As a bar owner, should you schedule your staff's hours or let them choose providing the hours are covered?

Question

Our staff is generally liked by all customers, primarily a beer base, no food, just bar snacks, hot dogs, chili, and it is a one person operation.

Answer 1

Work together. I would simply put up the schedule, with the number of people I need on each shift. Then, let people fill in when they want to work, starting with your most senior people.

Answer 2

Employees will be much happier if they choose, but it seems like it could get VERY messy if you just let them choose their own hours.

Perhaps have each employee make a list of how much they want to work, which days/times are best, and which days/times they are OK but not ideal. Then you make a schedule based on those.

Answer 3

You should have final say on the roster.

If you want to give the staff the power to choose their working hours it has to be done fairly.

Perhaps you should hold a staff meeting where each person provides their 'shift proposal' and then let them negotiate with each other.

But you have final say.

Answer 4

I would let them choose but I would put some restrictions on it. Like let them choose which shift and which days they want to work because if you let them choose the hours and days then you are going to end up with people who are only going to want to work for a few hours a day.

Answer 5

Let them choose but tell them that if there are problems you will be making the schedule from now on...

Answer 6

Since this kind of business has peak time (busy time)
and off-peak time (not so busy time), you should
schedule your staff's hours because that will be in the
interest of your business.

Answer 7

you should know how many staffers you need and the hours that you need them. YOU should schedule they work shifts.