Automated auction method for staffing work shifts

A method for assigning an entity to one of a plurality of work shift positions that form a work schedule stored in a computer system, said method comprising:

• electronically designating at least one of a plurality of work shift positions as an available work shift position;
• the entity submitting a bid into the computer system wherein the bid specifies an available work shift position as a selected work shift position, and specifies a wage at which the entity is willing to be compensated for providing a worker for the selected work shift position;
• based on the bid that was submitted, choosing the entity;
• and
• the computer system scheduling the entity to work the selected work shift position.

A method implemented by a computer system for staffing work schedule having a plurality of work shift positions, said method comprising:

• electronically designating at least one of the plurality of work shift positions as an available work shift position;
• the computer system receiving a plurality of bids each of which specifying an entity, a given available work shift position, and a wage at which the entity is willing to be compensated for providing a worker for the given available work shift position;
• selecting one of the plurality of bids as a selected bid;
• and
• the computer system scheduling the entity associated with the selected bid to work the given available work shift position.

A method implemented by a computer system for assigning workers to work shift positions, said method comprising:

• a first worker electronically selecting, as a first position, a work shift position at which the worker has been scheduled to work;
• the first worker electronically selecting, as a second position, another work shift position at which a second worker has been scheduled to work;
• the computer system determining whether the first position and the second position satisfy predefined criteria for worker exchange thereby making an exchange determination;
• and
• in response to the exchange determination, the computer system scheduling the first worker to work the second position and scheduling the second worker to work the first position.

A method for assigning a worker to a work shift position that is part of a work schedule stored in a computer system, said method comprising:

• the worker offering to work the work shift position;
• the computer system validating or invalidating the worker as being capable of performing the work shift position based on a defined validation criteria;
• if the worker is validated, the computer system scheduling the worker to work the work shift position;
• and
• issuing a reward to the worker for participating in the method.