What is an on-call schedule?

An on-call schedule is one in which you have one or more employees on standby in case you need them to work. You might use an on-call schedule if you operate 24/7 and may need a skilled worker, such as a maintenance technician or IT professional, to come in if something stops working correctly. Some companies have people on call at night and on weekends in case a customer needs help, even if your company isn’t normally open during those times.

When you create your on-call schedule, you’re assigning employees to the on-call shifts. These shifts are often in addition to their normal hours. Companies often create an on-call rotation, so the same person isn’t always on standby.

Common issues with on-call scheduling

On-call scheduling can be challenging. Being aware of the common challenges of this type of work can help you keep your employees happier while getting the coverage you need. Here are some issues to watch for:

• Rigidity: You might need to change the way you handle your on-call duties if you find what you’re doing isn’t working well. Be flexible and monitor the situation to spot problems early.
• Relying on the same employees: If one or two employees always handle the on-call coverage, they’ll likely experience burnout quickly. Spreading out the duty gets more people involved and helps make it a team effort.
• Ignoring employment laws: Staying current on labor laws ensures you’re following all requirements when it comes to on-call employees. This includes whether you have to pay on-call employees and how to handle overtime pay related to on-call time.
• Effects on employees: Being on call can take a toll on employees, especially if the shift is overnight. Lack of sleep could affect physical health or leave employees tired and unable to focus during their regular shifts. It could also lead to staff morale issues if employees don’t want to work on-call shifts.

How to create an on-call schedule

If you need an on-call schedule, follow these steps to make one that works for your company.

1. Identify your on-call hours

Determine when you need on-call coverage. For example, your office staff might work normal daytime hours, but your production staff may work 24 hours. You might have a manager, maintenance person or IT staff member on call for all times outside of the normal office work hours.

2. Determine the on-call staff needs

Next, you need to know what type of staff you need on call. Standby workers typically have specific skills that might be needed quickly. That means you might not need someone on call for every possible position within your company. Determine what type of help you might need outside of normal hours or in addition to normal staffing .

3. Select qualified employees

With your specific needs in mind, you can identify the staff members who fit those needs. Not all employees will have the expertise to handle an on-call shift. Talk to the employees you identify to see if they’re available for on-call shifts and whether they have preferences for which on-call shifts they want to work. Some employees might have other jobs or commitments that make them unavailable for some shifts.

4. Clarify the guidelines

On call is a general term that can mean a lot of different things, depending on your needs. You may want to clarify the following details with your employees:

• Location: You might ask the on-call staff to stay at the office or at home during the shift. Alternatively, you might ask them to stay within a certain radius of the office, so they can get there quickly if they’re needed.
• Response time: Set expectations for how quickly the employee should be able to respond. This can also help determine how far away from the office they can go.
• Activities: Determine if on-call employees can engage in personal activities during their shifts. Keep in mind that you’ll likely need to pay employees while they’re on call if you restrict their personal activities during that time.

5. Assign employees to on-call shifts

Fill the shifts you need to have covered with qualified employees. Asking for volunteers first could help you get the coverage you need without forcing people to be on call. If you have more than one employee to cover the shifts, make sure the on-call rotation is fair, so the same person isn’t always stuck with the shifts. If there’s a less appealing shift, have employees take turns covering it.

Best practices for on-call schedules

It isn’t easy to create an on-call schedule that everyone loves. Some employees won’t like the idea of being on standby with the chance that they might have to work. However, you can make the process easier and more appealing with the following best practices:

• Get feedback from your staff: Talking to the people who will be involved can help you create an on-call rotation they might prefer. You could also come up with some alternatives by talking to your staff.
• Build in flexibility: Let’s say an on-call IT person had to come into the office and work late into the night. You might let them come in late the next day, or you might have someone else take the rest of their on-call shift. This encourages teamwork and provides support to your employees.
• Support work-life balance : Working on call can make it difficult for your employees to maintain work-life balance. Make sure your staff members have a chance for downtime when they aren’t chained to their phones waiting to get called to work.
• Clarify what justifies a call-in: While an on-call employee should always be prepared to respond, they shouldn’t have to come in for every little issue. Have clear guidelines on when someone should be called into work. You might have troubleshooting steps for the staff before they contact the on-call person. The on-call staffer might be able to talk the employees through the situation from home. Having these steps in place can prevent unnecessary trips to the office.
• Revisit the schedule regularly: You can repeat the same on-call schedule on a weekly or monthly basis, but it’s still a good idea to check in regularly to make sure it’s still working. Ensure you have the coverage you need, and check with staff members to make sure the schedule is still working for them.
• Build a support environment: Having a supportive company culture can make employees more willing to help out with on-call coverage. It can also help to have strong company goals and give employees meaningful roles in supporting those goals.

FAQs about on-call scheduling

What does primary on-call mean?

The primary on-call is the person who receives the call if the need arises. They’re the person who’s supposed to respond when needed. You might also designate a secondary on-call as a backup. If the primary on-call doesn’t answer or can’t respond in a timely manner, you can move on to the secondary on-call. This can ensure you have coverage and reduce the response time in an emergency.

What are the benefits of on-call scheduling?

Using an on-call scheduling method gives you backup coverage when needed without scheduling extra staff. Your on-call employee might respond to a work emergency, a rush of customers or an unexpected situation. It might also be used when something may or may not happen. For example, an RN might be on call for a home health agency in case a new patient starts over the weekend and needs to go through the initial evaluation.

Are you working when on call?

An on-call employee isn’t working, but they need to be prepared to work. They might not actually work at all during the on-call shift, or they might work most of the time. You might have to pay on-call employees, even if they don’t work during the shift. This usually happens if you require the employee to be at the office or stay close to the office or you limit their activities, so they’ll be able to respond quickly.