How do I know how many staff I require on a schedule?

You can estimate the number of staff required on a residential schedule by dividing the number of budgeted hours (agreed with RAAMs) by the recommended number of hours per position (normally average of 50 hours per fortnight).

The example below provides a useful way to match staffing levels to work demands in a residential service with 240 budgeted hours per fortnight:

• 240 hours / 50 hours per fortnight = 4.8 Support Worker positions.
  
  
• The schedule should include 4-5 Support Worker positions.

Note: Try to have a small number of staff working in positions with the maximum number of hours (up to 72 hours per fortnight).

Related topics
How to build good schedules?
What can I do if there is a vacancy on a schedule?
What is a typical schedule shift structure?

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