While a night manager’s specific tasks and responsibilities vary by industry, in general, he or she will supervise other employees working the night shift and handle any managerial responsibilities assigned to him or her. Night managers in retail typically oversee incoming inventory and stocking, whereas night managers in hotels frequently assist guests with issues overnight. A night manager may also handle other types of common managerial tasks, such as payroll, employee scheduling, and making overnight bank deposits in some businesses.
A night manager is usually in charge of running a business during the night shift, also known as the graveyard shift or third shift. Night managers in the hospitality industry, such as at a hotel, usually supervise the work of other night shift employees while also assisting guests with check-in and other needs. This can include notifying maintenance of any issues, such as light bulbs that need to be replaced or spills that need to be cleaned up, as well as answering phone calls, assisting guests with any needs they may have, and making reservations for future guests.
Large retail stores frequently hire a night manager to run a store while it is open overnight or to work with an overnight crew to receive inventory and stock shelves. The manager will not only supervise the operations of a store that is open overnight, but will also ensure that associates are working. Employees may perceive a night shift as an opportunity to work less hard or take longer breaks and lunches; having a night manager on hand can help prevent this attitude and ensure employee productivity.
A night manager may also be in charge of dealing with the more administrative aspects of his or her job. This usually entails scheduling night shift employees, dealing with payroll issues, making overnight deposits for the company, and ensuring that the company is ready to resume daytime operations the next morning. Because many businesses are closed at night, night managers may have less opportunity to interact with customers, so task completion may be more important.
Working the night shift can come with a number of advantages. A night manager, for example, may be paid slightly more than other managers. To compensate for the overnight hours, hotels frequently provide free rooms to night managers, and businesses such as hospitals may also provide free meals to night workers and managers. Even if the business is open overnight, some businesses do not have a night manager; this is usually the case for businesses with only one or two employees working overnight.