Developing a successful self-rostering shift system

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Staff Scheduling
• Workforce Optimization

Background:

• Traditional rostering can lead to suboptimal work-life balance and increased use of temporary staff.
• Staff satisfaction and retention are critical factors in healthcare quality and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a self-rostering system on staff work-life balance.
• To assess changes in sickness and the utilization of bank and agency staff.
• To determine the long-term sustainability and scalability of self-rostering.

Main Methods:

• A six-month self-rostering trial was conducted across three hospital wards with diverse staff compositions.
• Data on staff work-life balance, sickness, and use of bank/agency staff were collected before, during, and after the trial.
• Long-term follow-up at six, 16 months, and two years post-implementation was performed.

Main Results:

• Staff satisfaction with work-life balance increased dramatically, from 38% to 82% during the trial.
• Sickness rates and reliance on bank and agency staff were monitored for long-term trends.
• The self-rostering model proved sustainable, with continued use and expansion to other trust areas.

Conclusions:

• Self-rostering is a highly effective strategy for enhancing healthcare staff work-life balance and satisfaction.
• The system demonstrates long-term viability and adaptability across different healthcare settings.
• Implementing self-rostering can potentially reduce reliance on temporary staffing and manage sickness absence.