Understanding Shift Types

Learn about the different types of shifts in the Shifts platform, their characteristics, and how they affect your scheduling, assignments, and availability.

Overview

The Shifts platform uses different shift types to organize work schedules efficiently. Each shift type has specific characteristics and purposes, helping you understand what to expect from your assigned shifts. This article explains the different shift types, how to identify them, and what they mean for your work schedule.

Standard Shift Types

The platform includes several standard shift types that you’ll commonly encounter:

Regular Shifts

Regular shifts are the standard work periods:

• Appear in blue in your schedule
• Include normal day-to-day operations
• Follow standard scheduling rules and requirements
• May have specific role and skill requirements

Training Shifts

Training shifts are dedicated to learning and development:

• Appear in green in your schedule
• Often have different requirements than regular shifts
• May have specific trainers or mentors assigned
• Usually include training objectives or curriculum
• May have different pay rates depending on your organization

Special Event Shifts

Special event shifts cover one-time or unusual activities:

• Appear in purple in your schedule
• Often have unique requirements or tasks
• May have different locations or reporting instructions
• Could include promotional events, special occasions, or extraordinary circumstances
• May have different staffing levels or skill requirements

Holiday Shifts

Holiday shifts occur during recognized holidays:

• Appear in red in your schedule
• May have modified hours or duties
• Often have different compensation rates
• May have special staffing requirements
• Could have different priority in assignment processes

Shift Status Types

In addition to the type of work, shifts are categorized by their current status:

Scheduled Shifts

• Confirmed upcoming shifts on your calendar
• Appear with a calendar icon
• Include all shift details and requirements
• Show your assigned role and responsibilities

In-Progress Shifts

• Currently active shifts that you’re working
• Show a clock-in status
• Display elapsed time since start
• Include break status if applicable

Completed Shifts

• Past shifts you’ve already worked
• Show total hours worked
• Include attendance record (on-time, late, etc.)
• May show performance notes if applicable

Cancelled Shifts

• Shifts that have been removed from the schedule
• May include cancellation reason
• Won’t appear in your primary schedule view
• May still appear in historical records

Recurring vs. One-Time Shifts

The system differentiates between shifts that repeat and those that don’t:

One-Time Shifts

• Occur only once on a specific date
• Have unique start and end times
• Created individually or as a one-time event
• No repetition pattern

Recurring Shifts

• Repeat on a regular schedule
• Follow patterns like daily, weekly, or bi-weekly
• Created once and generate multiple instances
• Changes to the pattern may affect multiple future shifts

Marketplace Shifts

The Shift Marketplace offers special opportunities:

Available Marketplace Shifts

• Shifts open for anyone with matching qualifications to claim
• Appear in the Shift Marketplace section
• Include all details about requirements and compensation
• Show application deadline if applicable

Your Listed Shifts

• Shifts you’ve listed for others to take
• Show current application status and interest level
• Allow you to review and approve applicants
• Can be withdrawn if needed

Understanding Shift Requirements

Each shift includes specific requirements that affect who can be assigned:

Role Requirements

• Specific positions needed for the shift
• Minimum staffing levels per role
• May have prohibited role combinations
• Visible in the shift details view

Skill Requirements

• Specific skills or certifications needed
• Skill proficiency levels (1-5 scale)
• Critical skills (required) vs. preferred skills
• Certification verification if applicable

Identifying Shift Types in Your Schedule

You can easily identify different shift types in your schedule:

Color Coding

• Regular shifts: Blue
• Training shifts: Green
• Special events: Purple
• Holiday shifts: Red
• Needs coverage: Yellow outline
• Conflicts: Red outline

Icons and Indicators

• Clock icon: Time-sensitive information
• Location pin: Location details
• People icon: Staffing information
• Certificate icon: Required certifications
• Warning symbol: Issues requiring attention

How Shift Types Affect You

Different shift types may impact various aspects of your work:

Compensation Differences

• Different shift types may have varying pay rates
• Holiday shifts often include premium pay
• Training shifts might have specific compensation rules
• Special events may include bonuses or incentives

Scheduling Priority

• Your availability preferences may apply differently to different shift types
• Some shift types may override normal scheduling rules
• Critical shifts may have special assignment criteria
• Recurring shifts provide scheduling stability

Rest Requirements

• The system enforces required rest periods between shifts
• Different shift types may have different rest period requirements
• Consecutive shifts of certain types may have additional restrictions
• The system prevents assignment to shifts that violate rest requirements

Best Practices

For optimal results when working with different shift types:

1. Check Details Carefully: Always review the full details of each shift
2. Note Special Requirements: Pay attention to unique requirements for each shift type
3. Update Availability: Keep your availability current for accurate scheduling
4. Use Filters Effectively: Filter your schedule view by shift type when needed
5. Plan Ahead: Be aware of recurring patterns in your schedule

Related Resources

• Shift Swapping
• Break Management
• Setting Availability
• Viewing Your Schedule

This article should be updated when:

1. New shift types are added to the system
2. The color coding or visual indicators change
3. New shift attributes or properties are added
4. The scheduling rules for different shift types change
5. New marketplace functionality is introduced
6. Changes to how recurring shifts work