Availability
A roster is only as good as the availability it is built on. In Staffyou WFM employees enter their own availability in the employee app, or Staffyou Agent gathers it via WhatsApp. The algorithm uses that data straight away when scheduling.
Book a demoSee pricing- €0.15 per scheduled hour
- First 500 hours per month free
- Unlimited users and locations
Trusted by companies across the Netherlands
Staffyou WFM
Three ways availability comes in
Employee app
How it works
Employee fills it in per week
Where it ends up
Worker profile and schedule
WhatsApp
How it works
Staffyou Agent asks within your boundaries
Where it ends up
Schedule, can be read back
Plain-language question
How it works
Planner asks who is available
Where it ends up
Straight into the schedule
How it works
Self-service in the employee app
Employees share their availability in the employee app: each week they fill in when they can work. The planner sees it straight away. Availability sits in the worker profile, next to skills, qualifications, rating and verification, for your own and external workers alike.
In the same app employees see the shifts that suit them, pick up open shifts and swap among themselves. The rules keep applying and changes show up straight away.
- Fill in availability per week
- Visible to the planner straight away
- Part of one worker profile
- Pick up and swap open shifts
Gathering availability via WhatsApp
Not everyone fills in their availability unprompted. Staffyou Agent gathers availability via WhatsApp, offers shifts, confirms and passes on changes. All within the boundaries you set: which groups, which times and which messages.
Everything can be read back and appears in the schedule. The planner can also ask questions in plain language, such as "who is available in Utrecht on Saturday?". That question goes straight into the schedule.
From availability to roster
The algorithm matches on availability, skills and certificates, location and travel distance, preferences, cost and rules. Availability is no longer a separate list, but the basis of the proposal.
With Staffyou Engage you target messages at people who are available, work at a certain location or have a certain role.
Staffyou WFM costs €0.15 per scheduled hour, with the first 500 hours per month free. Unlimited users and locations, cancellable monthly and without setup fees.
Keeping it current
How to keep availability up to date
Availability goes stale quickly. Ask for it at a fixed moment, for example a week before you publish, and send automatic reminders to anyone who has not responded. With Staffyou Engage you set up those triggers and choose the channel: app, WhatsApp, SMS or email.
Make it easy to respond. Employees reply in the channel they received the message in, and their answer flows back into the schedule. Messages can be set up in multiple languages, which helps teams with many non-native speakers. Employees only see their own messages, never their colleagues’ data.
That gives the planner an up-to-date picture without lists. The algorithm uses the latest availability in every proposal, and Staffyou Agent follows up when a shift stays open.
For everyone
Availability of flex pool and agencies
Availability does not only matter for your permanent team. For your flex pool and for agency workers too, it sits in the same worker profile, next to skills, qualifications, rating and verification.
The algorithm fills shifts in the order you set: first your own employees who are available, then your flex pool, then suppliers. That makes availability the basis for the whole chain, not just your own roster.
Background
The problem with availability in group chats
In many teams, availability is shared through a group chat, an email or a note on the board. The planner has to collect it all and copy it into the roster. Whoever shares nothing gets forgotten, or is scheduled at a time they cannot work.
With a flex pool of dozens or hundreds of people, that is no longer manageable. And availability changes quickly: students have exams, someone takes on another job or a permanent employee wants extra hours.
How do you get employees to share their availability?
Let employees enter their availability themselves in an app that is linked directly to the roster, and actively gather missing availability through the channel they already use. In Staffyou WFM employees do this in the employee app, and Staffyou Agent follows up via WhatsApp. Planners see availability straight away and the algorithm matches on it automatically.Client case
How Jaarbeurs Utrecht schedules
Read the case studyModules in Staffyou WFM
- Staffyou Agent Workforce management in plain language. The agent reaches out to people via WhatsApp, finds cover and brings in the planner according to your rules.
- Staffyou Algoritme Suggests the optimal schedule and matches on availability, skills, location, preferences, cost and rules.
- Staffyou Engage A modern communication platform for your own employees: campaigns, notifications and messages via app, WhatsApp, SMS or email, linked to schedule and location.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Read more about Staffyou WFM
- Employee app
- Staff scheduling
- Retail scheduling
- Hospitality scheduling
- Staffyou WFM: the platform
- What does Staffyou WFM cost per hour?
- Comparing WFM software
- Case study: Jaarbeurs
Collect availability without group chats?
In 30 minutes we show how availability from the app and WhatsApp lands in your roster.
Book a demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
How do employees share their availability?
Per week, in the employee app. The planner sees it straight away and the algorithm uses it in automatic scheduling.
Can availability also be shared via WhatsApp?
Yes. Staffyou Agent gathers availability via WhatsApp, within the groups, times and messages you configure. This runs through official WhatsApp Business channels and approved templates.
Can I decide when the agent sends messages?
Yes. You set the order and time windows, for example your own employees first and no messages after 9pm.
Does this work for flex and agency workers too?
Yes. Availability is part of one worker profile, for your own and external workers alike.
What does this cost?
Availability is part of Staffyou WFM: €0.15 per scheduled hour, with the first 500 hours per month free.
What does the algorithm do with availability?
The algorithm matches open shifts on availability, skills and certificates, location and travel distance, preferences, cost and rules. Anyone who is unavailable is left out of the proposal. Anyone who is available and knows the location gets priority if you weigh continuity heavily.