Most hospitality rosters are built from memory and habit rather than data. The manager remembers roughly how busy last Tuesday was, rosters a similar number of staff, and hopes it works out. A roster built properly is one of the most effective labour cost control tools available to any operator.
Roster Against Revenue, Not Against Habit
Pull your POS data for the last eight to twelve weeks and look at revenue by day and by hour. Build your roster against this data, adjusting for known variables like public holidays or local events. Our labour cost consulting service includes building this kind of data-driven rostering system.
Set a Labour Cost Target and Roster to It
Most successful hospitality venues operate with labour cost between 28 and 35 percent of revenue. Set your target percentage and build your roster to hit it based on projected revenue for each shift.
Build in Flexibility for Genuine Surges
Build a system where you have team members willing to be called in on short notice if a shift is busier than projected, and a clear process for sending someone home early if a shift is quieter than expected.
Avoid Rostering the Same People Every Peak Shift
Rotate experienced staff with newer team members on peak shifts so your bench strength improves over time rather than burning out your best people.
Review the Roster Against Actual Performance Weekly
Compare what you rostered against what actually happened. This weekly review is where the real refinement happens and where most long-term cost savings are found.
Communicate Rosters Early and Clearly
A roster published two weeks in advance, with a fair process for swap requests, reduces friction significantly and improves morale.
If you want help building a rostering system that controls labour cost without compromising service, talk to Pestle and Mortar.