How to Use Shift Bidding at Your Facility: FAQ
Filling vacant shifts is a stressor that nurse managers can’t ignore. Shift bid systems allow facility leadership to post open shifts in a centralized location so that eligible staff have an opportunity to express what coverage they’re willing to provide, and (sometimes) the compensation they’d require. This is typically done through web-based software, and can save managers time while increasing team morale and ensuring that patients get the attention they deserve.
If you’re looking for ways to optimize your scheduling model, you might consider allowing staff to bid for their own shifts. This FAQ will give you a closer look at how the process works, the kinds of software that supports it, and how to integrate it into your current scheduling practices. We’ll also cover pitfalls to avoid so that bidding doesn’t cause conflict or resentment on your staff. When implemented thoughtfully, bidding can even the playing field for everyone by increasing transparency and giving nurses more options.
What Is Shift Bidding? Meaning and Overview
This is a scheduling process where staff members express interest in which open shifts they’d like to work throughout an allotted time period. Unit leaders and schedulers can set specific criteria for available shifts, review the “bids” placed for each one, and then assign shifts based on the best fit in terms of qualifications or the pay rates involved.
Software and automated workflows are often used to support the process. For example, nurses may have a profile within scheduling software that lists their qualifications and makes them eligible to bid only for certain open shifts. On the management side, the selection process can be automated based on set parameters.
Shift Bid Example
To give you an idea of how this works in practice, consider the following example. Let’s say that a facility commonly uses float pool nurses to fill gaps in scheduling. Using an app, they allow all staff in the float pool to browse and bid on shifts that are available for the next two months. Shifts are then assigned based on each nurse’s individual skills, availability, pay rate, and preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may be wondering why this scheduling method is used and whether it poses any specific benefits and challenges. Below, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the bidding process.
How do shift bids work?
The exact process of bidding for shifts can vary depending on how facilities set up their scheduling system. However, this method typically involves five key steps:
- Post available shifts: Facilities post available shifts for an allotted time period to a centralized platform. All staff have access to this platform so that they can review the types of shifts available, specialty/unit, and hours.
- Open up a bidding time window: Once shifts are posted, facilities then open up a time window for staff to review and place bids for shifts that they would like to work.
- Review bids: Once the bidding window closes, facilities can start reviewing the bids. Schedulers review bids using predetermined criteria, such as seniority and experience.
- Assign shifts: Upon reviewing and accepting bids for each shift, schedulers will notify staff about their assignments through the centralized platform.
- Gather feedback: After shifts are assigned, leaders and schedulers will gather feedback from staff to ensure that any major issues are addressed before the next bidding cycle.
How does software support the process?
There are a few different ways that software can be used to facilitate bidding. One option is using standalone shift bidding software that’s dedicated solely to the process. More commonly, facilities use broader workforce management or scheduling software with a built-in bidding feature.
If you have a current scheduling software program without this feature, an add-on (or plug-in) can be used to complete some of the steps, like automatically notifying staff about available shifts. Using an add-on to facilitate bidding is similar to using something like Microsoft Teams, a social media group, or group text chat to notify a nursing team about an opening, but it’s more specifically designed for scheduling.
The tech you use will determine how much of the process can be successfully automated. For example, managers using high-quality scheduling software with a built-in shift auction feature could use artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to fill shifts based on a set of rules.
Why do healthcare facilities use shift auctions?
Unlike top-down methods of workforce management, this process can offer more flexibility for facilities that manage a mix of full-time, part-time, and per-diem staff. In particular, facility leaders often adopt this method to:
- Enable staff to voice their own scheduling needs and preferences.
- Optimize float pool management to securely fill anticipated gaps in staffing.
- Ensure that per-diem staff are qualified for the roles that they’re filling.
What does “bid on a shift” mean for staff nurses?
When you introduce this concept to your staff, you may face resistance. The system is inherently competitive. It’s a great idea to be able to explain it in a way that decreases fear. You may want to show that on most units, some form of auctioning shifts is already in operation.
When a nurse manager gets a second call-out in a row just hours before a night shift is going to begin, she may reach out to the first nurses she encounters in the hallway: “Would you be willing to work tonight? We’re two short. We could pay you time-and-a-half plus a night shift differential.” The first nurse she asks might say no, but the second one might accept the shift. Using a formal bid system fine-tunes this process to make it more transparent. Open shifts are typically accessed on a central web-based platform, routinizing the notification process and mitigating favoritism and chance.
How can facilities effectively implement a bidding process?
While allowing staff to bid on shifts can offer more flexibility, this process must be managed properly to ensure that these benefits are maximized. Here are three best practices that can help you implement a more effective bidding process:
- Train staff on how to bid for shifts: To ensure fairness, all staff must be properly trained on how to place bids and how the bidding process works.
- Be transparent and objective: Being transparent about your selection criteria will help manage staff expectations. Your criteria should be objective so that all staff have a fair chance of building up the experience needed to get their preferred assignments.
- Remain flexible to feedback: Maintain an open feedback loop so that any complaints can be addressed in a timely manner. This will ensure the process is helping improve staff morale and engagement, rather than causing dissatisfaction.
What are the pros and cons of giving staff the ability to bid for shifts?
As with any type of scheduling method, shift auctions can offer both benefits and challenges. The table below outlines some of the more specific pros and cons of utilizing this process.
| Allows staff to have more flexibility and control over their schedules
Promotes transparency around the criteria used to assign shifts Ensures that assigned shifts align with staff preferences, availability, and qualifications Provides an incentive for staff to expand their skill set and gain seniority in their roles |
If done manually, the process of reviewing bids may cause an increased administrative burden for schedulers
May require initial trial and error to implement a bidding system that staff find fair May lead to favoritism and decreased morale if not managed properly Can cause conflicts if staff are consistently losing out on their preferred shifts to others |
Struggling to Fill All Your Vacant Nursing Shifts?
Even with an efficient shift bid process in place, it can be tough to fill gaps. Whether you’re dealing with a seasonal surge at a clinic or struggling to line up 24/7 coverage for inpatients, our customized staffing solutions can help you ensure your patients receive high-quality care.