Keeping your business running smoothly with a skeleton team
With staffing challenges a common hurdle, many businesses are finding success operating with a more focused crew. While it might seem daunting, these tips can help you navigate this situation - and help ensure your business thrives.
Boost your team’s superpowers
Equip your team with diverse skills through cross-training. This creates scheduling flexibility, especially when resources are limited. A versatile team is not just efficient, but also allows team members to foster a deeper understanding of everyone’s role, leading to natural support during busy periods.
Invest in your team’s future
High employee turnover is a challenge many businesses face. But what about your existing team? By creating and emphasising opportunities for advancement within the company, and outlining clear career paths, you incentivise your team to stay. This saves you time and money on recruitment, while also building a team with invaluable experience specific to your business.
Managing customer expectations
While providing exceptional customer service is always a priority, with a smaller team, response times might be slightly longer. It’s important to be transparent with your customers about this: by keeping them informed, you’ll increase their understanding, trust and patience.
Technology is your secret weapon
Technology can be a lifesaver when staffing is low. Consider solutions that:
- Automate Scheduling: Smart scheduling software like AceRota help create efficient staff schedules based on availability, demand, and seasonal trends. This will save you time, and will free up staff members for other tasks.
- Streamline time tracking and payroll: With AceRota, you can track staff hours (i.e. when they clock in and out), and automatically feed that data into your payroll system - one less time consuming job to do!
- Empower your customers: Self-service options like online ordering or appointment booking systems free up valuable staff time.
- Optimise workload: Project management or task management tools help allocate tasks efficiently and track progress.
- Integration is key: Look for solutions that integrate seamlessly. This eliminates the need for duplicate data entry and further enhances staff efficiency and productivity.
By prioritising these strategies, you can not only weather the challenge of a smaller team, but also build a more adaptable and efficient business for the future.