks.

We hope these tips become useful for your business. More than ever, the Tourism and Hospitality sector is growing and it is necessary to show market professionals its full potential.

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