Staff rostering policy template
The house rules for the roster, written down once: when it is published, how availability is given, how swaps and leave are asked for, and how a wrong timesheet is fixed. The example wording is for a small cafe.
| Section | What the policy says |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To set out how rosters are built, published and changed, so everybody knows what to expect. |
| Who it applies to | All employees of Harbourside Coffee. |
| When rosters are published | Rosters are published by Thursday at 17:00 for the week starting the following Monday. |
| How availability is given and updated | Availability is given by the hour in the app, and updated at least a week before it changes. |
| Changes after publishing | A published roster is changed only by a manager, who tells the people affected. |
| Shift swaps | Swaps are agreed between the two people and approved by a manager before the roster changes. |
| Leave and time off | Leave is requested in the app at least two weeks ahead where possible. Unpaid time off is asked for before the roster is built. |
| Sick calls and absences | Call the manager on duty as early as possible, and before the shift starts. |
| Breaks | Breaks are taken as the award or agreement requires, at times agreed with the manager on the day. |
| Clocking in and out | Clock in when you start work and clock out when you finish, on your own phone. |
| Timesheet corrections | A wrong or missing time is fixed by a correction request with a reason, and a manager decides it. |
| Raising a concern | Speak with the owner, or use the contact details in your employment documents. |
| Review date | Reviewed each year in March. |
What is in the file
- Template, blank, with each section down the side and room for the answer.
- Example, the same sheet filled in for Harbourside Coffee.
- How to use, with the steps and the mistakes below.
How to fill it in
- Replace the example wording with what your business actually does.
- Check each section against the award or agreement that covers your staff, especially roster changes, breaks and notice.
- Share it with staff and keep it somewhere they can find it.
- Review it whenever the way you roster changes.
Common mistakes
- A policy that promises something the award does not allow, or leaves out something it requires
- Rules written down one way and run another way on the floor
- A policy nobody was ever shown
When a spreadsheet stops being enough
Roster Flow builds much of this policy into the product: availability by the hour, swaps approved by a manager, leave requested from a phone, and corrections asked for with a reason.
Questions
What is on the staff rostering policy template?
13 sections down the side, running from purpose to review date. The example beside them is filled in for Harbourside Coffee: publishing, availability, swaps, leave and corrections, in one policy.
Does the staff rostering policy template work anything out for you?
No. It is a document with 13 sections to answer in your own words, not a calculator. Nothing on it is a formula.
Can I use the staff rostering policy template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Open rostering-policy.xlsx from Google Drive, or use File, then Import, then Upload with rostering-policy.csv. The document and its example come across either way.
Is the wording in the staff rostering policy template ready to use as it is?
The staff rostering policy template is a starting point for Harbourside Coffee or any business like it, to adapt rather than sign. The wording was checked against the official sources on 18 September 2026, it is not legal advice, and it has not been through a workplace relations professional.