This guide is for managers who have to find a replacement for team members that call in sick, are absent or simply don't turn up for a shift.
Rather than making multiple phone calls, sending emails or using social media groups, Deputy can easily find a replacement for the shift.
This guide will cover the process for:
Before you begin, make sure you are logged in to Deputy with an access level of Supervisor, Location Manager, or System Administrator.
Finding a replacement
On the Schedule
1. On the Schedule page, click on the shift that needs replacing.
2. Click the three dots icon and select Find replacement.
Deputy will display all recommended employees and you can select the employees you would like to inform about the need to replace the shift. Note that you can still manually select non-recommended employees if you wish.
Using the Teams list on the Locations page
Alternatively, you can find a replacement by clicking on the employee's shift in the Teams panel which appears on the right-hand side of each of the Locations page.
1. Click the team member from the list that requires replacement on the Team panel as seen here.
2. From their employee profile you can see their next scheduled shift and click on Find Replacement. Note that if you click on Shifts you can see all of their upcoming shifts as well, not just the next one.
3. Deputy will automatically select those who are recommended for this shift or you can manually select non-recommended people.
4. Click the Invite person to work this shift button. Deputy will now:
- Send a push notification to the invited team member's mobile device (only if they have the Deputy app installed) AND
- Send an email to the invited team members AND
- send an SMS to the invited team members.
Note: The first employee to respond to the push notification, email or SMS will get the shift. If you would prefer to manage who can claim shifts, simply use the Open Shifts with Approval guide to publish the shift as an Open shift and require manager approval.
Communicating shift replacement with your Team members
Mobile push notifications
Mobile push notifications tell invited team members about an open shift and advise them to check their email or open the Deputy app (by touching on the notification) and view and accept the available shifts.
Deputy sends the employee an email that includes shift information and a link to accept. When an employee clicks on the link, the shift will be allocated to them.
Whoever clicks on the push notification invitation or email link first will receive the shift.
Deputy will also notify the original employee that they are no longer required to come to work. The manager will also be notified that a shift change has happened.
If you would prefer to manage who can claim shifts, use the Open Shifts with Approval.
SMS
Deputy will also send an SMS. In this message, there will be a unique shift number. They can reply to the SMS with the shift number to accept that shift. Once again, whoever replies to the SMS or clicks on the email link first will win the shift.
Please note, Deputy will only send an SMS if an email address was not present for the chosen employee and SMS costs approx $0.05. Email of course is completely free.
If you wish to completely block SMS being sent from your account to reduce costs, System Administrators can toggle off this setting.
Note: If your staff member does not have an email address OR a mobile number registered with Deputy, we have no way of communicating with them. These people will not be recommended or communicated to about this shift.