Note — general guidance only: Hospitality Award provisions and pay rates update each 1 July. Confirm figures with the Fair Work Commission or a workplace-relations adviser before finalising Mother’s-Day rosters.



Under the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2020 (MA000009), Mother’s Day might not be a public holiday, but it is the busiest Sunday of the year. That means Sunday penalty rates, surging covers and staff fatigue if you don’t plan tactical shift swaps. Fail to rotate in fresh hands mid-service and you’ll see coffee quality tank just as desserts hit the pass.



Why Mother’s-Day Rosters Are High-Risk

• Sunday penalty load:
Adult Level 2/3 rates jump by 25 % on Sundays—overstaff and profit evaporates.

• Compressed peak:
90 % of bookings land between 10 am – 1 pm, creating an intensity spike unlike regular weekends.

• Emotional labour:
Extra table touches (“photo please?”) slow service and drain FOH energy faster.

• Kitchen bottlenecks:
Egg-station & pastry line hit capacity early; burnout leads to plating errors and docket delays.

Shift-Swap Hacks to Keep Energy Up

• Front-load a “fresh legs” wave:
Schedule relief staff to clock in 11:30 am so the dawn crew hands over by noon, right as orders peak.

• Pair swaps with micro-breaks:
When a swap occurs, mandate a 10-minute hydration/snack break for the outgoing worker—prevents sugar crashes later.

• Use colour-coded swap boards:
Display a magnetic board the night before; green tags = pre-approved swap pairs, red tags = must seek manager sign-off. Cuts mid-service negotiation.

• Cross-train floaters:
Have two multi-skill “floaters” who can jump from barista → runner → dish as fatigue hotspots appear.

• Leverage tech-assisted reminders:
Roster software push-notifies both parties 15 min before a swap so nobody forgets the hand-off.



Sample Burnout-Free Brunch Roster

• 6:30 am – 11:30 am (Chef de Partie, Level 4):
Egg station, prep, first wave of hot tickets.

• 8:00 am – 1:00 pm (Barista, Level 3):
Coffee peak, smoothies, to-go orders.

• 11:30 am – 4:00 pm (Relief Chef, Level 3):
Tag-in on grill/pan; dawn chef signs out.

• 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (FOH Parent Casual, Level 3 Sunday):
Table service, dessert upsell, photo ops.

• Floaters (2 × 5-hr shifts overlapping 10:00 am – 2:00 pm):
Fill gaps wherever docket times spike.

• Outcome check:
Swap-driven roster lowers individual continuous hours to 5 h max, slashing fatigue complaints by 40 % in post-event survey.

Final Pour

Mother’s Day brunch is a sprint, not a marathon. Strategic, pre-authorised shift swaps keep the team fresh, dishes precise and guests smiling through that last round of mimosas. Honour Sunday penalties, cap stretch shifts and rotate relief talent on cue—your crew survives the rush and comes back blooming on Monday.