Weekly rota template (Excel + PDF)
The standard UK weekly rota — Monday to Sunday, one row per employee, one column per day. Download in Excel or PDF and start filling in shifts straight away.
No credit card required · UK-built & hosted
Why a weekly rota beats a monthly one
In hospitality and retail, demand changes week to week — a bank holiday, a school break, a private event. A weekly rota lets you respond to that, while still giving staff enough notice to plan their lives. Most UK managers run on a 1–2 week rolling cycle.
How most UK managers fill it in
Start with anyone on contracted hours — they get pencilled in first. Then plug gaps with flexible staff. Cross-check the 48-hour week and the 11-hour rest gap before you publish. Send it out by Wednesday at the latest for the following week.
- Contracted hours first
- Flexible staff fill the gaps
- Check 48-hour week + 11-hour daily rest
- Publish by Wednesday for the week ahead
When the template hits its limits
Once you have more than ~10 staff, or shifts swap regularly mid-week, a static template starts to drift from reality. WorkSchedule keeps the same weekly view but updates everyone’s phone instantly when something changes.
What you get
Standard UK layout
Monday-start, Sunday-end — matches how UK businesses plan and how staff expect to read it.
Print or share
PDF for the noticeboard, Excel for the manager’s laptop, or both.
Roles included
Dedicated column for job title — useful for bigger teams with FOH, kitchen and bar.
No signup
Direct download, no email wall, no watermark.
FAQs
What does a typical weekly rota include?+
Employee names, their role, the days of the week, shift start and end times, and (often) total weekly hours. Some employers also note breaks, holiday and time-off.
How far ahead should I publish a weekly rota?+
There’s no statutory minimum in the UK, but a week’s notice is the floor most teams aim for. Two weeks is better for retention.
Can I use this template for shift work outside hospitality?+
Yes. It works for retail, salons, gyms, cleaning, care and any team that runs a Monday–Sunday weekly schedule.
Does the template handle bank holidays?+
No — it’s a blank weekly grid. Note any bank holiday in the Notes row, or use WorkSchedule which flags UK bank holidays automatically.
More questions? See pricing & plan FAQs or email us.
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