Rostering
/ˈrɒstərɪŋ/
nounverbB2present participle
Definition
Rostering is the process of creating or managing a list (called a roster) that shows when people will work or perform tasks. It helps organize who does what and when, especially in jobs with shifts or many workers. As a verb, rostering means the action of making or assigning this list.
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See It in Action
The act of making a list or schedule of workers’ shifts or duties
- •The manager is rostering employees for next week’s shifts.
- •Rostering helps avoid having too many or too few people working at the same time.
- •Good rostering can improve how smoothly a workplace runs.
The list or schedule itself showing assigned work times
- •Check the rostering to see when you need to come to work.
- •The rostering was changed to cover the busy weekend.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "rostering" like "planning" your day, but for many people’s work times.
- ✓Picture a calendar with names and times written in boxes, showing who works each hour.
- ✓It feels like organizing a team for a game, making sure everyone has a turn.
- ✓Sounds like "ROST-er-ing" → imagine a "roster" (list) being filled with names one by one.
- ✓Think of a sports coach writing down players’ names for each game part, making a schedule.
- ✓NOT like "random work" where no plan exists; rostering is careful planning for fairness and order.
- ✓NOT like "working" itself; rostering is about organizing work, not doing the work.
- ✓NOT like "attendance" (just who is present), rostering is about assigning times and duties.
Try Other Words
- •Scheduling: planning times for events or work (Use when talking about general time plans, not just work shifts)
- •Assigning shifts: giving specific work times to workers (Use when focusing on who works when, often in jobs with shifts)
- •Timetabling: arranging times for activities (Use in schools or transport, less for work shifts)
- •Planning: organizing tasks or times (Use for broader organization, not only work times)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "roster" (a list of names or duties) + "-ing" (makes a verb or noun showing action or process)
- •Etymology: "roster" comes from Dutch "rooster," meaning a list or grid, first used in English in the 1600s
- •Historical development: Originally a list of names for military or work duties; now used widely for work scheduling
- •Modern usage: Common in workplaces with shifts like hospitals, stores, or factories, meaning to make or use work schedules
Reflect & Connect
•How does rostering help workers feel fair and organized in their jobs?
•What problems might happen if rostering is done poorly or not at all?
Fill in the blanks
1.The manager was ___ the schedule carefully to make sure everyone had enough rest between shifts.
2.Good rostering is important because it helps avoid ___ too many people working at the same time.
3.When the ___ changed, some workers had to come earlier than usual.
4.Rostering is different from working because it focuses on ___ who works and when, not the work itself.
5.In hospitals, rostering often includes ___ night and weekend shifts to cover all hours.
6.If rostering is not done well, employees might feel ___ or confused about their work times.
7.The company uses special software for ___ all employee shifts quickly and fairly.