How to Audit Your Staffing Bench Before It Cracks

You might be “fully staffed” — but are you fully covered?

There’s a difference.
At Tandem, we work with child care centers every day that look good on paper… until one absence turns into a scramble. Why? Because the bench isn’t as strong as it seems.

Bench strength isn’t about extra people. It’s about flexibility, depth, and having the right systems in place before something goes wrong.

Here’s how to audit your bench — and strengthen it before the school year ramps up.

✅ 1. Map out your current coverage (not just your hires)

Start by looking at:

• Who’s full-time?

• Who’s part-time?

• Who can float between rooms?

• Who’s actually available during peak hours?

This exercise often reveals that your “coverage” depends heavily on one or two people always being present. That’s a risk worth addressing.

✅ 2. Identify your most vulnerable points

When are you most exposed?

• Mornings before 8:30

• Nap transitions

• Last-minute closings

• Pre-planned vacations

If coverage during these windows relies on luck or heroics, you’ve found a pressure point. That’s where your bench needs support first.

✅ 3. Define who’s in your bench

Your bench isn’t just your core staff. It should include:

• Floaters

• Reliable part-timers

• Trusted substitutes you’ve rebooked

• New candidates waiting on paperwork

When you shift your mindset to include flexible and emerging talent, your bench gets much deeper than it looks on paper.

✅ 4. Don’t wait for a crisis to test your bench

Use the slower summer months to:

• Try out new floaters or subs

• Cross-train staff in multiple rooms

• Block off “what-if” shifts for backup coverage

The best benches aren’t reactive — they’re practiced and ready.

✅ 5. Put a sub strategy in place now

Even if you don’t need one today, having a substitute plan — with preferences, shift needs, and credentials defined — means you’ll be ready when something inevitably comes up.

Tandem makes this easy by letting you set your preferences, request vetted workers on-demand, and track who’s a good fit over time.

📥 Need a tool to get started?

We created a simple worksheet to help you audit your team’s bench and make smart adjustments before fall.

🧸 Crib Notes

Like Cliff Notes, but for child care:

• “Fully staffed” isn’t the same as having reliable, flexible coverage
• Audit your vulnerable times and who’s actually available to step in
• Your bench includes floaters, part-timers, subs, and soon-to-start hires
• Strengthen weak spots now — before the fall rush
• Tandem helps you identify, book, and rebook support you can count on