Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You schedule two lifeguards because chances are that the pool won't be busy enough to warrant any more.
Even though the weather probably won't cooperate on opening day, you can't be 100 percent sure that it isn't going to be busy. And because the pool is bigger than it was last year, there's a good chance there'll be more kids in the pool than in previous years.
Decisions like these are common, says George Rohman. He is the operations manager for a water park. He adds that the biggest decision is deciding how many staff to bring in and then where to cut back when the pool isn't busy.
"You tread a fine line between what's safe and what's efficient," says Rohman. Safety is the number one concern, but keeping your staffing costs within budget is also important.
If you only schedule two lifeguards for opening day, it's quite possible that you may need more. If you call staff in at the last minute to work, chances are that you won't get anybody to come in.
You can always fill in if you have to, but then your other duties will get neglected. Remember: the budget is important but safety should always come first.