How to Use Shift Bidding at Your Facility: FAQ
Staffing a healthcare facility can be challenging, especially when you’re managing multiple types of shifts and employees. It’s not uncommon for schedulers to assign shifts that staff are unhappy with, or scramble to fill gaps with substitutes who might not have the right qualifications. This is why an increasing number of facilities are implementing shift bidding, which offers increased flexibility for both employers and staff.
If you’re looking for ways to optimize your scheduling process, you might consider allowing staff to bid for their own shifts. In this article, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about this approach to scheduling to help you determine whether it’s right for your facility.
What Is Shift Bidding? Meaning and Overview
This is a scheduling method commonly used by healthcare facilities, involving a process where staff 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 who is most qualified to fill them.
To give you an idea of how this works in practice, consider the following shift bidding 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. Once the facility receives all of the bids, they can then review and assign shifts based on each nurse’s individual skills, availability, and preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beyond asking, What is a shift bid? you may also 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.
Why do healthcare facilities use shift bids?
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.
How can facilities effectively implement shift bidding?
While allowing staff to bid on their own 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 shift bidding?
As with any type of scheduling method, shift bids can offer both benefits and challenges. The table below outlines some of the more specific pros and cons of utilizing this process.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Process of reviewing bids may cause more 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 |
Optimize Your Shift Bidding Process With IntelyCare
Struggling to implement a scheduling system that meets the needs of your facility? Let IntelyCare help you achieve the consistency and quality that you’re striving for. Connect with us today and learn about all of the customized staffing solutions we have to offer.