Online rosters save money, stress

Businesses that rely on casual staff, or want flexibility over the holiday season, can benefit from a web-based rostering system that also allows staff to work when they can use some extra money.Managers use a new module in the ROSS system from Zarloc (rosterwithross.com) to text and email out shift changes, while staff can log in to a website to update their availability, contact details and holidays.Zarloc managing director Rachael Skinner says the ROSS system is perfect for any business with a mainly Gen Y workforce. "It gives both the employer and the employee a fast way to get in touch and managers don’t have to juggle bits of paper or be on the phone all the time chasing people,” she says. Over 200 businesses in Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia are already using the ROSS vsystem.In a typical scenario, a worker who’s idle on a weekend with nothing planned can receive a text message from his employer, offering him a shift at short notice. Instead of doing nothing, he can respond and go in to earn some cash.An employee can log in to MyROSS from any web browser and update their availability, view the full store roster, request holidays and manage their personal details, which can also be viewed by the manager. A store owner can view how the store’s labour cost percentage and other key performance indicators are tracking, even when away from the office.