Glossary
3 min read
Hospitality rosters: everything you need to know
Alex Francis
Nov 29, 2024
Everything you need to know
Rosters have you scratching your head? Don’t fret. Here, we’ll break down exactly what rosters are, the types you might find used by hospitality businesses and what you should include in yours.
What is a roster?
An employee roster, or rota, is a detailed schedule that outlines which days (or weeks) and shifts each employee is working.
Hospitality businesses couldn’t work without rosters. They make it possible to manage staff availability, optimise workflows and make sure the business runs properly and efficiently.
You can create rosters using pen and paper, a spreadsheet or even dedicated scheduling software. However you make your rosters, to work properly it needs to make sure enough team members are available at the right times.
By highlighting when and where each employee will work, rosters can help manage your staffing costs, make sure you always offer a high level of service and avoid staff shortages or overstaffing.
Read more: Knowing your team is key to planning three weeks ahead
What should a roster include?
No two rosters are the same, but generally they all include:
Employee names and positions
A roster typically lists all team members, along with their job titles (like bartender, chef, housekeeper, waiting staff, manager).
Shift times and dates
Each employee's working hours, including the start and end times of their shifts, and which days they’re scheduled to work.
Location
For larger teams, specific tasks or locations may be indicated (such as a specific bar, a server in the restaurant, housekeeping in specific rooms).
Availability and time-off requests
Team members can also indicate their availability or submit requests for time off, which are considered while creating the roster.
Special notes and reminders
Your roster might also include extra Information about specific employee needs, like training or someone starting a shift a little later.
What types of roster are there?
Again, the type of roster you need will depend on your business. Larger businesses, or ones with multiple sites, might need more complex rosters or more than one to cover the whole operation. But the main types of roster are:
Weekly rosters
The most common type of hospitality roster shows employees’ work schedules for one, two or even three weeks. This format allows managers to plan for busy periods and adjust staffing accordingly.
Daily rosters
This is generally a more detailed rota that breaks down daily shifts, and may change from day to day based on anticipated guest demand or business operations.
Flexible or shift-based rosters
These are often used in larger businesses or those with fluctuating business levels, where employees might rotate between different roles or work varying hours.
Read more: How to create a staff roster
Rostering challenges
As with any part of running a hospitality business, designing your roster can be challenging. One common issue is staffing shortages and high team turnover, which can lead to gaps in your rotas. One way to solve this is by scheduling ahead as much as possible, so staff know their hours well in advance and can plan their time better.
Seasonal changes are also tricky. Lots of businesses have peak seasons, when more staff might be needed for longer shifts, and off-seasons, when fewer staff are needed. Your roster needs to account for these changes, and you’ll need to plan in advance to be ready for them.
Read more: How to cope with holiday season demand
You’ll also need to consider employees’ preferences and availability, as well as their wellbeing. Your roster should balance the needs and wants of your team, such as preferred days off, with the needs of your business.
It’s important to work with your team when designing your rota, so their needs are met as best as possible and they feel happy and motivated to come to work.
Creating rosters is easy with Planday. And with a wealth of management and admin features, everything else gets easier too.
If you liked that, you'll love this
