Developing a schedule for your restaurant staff is not an easy task. You must first estimate your human resource needs, take into account the specificities of each work contract and adapt the schedule according to the level of activity of your restaurant. In a sector that suffers from high turnover, it is better to anticipate as much as possible in order to have a clear and well-structured reference schedule. How to make a schedule in a restaurant? What are the rules? What are the deadlines? We tell you everything about the elaboration and the management of the schedules in restoration.
1. Work schedule: define the strategic positions in your restaurant
Before you start planning your work schedule, it's important to make a list of the positions you need to run your restaurant. Ask yourself how many people you need? What skills are you looking for?
Strategic workstations include:
- the cooks,
- kitchen helpers,
- divers,
- servers,
- the barmaids,
- delivery people,
- the manager,
- Etc.
The objective of this step is to have a clear vision of the human resources you need, the number of hours and the skills required to accomplish all the daily tasks.
Your employees must be sufficient in number to carry out all the tasks necessary for the operation of the restaurant: preparing the dishes, maintaining the kitchen, cleaning the kitchen and the dining room, welcoming customers, taking orders, serving in the dining room, cashing up, managing stocks, taking inventory, receiving deliveries... You must estimate the need for manpower in an optimal way, taking into account several factors: the capacity of your restaurant, the periods of weekly affluence (midday on weekdays, evenings on weekends), the season...
2. Find out about the rules relating to the contracts of your employees (fixed-term, permanent, extra...)
There are different contracts in the restaurant industry: permanent, fixed-term, seasonal, extra, apprenticeship... The schedule must respect the legal provisions relating to each employment contract, particularly concerning working hours and rest periods. Here are the main differences in terms of paid vacations and rest periods between fixed-term contracts (CDD), open-ended contracts (CDI) and seasonal contracts according to the French Labor Code.
Concerning paid vacations:
- employees on permanent contracts are entitled to a minimum of 2.5 working days of paid vacation per month of actual work, i.e. a total of 30 working days of paid vacation per year (or 25 working days),
- employees on fixed-term contracts are entitled to paid vacations calculated according to the number of days worked, i.e. 10% of the total gross remuneration received during the contract, paid at the end of the contract,
- seasonal employees are also entitled to paid vacations calculated according to the number of days worked, i.e. 10% of the total gross remuneration received during the contract, paid at the end of the contract.
The work schedule must also show weekly rest periods, which also vary according to the type of contract:
- employees on permanent contracts are entitled to one day off per week,
- employees on fixed-term contracts are also entitled to a weekly rest day, but this can be set by the employer according to the needs of the restaurant,
- seasonal employees are also entitled to a weekly rest day, but this can be deferred and compensated according to the company's activity.
All of these rules may vary depending on the collective agreement on which your restaurant depends. Some employees may benefit from additional paid vacations or days off depending on their seniority or personal situation for example.
Similarly, full-time contracts do not have the same rules as part-time contracts. Part-time employees often have the same rights as full-time employees, such as paid time off and holidays, but these rights are calculated based on the number of hours worked.
👉 To go further: Everything you need to know about paid leave in the restaurant industry
3. Learn about the rules applicable with the HCR collective agreement
Who is concerned by the HCR collective agreement?
The HCR collective agreement (hotels, cafés, restaurants) covers: hotels with restaurants, tourist hotels without restaurants, traditional restaurants, bars, pubs and caterers. All employees working in these establishments are covered by the provisions of the HCR agreement.
Concerning the working hours to be taken into account when drawing up the timetable,Article 6 of Rider no. 1 of July 13, 2004, relating to the duration and organization of working hours, sets out several obligations for the employer.
What are the obligations regarding working hours?
Daily attendance time
It may not exceed the following maximum durations (including overtime):
- cook : 11 hours
- other staff: 11 hours 30 minutes
- reception staff: 12 hours
The maximum weekly duration
- average over 12 weeks: 48 hours (46 hours for companies with 37 hours)
- absolute: 52 hours (50 hours for companies with 37 hours)
👉 Going further: what is the legal working time in the restaurant industry?
What is the legal deadline for posting the work schedule?
According toArticle 5 of the Avenant of September 29, 2014 of the HCR Convention, the employer must inform employees by all means at its disposal (including posting), of the days worked and the projected work schedule at least 15 days in advance.
What is the legal deadline for making a schedule change?
According toArticle D3171-5, in the event of a change in the work schedule or working hours, you must notify your employees within the 7-day period provided for in Article L. 3121-47 or the period provided for in the collective bargaining agreement mentioned in Article L. 3121-44.
4. Plan clear schedules for each of your employees
It is essential that your restaurant's staff schedule be clear, organized and structured, while ensuring equity among your employees. The key is to plan ahead for changes and inform your staff as early as possible, at least one week in advance. All your employees should be clear on their work schedule, and you should be available if they have any doubts or questions.
It is also in your interest to plan a schedule that meets the needs of your establishment, but also those of your employees. The constraints and unavailability of your employees must be taken into account when creating and managing work schedules. A good staff schedule must combine both adaptability and well-being at work, to ensure that you keep your employees as long as possible.
According toarticle L3171-1 of the Labor Code, the schedule must include the following information:
- the times at which each employee starts work,
- the times at which each employee finishes work,
- the hours and duration of rest.
The schedule must be flexible enough to adapt to variations in activity and unforeseen events, which are inherent to the restaurant industry.
Can an employee refuse his or her schedule or a change in schedule?
The employee has the right to refuse his schedule or a change, under certain conditions:
- when his hours are not defined in his employment contract,
- if the change is not compatible with family obligations, school or higher education, work with another employer or self-employment.
In such cases, the employee's refusal to accept this change does not constitute a fault or a reason for dismissal(Article L3123-24 of the Labor Code).
5. Develop clear job descriptions
For each position, you must write a precise job description.
This must include the following information:
- the job title,
- the main missions,
- related activities, tasks to be accomplished,
- the required skills,
- working conditions: hours, constraints, etc.
- the employee's obligations.
Once the job description has been completed, you will be able to estimate the time needed to accomplish all these tasks and the resulting workload. You will know the type of contract required (permanent, fixed-term, seasonal, extra, etc.) and the number of hours per day and per week for each job description (full time, part time, etc.). It is important to create clear and concise job descriptions for each function so that each staff member knows exactly what he/she has to do during his/her working time.
6. Anticipate your staffing needs
The key word is: anticipation. Plan your vacations in advance, so that you have a clear vision of the schedule for the coming months. The restaurant business is quite difficult (evening and weekend work, staggered hours, breaks, etc.) and is subject to high turnover.
Anticipateyour staffing needs as much as possible according to all parameters:
- busy periods,
- the level of activity according to the season,
- the capacity of the room,
- the potential development of your restaurant,
- turnovers,
- paid vacations,
- on public holidays.
👉 Going further: 4-day week: miracle solution for the restaurant industry?
7. Use restaurant scheduling software
Today, there are many planning management software to optimize the organization of teams.
The advantages of a planning software :
- better organization of team rotation,
- more efficient service,
- limit human errors.
But what can make the difference is a powerful planning software coupled with a cash register software.
For example, with Combo, Innovorder's cash register synchronized scheduling software, you can adapt your work schedules to your restaurant's activity. This tool allows you to automate payroll and productivity ratios, for example. You spend less time making schedules and more time directly in the field.
With the optimized planning, develop an effective management strategy to easily reach your objectives:
- Pilot your points of sale and follow the productivity wherever you are remotely,
- Manage the staff schedule wherever you are,
- Create your work schedules more easily with the follow-up of your sales,
- adapt your strategy with a controlled payroll,
- Spend less time planning your work schedules and more time with your teams.
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Are you a restaurant owner? Are you facing difficulties in managing your staff's schedule?
Contact an Innovorder consultant and discover how to put technology to work for you and your teams!
