Team & Operations
How to get part-time staff counting stock accurately from day one
Peckish Team
10
min read
In most venues, one person does the stocktake. Usually it's the manager who knows where everything lives, which shelf holds the backup gin and how to count a half-empty keg. When they're off sick or on holiday, the count simply doesn't happen.
It doesn't have to depend on one person. With the right setup, a part-time bartender on their second shift can run a count you trust. Here's how to get there.
Why stocktakes fall on one person
Counting stock is rarely hard. What makes it hard to hand over is everything around it:
Product names on the sheet don't match the labels on the shelf.
Nobody wrote down the order to count areas in, so newcomers miss a fridge.
Mistakes only show up days later, when nobody remembers what happened.
"I was the only one who could do the count, so I did it on my day off. That's not a system, that's a habit."
— Tom Ashby, Owner, The Ferryman's Rest
What makes a count easy to hand over
A count anyone can do has three things in common:
Clear areas. The venue is split into named zones, like back bar, cellar and dry store, and each zone is counted in the same order every time.
No guesswork on products. Items are recognised from the video, so staff don't have to know every brand by name.
A safety net. The footage is saved, so a manager can check a doubtful number later without recounting the shelf.
"The new starters actually prefer it. They film the shelf, check what the app found and move on. No clipboard, no maths."
— Aisha Rahman, Bar Supervisor, Lowfield Brewhouse
One site's first month
Here's how a mid-sized pub shared the count over its first four weeks.
Week | Who counted | Time taken | Items flagged for recount |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Manager only | 3 h 40 min | 38 |
2 | Manager and 1 bartender | 1 h 50 min | 21 |
3 | 2 part-time bartenders | 55 min | 12 |
4 | 2 part-time bartenders | 48 min | 9 |
Figures are illustrative. Recounts drop as staff get used to filming each area steadily.
How to roll it out across your team
Start small and let the process prove itself:
Pair up for the first count. A manager films one area while a new counter watches, then they swap.
Split the venue. Give each person their own areas, so two people finish in half the time.
Review together once. Go through the flagged items after the first solo count, then step back.
"Across our sites, the count no longer depends on who's on shift. Any trained team member can do it."
— Dan Kowalski, Area Manager, Riverbend Pub Co.
The bottom line
A stocktake that only one person can do will eventually be skipped. Make the process simple enough for anyone on shift, and counting becomes a routine instead of a favour. This week, ask one team member to count a single area with you.
Ready to try it? Start your 14-day free trial and invite your team to their first stocktake.
