Started in Rosebank, built for South African workdays
OurTeam began in 2013 in Rosebank, Johannesburg with a simple idea: staff rostering and team coordination should be easier to manage, clearer for managers and fairer for employees. In many South African businesses, the day starts early, plans change by lunchtime and a full roster can shift again before close of business. We understand that reality because we work in it every day.
From our Johannesburg base, we support organisations in Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Midrand and Sandton, as well as many other towns and cities across the country. Some teams need help with a small group of staff and a straightforward weekly roster. Others manage multiple sites, rotating shifts and regular changes that need careful handling. Our work is shaped around those needs, not around a one-size-fits-all way of doing things.
We keep the focus on the practical side of staff planning: making schedules easy to read, helping teams see updates quickly, and giving managers a better grip on who is working where and when. That kind of clarity matters when a branch is busy, a site is short-staffed or load-shedding changes the day’s plan.
What we believe makes a good roster
Good rostering is not just about filling shifts. It is about planning in a way that supports business needs while treating staff with respect. We believe a clear roster helps reduce confusion, lowers the number of last-minute phone calls and gives everyone a better chance to plan their week. It also helps managers spot gaps early and make changes before a small issue turns into a bigger one.
We work with the view that rosters should be practical and should follow the Basic Conditions of Employment Act in general terms. We do not give legal advice, but we do recognise that working hours, rest periods, overtime and time off need to be handled properly. That is one of the reasons many businesses want a process that is easier to follow and easier to keep consistent.
- Clear shift plans that are simple to read
- Swap processes that are easy for managers to track
- Messages that keep teams informed without confusion
- Activity planning that supports staff engagement
When a roster is organised well, the effect is felt across the business. Managers spend less time chasing updates, staff know what is expected of them and small teams can stay co-ordinated even during busy periods.
How we work with managers and teams
We keep our approach direct and hands-on. Every business works differently, so our first job is usually to understand the structure of the team, the sites involved and the sort of changes that happen during a normal week. A retail branch, a hospitality team, a call centre and a field service crew will all need different levels of control and support.
Our services cover account setup, team import help, roster template setup, manager training, staff training, site rollout, policy alignment, swap process help, message setup, activity planning help, go live support and ongoing check-ins. That list sounds broad because roster management touches many parts of the business, but the aim is always the same: keep things clear and manageable.
- We help managers set up a practical structure from the start
- We support staff so they know how to use the system properly
- We keep communication simple, direct and work-ready
- We stay available after rollout for questions and adjustments
For us, training is not a once-off event. Teams often need a bit of time to settle into a new routine, so we take a steady approach and make sure people know where to find help when they need it.
The people behind the service
OurTeam is led by Thabo Mokoena, our Managing Director, with a team that brings together operations, client support, implementation, training and day-to-day assistance. Ayesha Naidoo leads operations, Lerato Molefe manages client success, Johan van der Merwe handles implementation, Nomsa Dlamini coordinates training and Michael Petersen leads support. Together, they keep the work practical and responsive.
We value clear communication, proper follow-through and respect for the time of the people we serve. Businesses do not need more noise around rostering, they need reliable help and clear answers. That is how we try to work, whether we are supporting a new rollout in Pretoria or helping a branch in Durban sort out shift swaps and messages.
Because our team works across South Africa, we understand that support has to be useful for a fast-paced office in Sandton, a branch in Bloemfontein, or a coastal team dealing with humidity, shift changes and staff leave at the same time. Practical support counts.
Why businesses come to us for staff coordination
Many businesses reach a point where paper rosters, messaging apps and scattered spreadsheets are no longer enough. The more staff, sites and shift patterns you have, the easier it is for errors to slip in. Someone misses an update, a swap is not recorded properly, or a manager spends too long trying to confirm availability. That is where a more organised process helps.
Our role is to make staff coordination easier to manage without adding unnecessary complexity. We help businesses bring together scheduling, shift swaps, messaging and activity planning in a way that suits the way their team already works. The goal is not to change everything at once, but to create a more orderly routine that staff can follow.
- Less confusion around who is on duty and when
- Better handling of shift changes and availability updates
- Improved communication between managers and staff
- A clearer record of team activity and planning
We have found that the most useful systems are the ones people actually use. That means the process must be simple enough for busy managers and practical enough for frontline teams.
Working with care, from first setup to ongoing support
Our work does not stop once a business is live. Many clients need a check-in after the first schedule cycle, or help fine-tuning a template, or guidance when a new site opens and another set of staff must be added. We stay involved because that is often when the real questions start. It is also when a team begins to see what is working well and where a small adjustment can save time.
We treat every rollout as a working partnership. That means listening carefully, being honest about what is needed and keeping the process grounded in the realities of South African business. A roster has to work on Monday morning, not only on paper. It has to help a manager in Cape Town, a supervisor in Midrand or a team leader in Johannesburg make decisions quickly and correctly.
Our aim is simple: support better planning, better communication and better day-to-day teamwork. If your business needs a practical way to manage shifts, team messages and activities with less back and forth, we are here to help.