Employee rotas and timesheets

In brief, a rota is a plan of who will work on a particular day and time. They are typically used by businesses that operate outside a set or standard time, such as restaurants, shops, and logistics firms. 

A timesheet documents the hours someone has worked and is generally completed at the start and end of a shift. Shifts are often measured by staff action, e.g. tapping in and out of work using their ID. 

Timesheets are often used by employers to make sure they’re not exceeding the 48-hour working week limit.

A manager or HR department will typically oversee and manage staff rotas. 

However, without the right help or software, rota management can negatively impact the people involved: 

• Managers get bogged down with rota admin instead of leading the team 
• HR staff get stuck fiddling with schedules instead of focusing on strategic people management 
• Employees may suffer if over-subscribed senior colleagues make errors when creating the rota. 

Every business has its own unique rota requirements, but most successful rotas include the following: 

• Each employee’s name listed alongside all relevant information, e.g. their location, the department they’re in, any staffing requirements (such as home-working). 
• Rotas tend to be based on a grid format; if it’s a daily schedule, it will run top to bottom. A weekly schedule typically runs from left to right. 
• Rotas should ideally be digital and created either via spreadsheet or rota management software. 

Cloud-based rota software is a program that helps you manage your rota and is accessible via your PC, phone or digital device. 

• Cloud-based rota software is hosted online; you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection. 

• These centralised hubs allow managers to inform staff of shift changes and updates using one reliable data source. 
• Good cloud-based software includes secured “self-service” apps, so employees can quickly check their hours and make requests. 

Timesheets are used to track and record the hours employees work, ensuring they are paid for all the time they’ve contributed. 

Online timesheets have a number of benefits, especially compared to logging time manually in a logbook or spreadsheet.  

• All timesheet information is in one place, accessible by anyone with secure access and an internet connection. 
• Online timesheets software typically includes automated processes, cutting down on manual admin. 
• Online timesheet software often provides employee self-service portals so staff can easily check and monitor their logged hours. 

For employers, getting rotas and timesheets wrong could mean: 

• You might not be complying with the law, e.g. scheduling employees without legally enforced breaks 
• You over or understaff a shift, leading to overworked or under-motivated staff 
• Your staff may not be paid adequately, leading to low employee morale or lack of trust 
• You get a skewed understanding of staffing requirements, leading to further unrest or poor management. 

By keeping an accurate and well-managed rota, your business can make sure your people are always being paid the National Minimum (or Living) Wage or higher. 

If the rota isn’t managed properly, an employee might end up working too many hours of unpaid overtime. This might bring their hourly pay below the thresholds set by the UK Government, leading to an underpaid employee and the potential for legal action against the company. 

Time-tracking software allows its employees to record time spent on tasks or projects. While it can be a useful tool when applied correctly, it can have its downsides. 

If you use time-tracking software, the CIPD warns there is a danger of presenteeism, as people may feel obliged to come into work when they are not physically or mentally well.  

This approach can also lead to companies focusing too much on the amount of hours worked rather than measuring an employee’s performance based on the quality of the work’s outcome.  

There is no specific difference between a rota and a roster; they both describe a form of scheduling used to manage employees’ time and dictate which shifts people will be working.