Article Highlights
Shift bids in public safety are essential, long-term processes that impact agency morale and functionality. The shift bidding process allows employees to request preferred shifts they qualify for. It's an automated method allowing the shift scheduler to maintain control while also giving responders a say in their schedule preferences.
In this article, we're discussing long-term shift bids in public safety organizations. That means responders choose new shift rotations for their long-term schedules, for a month, a quarter, or even a year. These shift requests typically need supervisor approval before being implemented. Meaning responders may not always get their first choice.
This article will clarify the shift bid process, how it works, and best practices for managing it effectively.
Let's say a police department runs annual shift bids each year from November to December to plan for the next year's schedules. (Some also do monthly bids, others do quarterly.) Officers are able to make their shift choices during that two-month period. At the end of the bid period, the administration would then sort the choices by seniority and departmental rules, and choose the best fit for each schedule.
Shift bids are important because they allow employees to reflect on their previous year's schedule and have a say in their future schedule. This ultimately helps employee morale and retention.
The process usually follows these steps:
Your department's schedulers create the shifts needed to fulfill proper staffing levels. They can also set the qualifications and rules for specific shifts if needed. The notifications go out to all employees, notifying them of available shifts.
Responders then check their schedules, see which shifts they can fill, skip the ones they can't, and don't see the ones they're not qualified to work. They then "bid" on the shifts they want.
Shift bidding is similar to self-scheduling, however, there is an approval step that happens before the shift is given to that officer. Schedulers review the employees' bids and make their own decisions based on the responders' input.
With rules-based scheduling, schedulers can access crucial information such as an employee's qualification for a specific shift or which responders are nearing overtime. This approach reduces overtime expenses and ensures that only qualified responders are assigned to challenging shifts.
Once the shifts have been filled, responders will be able to see their schedules on their mobile devices or laptops.
Several industries are able to use shift bidding, including:
Shift bids are more than just a procedural function: they contribute significantly to boosting employee morale, reducing burnout, and improving employee retention. By allowing staff to schedule their own preferences, departments acknowledge their team's needs, promoting a positive work environment.
This gives responders some control over their work schedule. It helps them work around family commitments, spouse work schedules, daycare and school obligations, and lets them be home for important family events.
That can go a long way to keeping responders satisfied with their job and less likely to struggle with relationships at home.
You can read more about the pros and cons of shift bidding in this article.
Here is how the shift bid process typically works:
There are a few ways to manage the entire shift bid process.
Managing shift bids takes careful consideration. By adopting the process, not only can your department run more efficiently, but your responders' morale, work-life balance, and well-being can also improve, which increases retention and reduces burnout.
Implementing a shift bid process may require some adjustments and go through some growing pains, but with the right approach, it can become a valuable asset to your agency's operations.
Curious to learn about scheduling software solutions offered by PowerDMS? Discover PowerTime, a complete personnel scheduling software built for public safety.