Create a Shift Trade Policy
Updated
The Shift Trading feature enables agents to propose, negotiate, and finalize shift trades within predefined rules and constraints. Agents can initiate a shift trade by selecting their desired shift and proposing it to potential trading partners. This process allows agents to communicate their availability and preferences, facilitating the exchange of shifts to accommodate personal schedules or unforeseen circumstances. Additionally, supervisors have oversight and can enforce policies to ensure that shift trades adhere to organizational guidelines and operational requirements.
The "Shift Trade Policy Builder" is a tool designed to assist supervisors in creating structured guidelines for managing the exchange of shifts among agents. This tool allows supervisors to customize policies according to the specific needs and requirements of their organization. With the Shift Trade Policy Builder, supervisors can define rules and limitations for requesting, approving, and executing shift trades, ensuring clarity and consistency in the process.
To Create a Shift Trade Policy
Select Shift Trade Policy within the Settings tab.
On the Shift Trade Policy window, click Create Policy in the top right corner.
On the Create Policy window, define the Policy Name which is a unique identifier assigned to the shift trade policy for easy reference and identification purposes.
Add Policy Description which is a brief explanation or summary of the shift trade policy. It provides additional details about the purpose, scope, and rules of the policy.
Within the Trade Approval section, choose the Approval Type as Required by Supervisor to ensure that approval requests are sent to the supervisors of both agents involved. In this case, either one of them can approve the trade request. Alternatively, select Not Required if approval is unnecessary, and if the other agent accepts the trade request, the trade will be successfully completed.
In the Policy Assignment section, you can specify which workspaces, individual users, or user groups this policy should apply to. By assigning the policy to specific workspaces, users, or groups, you ensure that the policy's rules and regulations are only enforced for the designated entities.
Click Next at the bottom. In the Matching Criteria section, you define the eligibility criteria for the second agent participating in the shift trade. You have the option to select the filter as All Matching or None Matching. For example, if you choose "All Matching," it ensures that the second agent possesses the same skills, capacity, and work queues as the original agent, guaranteeing they are equally qualified to handle the shift effectively. Conversely, selecting "None Matching" means that the second agent should not match the selected criteria of the original agent.
Within the Agent Schedule and Shift section, define:
Maximum Scheduled Hours: This setting determines the upper limit on the number of hours an agent can be scheduled to work within a specified time frame, such as a week or a day. It serves as a safeguard against overworking during shift trades, ensuring that agents do not exceed a certain threshold of working hours. By adhering to this limit, supervisors can help prevent fatigue and uphold compliance with labor regulations and company policies regarding maximum working hours.
Minimum Scheduled Hours: Conversely, this setting establishes the minimum number of hours that an agent must be scheduled to work within a defined period. It guarantees that agents involved in shift trades receive a fair and adequate amount of work during the trading process.
Maximum difference between shift durations: This option defines the maximum allowable difference in duration between the original shift and the traded shift in a shift trade scenario. It ensures that the exchanged shifts remain reasonably comparable in terms of duration, preventing significant discrepancies that could disrupt workflow or create inequities among agents.
Now, in the Trade Request Limits section, you can set two parameters:
Maximum Trade Requests Allowed: This specifies the maximum number of trade requests an agent can raise at any given timeframe. By setting this limit, supervisors can manage the number of concurrent trade requests from agents, ensuring that the workload remains manageable and that excessive trading activity does not disrupt operations or scheduling processes.
Minimum time required between request raised and shift start: This defines the minimum amount of time that must elapse between when an agent raises a trade request and the start time of the shift they are attempting to trade. This requirement ensures that trade requests are made with sufficient advance notice, allowing supervisors and other agents adequate time to review, approve, and adjust schedules accordingly.
Within the Time Frame Limits section,
Limit Trades for Same Calendar Month: This restriction specifies that agents can only trade shifts within the same calendar month.
Limit Trades for Same Week: This limitation allows agents to trade shifts only within the same week.
Limit Trades Within a Time Period: This restriction enables supervisors to define a specific time period within which agents are permitted to conduct shift trades.
Click Save at the bottom.
Actions on a Shift Trade Policy
Edit: Allows administrators to make changes to an existing shift trade policy.
Delete: Allows administrators to delete an existing policy.
Enable/Disable: To enable or disable the policy, simply toggle the switch to the desired position. When the switch is in the "Enabled" position, the policy is active and will be applied according to the settings you have configured.
To Request a Shift Trade
Go to My Request Dashboard. Here, you will find a comprehensive overview of all the leave and shift trade requests you have raised. Click on the dropdown icon located in the top right corner and select Request Shift Trade.
On the Request Trade window, choose the Trade Type as either Open or Direct, depending on your preference and the policies in place.
If you select "Open," proceed by selecting your shift that you wish to trade and specify the desired shift you would like in return. Additionally, you can add any specific trade terms or conditions. Once you've filled in the necessary details, click Request at the bottom of the window. Your trade request will then be sent out to all eligible agents who have the desired shift available. The first agent who accepts the request will be granted the trade.
If you select Direct, you'll need to choose the specific agent with whom you want to trade. After selecting the agent, proceed by choosing your shift that you wish to trade and specify the desired shift you would like in return. You can also include any specific trade terms or conditions as needed. Once you've filled in all the necessary details, click Request at the bottom of the window. Your trade request will then be sent out to the selected agent who has the desired shift available. They will have the option to either accept or reject the request based on their availability and preferences.
Note: When initiating a trade request, you have the option to indicate that you want to trade a day off instead of a shift. In this case, you simply specify the particular day off you're willing to give up and the desired day off you'd like in return.
To Accept/Reject a Shift Trade
Agents can navigate to the Engagement Dashboard to find a list of all the received requests organized in the respective column. Within the dashboard, agents can review each request, assess its details, and then proceed to either accept or reject it based on their availability and preferences.
If the approval is required by a supervisor, the request will be sent to the supervisor for review and approval. The supervisor can access the request through their dashboard, review the details, and then approve or reject it based on the needs of the team and the organization.
