The hidden cost of filling gaps by phone
When someone calls in sick or a new shift appears, the usual fallback is the phone: work down a list, leave messages, wait for callbacks, and hope someone free says yes before the shift starts.
It works, but it burns coordinator time, it is easy to lose track of who you have already asked, and there is rarely a record of how the shift was ultimately filled.
Publish the shift as open
Instead of chasing individuals, publish the shift as open to eligible staff at the site. Everyone who can pick it up sees it in their app, so you reach the whole available pool at once rather than one call at a time.
Let staff claim, or approve first
You decide how a claim is resolved, per site. Two modes cover the common cases:
- Auto-assign: the first eligible person to claim the shift gets it immediately.
- Approve first: staff register their claim and a manager approves one, which assigns that person, declines the rest, and notifies everyone automatically.
Why it saves time
Coordinators field fewer calls, staff get first pick of the work they want, and every claim and approval leaves a clear trail. The gap gets filled by the people closest to it, without the phone tag.