When it comes to the employee experience, vacation time and when someone works is vital to most employees. We work to live. We don’t live to work. To foster the right employee experience, do your best to schedule as far in advance as much as possible.
Scheduling Far in Advance Good Example
Let’s start positively. In a previous life, I managed branches and people for an international car rental company. While there were opportunities for growth and variable compensation, it was a harsh environment for employees. Long hours, picking up and dropping off customers, dealing with insurance claims and customers, quickly cleaning vehicles while dressed in suits. While dealing with customers, most of the employees were incredibly upbeat and professional; there was a lot of discontent and frustration expressed behind the scenes.
When I was first promoted to Branch Manager for one store, I asked all the employees in their 1 on 1s: what the most important thing to them in this role? All of them said the schedule. The previous Manager was so focused on improving the profitability of the branch, neglecting to ensure that there was an adequate work-life balance for the employees.
Working with the employees collectively, we decided to plan out the schedule for the next six months together. Deciding who would work which weekends, coupled with who would open or close the branch, mixed with ensuring everyone got a chance to plan their vacations was essential to driving alignment across the team. While everyone was paid a salary, at 40 hours per week, I scheduled everyone for 36 hours, ensuring everyone had a half-day off each week. We reported excellent employee engagement results but the highest customer satisfaction scores in the region and became the #1 store.
Typical Scheduling Examples In Many Organizations
In too many organizations, leaders are struggling to put out a schedule on Friday before the next week begins on Monday. One organization I am familiar with struggles to get their employees’ schedules finalized mid-month for the month in question. Imagine how that entire team feels about their leader’s organizational abilities? Worse yet, how much do those employees think their leader even cares about their work-life balance?
What Should You Do?
It’s simple, a good manager must be organized and plan well, including scheduling resources. Treat your team and their time with respect, giving them a much-advanced notice as possible. Don’t nickel and dime your employees either, so provide them with flexibility. You will not only unlock discretionary effort but improve employee engagement and customer satisfaction rates along the way.
Remember, to evolve your management skills to leap to the next level, you are only successful if you prioritize the employee experience.
