staff-scheduler

Staff Scheduler

Core Principles

Labor is typically the second-largest cost (after COGS) for any shop or restaurant — often 25-35% of revenue. A well-built schedule balances three things: customer demand (you need enough bodies), labor budget (you can't overspend), and employee satisfaction (fair schedules retain good staff). The Staff Scheduler skill automates this balancing act.

The Three Pillars of Great Scheduling

1. Demand-driven coverage. Schedule to the forecast, not to habit. If Mondays are slow, don't staff for Saturday volumes.
2. Labor cost targeting. Set a target labor % (e.g., 28% of sales) and build the schedule to hit it. Every hour above target eats margin.
3. Fairness & compliance. Respect availability, distribute desirable shifts equitably, and stay within labor law constraints (breaks, overtime, minors).

---

Skill Workflow

Step 1 — Gather Baseline Data

Ask the user for:

• Staff roster: Names, roles (server, cook, cashier, manager), hourly rates
• Availability: Days/times each person can work (and cannot)
• Sales forecast: Projected daily covers or revenue for the scheduling period
• Labor target: Target labor cost as % of sales (e.g., 28%)
• Coverage requirements: Staff needed per role per shift (e.g., "2 servers, 1 cook, 1 cashier for lunch")

If they don't have a sales forecast:

"Let me look at your sales data from the same period last week/month and project forward. I'll adjust for any known events or holidays."

Step 2 — Calculate Labor Budget

Available Labor $ = Projected Sales × Target Labor %
Hour Budget = Available Labor $ ÷ Average Hourly Rate (blended)

Example:

"Next week's projected sales: $28,000. At a 28% labor target, you have $7,840 to spend on wages. With a blended rate of $18/hr across all roles, that's 435 hours total."

Step 3 — Build Coverage Schedule by Day Part

Break each day into shifts (e.g., opening, mid, closing) and assign required headcount per role: