Common sources of unplanned overtime

  • Relying on the same few dependable people for every hard shift.
  • A call-out covered by whoever answers first, who is often already at 36 hours.
  • Swaps and covers approved without checking the new totals.
  • Shifts that run 20 minutes long every day, which adds up to more than an hour and a half over a week.
  • Missed clock-outs that make a normal week look like overtime, or hide real overtime.

At scheduling time

Keep a running total of hours per person while you build the week, not at the end. Set a limit below 40 for each person (say 38) so a shift that runs long doesn't tip them over. Spread the hard shifts across more people; cross-training one or two more openers or closers takes pressure off the people you always call.

After the schedule is posted

Most overtime appears after the week goes out. Before approving a swap or a cover, check the new weekly total for the person picking up the shift. When you're filling a call-out, start with the people who have the most room, not the ones most likely to say yes. The shift swap guide has a short checklist.

On the clock

Compare actual hours with scheduled hours every week. If the same shift always runs long, schedule it longer, or fix whatever keeps people late. Deal with missed punches quickly while people still remember when they left. A time clock that shows scheduled and actual time side by side makes this a five-minute weekly job.