Recently, S4labour had the honour of participating in the Propel Women’s Conference which celebrated women’s resilience, strength, and limitless potential within each of them. This was an inspiring event that beautifully weaved together stories of triumph and failure, candid panel discussions, and incredible networking opportunities.  

Reflecting on the rich insights gained at the conference, certain themes kept coming up repeatedly. 

Here are five takeaways from the event: 

Leadership is a privilege

The best leaders don’t just manage people, they give them a sense of purpose. A leadership role doesn’t inherently make one a leader. The true measure of leadership is the ability to inspire others to achieve things they thought impossible. Authenticity, vulnerability and the will to make a difference are the essence of leadership. 

People and culture first

A thriving business is rooted in its culture, where people form the heart and soul of the organisation. People are the biggest value that businesses have. It costs next to nothing to retain people, but thousands to hire and retrain. And it’s a culture grounded in honesty and clear communication that effectively unlocks the potential of the workforce. 

Lowering the ladder

Helping others seize opportunities is crucial for a thriving team environment. The utopia exists when every member feels motivated and empowered. Remember, there are no ‘bad’ employees – only those who may either be misplaced in their roles or lack motivation. 

Change is normal

In the aftermath of Covid, organisations faced significant challenges and had to adapt rapidly. The industry continues to face uncertainties, and change is an inevitable constant. The ability of a leader to guide their team through these waves of transformation is invaluable. 

Prioritising EDI

EDI should be a bigger part of business strategy and not just a tick-box exercise. Leaders need to ensure they’re fostering a culture of inclusivity. 

After the Propel Women’s Conference, there’s an undeniable sense of inspiration. Let’s carry forward the momentum and continue to support and empower each other. If the idea of fostering a culture that puts people first resonates with you, discover how S4labour can help enhance team engagement, improve retention rates, and empower people to be their best.

Book a demo now to find out more!

During busy periods, having the right amount of staff on shift at the right time, whilst maintaining labour percentages can be really difficult. 

Trying to scrimp on your labour spend by simply removing hours from a rota will end up costing you more in missed sales. Likewise, overspending on labour to play it safe will reduce productivity and eat into your profitability. 

Spring and summer are pivotal points for the industry, with numerous bank holidays and school holidays from March to August. Scheduling your teams effectively means finding the balance of having enough staff for peak periods, whilst sticking to your labour budget. You want to be flexible and show attention to detail. 

This article will serve as a guide for holiday management in hospitality.

First of all, you need to think about the kind of problems to consider like: 

• Time off requests

• Requests for additional hours 

• Extended holiday hours or early closings 

• Planning for events

All of these are to be expected during busier periods when there are variations in trade.

The first step in a good labour management process is to forecast demand based on historical sales data. Having visibility of last year’s like-for-likes will serve as the best indicator of your future labour needs. You can identify peaks and troughs, helping to determine when you need people in, and when you need to scale back on labour. 

By getting advanced rotas in place, employees can see shift plans easily, meaning any issues can be spotted and resolved. 

When teams are using one system as a point of truth, it is much easier to collaborate. Managers are able to communicate rotas and employees can volunteer for available shifts, meaning labour demand is met. 

Synchronising holiday calendars also allows advanced rotas to stay true to availability on key dates. When scheduling rotas during peak times, you need staffing levels right. There’s different skills required for front of house than there are for back of house, so making sure you have the right people at the right time is really important. 

Planning for weather variations is also a big factor to consider when planning your labour. Sunny bank holidays make for even busier shifts – take last year’s Jubilee celebrations in June, when sales were up 14% compared to the week before. 

The next factor to take into account is managing slack tasks effectively. Using tools that tell you how you should be staggering shifts to reduce labour costs will ensure that productivity does not slip and eat into profitability. 

Likewise, under scheduling and stretching your teams too far will result in a lot of stress hours and poor service. You’ll have kitchen mix ups and long wait times. 

The key is to dedicate the right amount of time to slack tasks, making sure areas are kept clean and tidy, with time to get ahead on prep. 

Every minute that managers spend manually scheduling employees could be better spent on the floor managing staff. Not to mention, manually building, editing and updating on a weekly basis often leads to lots of errors and unbalanced rotas. 

Effective labour management comes down to consistency, without this, costs will be further inflated. Working out your budget based on historical data, and sticking to it, will ensure there are no surprises in payroll, as well as making sure every shift runs at peak productivity. 

Hospitality sales grew 14% in the week of the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022 when compared to the preceding week. Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd of June were bank holidays, which gave Brits a 4-day weekend through until Sunday 5th, boosted by extended licensing hours and sunny weather.

The Coronation of King Charles III on Monday will be one the biggest events of the year, and will offer a much needed boost for hospitality venues up and down the country.

Unsurprisingly, historic events are a big driver of footfall and revenue for the sector, but they are also the most difficult when it comes to labour management.

Walking the line of operational efficiency and staff motivation becomes increasingly challenging when you throw long, busy shifts and staff who are eager to make their own holiday plans into the mix.

Operators looking to maximise sales must start by optimising their labour. Here are 4 easy-to-implement tips that will set you up for success: 

Forecast your peak trading times through historical sales data 

Look at your sales during the Queen’s jubilee as a good like-for-like position and consider your demographics. With this data, you can forecast the peak times of guest spending and make sure you have a fully-staffed front of house ready to pull some pints. 

Taking this proactive approach to your labour management will guarantee you have your people in the right place and at the right time, reaching full productivity and maximising sales in the process.

Communicate effectively with your team

Particularly during busy holidays, high service levels and informed staff are essential in any venue. Your team needs to know when they are working and what their roles and responsibilities are before going into a busy shift and serving guests. 

Early and effective communication of shift briefs and slack tasks to staff means every hour of the day will be filled with a clear sense of responsibility, increasing engagement and maximising productivity. 

Listen to your staff

Bank holidays are a great time for the industry, but it’s important to remember that they’re also a time when your staff may want to be with friends and family too. 

Striking the right balance between work and life for your staff is really important, especially so in what is now a retention and not a recruitment world. 

If your labour is managed effectively with forecasting, advanced rotas and clear communication, you won’t be asking your employees to stay late or come in on their day off, both of which are big drivers of high turnover and low engagement.

Incentives 

In the same way you drive sales through deals and special offers, you can boost staff motivation and engagement with incentives. Try and centre your staff around the excitement of the shift, offering the best seller a £50 bonus, for example. This kind of goal will keep your staff motivated and eager to sell, keeping spirits and sales up over the long weekend. 

Find out how S4labour can give you the tools for you and your staff to be your best.