New franchisees face lots of challenges getting to grips with their business. Throw in staffing issues and the load gets much heavier. So why not help newbie franchisees establish good rostering habits?

Bakers Delight’s Andrew Pajic, group operations and development manager. has some expert tips on how to show franchisees the best way to manage staff shifts.

5 steps to easier franchise rostering

Here are five things a field manager can share with franchisees.

1. Consider rostering yourself

Remind franchisees it’s their business and they shouldn’t be afraid to roster themselves on during the busiest times when there is the greatest opportunity to drive sales. Being on deck during the hustle and bustle of the busy times allows a franchisee to identify opportunities for improvement and get first hand feedback from customers.

2. Forecasting

Take the time to prepare a thorough sales forecast is a vital first step before preparing a roster. This process should include a comparison of wage expenses vs sales once the roster is complete.

Franchisees should not be afraid to make adjustments if required. This is taking control of wages expenses which for many businesses, can be the largest expense.

3. Use the data

Many businesses now have access to hourly sales information so franchisees should use it to their advantage. A good roster should be based on specific needs of the business and regularly checking sales data can help determine the best start times for staff.

4. Get the right mix

If there are many people rostered on at one time think about the mix of employees being used. Is there a leader among them? Are there people strong in each aspect of operations present? Achieving the right balance between experienced and junior staff can ensure a franchisee’s business runs smoothly throughout the day.

5. Roster for growth at peak times

Sometimes a franchisee has excess capacity on their roster even when there is a large amount of foot traffic. They can make the most of the opportunity by asking staff to focus on keeping queues short and providing a better customer experience to drive up immediate and future sales.