What Is an On-Call Schedule?
An on-call schedule is a work arrangement that requires employees to be available to work for an extended period of time, sometimes even 24/7. This doesn’t necessarily mean that on-call professionals will be working long hours all the time. However, they will need to ensure there is nothing stopping them from working during their on-call hours, such as a second job.
On-call schedules can be either standalone or an extension of another shift pattern. In the first instance, on-call schedules are similar to flexible working hours. The only difference is that you decide your staff’s work hours instead of the other way round.
On-call schedules that extend other shift patterns, on the other hand, involve work hours that your staff will typically be expected to work. They will then need to be available outside of these hours for overtime.
What is the purpose of on-call work schedules?
You may use an on-call work schedule if you operate your business 24/7 and need to have employees on standby to fill in for unexpected emergencies. The most common example of such an emergency is absences, which can be especially detrimental to your company’s performance if your team is small.
In such cases, you’ll need to use an on-call arrangement in addition to shift scheduling to achieve reliable around-the-clock operation.
Which industries use on-call schedules?
On-call work schedules are used in a wide variety of industries, including:
- Manufacturing
- Retail
- Healthcare
- Customer service
- Logistics
Why is it important to track the work hours of on-call employees?
Tracking your on-call staff’s work hours is essential for accurate payroll. Whether you use on-call arrangements in addition to a fixed schedule or on its own, you’ll need to pay a predetermined hourly rate for your team’s on-call work. Accurate time data will help you make accurate payments without over or under-paying your employees.
How to track the time of on-call staff accurately?
To track your staff’s on-call time accurately, you should use an automatic time tracker. High-quality examples like WebWork will help you get exact data on your team’s work hours, simplifying your management work. In addition, you can also use the productivity monitoring features of such software to help your staff perform their best.
