For managers, a bloated labour budget is a constant headache. But cutting hours haphazardly destroys morale and service. The secret? Strategic rostering. Here are five data-driven hacks to tighten your schedule and protect your bottom line.

1. Master the Art of Demand Forecasting

The Hack: Stop guessing and start predicting. Use last week's sales, foot traffic data, or event calendars to staff precisely for busy and quiet periods.
GetMyRoster Tool: Our Integrated Analytics Dashboard visualises historical demand, helping you build a roster that matches staff levels to predicted revenue, eliminating costly overstaffing.

2. Implement a Strategic Overtime Approval Gate

The Hack: Make overtime the exception, not the rule. Require manager approval for any overtime shift in advance.
GetMyRoster Tool: Set up automated Overtime Alerts. The system flags any shift that risks pushing an employee into overtime, allowing you to proactively adjust the schedule or approve the cost.

3. Create a "Flex Pool" of Part-Time & On-Call Staff

The Hack: Cover peaks without full-time overhead. Maintain a list of trusted part-timers or on-call staff you can deploy during unexpected rushes or for last-minute call-outs.
GetMyRoster Tool: Use our Broadcast Shift feature to instantly send open shift notifications to your qualified flex pool, filling gaps quickly without mandating overtime for core staff.

4. Analyse and Attack "Time Theft" Leakage

The Hack: Small leaks sink budgets. Common time theft includes early clock-ins, extended breaks, and buddy punching. Even 5 minutes per employee per day adds up.
GetMyRoster Tool: Our Time & Attendance integration provides accurate clock-in/out data, generating reports that highlight discrepancies between scheduled and worked hours for review.

5. Optimise Shift Start/End Times by 15 Minutes

The Hack: A 15-minute shift overlap for handover might be unnecessary. Analyse if a 9:00-5:30 shift could be 9:00-5:15 without impacting operations. This micro-adjustment across multiple employees saves significant weekly wage spend.
GetMyRoster Tool: The Schedule Compare Report lets you model the cost impact of small timing changes before you publish, so you can optimise with confidence.

Turn Hacks into Habits

Controlling labor costs is an ongoing process of measurement and adjustment. The right tools provide the visibility and control you need.
Ready to see the savings? Try GetMyRoster Free. Use our cost-tracking and forecasting tools to turn your roster into a strategic asset for financial control.