What to Do When Pub Staff Don’t Show Up

There’s nothing worse than opening time approaching and realising half your staff haven’t bothered to show up. As a pub landlord, I’ve been there – stood behind the bar at 11:30am wondering how on earth I’m going to serve Sunday lunch to 150 covers with just me and one kitchen porter.

Staff no-shows are one of the biggest headaches in pub management, but there are ways to handle them and, more importantly, prevent them from happening again.

Immediate Actions When Staff Don’t Show Up

First things first – don’t panic. Take a deep breath and assess what you’re dealing with:

• Call them immediately – genuine emergencies do happen, and you need to know if this is a one-off or they’ve done a runner
• Check your staff rota to see who else might be available to cover at short notice
• Text or call your reliable part-timers who might fancy some extra hours
• Rearrange your operation – can you simplify the menu, reduce table service areas, or focus on your most profitable offerings?
• Be honest with customers – most people understand staffing issues, especially post-COVID

Remember, you can’t run a successful pub without knowing what staff you need to run a pub effectively. Having this knowledge helps you prioritise which positions are absolutely critical to fill first.

Prevention Strategies That Actually Work

The best way to handle no-shows is to prevent them happening in the first place:

• Set clear expectations from day one about calling in sick and giving notice
• Build a reliable bank of casual staff who can cover at short notice
• Use proper staff scheduling software – modern staff rota software for pubs sends automatic reminders and makes shift swapping easier
• Address underlying issues that cause staff to not want to come to work
• Cross-train your team so multiple people can cover essential roles

Building a More Reliable Team

If you’re constantly dealing with no-shows, it might be time to look at the bigger picture. Poor management, unclear expectations, or toxic workplace culture often contribute to high absenteeism rates.

Invest in good people – both in hiring and developing them. A strong bar manager can make all the difference in staff reliability and morale.

Sometimes staff don’t show up because they simply don’t care about the job. Focus on creating an environment where people actually want to come to work, with fair scheduling, decent treatment, and opportunities for growth.

Managing pub staff doesn’t have to be a constant battle. SmartPubTools offers a free front-of-house management app that helps you streamline scheduling, communication, and staff management. Sign up today and take control of your staffing challenges.