Personnel planning with weather data

How to optimise staff planning using weather data – An example from an ice cream parlour

Staff planning is a challenge for many companies – especially for seasonal establishments like ice cream shops, beer gardens or beach cafés. While hardly any guests come on a rainy day, a sudden influx can occur during bright sunshine. If too many staff members are scheduled, unnecessary personnel costs are incurred. If too few are present, long wait times and dissatisfied guests are likely to result.

The solution? Integrate weather data into the staff planning. Modern digital systems allow for real-time consideration of weather and enable duty rosters to be adjusted accordingly. In this article, we show how an ice cream parlour can respond to weather changes through smart staff planning.

1. Why the weather is so important in staff planning

Ice cream parlours are highly dependent on the weather:

• Sunny days: Many guests come by spontaneously, stay longer, and consume more.

• Rain or cold: The number of guests drops drastically, and the business often operates on a reduced scale.

• Unpredictable weather: If the weather changes suddenly, guest numbers can vary within hours.

Without data-driven planning, this either results in excessive personnel costs (too many staff on duty) or overwhelming the team (too few staff during busy periods).

2. Using weather forecasts strategically for shift planning

The weather forecast helps better assess the staff requirements. The following factors are particularly important:

• Temperature: Above 20 degrees, visitor rates typically rise significantly.

• Duration of sunshine: The more hours of sunshine, the greater the influx of guests.

• Probability of precipitation: Rain often leads to a decrease in customer numbers.

• Wind strength: Strong winds can deter guests from sitting outside.

Example: A typical spring day in the ice cream parlour

Assuming the following weather is forecasted for the next day:

• Morning (10–13 hours): Overcast, 15 degrees, 40 percent chance of rain

• Afternoon (13–18 hours): Sunny, 22 degrees, no rain

• Evening (18–21 hours): Partly cloudy, 18 degrees

Based on this data, the staff planning could look like this:

• Morning: Only one person scheduled for counter service and one for the kitchen

• Afternoon: Two additional staff scheduled from 1 PM, as a high influx is expected

• Evening: One person reduced, as fewer guests are anticipated

Thanks to this flexible adjustment, the café saves personnel costs during weak periods and has enough staff when demand increases.

3. Real-time weather data and short-term adjustments

Not every weather forecast is one hundred percent accurate. Therefore, it is sensible to monitor actual weather data in real time.

How this can help:

• Sudden weather change: If a sunny day becomes overcast, an additional shift can be cancelled or staff sent home early.

• Unexpected sunshine: If the temperature rises unexpectedly high, staff can be added at short notice.

• Live notifications: Modern systems can warn managers via push notifications if the weather changes, allowing them to react.

Digital shift planning tools like Sundae OS allow for flexible staff allocation, making short-term adjustments easy to implement. Staff can quickly be informed of changes via an app.

4. Smart staff planning with Sundae OS

Especially for seasonal businesses, it is crucial that shift plans are designed flexibly and efficiently. Sundae OS supports hospitality businesses in dynamically adapting their staff planning to weather changes. The system provides a weekly overview with drag-and-drop functionality, allowing shifts to be moved or adjusted quickly. Additionally, automatic shift repetitions can be established, which can be easily adjusted depending on the weather situation.

Another advantage is the employee self-service function: staff can indicate their availability or swap shifts if the weather changes suddenly. This significantly reduces the planning effort for managers and keeps the team flexible. Furthermore, the integrated personnel cost analysis helps monitor the impacts of personnel deployments in real time, preventing unnecessary costs.

Sundae OS thus makes it possible to not only incorporate weather data into staff planning but also to make the entire process more efficient and transparent – a significant advantage for all hospitality businesses that rely on the weather.

5. Long-term evaluation: Weather trends and revenue forecasts

In addition to short-term planning, an ice cream parlour can also analyse long-term weather trends.

Important questions that data can answer:

• At what temperatures is demand highest?

• How much does rain affect revenue?

• Which weekdays are well visited regardless of the weather?

• How do guest numbers develop compared to last year’s weather data?

This data helps in developing long-term staff strategies. For example, a café could strategically hire temporary workers during particularly hot months or plan special promotions on rainy days to attract guests.

6. Conclusion: Weather data makes staff planning more efficient

By integrating weather forecasts and real-time data into shift planning, seasonal businesses like ice cream parlours can:

• Reduce personnel costs by avoiding overstaffing

• Utilise staff efficiently without overwhelming the team

• Flexibly respond to spontaneous weather changes 

• Analyse long-term trends and make better decisions

With modern digital planning tools like Sundae OS, weather data can be accessed in real time and automatic shift adjustments can be made – a smart solution for businesses that are weather-dependent.

Those who use weather data cleverly can significantly optimise staff planning – while also ensuring satisfied guests and employees.