There is so much uncertainty for small businesses this year. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find success in it. Navigating the unpredictable for your team – and your business can help your workplace stay afloat – and even grow. Digital tools can streamline how you manage uncertain times with your team.
Read on for digital solutions for small business managers to cruise through the unpredictable.
De-stress overwhelming situations
With a labor shortage running its course, you may be having trouble scheduling enough employees according to customer demand. When Sunday brunch is overbooked and your star host calls in sick at the last minute without a replacement, you need to think on your feet and hope someone in front of house can fill in.
Although you’ve been working hard to have a backup host, you need to face the situation head on, which can be stressful for both you and your staff. If an unexpected absence makes its way into your day, take a look at your employees’ responsibilities during their shifts. If you can spread the absent team member’s workload evenly among the team, you’re at a lower risk for an overwhelming situation. Task management software can help with this.
Achieve clear, organized communication
When everything seems too busy, you may lose time in communicating with your team members to make sure you’re all on the same page for their shift tasks. Your schedule may also fill up with interviews for new staff, which takes time away from having 1:1’s with staff.
To make sure your employees are always in the know about important workplace updates, use your central communication platform’s newsfeed to share any news, protocol changes, and welcome new team members. If you don’t have a communication app for your business, you can use Slack or Google Chat.
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Streamline scheduling processes
If you’re printing out weekly schedules, you may be reprinting them until they’re 100% accurate with labor demands and staff availability.
Focus on creating effective schedules is a priority as a manager. Instead of exhausting numerous spreadsheets to schedule your team members, use a streamlined scheduling tool that can automatically fill in open shifts and align with team member availability. Using one will free up more time for you to focus on supporting your current team members.
Be prepared
When unexpected challenges arise in your workplace, your employees depend on you to help navigate through them. While you can spend hours of admin time supporting your team, you can spend your time more efficiently when using digital tools.
Want to learn more about how you can manage through uncertain times? Download The Employer’s Guide to Managing Unpredictability today.
