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Duty rosters are a vital component of many businesses' day-to-day operations. But what exactly is one, and how does it work? We’ve made it our duty to answer all your questions about duty rosters, giving you everything you need to know in one place.
What is a duty roster?
Sometimes called a rota, a work schedule or simply a roster, a duty roster outlines when and where an employee is expected to work. Duty rosters can be as simple as a list of names and times, or more complex with details of specific tasks, locations, and types of shift.
Duty rosters are generally used for:
- Work shifts (morning, afternoon, night)
- Specific job roles or tasks
- Time-off and leave management
- Emergency coverage or on-call staff
This type of schedule can be created on paper, in spreadsheets, or using specific scheduling software.
Read more about scheduling software from Planday.
What should a duty roster include?
Duty rosters can contain all sorts of different information, and some will be much more detailed than others. But in general, most duty rosters will need to include:
Employee names
The roster should list all employees and their assigned roles or where they work. This helps to quickly identify who is scheduled to work at any given time.
Shift times and dates
Every roster obviously needs to include the day and specific shift that each employee is expected to work. This way, everyone knows when they are working and hours can be easily tracked.
Roles and responsibilities
In some workplaces, a duty roster includes not just shift times but also specific roles or tasks for each employee. In a restaurant for example, the roster might specify who is working on the bar, who’s in the kitchen, and who is waiting tables.
Leave and time-off requests
The best duty rosters will also have details of when employees are off sick or on holiday, so cover can be arranged for them and there is always enough staff on duty.
Why use a duty roster?
A well-structured, organised duty roster is absolutely invaluable for any business - for both the business owners and managers, and for the staff.
- Improved operations: all shifts and tasks are covered to make sure everything runs smoothly
- Employee satisfaction: staff know exactly when and where they’re working in advance.
- Legal compliance: a detailed duty roster helps businesses stay compliant with regulations.
- Reduced absenteeism: employees have more time to prepare for work, so they’re less likely to miss shifts.
- Reduced overlap: planning rosters in advance reduces the risk of overstaffing on particular shifts.
What are the challenges of a duty roster?
While the benefits of a duty roster are obvious, managing them can be an ongoing challenge. Unexpected absences can disrupt the roster and create staffing shortages, while managing multiple leave requests, time-off, and shift swaps can lead to confusion or overlaps.
Read more: 5 ways scheduling software can improve your business
And industries with high staff turnover, such as hospitality, keeping the duty roster up-to-date can be a constant challenge. New employees need to be integrated into the schedule, and shift changes may need to happen more frequently.
The key to overcoming these challenges is being flexible and planning rota schedules ahead as much as possible. By planning in advance and giving your staff the flexibility to swap shifts or request time off, you can plan for most eventualities before they happen.
Start creating better duty rosters
Planday’s smart scheduling software allows you to quickly create duty rosters that work for everyone, so you and your teams can work better together.
