Microsoft Teams Shifts

Overview

Microsoft Teams Shifts is the shift scheduling and management feature built into Microsoft Teams. It replaced Microsoft StaffHub (which was retired on October 1, 2019) and is designed specifically for frontline and deskless workers to manage their schedules and communicate with their teams.

History

Microsoft StaffHub was announced in September 2016 and officially launched in January 2017 as a standalone app for deskless workers. In 2018, Microsoft announced at Ignite that StaffHub would be retired and its functionality merged into Microsoft Teams. StaffHub was officially retired on October 1, 2019, with Teams 'Shifts' as its replacement.

Features

For Managers

• Create, update, and manage shift schedules
• Publish schedules to the team
• Manage shift schedules on the web
• Handle time-off requests
• Create various time-off options (vacation, sick days, etc.)
• Streamline what has been a labor-intensive scheduling process

For Employees

• Access all shift information from mobile app
• Easily swap shifts with others
• View schedules on any device
• Request time off
• See who's working when
• Get notifications about schedule changes

Communication & Collaboration

• Send quick messages to individual team members or the whole group
• Tap a contact icon to start conversations
• Integrated with Microsoft Teams chat and collaboration features
• Share files and information related to shifts
• Connect with colleagues seamlessly

Integration with Microsoft 365

• Part of Microsoft Teams ecosystem
• Works with other Microsoft 365 apps
• Single sign-on with organizational credentials
• Enterprise-grade security and compliance
• Data stored in Microsoft cloud

Platform Support

• Microsoft Teams desktop app (Windows, Mac)
• Microsoft Teams web app
• Microsoft Teams mobile apps (iOS, Android)
• Fully integrated into Teams experience

Benefits

• No Additional Cost: Included with Microsoft Teams
• Familiar Interface: Uses Teams interface employees already know
• Enterprise Security: Microsoft 365 security and compliance
• All-in-One: Scheduling and communication in one app
• Mobile Access: Manage shifts from anywhere
• No Extra App: No need to download separate scheduling software

Target Audience

Shift workers and deskless workers who:

• Don't work from desktop computers
• Have different schedules from week to week
• Work in retail, hospitality, restaurants, healthcare
• Need to coordinate their workday through shift scheduling
• Require information sharing and colleague communication

Ideal For

• Frontline workers
• Retail employees
• Hospitality staff
• Restaurant workers
• Healthcare workers
• Manufacturing employees
• Any deskless or shift-based workforce
• Organizations already using Microsoft 365

Key Use Cases

• Shift schedule creation and management
• Employee shift swapping
• Time-off request handling
• Frontline worker communication
• Team coordination
• Schedule notifications

What Makes Teams Shifts Different

Unlike standalone scheduling apps, Teams Shifts is deeply integrated into Microsoft Teams, which many organizations already use for collaboration. This means frontline workers can access schedules, communicate with managers, and collaborate with teammates all in one familiar app, without switching between multiple platforms.

Migration from StaffHub

Organizations using Microsoft StaffHub were migrated to Teams Shifts in 2019. Teams Shifts provides all the core functionality of StaffHub plus the added benefit of full Teams collaboration features.

Pricing

Included with Microsoft Teams subscriptions. Available in:

• Microsoft 365 Business plans
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise plans
• Some Microsoft Teams free plans (with limitations)

Requirements

• Microsoft Teams access
• Microsoft 365 subscription (for full features)
• Mobile device or computer
• Internet connection