New in Fernhour, staff availability set by the team

Staff availability now lives in Fernhour. Each person marks the days and hours they cannot work, from their phone, and you see it as you build the rota. No more collecting days off by text, and no more shifts placed on someone's exam day.

Asking for availability first is the third step in our guide to planning the weekly rota. Until now, Fernhour left that step to you. Now the app does it.

What staff can set #

• Regular limits. "Never on Tuesdays" or "not before ten". These repeat every week until they change them.
• One-off days. A wedding, an exam, a hospital visit.
• A note. A short reason, if they want to give one. It is never required.

You see staff availability as shaded hours on the rota. If you place someone in a shaded hour, Fernhour asks you to confirm.

What staff availability leaves to you #

Availability is a request, not a rule. You still decide the rota. When the shop needs someone on a day they marked, talk to them first, and give them the reason.

Some weeks will not fit everyone's wishes. When that happens, share the pain fairly. Keep a note of who gave up a marked day last time, and ask someone else first next time. People accept a hard week far more easily when they can see it moves around.

Availability also changes over time. A student's limits change each term, and a parent's change with the school year. Ask the team to look at their own limits once a season, so the rota is never built on last year's facts.

For teams on a spreadsheet #

If you are still choosing between tools, our comparison of a spreadsheet rota and an app lists what each does well. Collecting availability is one of the clearest differences.

Staff availability is on for every Fernhour team from today. For the rights of people who work part time, the UK government's page on part-time workers' rights is a good start.

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