Who this is for: MyShyft Facility Users
Holidays can create additional staffing challenges for healthcare facilities. Employee vacations, call-offs, increased census, and limited availability can make it harder to maintain the coverage your team needs.
Planning ahead can help your facility reduce last-minute staffing gaps, control overtime, and give caregivers more time to commit to available shifts.
With a proactive strategy, your facility can enter the holiday period prepared instead of scrambling for coverage.
Post Holiday Shifts Early
Don’t wait until the week of a holiday to start thinking about coverage.
Posting shifts early gives caregivers more time to:
- Plan around family and holiday commitments
- Review available opportunities
- Coordinate transportation
- Commit to shifts that fit their schedules
It also gives your facility more time to identify remaining staffing gaps and adjust your strategy before the holiday arrives.
MyShyft Tip: As soon as you know you’ll need additional coverage, start posting your open shifts.
Plan Around Employee Vacations
Holiday stafing should begin with your internal schedule.
Review upcoming:
- PTO Requests
- Vacations
- Scheduled absences
- Known staffing gaps
- Expected census changes
Once you understand where additional coverage may be needed, use MyShyft to supplement your existing workforce.
Planning ahead can help reduce last-minute overtime requests and prevent your permanent staff from becoming overwhelmed during an already busy time of the year.
Make Your Shifts Competitive
Caregivers have choices about when and where they work, especially during holidays.
If a shift is difficult to fill, consider whether the rate is competitive for the date, shift time, location, and level of demand.
When appropriate, increasing the rate or offering an incentive can make the opportunity more attractive to available caregivers.
Be sure to clearly communicate any special holiday rates or incentives in the shift details.
Start with Caregivers You Already Know
If caregivers have performed well at your facility before, holidays are a great time to invite them back.
Consider:
- Favoriting dependable caregivers
- Rebooking top performers
- Reaching out about upcoming holiday opportunities
- Prioritizing caregivers already familiar with your facility
Returning caregivers already understand your environment and expectations, which can reduce orientation time and make holiday coverage easier for your core team.
Provide Clear Shift Instructions
Caregivers should know what to expect before accpeting a holiday shift.
Include important information such as:
- Unit or department
- Reporting location
- Parking and entrance instructions
- Dress code
- Shift responsibilities
- Holiday Specific procedures or expectations
Clear instructions help caregivers make informed decisions and arrive prepared.
Have a Backup Plan
Even with careful planning, unexpected call-offs can happen.
Before the Holiday:
- Identify your highest-priority coverage needs
- Know which caregivers have worked succesfully at your facility.
- Monitor remaining open shifts
- Post unexpected openings as soon as possible
Having a plan before coverage becomes urgent gives your team more options.
Holiday Staffing Checklist
Before the Holiday:
- Review employee PTO and vacation schedules
- Identify anticipated staffing gaps
- Post open shifts as early as possible
- Review rates for difficult-to-fill shifts
- Favorite dependable caregivers
- Add clear instruction to every shift
- Communicate expectations before the shift
- Monitor open shifts and adjust your strategy when needed
- Prepare for unexpected call-offs
Why Planning Ahead Matters
A proactive holiday staffing strategy can help your facility:
- Reduce last-minute staffing gaps
- Limit unecessary overtime
- Reduce pressure on your permanent staff
- Improve shift fill rates
- Give caregivers more time to plan
- Maintain greater continuity of care
- Create a better holiday experience for your team
Holiday staffing doesn’t start with a last-minute call-off. The earlier you plan, post, and communicate, the more options your facility has.
Ready to Prepare Your Holiday Staffing Strategy?
Use MyShyft to post upcoming shifts, reconnect with dependable caregivers, and build the additional PRN coverage your facility needs.
Want to stregthen your staffing strategy beyond the holidays? Schedule a 15-minute meeting with the MyShyft team to learn how we can help you build a reliable PRN workforce.