Rostering Compliance: Ensuring Your Hotel Meets Legal Standards 

Keeping up with rostering laws is key to running a fair, smooth, and legally compliant operation. This blog post provides tips on ensuring your hotel meets legal standards and highlights where to find the relevant regulations for the EU, Ireland, and the UK. 

Understanding Rostering Compliance in Hospitality 

Rostering compliance in the hospitality industry involves adhering to various regulations designed to protect both employees and employers. These regulations typically cover the following key areas: 

• Working Hours and Overtime: Regulations often specify maximum working hours andmandatory rest periods 

• Breaks and Rest Periods: Employees are entitled to breaks and rest periods to ensure their health and well-being. 

• Record Keeping and Documentation: Maintaining accurate records of working hours, breaks, and overtime is essential for compliance. 
  

Tips for Ensuring Rostering Compliance 

• Automate Scheduling Processes: Utilise rostering software that automatically calculates working hours, rest periods, and overtime, ensuring every roster complies with relevant laws. Automation reduces the risk of human error and saves valuable time. 

• Real-Time Monitoring: Implement systems that provide real-time monitoring and alerts if a schedule breaches legal limits. This proactive approach helps prevent non-compliance before it happens. 

• Comprehensive Reporting: Maintain detailed records of all rostering activities, including shift assignments and break times. These records should be easily accessible for audits and provide a clear trail of compliance. 

• Training and Support: Provide extensive training for your team to ensure they are fully equipped to manage rostering effectively. Continuous education on compliance-related matters helps maintain adherence to regulations. 

• Regular Audits and Reviews: Conduct regular internal audits and reviews of rostering practices to ensure ongoing compliance. Address any issues promptly and update practices as necessary. 

• Stay Informed: Keep up to date with changes in labour laws and regulations. Join industry associations and participate in relevant workshops and seminars to stay informed about best practices and legal updates. 

Expert Tips from Dave Byrne, ex-hotelier and CCO at Alkimii 

• Advance Publishing: Publish your rosters in advance to allow your team to make plans and improve their quality of life and work-life balance. Agree on the day and time that next week's roster will be published and be consistent with it. 

• Compliance with Work Visas: Make sure you are not rostering employees with expired work visas or over rostering their permitted hours. 

• Enhanced Rosters: Enhance your rosters with notes about what is happening in the business at that time. Put in roster notes in advance for big events, which will help HODs decide on rostering levels and holiday approvals at critical times for the business. 

• Break Monitoring: Ensure that your team is getting their breaks and have the records to hand. Alkimii makes it easy to spot who is and isn’t clocking for breaks and spotting trends. 
  

“Good rostering practices in the hospitality industry are game-changers. They ensure that shifts are fair, workloads are balanced, and staff get enough notice and rest, which boosts morale and reduces burnout. Happy, well-rested employees are more likely to stick around, cutting down on costly turnover. Plus, consistent schedules help staff manage their personal lives better, increasing job satisfaction and loyalty”  

- David Byrne. 

 

Where to Find Regulations 

For accurate and detailed information on rostering regulations, refer to the following resources: 

European Union: The European Commission's Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion website provides comprehensive information on labour laws and working time regulations across EU member states. 

Ireland: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) offers guidance on employment laws, including working hours, breaks, and rostering practices. 

United Kingdom: The UK Government's official website contains information on the Working Time Regulations, including details on working hours, rest periods, and record-keeping requirements.