Coffee shop managers have the tricky job of organising the shift schedules of baristas. And there’s quite a bit of thought that goes into it. Still, there are tasks which need to be carried out once a day or regularly throughout the day. So, as a barista or soon-to-be barista, you’ll likely want to know what is the typical shift schedule for coffee shop baristas? Your schedule will depend on your responsibilities, skills, experience level, and the type of coffee shop you are working in. If you’re a coffee shop manager, getting your scheduling right ensures customer satisfaction, motivates your employees, and ultimately improves your bottom line.
What Are the Responsibilities of a Barista?
A barista’s job is varied and fast-paced. To become a barista, you’ll need to learn a wide variety of skills which will later become your daily tasks. Everything from mastering the perfect crema and tamping coffee to hygiene and maintenance of machines and food safety. It all falls within your responsibilities. There’s a lot to keep you busy in this rewarding role and you can learn these skills via a barista course.
The responsibilities of a barista:
- Welcome customers and offer them coffee advice.
- Take orders and accept payments.
- You may be required to prepare sandwiches and serve baked goods.
- Brew coffee and tea.
- Cleaning equipment and dining areas.
- Taking inventory and restocking food items where necessary.
- Ensuring signage is up to date.
- Adhering to food safety and hygiene regulations.
What Are the Most Common Types of Shift Schedules?
Coffee shops, as with much of the hospitality industry, are often open from early morning until late evening. The opening and closing times will affect how many shifts there are in a day and how baristas are allocated to these shifts.
Types of shift schedules:
- A traditional full-time schedule allocates baristas eight-hour shifts from Monday to Friday, usually starting early in the morning to cater for the pre work rush..
- Part-time schedules tend to be more flexible, allowing baristas to work four to six-hour shifts.
- A split-shift schedule enables baristas to work two shifts a day with a break between shifts. For example, these shifts may run from 6 am to 10 am, with the second shift running from 2 pm to 6 pm.
- Rotating shift schedules allow baristas to work different shifts each day or week. For example, this scheduling may require baristas to work a Monday morning and Tuesday evening.
- When things get busy over the weekend, coffee shops may have a weekend schedule, requiring baristas to work Saturdays and Sundays and fewer shifts during the week.
- Coffee shops which close late in the evening require baristas to work night shifts.
The responsibilities of each barista may be allocated according to their strengths, such as customer relations, latte art, milk frothing, or the like. Although, many well-trained and experienced baristas will excel wherever they are designated. Morning, afternoon, and evening shifts all have pros and cons, and finding what works best for you is key. Planning the right shift schedule at a coffee shop ensures that baristas and other employees are able to offer increased productivity and enjoy a good work-life balance. Whether you prefer opening or closing a shop after a busy day, having the right schedule makes all the difference.
