How can a manager effectively impact personnel expenses?

A manager can effectively impact personnel expenses by controlling overtime costs and creating efficient schedules. This approach ensures that labor costs are managed within budgetary constraints while maintaining productivity. By strategically planning schedules, a manager can minimize the need for overtime, which can quickly escalate payroll expenses. Effective scheduling also helps ensure that there are enough staff members working when demand is high while avoiding overstaffing during slower periods. This balance not only optimizes labor costs but also enhances overall operational efficiency.

In contrast, requiring overtime at all times can lead to burnout among employees and increase costs significantly due to higher pay rates for overtime hours. Promoting a casual work environment, while beneficial for employee morale, does not directly address expense management. Hiring a large number of temporary workers may seem like a solution, but it can lead to inconsistent quality of work, potential inefficiencies, and can sometimes be more expensive than maintaining a stable, well-trained permanent workforce. Therefore, managing schedules and controlling overtime is the most strategic approach for impacting personnel expenses effectively.