How to Create a Staff Roster That Controls Labour Cost

Most hospitality rosters are built from memory and habit rather than data. 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. 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 one or two 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 in a structured way so your bench strength improves over time.

Review the Roster Against Actual Performance Weekly

After each week, compare what you rostered against what actually happened. This weekly review is where the real refinement and long-term cost savings are found.

Communicate Rosters Early and Clearly

A roster published two weeks in advance, with a clear and fair process for swap requests, reduces friction significantly.

If you want help building a rostering system that controls labour cost without compromising service, talk to Pestle and Mortar. Our labour cost consulting service covers this in detail for venues across Australia.