Tiered Staffing System

OnLocum's tiered staffing system mirrors how healthcare facilities actually hire: trusting known workers first, then expanding to vetted pools, and finally to the broader market. This guide explains the three-tier model and how to leverage it for optimal staffing.

The Three-Tier Model

Understanding Trust Levels

Healthcare facilities don't treat all workers equally - they prioritize relationships built over time:

TRUST HIERARCHY
════════════════════════════════════════════════════

    TIER 1: INTERNAL STAFF    Highest Trust
    ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
    │  Your employees picking up extra shifts      │
    │  Already on payroll, know your systems       │
    └──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                        │
                        ▼
    TIER 2: FLOAT POOL         Pre-Vetted
    ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
    │  External workers you've worked with before  │
    │  Vetted by you, familiar with your facility  │
    └──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                        │
                        ▼
    TIER 3: OPEN MARKET        Platform Verified
    ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
    │  Credentialed workers you haven't used yet   │
    │  OnLocum verified but facility-unknown       │
    └──────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Why Tiers Matter

Tier 1: Internal Staff

Who Are Internal Staff?

Your permanent employees who can pick up extra shifts:

• Full-time nurses not scheduled for a specific shift
• Part-time staff wanting additional hours
• PRN (as-needed) employees
• Staff from other departments with qualifications

Adding Internal Staff

1. Go to Workers > Internal Staff
2. Click Add Internal Staff
3. Enter worker details:
   • Employee ID (your internal reference)
   • Name and contact
   • Department assignment
   • Employment type (Full-time, Part-time, PRN)
4. Link to OnLocum account:
   • Search by phone/email
   • Or invite them to create account
5. Set preferences:
   • Preferred shifts
   • Maximum extra hours
   • Department cross-training

Managing Internal Staff

View your internal staff roster:

Internal Staff Benefits

Workers in Tier 1 get:

• First notification for extra shifts
• Priority matching before external workers
• Streamlined onboarding - already in your systems
• Familiar environment - know your protocols

Tier 2: Float Pool

What is the Float Pool?

Pre-vetted external workers who have:

• Successfully completed shifts at your facility
• Been approved by your staff
• Optionally completed facility-specific onboarding
• Demonstrated reliability and quality

Adding Workers to Float Pool

After a successful shift with an open market worker:

1. Review their performance
2. Click Add to Float Pool on their profile
3. Optional: Require facility onboarding
4. Add notes for future reference
5. They're now in your Tier 2

Or proactively add workers:

1. Go to Workers > Float Pool
2. Click Add to Float Pool
3. Search for workers by qualification
4. Send invitation to join your pool
5. Once they accept and complete any required steps, they're added

Float Pool Management

Your float pool dashboard shows:

Float Pool Features

For each float pool member:

• Facility-specific rating - Your rating of them
• Shifts at your facility - Work history with you
• Onboarding status - Facility-specific requirements
• Notes - Private notes for your reference
• Preferences - Their department/shift preferences

Facility Onboarding

Require additional steps for float pool members:

Float Pool Benefits

Tier 2 workers receive:

• Priority notifications before open market
• "Invited" badge on notifications
• Direct invitations for specific shifts
• Relationship building opportunity

Tier 3: Open Market

What is the Open Market?

Credentialed workers on OnLocum you haven't worked with:

• Platform-verified credentials
• Background-checked
• Rated by other facilities
• Unknown to your specific facility

Open Market Quality

All open market workers have:

• Identity verification
• Professional license verified
• Platform-wide ratings visible
• Basic credential verification

Filtering Open Market Workers

When open market is reached, filter by:

• Distance - Workers within radius
• Rating - Minimum platform rating
• Experience - Shifts completed on platform
• Credentials - Specific certifications
• Limit - Maximum notifications to send

Post-Shift Float Pool Promotion

After working with an open market worker:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  SHIFT COMPLETED: James Ochieng, RN                            │
│                                                                │
│  Check-in: 11:58 PM (2 min early)                              │
│  Check-out: 8:05 AM (shift end)                                │
│  Hours: 8.12 → 8 (rounded)                                     │
│                                                                │
│  Your rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐                                        │
│                                                                │
│  ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗│
│  ║  Would you like to add James to your Float Pool?           ║│
│  ║                                                            ║│
│  ║  Benefits:                                                 ║│
│  ║  • Priority notifications for your shifts                  ║│
│  ║  • Faster matching when you need staff                     ║│
│  ║  • Build a trusted roster over time                        ║│
│  ║                                                            ║│
│  ║  [ Add to Float Pool ]  [ Not Now ]                        ║│
│  ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝│
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Workers Directory

Tabbed Interface

Your workers directory organizes by tier:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WORKERS DIRECTORY                                                │
│                                                                  │
│ [Internal Staff (23)] [Float Pool (47)] [Open Market (892)]     │
│                                                                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Internal Staff Tab

Shows:

• Employee ID
• Department
• Employment type
• Availability status
• Current week hours
• Shift preferences

Float Pool Tab

Shows:

• Your facility rating
• Shifts completed here
• Onboarding status
• Last worked date
• Distance
• Your private notes

Open Market Tab

Shows:

• Platform rating
• Total platform shifts
• Credentials
• Distance
• "Add to Float Pool" option

Setting Tier Preferences

Shift Posting Configuration

When posting shifts, configure tier behavior:

1. Which tiers to notify:

   • Internal only
   • Internal + Float Pool
   • All tiers (full cascade)
   • Open Market only (bypass internal/float)

2. Wait times between tiers:

   • How long before escalating

3. Worker limits:

   • How many to notify per tier

Blocking Workers

Prevent specific workers from being matched:

1. Go to the worker's profile
2. Click Block Worker
3. Select block type:
   • Block from this facility
   • Block from all organization facilities
4. Add reason (private)
5. Worker won't see your shifts or be notified

Tier Analytics

Tracking Tier Effectiveness

Monitor how each tier performs:

Improving Tier Performance

Internal Staff:

• Ensure all employees are registered
• Make extra shifts attractive
• Review internal staff availability settings

Float Pool:

• Actively add good workers after shifts
• Complete onboarding requirements
• Maintain relationships with regular workers

Open Market:

• Review credential requirements (not too strict?)
• Check rate competitiveness
• Consider expanding notification radius

Best Practices

Building Your Tiers

1. Start with internal - Register all employees
2. Build float pool proactively - Add good workers immediately
3. Maintain relationships - Regular shifts build loyalty
4. Review regularly - Remove inactive workers, add new ones

Optimal Tier Sizes

Managing Transitions

Help workers move up tiers:

• Good open market → Float pool
• Exceptional float pool → Consider permanent hire
• Poor performers → May be removed from pool

Frequently Asked Questions

Can workers be in multiple facility pools?

Yes, workers can be in float pools for multiple facilities within your organization.

What if an internal staff member performs poorly?

Rate them accordingly. Internal staff with consistent poor performance should be addressed through your HR process.

How do I see which tier a worker came from?

Shift history shows the tier when each worker was matched.

Can workers see their tier status?

Workers see badges like "Invited by [Facility]" or "Priority" but don't see explicit tier labels.

Next Steps

• Multi-Facility Setup - Configure your organization
• Cascade Notifications - Automate tier notifications