How to Pick Up Open Shifts in Smart Square HMH
Open shifts are how departments fill gaps — and how staff earn extra hours. When your unit posts an unfilled shift in Smart Square, eligible team members can claim it. This guide covers where open shifts appear, how claiming one works, and the approval step that catches people out.
Where open shifts appear
Sign in to Smart Square (website or the Smart Square Go app) and look at the open shifts view alongside your schedule. You will generally only see shifts you are eligible for — your own department and role, in the period your managers have published. If the view is empty, nothing is posted for you right now; open shifts come and go quickly, so check back rather than assuming the feature is broken.
Picking up a shift, step by step
- Open the open shifts view and browse by date. Start from dates you are genuinely free — a claimed shift is a commitment.
- Select a shift to see its full details: date, start and end times, unit and role.
- Claim it (request the shift). On many units this sends a request rather than booking you instantly.
- Wait for approval where your department requires it — manager approval is the norm, not the exception.
- Confirm the shift now appears in your schedule. A request is not a shift until it shows there.
The step everyone forgets
A request is not a booking. Until the shift appears on your schedule, you do not have it — someone else may be approved first, or the request may still be sitting with your manager. Check your schedule before making plans around the extra hours, and if a request sits unapproved as the date approaches, ask your manager directly.
Rules worth knowing
- Eligibility is set by your department. Which shifts you can see and claim — and limits around overtime or back-to-back shifts — follow your unit's rules, not a network-wide free-for-all. If a shift you expected to see is not there, that is usually why.
- First approved, not first clicked. Where approval is required, speed of clicking matters less than the manager's decision.
- Changed your mind? Do not just not show up. Talk to your manager or offer the shift as a swap — our swap guide covers trading shifts with colleagues.
- The app is the fastest route. Good open shifts go quickly; staff who check the Smart Square Go app between tasks see them first.
New to all this? Start with the login guide, then keep the app on your phone — open shifts reward the people who look often.
Facts on this page last verified 26 October 2026 against the official portal.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find open shifts in Smart Square?
In the open shifts view, alongside your schedule, on the website or in the Smart Square Go app. You generally only see shifts you are eligible for in your department and role.
When I claim an open shift, is it mine straight away?
Not always. On many units, claiming sends a request your manager approves. The shift is only yours when it appears in your schedule — check there before making plans around it.
Why can I not see an open shift a colleague can see?
Eligibility is set by department — role, unit and rules around overtime or back-to-back shifts decide who sees what. If a shift is missing for you, that is usually why; ask your manager if you think it is an error.
There are no open shifts showing — is something broken?
Probably not. Open shifts appear when departments post them and go quickly once claimed. An empty view usually just means nothing is posted for you right now — check back regularly, especially in the app.
I claimed a shift but changed my mind — what do I do?
Do not simply not show up. Talk to your manager, or offer the shift as a swap to colleagues. Until it leaves your schedule, it is your responsibility.