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You’ve heard of bidding at an auction, but what about bidding for shifts at work? It might sound a little odd, but shift bidding is actually a fairly common practice in lots of shift-based industries.
We have a handy little article all about this handy little practice for you today, so let’s start the bidding at a couple of minutes of your time…
Sold! To the person reading this screen. Congratulations.
What is shift bidding?
The idea of shift bidding is simple: open shifts are posted, either online, in person, or on a dedicated shift platform, and employees can register their interest in the ones they want to work. If they’re lucky, they get assigned to work that shift. If they’re unlucky, they can just bid on the next ones that come along.
Typically, this system is used in industries with flexible or rotating shift patterns, like healthcare, retail, or hospitality.
How does shift bidding work?
Every organisations will run their shift bidding a little differently here, but here’s how it generally works:
- Shift posting - a business owner or manager will post the shifts they have available - usually a couple of weeks or a month ahead of time.
- Bidding time - employees then get a chance to “bid” on those shifts. The bidding usually has a set period, giving people enough time to weigh up their options.
- Winning the bid - of the people who’ve registered their interest in working that shift, one is chosen as the winner and offered the shift. This could be on a first come, first served basis, or by seniority or skillset.
- Adjust and adapt - depending on the rules of the organisation, employees might be able to reject that shift or swap it with someone else if needed.
Benefits for employees
Let’s be honest, shift work can be a little unpredictable at times. And the same could be said of shift bidding, but there are some upsides.
Flexibility
You get to choose when you work. Early mornings? Weekends? The graveyard shift? With shift bidding, it’s all up to you.
Control
Say goodbye to feeling like your schedule is being dictated to you. You control your hours and know exactly when you’re working.
No surprises
Since everyone knows what’s up for grabs, there are no surprise changes to your rota schedule. Unless someone asks to swap shifts with you, of course.
Team dynamics
Burnout is avoided because employees can avoid overworking or underworking. You get a chance to plan around family, school and other life commitments.
Benefits for employers
From the employer’s standpoint, shift bidding isn’t just about letting employees choose their rosters. There are all sorts of benefits:
Improved efficiency
Employers get to see which shifts are in demand and which ones aren’t. This helps with forecasting and managing labour costs more effectively. No more guessing about whether certain shifts will be under or over-staffed.
Better employee engagement
Giving employees more control over their schedules can increase job satisfaction and reduce turnover. Happy workers are more likely to stick around, and less turnover means fewer training costs.
Reduced scheduling conflicts
By letting employees bid on their preferred shifts, employers reduce the chances of scheduling mistakes. No more calls from workers claiming they were scheduled for a shift they didn’t want, because everyone gets a say in the process.
Easy to adapt
Things change quickly in industries with fluctuating demand. Think retail during the holidays or healthcare in the middle of flu season. With shift bidding, employers can easily adjust staffing levels by posting new shifts and seeing who’s available to take them.
Smart shifts with Planday
Planday’s smart scheduling software takes the hassle out of creating schedules, while giving your teams more visibility and control. It’s win-win.
