How to roster security staff
A complete guide to rostering security guards in Australia, including Security Services Award compliance, roster cycles, break requirements, and 24/7 coverage strategies.
Written by
Georgia Morgan
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General information only – not legal advice
This guide provides general information about rostering under the Security Services Award. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Why security rostering is complex
Security rostering presents unique challenges that set it apart from other industries. This guide adapts general rostering methods for security-specific compliance. Unlike traditional shift work, security operations require continuous 24/7 coverage across multiple sites, while managing strict licensing requirements, fatigue management obligations, and high penalty rate exposure.
Australian security firms must roster full-time, part-time, and casual employees under the Security Services Industry Award 2020, which sets out specific roster cycle requirements, minimum break periods, and penalty rate obligations that differ from other industries.
The complexity multiplies when managing mobile patrol officers who work across multiple client sites, each with specific coverage requirements, versus static guards assigned to fixed locations. Factor in licence expiry tracking, site-specific training requirements, and the need to respond to emergency call-outs, and security rostering becomes one of the most challenging scheduling tasks in Australian business. Learn more about security workforce management at our security industry page.
Industry benchmark: Security businesses typically operate on 60-75% labour costs for contracts, making accurate roster planning and cost control critical to profitability. Even small rostering errors can turn profitable contracts into losses.
Security rostering challenges
Security managers face distinct rostering challenges that require specialized strategies and tools. Understanding these challenges is the first step to implementing effective solutions.
Challenge
24/7 continuous coverage
Impact
Sites cannot operate unstaffed. Even brief gaps expose clients to security breaches and contract penalties.
Solution
Build overlapping rosters with buffer guards and maintain a qualified casual pool for emergency coverage.
Challenge
Licence and certification tracking
Impact
Rostering unlicensed guards creates legal liability and contract breaches. Licence requirements vary by state and role.
Solution
Use rostering software that tracks licence expiry dates and prevents scheduling expired guards. Monitor renewal deadlines.
Challenge
Fatigue management
Impact
Tired guards make critical security errors. Award requires minimum 8-hour breaks between shifts to manage fatigue risks.
Solution
Enforce minimum break requirements using break compliance tools and track consecutive shifts to prevent fatigue accumulation.
Challenge
Multi-site assignments
Impact
Guards need site-specific training and clearances. Mobile patrol officers cover multiple locations in one shift.
Solution
Track site qualifications per guard and use GPS tracking to verify patrol coverage across locations.
Challenge
High penalty rate exposure
Impact
Weekend rates (150% Saturday, 200% Sunday) and night loadings (15%) significantly increase labour costs for 24/7 operations.
Solution
Use payroll calculators during roster planning to forecast costs and balance coverage with budget constraints.
Challenge
Emergency call-outs
Impact
Sick leave, no-shows, or alarm responses require immediate backfill. Late-notice changes attract penalty rates or overtime.
Solution
Maintain on-call casual roster, enable shift swaps, and use SMS alerts to fill gaps quickly.
6 steps to security staff rostering
Follow these steps to create compliant and effective security rosters under the Security Services Award.
Understand roster cycle requirements
Plan rosters within allowable roster cycles of 2-8 weeks.
Key requirements:
- Full-time: 38 hours per week (or average over roster cycle)
- Roster cycles can be 2-8 weeks
- Maximum 48 ordinary hours without a 48-hour long break
- Advance notice required for rosters
Plan minimum break requirements
Ensure adequate rest between shifts to comply with fatigue management rules.
Key requirements:
- Minimum 8 hours between shifts
- Less than 8 hours = overtime until 8-hour break taken
- Maximum 48 ordinary hours without 48-hour long break
- Consider travel time when planning turnarounds
Handle broken shifts correctly
Apply broken shift rules when splitting shifts across the day.
Key requirements:
- Broken shifts: up to 2 periods of duty per day
- Minimum 3 hours for each period of duty
- Broken shift allowance must be paid
- Employee agreement may be required
Apply penalty rates for 24/7 coverage
Calculate correct rates for night, weekend, and public holiday shifts.
Key requirements:
- Saturday: 150% (full-time/part-time)
- Sunday: 200% (full-time/part-time)
- Night shift (midnight-6am): Additional loadings
- Public holidays: 250%
Manage roster changes properly
Follow notice requirements when changing shifts.
Key requirements:
- 7 days' notice for roster changes (or shorter if agreed)
- Without proper notice: overtime rates apply
- Document all roster change agreements
- Consider impact on employee's other commitments
Plan for 12-hour shifts if required
Understand how to implement 12-hour rosters compliantly.
Key requirements:
- 12-hour rosters possible via regular overtime or IFA
- Ensure adequate breaks within 12-hour shifts
- Monitor fatigue indicators
- Consider 4 on/4 off or similar patterns
Security break requirements
Key break requirements under the Security Services Award to ensure compliant scheduling and fatigue management.
Between shifts
Minimum: 8 hours
Overtime until 8-hour break achieved
Long break
Minimum: 48 consecutive hours
After every 48 ordinary hours in roster cycle
Meal break
Minimum: 30 minutes unpaid
After 5 hours of work
Rest break
Minimum: 10 minutes paid
Per 4 hours worked
Fatigue management tip: Use break compliance calculators to verify roster schedules meet minimum break requirements before publishing to guards.
Security penalty rates
Key penalty rates under the Security Services Award for 24/7 operations.
| Period | Full-time/Part-time | Casual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday-Friday (ordinary) | 100% | 125% | Base rate |
| Saturday | 150% | 175% | All hours |
| Sunday | 200% | 200% | All hours |
| Public Holiday | 250% | 275% | + substitute day for FT |
| Night shift (midnight-6am) | +15% | +15% | Loading on base rate |
| Afternoon shift (6pm-midnight) | +10% | +10% | Loading on base rate |
Cost calculation tip: Weekend and night shift penalties can increase security labour costs by 50-100%. Use the overtime & penalty rate calculator to accurately forecast roster costs.
Security shift patterns for 24/7 coverage
Common shift structures and rotation patterns used in the security industry to maintain continuous site coverage.
Day shift
6:00am - 2:00pm / 7:00am - 3:00pm
Duration: 8 hours
Standard day coverage
Afternoon shift
2:00pm - 10:00pm / 3:00pm - 11:00pm
Duration: 8 hours
Attracts afternoon loading after 6pm
Night shift
10:00pm - 6:00am / 11:00pm - 7:00am
Duration: 8 hours
Attracts night loading midnight-6am
12-hour day
6:00am - 6:00pm
Duration: 12 hours
Requires overtime/IFA arrangement
12-hour night
6:00pm - 6:00am
Duration: 12 hours
Requires overtime/IFA, night loading applies
Popular security rotation patterns:
4-on-4-off rotation:
Work 4 consecutive 12-hour shifts, then 4 days off. Provides predictable schedules and extended rest periods. Most common for static site guards.
12-hour Panama (2-2-3):
Work 2 days, off 2 days, work 3 days, off 2 days, work 2 days, off 3 days (repeats). Ensures every other weekend off. Popular for 24/7 operations with two shifts.
8-hour 3-shift rotation:
Day/afternoon/night shifts rotating weekly or monthly. Distributes unpopular shifts fairly across team. Requires larger staff pool but reduces overtime exposure.
Demand forecasting for security
Unlike retail or hospitality where demand follows foot traffic, security demand is contractually defined. However, understanding demand patterns helps optimize roster efficiency and maintain service quality.
Contract coverage requirements
Review each client contract for:
- Required guard hours per day/week
- Minimum guards on-site simultaneously
- Coverage span (24/7, business hours, overnight only)
- Response time requirements for call-outs
Seasonal and event-based demand
Plan roster capacity for:
- Retail peak seasons (Christmas, Black Friday)
- Special events requiring additional guards
- Construction site progression and access changes
- Known leave periods (holidays, school terms)
Forecasting tip: Maintain a casual guard pool of 20-30% above core requirements to handle sick leave, annual leave, and contract variations without overtime exposure.
Cost control for security rosters
Security contracts operate on tight margins (typically 60-75% labour costs). Effective roster cost control is essential for profitability while maintaining service quality and award compliance.
Calculate security staff costs
Use our free Payroll Cost Calculator to estimate true employee costs including super, penalty rates, and casual loading for 24/7 security rosters.
Monitor penalty rate exposure
Weekend and night shifts attract significant penalty rates. Track your roster's penalty exposure:
Saturday shifts
150% (FT/PT) | 175% (Casual)
Sunday shifts
200% (All employment types)
Night loading (midnight-6am)
+15% on base rate
Public holidays
250% (FT/PT) | 275% (Casual)
Overtime vs casual trade-offs
When covering additional hours, calculate the most cost-effective option:
- Overtime: 150-200% of base rate, but no super or WorkCover on overtime component
- Casuals: 125% loading plus 11.5% super, but more flexibility and no leave entitlements
- Part-time additional hours: Ordinary rates up to 38 hours/week average, then overtime
Calculate penalty rates instantly
Use our Overtime & Penalty Rate Calculator to instantly calculate weekend, night, and overtime rates for security guards under the Security Services Award.
Technology for security rostering
Modern security operations require purpose-built rostering technology to manage 24/7 coverage, licence tracking, site assignments, and award compliance. Manual rostering with spreadsheets becomes unmanageable beyond 10-15 guards.
Licence and certification tracking
Rostering software prevents scheduling guards with expired licences by tracking expiry dates and blocking assignments. Essential for compliance and avoiding contract breaches.
GPS tracking for patrols
GPS clock-in verifies mobile patrol officers are visiting assigned sites at required intervals. Provides audit trail for client reporting and billing accuracy.
Real-time shift coverage alerts
Automatic alerts when shifts are uncovered due to sick leave or no-shows. Enables rapid backfill by notifying available guards via SMS or push notification.
Award interpretation automation
Automatic penalty rate and overtime calculations based on Security Services Award rules. Prevents underpayment risks and reduces manual payroll processing time.
Automation benefit: Security firms using rostering software report 70-80% reduction in roster admin time and 90%+ reduction in compliance errors compared to spreadsheet rostering.
Security rostering best practices
Proven strategies for effective and compliant security rostering operations.
Use roster cycles
Plan rosters in 4-week cycles to balance hours and ensure long breaks are scheduled.
Monitor fatigue
Track consecutive shifts and turnaround times to manage fatigue risks.
Cross-train guards
Train guards across multiple sites to provide flexibility and coverage.
Maintain casual pool
Build relationships with licensed casual guards for emergency coverage.
Track licensing
Monitor security license expiry dates and ensure all guards are current.
Plan for events
Build capacity for events and peak periods requiring additional guards.
Common security rostering mistakes
Avoid these costly errors that can lead to compliance breaches and contract penalties.
Insufficient break between shifts
Consequence: Overtime payable until 8-hour break achieved
Solution: Build minimum 8-hour gaps into roster templates, account for travel time
Exceeding 48 hours without long break
Consequence: Breach of roster cycle requirements
Solution: Track cumulative hours in roster cycle and schedule 48-hour breaks
Not paying shift loadings
Consequence: Underpayment for afternoon (10%) and night (15%) work
Solution: Apply correct loadings for all hours worked in loading periods
Roster changes without notice
Consequence: Overtime rates payable for hours outside original roster
Solution: Give 7 days' notice or obtain written agreement for shorter notice
Broken shift minimum not met
Consequence: Must pay for 3 hours even if worked less
Solution: Ensure each broken shift period is at least 3 hours
RosterElf for security operations
RosterElf is purpose-built for Australian security businesses, with specialized features to manage licence compliance, site assignments, and 24/7 shift coverage under the Security Services Award.
Licence tracking & compliance
Automatically track security licence expiry dates and prevent scheduling unlicensed guards. Set renewal reminders 30/60/90 days before expiry.
Site-specific assignments
Assign guards to specific client sites with site-specific training and clearance tracking. Ensure only qualified guards work at each location.
24/7 shift management
Build rosters for continuous site coverage with automatic conflict detection. Visual gaps alert you to uncovered shifts before publishing.
Award interpretation
Automatic penalty rate and overtime calculations for Security Services Award. Real-time labour cost forecasting as you build rosters.
Free tools for security rostering
Access free calculators and templates to help plan security rosters, manage costs, and ensure award compliance.
Payroll cost calculator
Calculate true employee costs including super, penalty rates, and casual loading.
Overtime & penalty rate calculator
Instantly calculate weekend, night, and overtime rates under the Security Services Award.
Break compliance calculator
Verify your roster meets minimum break requirements for fatigue management.
Free roster templates
Download Excel and Google Sheets templates for security shift planning.
Frequently asked questions
- Under the Security Services Award, full-time employees must work an average of 38 ordinary hours per week over a roster cycle of 2-8 weeks. This allows flexibility to work longer weeks balanced by shorter weeks. Within any roster cycle, you cannot roster more than 48 ordinary hours without a long break of at least 48 consecutive hours.
- While the weekly average must be 38 hours (full-time), guards can work more in individual weeks as long as it averages out. The key limits are: maximum 48 ordinary hours without a 48-hour break, minimum 8 hours between shifts, and compliance with fatigue management requirements.
- Employers must give 7 days' notice for roster changes, unless a shorter period is agreed. If insufficient notice is given, any time worked outside the previously notified starting and finishing time must be paid at overtime rates.
- Yes, but the employee must agree to the shorter notice period. If they don't agree and work the changed hours anyway, overtime rates apply. Document all short-notice roster changes and employee agreements.
Regulatory sources
This guide is aligned with official Australian workplace regulations.
Common roles in security
Download free job description templates for your security team
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