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Why businesses must plan ahead for public holiday rostering

Data indicates there are high rates of absenteeism across all major shift work industries in Australia around public holidays

Country-wide, Australia celebrates seven public holidays each year. This number grows again when state-level holidays are factored in.

However, while office and other professional service workers get a well-deserved break, many industries, such as bars and restaurants, experience a spike in foot traffic as more people are out and about enjoying the public holiday.

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These venues and other sectors, like retail, must decide whether to close on a public holiday and forgo additional revenue. Alternatively, businesses can choose to remain open and contend with potential hurdles such as employees requesting time off, extra costs in wages, or staff absenteeism.

Deputy data indicates there are high rates of absenteeism across all major shift work industries in Australia around public holidays.

Hospitality businesses, for example, saw a 36 percent spike in absenteeism on ANZAC Day this year, compared to the three Thursdays prior.

Being short staffed by just one person as a result of absenteeism can cause significant impact to a venue’s operations and flow, and it is crucial businesses pre-plan for shortcomings ahead of upcoming public holidays, such as Labour Day and Christmas.

Remain aware of changes to compliance policies

To remain compliant with workplace laws, businesses employing shift workers must adhere to a strict set of rules outlined by the Fair Work Ombudsman. This includes everything from making adjustments to rosters and ensuring employers pay correct wage awards.

With regulatory bodies frequently reviewing workplace issues and policies, venues must remain aware of compliance changes to avoid hefty fines and temporary or permanent closures.

Just last year, Fair Work enacted a new public holiday legislation, stating businesses cannot roster employees to work on these days without having their consent first.

Being aware of business requirements, as well as employee rights, will ensure operators are not caught short and can run at full capacity during busy public holidays. This communication will not only ensure businesses abide by the law, but will also foster a culture of higher trust among employees.

Draft rosters in advance to avoid last-minute surprises

Planning out rosters in advance and giving employees sufficient notice of upcoming shifts is beneficial to help bypass any last-minute surprises with workers’ availability.

Deputy data on some of Australia’s biggest public holidays shows that hospitality businesses were scheduling shifts an average of 8.67 days in advance of Australia Day and 7.28 days in advance of ANZAC Day.

While advanced rostering figures differ from venue to venue and day-to-day, forward planning will result in more streamlined workplace management and allow both staff and managers more time to address scheduling issues. This also gives employees greater freedom when it comes to their work hours — something that is often lacking in shift work industries.

Rostering extra staff to be ‘on call’ for public holidays will also help to mitigate absenteeism challenges.

Implement right platforms to handle roster management 

While professional services often think about the tools in their tech stack and how these can improve common issues, this is something that shift work industries should consider too.

For busy times like public holidays, venues can benefit from having a one-stop platform that includes features with real-time updates on the latest regulatory changes, and sophisticated rostering solutions that provide an overview of employee schedules.

Greater visibility into team availability will result in less stress for managers while ensuring employees have access to these solutions on the go as shift work industries move towards a mobile-first approach.

By adhering to compliance standards, forward planning through advanced rostering, and using roster management platforms specifically tailored for shift work, businesses don’t need to fear public holidays.

Instead, venues can capitalise on the influx of patrons, resulting in revenue and operational benefits, as well as strengthening their customer bases.

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