Managing staff on a small food truck without becoming HR
Rosters, pay rates, contracts and reviews for a small food-truck team — the essentials without the corporate bloat.
Two staff feel like a team. Six feel like a company. Here's how to run a small food-truck team without adding a full HR person.
Contracts on day one
Every hire — even casual — gets a written contract. It protects you and them. Use a template with the key terms filled in.
Pay rates by role, not by person
Barista, prep cook, front of house — set a rate per role, not per person. Fair, predictable, easy to explain.
Roster around events, not people
Every event has a shift board. Build the shifts first, then assign people. Prevents overwork and favourites.
Simple review rhythm
Every three months, a 20-minute chat: what's working, what isn't, one thing to work on. Write it down.
Documents in one place
Tax forms, IDs, contracts, training records. In a staff file — not on your phone.