Practical guides for people who run shifts.
Scheduling, time tracking, pay rules and keeping a team together, written for owners and managers who do the work themselves.
Scheduling
Clopening shifts explained
A clopen is when someone closes late and opens early the next day. Why it costs more than it looks, where it's restricted…
SchedulingWhat scheduling software really costs
Per user, per location or per hub? How scheduling apps charge, the add-ons that catch people out, and how to work out your…
SchedulingBuild a weekly schedule in under an hour
A step-by-step way to build a weekly work schedule that covers your busy hours, respects availability and doesn't blow your…
SchedulingHow to calculate labor cost percentage
The labor cost percentage formula with worked examples, what to include, how to set a realistic target and how to bring the…
SchedulingPredictive scheduling laws
Oregon and a growing list of cities require advance notice of schedules and extra pay for changes. Who's covered, what they…
SchedulingHow to write a shift swap policy
Let staff swap shifts without chaos. What a good shift swap policy covers, a sample you can copy, and the overtime and…
Managing people
Onboarding checklist for hourly staff
What to do before day one, on the first shift, and in the first 30 days, including the I-9, W-4 and new-hire reporting…
Managing peopleTraining hourly staff
A simple way to train shift workers using short videos, checklists and your best people. What to train first, how to test…
Managing peopleA fair no-call, no-show policy
What counts as a no-call, no-show, what your policy should say, a sample you can adapt and the legal protections to check…
Managing peopleChecklists staff will follow
How to write opening and closing checklists that get done: what to include, what to leave out, examples for shops and…
Managing peopleReducing hourly staff turnover
Why hourly staff really quit and what to do about it: predictable schedules, a better first week, managers who listen and…
Managing peopleStop using group texts for work
Group texts expose phone numbers, miss new hires and keep former staff in the loop. Here's what they cost you and a…
Managing peopleSwitching workforce apps safely
A careful plan for moving from one scheduling or time clock app to another: what to export, when to cut over, how to…
Time and pay
Geofencing your time clock
Location-based clock-in saves money, but staff worry about tracking. What it does and doesn't do, the notice laws to check…
Time and payHow to set up PTO accrual
Lump sum, monthly or per hour worked? How to choose a PTO accrual method, the math for full-time and part-time staff, and…
Time and payHow to stop buddy punching
Buddy punching means one employee clocks in for another. Here's how to prevent it with the right clock-in setup, clear…
Time and payMeal and rest break rules
Federal law doesn't require breaks, but many states do. What must be paid, how state rules differ and how to keep records…
Time and payHow late can a minor work?
Federal limits on hours for 14- and 15-year-olds, what changes at 16 and 18, the jobs teens can't do, and why your state's…
Time and payMoving off paper timesheets
A two-week plan for replacing paper time cards with a phone or tablet time clock, including what to tell staff and how to…
Time and pay7 overtime rules employers get wrong
Averaging hours, unpaid prep time, bonuses left out of the regular rate. Seven common overtime mistakes under federal law…
Time and payTime clock rounding rules
The federal rule on rounding punches, how the 7-minute rule works, why it can still get you sued, and why many employers…
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