Using open shifts in roster templates
Open shifts can be a valuable tool for creating efficient and flexible rosters, especially when you need to balance structured shifts with unassigned ones. By incorporating open shifts in your roster templates, you streamline weekly rostering and reduce time spent manually assigning shifts. This approach is particularly useful if you have a mix of permanent and flexible staff members. Open shifts allow team members to nominate for available shifts, giving you the option to review and assign the right person to each role. This method also provides flexibility if you don't have a consistent staff lineup each week.
In this guide, we'll walk you through how to effectively use open shifts as placeholders in your roster templates. We'll outline the benefits and show you how to combine assigned shifts with open shifts in a way that saves time and meets staffing needs.
1. Setting up open shifts in templates
In this section, we'll explore how to set up open shifts within your roster templates. Adding open shifts as placeholders ensures you're prepared for unassigned roles without needing a dedicated person for each shift. This approach saves time and allows you to assign open shifts to suitable staff when the roster is live.
1.1 Adding regular shifts for permanent staff
1.1.1 Identify full-time or permanent part-time staff with regular weekly shifts.
1.1.2 Add these shifts to your roster template, ensuring consistency for your core team.
1.1.3 Save the template with the regular shifts in place.
1.2 Including open shifts as placeholders
1.2.1 Determine which shifts you need but don't have dedicated staff for each week.
1.2.2 Add these shifts as open shifts in your roster template.
1.2.3 Save the template to use when building weekly rosters.
2. Using templates with open shifts for weekly rosters
Once you have your template with open shifts ready, it's time to build and publish your weekly roster. This section will guide you through using the template, assigning open shifts as needed, and managing staff nominations for unassigned shifts.
2.1 Reallocating open shifts before publishing
2.1.1 Upload the roster template to begin building the weekly roster.
2.1.2 Review open shifts and assign them to available staff before publishing, if possible.
2.1.3 Save and prepare the roster for final review.
2.2 Publishing open shifts for staff nominations
2.2.1 If you choose not to pre-assign open shifts, publish the roster with the open shifts included.
2.2.2 Notify team members about the open shifts, allowing them to nominate for shifts they're qualified for.
2.2.3 Review nominations and assign shifts to the most suitable team members.
For additional guidance, please refer to these articles:
- Introduction to Shift Swaps and Open Shifts
- Creating Shift(s) on your Roster
- Creating and Reusing Roster Templates