Personale e turni
Labour cost control: the numbers to watch weekly
Labour cost is decided when the rota is published, not when payroll is run.
Redazione Klyra · Pubblicato il 11 July 2026 · 7 min di lettura
By the time payroll confirms the number, every decision that produced it is a month old. The control point is the rota.
Calculate it fully
Include gross pay, employer contributions, overtime premiums, holiday accrual and agency cover. A rota costed on base hourly rates alone understates reality by a double-digit percentage.
The weekly ratios
- Labour cost as a share of revenue, per site and per day part
- Scheduled hours vs actual clocked hours
- Overtime hours as a share of total hours
- Revenue per scheduled labour hour
Fix the rota, not the timesheet
- Compare demand curves with staffing curves by hour.
- Move start and end times before cutting headcount.
- Cost every draft rota before publishing it.
- Review variance weekly with the site manager, not quarterly with finance.
FAQ
What is a healthy labour cost percentage for a restaurant?
Full-service restaurants typically run 28-35% of revenue, quick service lower. The trend and the variance matter more than the absolute number.
How do I cost a rota before publishing it?
Apply each employee’s full hourly cost to their scheduled hours, including expected overtime premiums, and compare the total to forecast revenue for the same period.
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