When I Work

Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

1st, 2nd, And 3rd Shift Hours: Manager’s Guide

As a manager, you already know how important shift coverage is. But figuring out the right schedule for your team isn’t always simple. Your job gets even harder when you’re weighing the pros and cons of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shift hours.  Do you need around-the-clock coverage? Can you get reliable staff for overnight shifts? […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

How To Manage Gym Staff Schedules: 7 Expert Tips 

Running a gym is about more than booking training sessions and classes. You need an entire team of cleaning staff, front desk associates, and instructors to serve members. Yet many gym owners struggle to create schedules that cover peak hours and balance staff needs. If you’re constantly juggling time-off requests and scrambling to cover gaps, […]
Newsletter, People Management

The Art Of Onboarding Seasonal Employees: A Step-By-Step Guide

Learn how onboarding seasonal employees can make for a more successful busy season and help your team feel more cohesive.  Use this step -by -step guide for a seasonal staff onboarding process to have them ramp up faster, boost morale, and increase retention. You’ll learn how to structure your seasonal employee training to make it […]
Human Resources, Newsletter, People Management, Templates & Resources

Employee Termination Letters: Best Practices, And Compassionate Communication

If it’s up to you to let an employee go, you may be unsure what to say. We cover what to include in a termination letter + 5 templates to make it easier.
Newsletter, People Management, Productivity, Scheduling Strategy

Rotating Shift Schedules: Manager’s Guide + Examples

If you’re always working different shifts, or stuck on a difficult shift (like nights), it’s hard to balance your personal life with work. You’re at work so many different days of the week, or inconsistent hours each day. Or you never see the light of day and your family while they’re awake. That’s the reality […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

12 Hour Shift Schedule: How It Works + How Software Helps You Implement It

When you first start managing a team on a 12-hour shift schedule, it’s easy to underestimate things. Chief among them was how tricky it would be to keep everyone happy. It sounded simple on paper. But you’re probably always rushing to fill gaps to cover the company’s operational needs. And it takes little time for […]
Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

Automatic Scheduling For Employees: Save Time And Cut Costs

Tired of spending hours each week figuring out who will work…the hours each week?   Tired of having to remember what days everyone needs off? All those little notes stuffed into drawers? Random texts from a few days ago? And what happens when you forget one change and post the schedule? You’ll have to redo the […]
Newsletter, Small Business Blog

5 Reasons You Need An Employee Time Clock

In this article, we’ll explore why businesses should use an employee time clock system. These systems help track work hours easily, make things fair for everyone, and help businesses save money and time. Key takeaways Is your employee time clock a sheet of paper and a pen that employees turn in each week? Or maybe […]
Newsletter, Payroll Resources, Small Business Blog

Payroll Software vs. Payroll Services: 5 Key Differences

Payroll software and payroll services both aim to help business owners run payroll. However, despite their shared goal, the two boast stark differences regarding cost, control, and security. When manual payroll is not an option, comparing these two alternatives may be able to help. Here are five key characteristics to keep in mind about payroll […]
Leadership, Newsletter, People Management

4 Types Of Management Styles: Which One Fits You Best?

What’s your approach to managing people? Discover the four main types of management styles and learn how each can impact team morale, productivity, and engagement. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting out, understanding management styles can help you bring out the best in your team. Key takeaways Table of contents Match your management […]
Newsletter, People Management, Productivity, Scheduling Strategy

Shift Planning: 6 Steps To Plan Shifts Like A Pro

Labor costs are all over the place, with some employees not showing up and others quitting. And instead of dealing with these serious management issues with better shift planning, you’re hunched over your desk, wasting time on a spreadsheet to build a schedule that further alienates your team. Poorly-planned shifts are where a lot of […]
Newsletter, Productivity, Scheduling Strategy

Best Employee Rostering Software Of 2025 (Top 10 Compared)

Employee rostering can be a massive headache, especially when you’re handling it manually. There’s lots of room for error, and you’ll find yourself devoting a significant portion of your time each week, up to 12 hours,  to creating the work schedule. Fortunately, there are many employee rostering software options available with features that can support […]
Leadership, Newsletter, People Management

Overworked Employees: 5 Key Signs And How To Help Them

Employers know what overtime is. But overworked employees and the consequences of overworking employees are completely different from a little overtime here and there, and it’s something you want to avoid. Now and then, if employees work more than full-time hours in a week, they get paid an increased rate for the overage. For some employees, […]
Newsletter, People Management, Templates & Resources

How To Calculate A Direct Labor Budget (With Formulas & Examples)

You budget for everything, including supplies, rent, marketing, and labor. Especially your direct labor budget, which can make up about 70% of your costs, depending on your industry. Runaway labor costs can decimate your profits. Budgeting for labor means taking into account how much it will cost to achieve production or service goals, both financially […]
Newsletter, People Management

How To Handle Stress At Work: 16 Proven Tips To Stay Calm

40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful. That’s a problem. Regardless of what kind of work you do, the reality is that workplace stress is detrimental for employers and employees. Read on to find the causes of job stress, why it’s so harmful, and helpful tips to cope with workplace stress.  […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Flexible Scheduling In Healthcare: Benefits For Staff, Patients, And Providers

The pandemic placed a huge spotlight on the healthcare worker labor shortage and the difficulty in staffing hospitals and clinics with top-quality candidates. Yet there are some healthcare organizations that don’t struggle as much—and their secret is flexible scheduling in healthcare. These hospitals stand out for their ability to hire top talent, whether those candidates […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, People Management

How To Manage A Restaurant: 14 Essential Management Tips

Managing a restaurant is like watching over the gears of a complicated machine. Not only do you have the usual managerial concerns of employees and customers, but you’re dealing with food service and the unique baggage that comes along with that. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll get restaurant management tips and practical insights on how […]
Newsletter, People Management

How To Fix An Inconsistent Work Schedule

Not enough sleep. Confusion about when you’re supposed to work. Not able to find childcare in time for the inconsistent shifts you’re working. Having to constantly rearrange your appointments around a changing work schedule. Always missing family events. The list goes on and on. Having a chaotic work schedule drains you, and the same is […]
Newsletter, People Management

Discipline In The Workplace: 9 Effective Steps

Employee discipline isn’t a matter of dominance or punishment. It’s about making the work environment safe and pleasant for both employees and management. Discipline in the workplace works best when there’s a foundation of trust between managers and employees. That starts with clear communication and continues through consistency. In the article, you’ll gain insights into […]
Leadership, Newsletter, People Management

How To Be Promoted At Work: 7 Traits Employers Look For

Do you wonder how to get promoted? Are there uncomfortable struggles between employees who think promotion is based on nepotism, longevity, hard work, favoritism, or various other standards? Does the whole thing make your head spin when you think about getting promoted from within?Maybe your manager thinks promotion is just a job title, or that […]
Leadership, Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

9 Proven Ways For Reducing Your Employees’ Overtime

Overtime comes at a high price for businesses. It can often feel like your only option, but overtime doesn’t have to take over your profit margins– even when demand is high and budgets are low. At When I Work, we focus on employee scheduling and time tracking, and we offer ways to help you use […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

8 Hourly Staff Scheduling Best Practices You Should Know

The restaurant industry comes with an all-too-common struggle. Managers must juggle staff schedules while trying to keep labor costs in check.  As a manager yourself, you might suspect you’re overspending. But the problem is that you lack clear insight into where your money’s going. Overstaffing during slow hours eats into profits. And understaffing frustrates customers.  […]
Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

8 Workforce Management Best Practices

Running a business is no small feat. You need to juggle schedules, track hours, and keep your team motivated. You also need to work to ensure customers leave happy. Poor workforce management can derail these goals. You’ll face headaches like overstaffing, missed shifts, and unhappy staff.  As a manager, you’ve likely felt the sting of […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Top 10 Fire Department Scheduling Software

Having enough people on shift is essential. But making schedules is time-consuming. That’s why you need fire department scheduling software. The question is, which app should you use?  There are lots of options out there. And sorting through all of your choices can be tough. Fortunately, we’ve done the heavy lifting for you.  In our […]
Newsletter, People Management

How To Hire Part-Time Employees: 18 Ways

In a rapidly changing job scene, attracting new part-time employees can be a challenge. Most of the attention is directed towards full-time roles, but the need for part-time employees continues to grow. So how can your business stand out in a sea of options? How do you attract the ideal part-time candidates? We’ve put together […]
Newsletter, People Management

The 4 Biggest Employee Retention Problems And How To Solve Them

The last few years have been tough on employers trying to keep great workers on staff. Small businesses have been facing employee retention problems since before the pandemic, but the Great Resignation really showed how much workplaces can struggle without enough labor. From reduced operating hours to long customer wait times to closures, the fallout […]
Newsletter, People Management

How To Motivate Employees: 70 Awesome Ideas

When it comes to growing your business, you can use all the fancy tools and systems you want, but if your employees aren’t motivated to do great work, you’re not going to get very far. There are a number of reasons why your team members might lack the motivation they need in order to do […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter

Top 11 Security Guard Scheduling Software: Features, Pricing, And More

What’s the best security guard scheduling software? The best providers offer flexible scheduling, GPS tracking, and the ability to report incidents through the app. The following guide compares features of top providers to help you find the platform that fits. Key takeaways The best security guard scheduling software allows you to easily view, make, and […]
Newsletter, People Management

How To Motivate Teenage Employees: 8 Ways

Managing teenage employees is one thing. Motivating them is quite another. It seems like you’re always trying to get them off of their phone or to stop standing around and use downtime better.   Before we jump into the eight ways you can motivate your teenage employees, let’s run through a quick list of broad […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Templates & Resources

13 Creative Tip Jar Ideas to Boost Employee Tips (& Engage Customers)

To tip or not to tip, that is the question. The data on tips can be fascinating. The average tip in the U.S. is 15%-20%, but that varies by region and income. The question of who to tip and how much is one we often ask—there’s a reason there are so many articles about tipping […]
Business Growth, For Your Industry, Newsletter

How To Attract New Customers To Your Restaurant: 10 Ways

Every restaurant wants more new customers. Why wouldn’t they? A steady stream of new faces means more word of mouth referrals, and more overall business. But bringing in new customers can be harder than it sounds. With all of the other responsibilities on your plate, you could probably use some fresh ideas on how to […]
Scheduling Strategy, Templates & Resources

Top 11 Best Shift Planning Software For Employee Scheduling

Your organization is designed to function as a well-oiled machine. So why does it feel more like a three-ring circus? Poor scheduling doesn’t just create confusion—it can sabotage your productivity and cost you overtime. The solution? Shift planning software that keeps your business running at peak efficiency. Not sure where to start? No sweat. This […]
Human Resources, Leadership, Newsletter, People Management

Dealing With Employee Burnout: Causes, Signs, And 7 Strategies

Employee burnout is a real problem. Maybe you think it only happens in spectacularly bad workplaces, but you’d be wrong. It’s not just the culture of the workplace or the amount of work an employee faces, but the experience and emotions surrounding that work that matter. Emotional and mental exhaustion are a crucial part of […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Manufacturing Shift Scheduling: Best Practices, Schedule Types, And Software Solutions

Without people, there’s no manufacturing. That’s why paying attention to how you schedule your employees should top your list of concerns. Manufacturing shift scheduling is tricky and has traditionally been a manual process of spreadsheets and phone calls with shift schedules posted in break rooms or locker rooms. That no longer works in today’s technological […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Productivity

9 Best Apps For Construction Workers & Contractor Management

Construction management is complicated.  From start to finish, you need to hire the best construction workers available, manage those employees, communicate clearly, monitor supplies, track project benchmarks, manage equipment, and keep an eye on your budget. And that’s why we found some of the best apps for construction that can help simplify those tasks, giving […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Pros And Cons Of Shift Bidding: A Manager’s Guide

As a manager, you know all too well that filling shifts can be tough. Getting people to volunteer for less desirable shifts is especially challenging. And employees who call out last minute or grumble about their schedules only add to the hassle.  If these issues are wearing you down, it’s time to try shift bidding. […]
Business Growth, Mid Market Blog, Newsletter

How To Schedule Employees Effectively: 9 Simple Tips

Your employees juggle school, families, or additional jobs… and you are trying to juggle all of that in your employee schedule. It’s not easy, and it’s a serious enough topic that the U.S. Congress took to creating legislation to govern it through “The Schedules That Work Act.” While the goal was to protect employees who might […]
For Your Industry, Scheduling Strategy

Top 6 Nurse Staffing Software For Your Facility

Paper-based schedules and spreadsheets can’t handle the complexity of managing nurse schedules in 24/7 healthcare facilities. Plus, understaffing and shift conflicts plague medical facilities and agencies. The best nurse scheduling software maximizes your nursing workforce by balancing patient needs, staff preferences, and adequate shift coverage. That’s where nurse staffing software comes in—to simplify the scheduling […]
Business Growth, Newsletter

How To Reduce Labor Costs: 9 Strategies

Labor costs are one of your biggest expenses. So managing them has a direct impact on your bottom line. The good news is that it’s easy when you use software like When I Work. You’ll be able to quickly see how much overtime you’re using, and make changes on the fly to reduce your labor […]
Newsletter, People Management

10 Best Apps For Remote Team Collaboration In 2025 (Free & Paid)

In this article, you’ll learn about the best apps you can use for working with your team remotely. Whether everyone is far apart or some of you are in the office and some are not, it’s important to have good tools to keep everyone on the same page.  While working remotely has many advantages, like […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

5 Tips For Multi-Location Employee Scheduling

Managers can find it daunting to manage employee schedules across multiple locations. They must adequately staff each site while considering employee preferences, availability, and labor laws. As companies expand, coordinating schedules becomes increasingly complex, making it challenging to maintain seamless operations. Implementing practical strategies can streamline multi-location employee scheduling, reducing stress and boosting productivity. The […]
Newsletter, People Management

Staffing Issues: Common Problems + 4 Attainable Solutions

Running a business is a high-stakes balancing act. And that’s very much the case if yours uses third-shift scheduling. One misstep, and things will start to spiral. In fact, you’ve probably seen how a single no-show can derail an entire shift at a late-night diner.  It’s okay to feel frustrated when dealing with staffing issues. […]
Business Growth, Leadership, Newsletter, People Management, Productivity

Your Workforce Optimization Guide For 2025

Ever heard the saying, “work smarter, not harder”? It’s not just another corporate buzz-phrase—business technology and workplace strategies are making it more feasible than before for organizations of every size to cut down on costs while increasing employee productivity and customer satisfaction. Turns out, it is possible to have your (business) cake and eat it […]
Newsletter, People Management

How To Effectively Manage Teenage Employees

Does the thought of managing teenage employees fill your heart with dread? It doesn’t need to. Teenagers are full of energy and creativity, and if you can channel that in a positive way, they are a huge asset to your business. As with any employee, your key to success will lie in communication, motivation, and […]
Newsletter, People Management

Becoming A Manager: 18 Signs Your Employee Is Ready

Here are the key traits to look for in an employee you’re considering for management.
Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

The 9/80 Schedule: Benefits, Drawbacks, And More

What if you could tell your employees they get an extra two days off each month? Not vacation days. Not counting weekends. No loss of hours. Two genuine three-day weekends each month while still hitting full-time hours. With a traditional 9-to-5 work schedule, that’s not going to happen. Even with staggered and alternating shift work, […]
Newsletter, Small Business Blog

How to Use Employee Availability Forms Efficiently

With your head in your hand, you’re trying to schedule upcoming shifts. You’ve had a problem with scheduling employees who inform you, at the last minute, that they can’t work a shift. You’ve also noticed employees swapping shifts. Basically, scheduling has become a headache. How long has it been since you’ve had your employees fill […]
Business Growth, Newsletter, Small Business Blog

Time Management For Small Business Owner: 4 Techniques

What’s your most valuable asset, as a small business owner? A survey of small business owners revealed that they would like to be spending more time working on the business, and less time working in the business. Day-to-day operations take up the majority of their time, but they’d like to spend more time on marketing, […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Night Shift Scheduling Guide: Examples, Tips, And More

Managers handling night shift scheduling know the challenges that come with staffing businesses during late nights and early mornings. Decreased employee performance, low morale, and difficulty maintaining fairness are just a few of the issues you may be facing. Keeping your operations running smoothly and your employees happy requires the right night shift schedule. Here […]
Business Growth, Newsletter, People Management

How To Manage Time-Off Requests Fairly | 7 Ways

Today, workers view benefits and perks of the job as important as the actual wage they’ll receive. The way you handle time-off requests directly affects the type of people who want to work for you. Restrictive time-off policies will make it difficult to find great job applicants. Make it unfair or difficult to get time […]
Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

How Using A Shift Trading App Benefits Your Bottom Line

Running a business that depends on shift work can feel like a constant juggling act. And that’s especially true if it includes night shifts. Things like last-minute callouts and empty schedule slots might be recurring nightmares. That’s not to mention tired, overworked team members taking on back-to-back shifts. Each of these issues comes together as […]
Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy, Templates & Resources

How To Make A Work Schedule Template: Step-By-Step Guide

Creating a work schedule sounds simple. But that’s only until you’re the one in charge of it. If you’re the owner or manager of a small business, you likely know that the whole process can be a bit overwhelming. There’s a lot of stress involved with juggling employee availability and business needs.   That’s why having […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, Scheduling Strategy

Restaurant Labor Cost Formula: Complete Guide

Running a restaurant is hard work. One of your biggest headaches involves managing labor costs. Runaway labor expenses can eat away at your profits and leave you in a cash crunch.  If you’ve ever looked at your payroll numbers and thought, “This seems way too high,” you’re not alone. Most restaurant managers have felt this […]
For Your Industry, Newsletter, People Management, Scheduling Strategy

Overcome The Labor Shortage In 2025 And Beyond

In this article, we address the pressing issue of the labor shortage in 2025 and offer businesses insights on how you can navigate these challenges. With historical perspectives and present-day nuances, the piece covers why and how the shortage is affecting industries, how you can attract and retain talent, and what you need to stay […]
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