1-877-689-7977 [email protected]

How to Schedule Part-Time Employees – Tips & Best Practices

TimeWellScheduled
“Employee scheduling software will help you streamline your employee scheduling. You can ensure that every shift is covered and that there aren’t any scheduling conflicts. It will also help you monitor your staff availability and time-off requests.” – U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Scheduling part-time employees can be challenging but offers businesses flexibility and cost savings. This blog post explores best practices for scheduling and maintaining a motivated workforce, including creating a scheduling policy, involving employees in planning, and utilizing scheduling software. In addition, this blog shares do’s and don’ts for managing part-time staff to ensure a successful experience for everyone involved. With these tips, you’ll be able to create a schedule that works for all and achieve a satisfied and driven part-time workforce.

What is Part-Time Employment?

Part-time employment is a work arrangement where employees work fewer hours than the standard (40-hour) full-time workweek (Definitions of full-time employment can vary depending on the labor law jurisdiction).

Reasons For Part-time Work Arrangements

  • 17% of the employed U.S. workforce works part-time (Source: com)
  • 48 %of all career-oriented moms say that working part-time before children are school-aged is desirable.(Source: FlexJobs)
  • 59 % of the working dads surveyed would choose part-time if they could still have a meaningful career.(FlexJobs)
  • 28% of female part-time workers cited family and personal obligations as why they chose to work full-time.(com)
  • 7% of men cited family and personal obligations as the reason why they work part-time.(com)

What are the benefits of part-time employment? 

Offers Employers and Employees Flexibility

Part-time work allows individuals to balance their work and personal responsibilities effectively. For instance, students, parents, and caregivers may prefer part-time work since it gives them more time for their studies, family obligations, or other personal commitments. 

Provides for Labor Cost Savings

Part-time employees offer significant savings over full-time employees, especially with the increasing cost of health benefits, vacation time, and sick leave. 

Helps Businesses Meet Seasonal Demand

Industries such as retail and hospitality have peak seasons when additional staff are required to meet customer demands. As a result, employers can hire seasonal staff for part-time work without committing to hiring full-time employees. 

Allows for Job Sharing Arrangements

Two or more individuals can share a part-time job, allowing them to divide the work and responsibilities. This arrangement can benefit those who cannot commit to full-time employment but still want to work.

In Short, part-time employment allows employers and employees to achieve their goals and balance their needs by providing flexibility.

Best-Practices for Scheduling Part-Time Employees

Create a System for Requesting Time Off

Implementing a system for part-time and full-time employees to request time off can reduce scheduling conflicts and ensure employees have a work-life balance. This can be done through an internal website, employee portal, email, app, or a notebook in the break room.

Establish a Scheduling Policy

A written scheduling policy should be included in the employee handbook. Part-time employees should read and acknowledge that they understand workplace policies, including those governing the part-time schedule. This ensures that employees understand the rules at the start of their employment and helps avoid problems in the future.

Involve Employees in Planning

Employers can talk with their part-time employees when they start working with them or during the interview process to determine their availability. Noting the days and times when they are available to work can help create a schedule that works for everyone.

Keep Lines of Communication Open

Regularly checking in with part-time employees to determine if their shifts align with their (personal) schedules can help employers identify any scheduling conflicts and address them before issues arise. Additionally, employees are more likely to stay loyal if they have flexible working options, including opportunities for a part-time schedule and more input about their work days and hours.

Know the Business’s Scheduling Needs Ahead of Time.

Before scheduling part-time employees, managers must understand the business’s labor needs. For instance, reviewing past data can help decision-makers understand seasonal trends and which days of the week or month are busy or slow. Thereafter, managers can outline which shifts must be covered and how many employees are required.

Utilize TimeWellScheduled’s Scheduling Solution

TimeWellScheduled’s scheduling software is an innovative system that can help businesses streamline their scheduling process and monitor staff availability and time-off requests. The software also ensures that every shift is covered and eliminates scheduling conflicts.

Do’s and Don’ts for Scheduling Part-Time Employees

Do’s

    1. Do use TimeWellScheduled’s cloud-based solution to streamline the scheduling process and ensure every shift is covered.
    2. Do involve part-time employees in scheduling by determining their availability and preferences.
    3. Do establish a written scheduling policy that outlines rules and guidelines for scheduling part-time employees.
    4. Do keep lines of communication open and check in with part-time employees to ensure that their schedules work for them.
    5. Do publish schedules in advance to give employees adequate notice and reduce the likelihood of no-shows.

Don’ts

    1. Don’t schedule part-time employees without considering their availability or preferences.
    2. Don’t make last-minute changes to the schedule without consulting employees & front-line managers first.
    3. Don’t schedule part-time employees for more hours than they are capable of working or violate any part-time employment laws.
    4. Don’t create a schedule that is consistently unfair or that prioritizes certain employees over others.
    5. Don’t ignore employee scheduling conflicts or requests for time off. Address these issues promptly and find solutions that work for everyone.

“A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time.” – Annie Dillard

Managing part-time employees is an important task that requires careful consideration. Creating a schedule that works for everyone involved is crucial for successful management. Allowing team members to provide input, allowing multiple employees to work on the same project, and having backups when needed can ensure a successful experience for part-time employees. Do not be afraid to evaluate existing methods and experiment with new ones – managing part-time staff can offer rewarding results and exciting opportunities to learn and grow.

About TimeWellScheduled

Thank you for reading our article!

TimeWellScheduled is a secure online time and attendance software 100% tailored to meet your scheduling needs! In addition, TimeWellScheduled facilitates employee attendance tracking & payroll tasks and enhances staff management capabilities. Plus, our service is free for up to 10 employees!

Click: here to download our (Excel) employee scheduling template: it’s free!

Scheduling and Time-clock Software for Today’s Needs

Quickly create, edit and oversee scheduling with ease.