Are you a roster manager looking to manage your staff leave effectively? Here are a few tips to get you started. Please refer to Managing shift swaps for the PDF version.
Ensure a procedure exists for staff to request shift swaps, and communicate this with your team so they are aware of the procedure and know where to locate resources.
Have the requesting staff member identify suitable staff with appropriate skills who could swap shifts whilst meeting all requirements. Have them obtain agreement from the other staff member.
Have staff document all shift swap requests. Retain a record of the outcome of requests. Track the number of approved and non-approved requests to ensure fairness and equity.
Assess the request by confirming the shifts are in the same period, staff have the required skills, they will work their contracted hours, award requirements will be met and all service needs are met.
If approved, follow local procedures to confirm and update the roster to reflect the change so payroll is accurate and there is a record of where staff are at all times.
Notify the requesting staff member of the outcome of their shift swap requests as soon as possible so they can make their plans and inform the other staff member.
Monitor the frequency of shift swaps within a pay period to ensure fairness and equity of a roster and also to limit any potential ongoing roster request patterns.
Remind staff of the process and timeframes for roster requests, explaining these cause less disruption than shift swaps so are the preferred way for staff to manage work life balance.