Isla Calloway

Head of product at Fernhour

4 posts

Experience Ran a neighbourhood cafe and planned its rota by hand for six years

Isla planned shifts on paper, then in a spreadsheet, before she helped build Fernhour. She leads the product team and writes the guides on rotas, cover and fair shifts, using what she learned behind a counter.

Posts by Isla Calloway

Isla Calloway 22 September 2026 Guides

Plan rest breaks into the rota from the start

Rest breaks planned on the day get skipped. Put them on the rota when you build it, and check the rest between shifts too.
Isla Calloway 21 July 2026 Comparisons

Fixed shifts or rotating shifts for a small team

Fixed shifts give people a steady life. Rotating shifts share the hard hours. Compare the two and pick the pattern that suits your team.
Isla Calloway 30 June 2026 Comparisons

Spreadsheet rota or scheduling app for a small team

A spreadsheet rota costs nothing and suits a tiny team. A scheduling app saves time once people swap shifts. Here is how to tell which you need.
Isla Calloway 9 June 2026 Guides

How to build a staff rota in one afternoon

A staff rota that people trust starts with demand, not names. Plan the week in five steps, from busy hours to the final check.

Other authors

Joel Ferreira

Customer support lead at Fernhour

Posts by Isla Calloway

Plan rest breaks into the rota from the start

Fixed shifts or rotating shifts for a small team

Spreadsheet rota or scheduling app for a small team

How to build a staff rota in one afternoon

Other authors