Why Automating Repetitive Staffing Tasks Matters and How to Start Today

Repetitive staffing tasks might seem harmless, but they’re silently costing you more than you expect. Yes, repetition can improve performance to a point. But relying on people to handle repetitive staffing tasks over and over again can take a toll on productivity, innovation, and your team's problem-solving skills. As Forbes puts it, "monotonous work is a creativity killer." The good news? Repetitive staffing tasks are the easiest to automate.

In this post, we’re breaking down what repetitive staffing tasks really are, why automation matters, and how you can start using it in your own process. 

What Are Repetitive Staffing Tasks?

Repetitive staffing tasks are exactly what they sound like: recurring actions in the staffing process that take up time and rarely change. While they may seem like small parts of the workflow, they slow things down and pile up quickly, especially when managing large teams. Here’s what that usually looks like:

1. Building shift schedules from scratch
2. Chasing availability through messages or emails
3. Sending reminders (and re-reminders)
4. Tracking confirmations manually
5. Approving swaps and time-off requests
6. Scrambling for replacements when someone backs out last minute

Types of Staffing Tasks You Can Automate

The staffing process is filled with manual steps that can now be automated. Below are some of the easiest and most impactful staffing tasks you can start automating right now.

1. Shift creation and distribution
2. Availability checking of staff
3. Auto-fill for staff cancellations or callouts 
4. Onboarding and compliance documentation 
5. Notifications and confirmations

Why You Should Automate Repetitive Staffing Tasks

If you’re still stuck doing things manually, here are five solid reasons to start making the shift to automation.

1. To Free Up Hours You’re Losing to Admin Work

According to Microsoft’s Work Trends Index, 64% of employees say they’re struggling to get everything done during work hours. In event staffing, that’s easy to relate to, especially when you’re managing dozens of staff across multiple events.

Automation takes care of time-consuming staffing tasks like scheduling and confirmations, giving your team more time to do meaningful work and stay focused without feeling overwhelmed. That extra time can also support your team's personal growth and confidence. As a report suggests, 80% of employees say automation gave them more time to build stronger relationships, take on new challenges, and grow their skills.

2. To Reduce Costs

A report shows that large-scale process automation is now within reach for most organizations. And when combined with next-gen digital tools, it could cut operational costs by up to 30% in just five years.

When you automate repetitive and manual tasks like scheduling, confirmations, and data entry, you’re giving your team more hours to focus on tasks that actually move the operation forward, like reducing delays, catching errors before they happen, and avoiding costly last-minute fixes. Add in next-gen tools that improve visibility, communication, and tracking, and your team can achieve more in less time without burning out. Over time, those small daily wins build momentum, and that momentum leads to smoother operations, happier staff, and serious cost savings you can feel.

3. To Respond to Unexpected Challenges Faster

Whether it’s a shift tweak or a last-minute cancellation, things can change fast and often without warning in event staffing. That’s frustrating for sure, but automation makes it more bearable. Automation gives you the tools to respond quickly. For instance, if you need to change something in your schedule, you can easily do so in real time, and the system automatically updates details across the platform and sends updates out instantly, all in one place. Everyone in your team stays on the same page with clear, consistent information. No more digging through group chats or scrambling with messy spreadsheets.

4. To Reduce No-Shows

Even if you’re new to event staffing, you’ve probably realized that no matter how much effort you put into hiring and onboarding, you can’t always guarantee everyone will show up. But automation gives you a better chance of staying on track. Automated reminders sent via text, email, or in-app alerts make sure staff know when and where they’re needed. You can also use automation for staff to confirm their attendance, and if someone can’t make it, the system can automatically mark them as a no-show and trigger a replacement request right away. That means you can fill the gap faster and avoid the usual last-minute scramble.

Want a comprehensive guide on how to reduce no-shows in event staffing? Make sure to check out this post. 

5. To Prepare Your Agency to Scale

Did you know that only 22% of new businesses launched in the last ten years have successfully scaled? There are plenty of reasons why businesses don’t scale and just as many ways to improve your chances. One of the smartest moves you can make to scale is investing in automation. From shift management to even running payroll, automation keeps your staffing process consistent, organized, and manageable, even when you’re dealing with hundreds of staff, back-to-back events, or last-minute changes.

How to Start Automating Your Repetitive Staffing Tasks 

Automating your staffing process isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Here’s a five-step guide on how you can get started right away:

1. Identify your most repetitive staffing tasks by reviewing what happens most often or asking your team through quick surveys or interviews.
2. Choose a platform that fits your team’s size, daily workflow, and staffing needs, whether it’s a simple tool like Google Forms or a full-featured solution like StaffConnect.
3. Train your team by walking them through how to confirm shifts, update availability, and request changes so they can start using the system with ease.
4. Test automation using one simple workflow, such as shift reminders or availability collection, to gauge team response and resolve any issues early on.
5. Review, adjust, and expand by improving your first workflow, then gradually add features like auto-fill for cancellations or automated onboarding based on feedback and results.

Start Automating Repetitive Staffing Tasks With StaffConnect

If you’re still managing schedules and callouts by hand, you’re likely spending more hours than you need to. StaffConnect helps you get that time back. From building schedules faster to handling last-minute changes, everything happens in just a few clicks. You can auto-schedule shifts, send real-time updates, message your team instantly, and track attendance through GPS check-in and check-out. Automated shift reminders keep everyone in sync. Plus, you get a centralized staff database, custom onboarding flows, and payroll-ready timesheets to help you stay organized and compliant from start to finish.

Book a free demo today to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Staffing Tasks Are Easiest to Automate First?

The easiest staffing tasks to automate often depend on how your current process is set up. But in most cases, the best place to start is with scheduling, shift reminders, onboarding, and time tracking. 

2. Will Automation Replace My Scheduling Team?

Automating repetitive staffing tasks means using technology to handle routine work, not replace your team. It takes care of the repetitive tasks like scheduling and reminders so your staff can shift their energy toward the things that really move the needle, like improving coverage plans, solving real-time issues, and building stronger team dynamics.

3. How Do I Know if My Staffing Process Is Ready for Automation?

You’ll know your staffing process is ready for automation if you’re spending too much time on repetitive tasks like scheduling, confirmations, or data entry, and if your team is struggling to keep up during peak periods or last-minute changes.