To hate having to decide who works what shifts.

[twoandahalftimesthree]

It is the dreaded time of year when I have to sort the rota for December. Working in retail it's really busy including on xmas eve and this year, lots of the team are requesting it off. With it falling on a sat It's going to be busier than normal so we will need more staff than normal but how on earth do I decide who gets to be off and who has to work?

Pull lots or go on a first come first served basis.

Who did it last year and the year before? Can you sort it so the people who are first in on Boxing Day can have Christmas Eve off?

Randomly.

Whatever you do don't try doing it according to people's private lives.

If you've got the same staff as last year work out who had the shittest shifts last year and give them the easiest ones this year.

If you don't have the same staff, work out which are the shittest shifts and spread them out so everyone has the same number. Ditto the nicest shifts.

Then allocate them without asking for preferences.

Allow people to swap if they want to.

Do not do first come first serve as it's not fair on people not working the day you decide to start taking requests.

I used to have to do a rota and it was a nightmare but the staff didn't change often so I could look back and see who hadn't puller their weight the Xmas before and give them the really nasty shifts the next year.

don't do the whole parents get it all off and non parents don't.

everywhere I worked in retail you worked Christmas eve or boxing day and if it was necessary to need someone for both they got the early finish on Christmas Eve and late start on boxing day.

I did work one job though where pure coincidence meant there were equal parents to students so it worked well that the students were happy to work Christmas and thenew get new years off and vice versa, but it really was a clear split and everyone had made similar requests.

also if you have one of those nightmare staff members likely to pull a sickie don't put them on the close on Christmas Eve, nothing worse than being one down when you want to get out that day more than ever

Write a he shifts/duties on bits of paper and everyone draws one. If the want to strange swaps between themselves, fine. Otherwise they get what the draw gives them. That's the way we always do it. Works for us. Not everyone happy, but they can't say it's unfair.

arrange swaps

Pull rank.

Who's been there the longest.

Always worked where I previously worked, but we had long term employees as it was a very good company to work for, so people stayed.

Otherwise, I'd draw lots.

Also, maybe add an insentive in there. Work Xmas eve get x day off.

What Beth said

I work in a care setting where we have to work christmas day.
Manager usually puts a blank rota up people put what they are willing to work. If we cover it fairly the that's the rota of people don't pull their weight you get what your given

Look at who worked it last year. Also wherever I've worked it tends to be that new employees often get the worst shifts ( not sure how fair this is.)

Bit late now but grid with 2weeks over Christmas, everyone has to put down for X no of the crappy days e.g. We had to put 3 shifts out of Christmas Eve/day/Boxing Day/nye and nyd ( including nights)

If people aren't fair and don't cover shifts, those who were reasonable get their shifts and rest spread between everyone else dependent on last years rota.

I recommend you do rota and sneak it out when your leaving for a few days off, drink and prepare for the queue at your office door when you return

Could you split the day ? so half the staff start early and finish early and the other half start later and finish later ?

Get the staff to choose which shift , but tell them it has to be covered , there are pro's and con's to both shifts .

Not sure what time you will be finishing on Christmas eve though so might not be possible .

Whoever works Christmas gets new year off.

You're going to piss someone off, but you've got no choice.

Whoever works Christmas gets first choice of whether or not to work it next year, children or not.

Do not automatically assume that everybody young and childless would be happy to have NYD off instead of Christmas

In order

Ask for volunteers
Those who didn't work do shitty shifts last year
Try to make sure everyone gets one of their requested days off
Draw lots
People can swap between themselves

Do not automatically favour parents or any other group. Acknowledge that yes it's shit but it's part and parcel of working in retail which they knew when they took the job.

I work nhs and we obviously cover 24/7.

Our boss put up a rota with the main days and asked for preferences to work plus a second choice. Seems to have worked well and is fair to us.