Step-by-step workplace guides
Over 60 practical guides covering rostering, HR, payroll, and compliance for Australian small businesses
Running a small business means wearing many hats. We've created these plain-English guides to help you navigate common workforce management tasks — from creating rosters and tracking hours to conducting performance reviews and handling workplace issues.
For official guidance, see the Fair Work Ombudsman, ATO employer obligations, Safe Work Australia, and business.gov.au.
Australian-focused: These guides are written specifically for Australian businesses and reference Fair Work requirements, the National Employment Standards (NES), and relevant modern awards. Always confirm requirements for your specific situation using the Fair Work Ombudsman website.
Rostering & scheduling
Create effective rosters, manage availability, and handle shift changes
How to create a roster
Step-by-step guide to building staff rosters — from Excel spreadsheets to modern rostering software.
How to manage staff availability
Set up a system for collecting and managing employee availability to avoid scheduling conflicts.
How to manage shift swaps
Establish a fair shift swap process that maintains coverage while giving staff flexibility.
How to schedule breaks compliantly
Ensure your rosters include award-compliant meal and rest breaks for all shifts.
How to create a roster template
Design reusable roster templates that save time and ensure consistent scheduling.
How to roster public holidays
Navigate penalty rates, substitute days, and staff requests for public holiday shifts.
How to handle no-shows
Respond effectively when employees miss shifts without notice. Includes documentation templates.
How to communicate roster changes
Tips for notifying staff about schedule changes within award requirements.
How to transition to digital rostering
Move from paper or spreadsheet rosters to digital rostering software smoothly.
How to manage multi-site rosters
Coordinate staff schedules across multiple locations with shared resources.
Industry rostering
Award-specific rostering guides for different industries
How to roster aged care staff
SCHADS Award rostering including 24/7 coverage, minimum staffing, and care minutes.
How to roster childcare staff
Educator-to-child ratios, qualification requirements, and Children's Services Award compliance.
How to roster hospitality staff
Hospitality Award rostering including split shifts, penalty rates, and peak period planning.
How to roster retail staff
General Retail Award compliance including trading hours, casual minimum shifts, and penalties.
How to roster security staff
Security Services Award rostering including licence requirements and fatigue management.
How to roster cleaning staff
Cleaning Services Award compliance including broken shifts and travel time.
How to roster club staff
Registered Clubs Award rostering for RSL, sports, and community clubs.
How to roster healthcare staff
HPSS and Nurses Award rostering including shift loadings and fatigue management.
How to roster construction staff
Building Award rostering including RDOs, FIFO patterns, and shift loadings.
Time & attendance
Track hours, approve timesheets, and implement digital time systems
How to track employee hours
Compare methods for tracking staff hours — timesheets, time clocks, and digital solutions.
How to implement digital clock-in
Set up digital time and attendance systems with photo verification and GPS.
How to approve timesheets
Establish an efficient timesheet approval workflow that catches errors before payroll.
Onboarding & hiring
Bring new employees on board effectively and compliantly
How to onboard a new employee
Complete onboarding checklist from pre-boarding paperwork to 90-day check-ins.
How to write a job description
Create clear, compliant job descriptions that attract the right candidates.
How to run an effective induction
Deliver WHS-compliant inductions that set new starters up for success.
How to conduct reference checks
Verify candidate claims legally and effectively before making offers.
How to manage probation periods
Set expectations, provide feedback, and make fair decisions during probation.
How to create a staff handbook
Build a comprehensive employee handbook that covers all essential policies.
Performance & development
Review performance, address issues, and develop your team
How to conduct a performance review
Run effective performance reviews with preparation checklist and discussion framework.
How to create a PIP
Design performance improvement plans that give underperformers a fair chance.
How to write a warning letter
Document performance or conduct issues with legally compliant written warnings.
Employee relations
Handle complaints, grievances, and workplace issues fairly
How to handle a workplace complaint
Fair and compliant process for receiving, assessing, and resolving employee complaints.
How to conduct a workplace investigation
Run fair, thorough workplace investigations for misconduct and complaints.
How to handle employee grievances
Resolve workplace grievances through a structured, fair process.
How to respond to flexible work requests
Assess and respond to flexible work arrangement requests compliantly.
How to conduct an exit interview
Gather valuable insights from departing employees to improve retention.
Termination & offboarding
End employment relationships fairly and compliantly
Leave management
Calculate and manage all types of employee leave
How to calculate leave entitlements
Calculate annual leave, personal leave, and long service leave for Australian employees.
How to manage annual leave requests
Set up a fair system for approving and tracking annual leave across your team.
How to manage sick leave requests
Handle personal/carer's leave requests including evidence requirements.
How to manage parental leave
Navigate parental leave entitlements, notice requirements, and return to work.
How to calculate pro-rata leave
Accurately calculate part-time and casual employee leave entitlements.
How to calculate long service leave
State-by-state guide to long service leave entitlements and calculations.
How to manage return to work
Support employees returning from injury, illness, or extended leave.
Payroll & pay
Calculate pay, manage awards, and ensure payroll compliance
How to calculate payroll from timesheets
Turn approved timesheets into accurate payroll including overtime and penalties.
How to conduct a payroll audit
7-step payroll audit checklist covering records, tax compliance, and superannuation.
How to calculate penalty rates
Apply weekend, public holiday, and overtime loadings correctly by award.
How to find which award applies
Identify the correct modern award for your employees using the coverage test.
How to handle casual conversion
Navigate casual conversion requests and employer obligations under the Fair Work Act.
How to calculate overtime costs
Calculate and forecast overtime costs to manage labour budgets effectively.
How to reconcile payroll
Match payroll records to timesheets and bank statements to catch errors.
How to complete EOFY payroll
End of financial year payroll checklist including STP finalisation and reporting.
How to integrate payroll and rostering
Connect your rostering and payroll systems for smooth data flow.
How to conduct a pay equity audit
Identify and address gender pay gaps with this practical audit framework.
Policies & procedures
Write and implement workplace policies that protect your business
How to write a workplace policy
Complete guide to writing workplace policies for Australian businesses.
How to write a workplace procedure
Create clear workplace procedures and SOPs that staff can follow consistently.
How to implement a new policy
Roll out new policies with proper consultation, communication, and training.
Compliance & WHS
Meet your legal obligations and maintain a safe workplace
How to conduct a WHS assessment
Identify workplace hazards and implement controls to keep staff safe.
How to respond to Fair Work claims
Handle unfair dismissal and general protections claims step by step.
How to track employee certifications
Maintain current records of licences, certifications, and required training.
How to conduct an HR audit
Review your HR practices for compliance gaps before they become problems.
HR administration
Simplify HR processes and delegate effectively
More resources
Additional guides and tools to help you run your business.
Award rates hub
Complete guide to Australian Modern Awards with pay rates and penalty calculations.
Learn moreFree HR templates
Ready-to-use policy templates, checklists, and HR documents for Australian businesses.
Learn moreIndustry guides
Rostering and compliance guidance tailored to your specific industry.
Learn moreJob descriptions
Role-specific job description templates with award classifications.
Learn moreInsights
Data-driven research on Australian workforce trends and compliance.
Learn moreHow-to guides FAQ
- The How to create a roster guide walks through roster building from scratch—whether using spreadsheets or rostering software. It covers shift planning, staff allocation, and publishing schedules.
- Our availability management guide explains setting up systems to collect and track when staff can work, avoiding scheduling conflicts, and using availability data to build better rosters.
- The time tracking guide compares methods from paper timesheets to digital time clocks, explaining accuracy requirements, record-keeping obligations, and integration with payroll.
- Our guides address common scenarios like managing casual staff pools, handling shift swaps, planning for peak periods, and ensuring award-compliant rosters with correct break and overtime calculations.
- Guides explain concepts applicable to any method, then show how RosterElf features like drag-and-drop scheduling, templates, and auto-scheduling simplify each task.
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