How to Keep Healthcare Staffing Strong Through the Holidays

The holidays are a peak period for healthcare facilities, yet staff availability often drops. 

Ensuring consistent patient care during this time requires smart planning, proactive strategies, and reliable staffing solutions. 

By the end of this post, you’ll learn how to keep your healthcare teams strong. You’ll discover ways to prevent burnout. 

You’ll also see how to maintain high-quality care during the holidays.

1. Forecast Staffing Needs Early

Health professionals often request time off for family and celebrations, which can leave facilities vulnerable to shortages. 

Forecasting allows you to prepare rather than scramble.

Here’s how to implement:

• Review last year’s holiday patient volume and staff schedules.

• Identify peak hours, critical shifts, and departments likely to be short-staffed.

• Use scheduling software or spreadsheets to map out projected coverage gaps at least 6-8 weeks in advance.

Pro tip: Communicate with staff about their holiday availability early. A simple survey or scheduling poll can save weeks of last-minute scheduling chaos.

2. Leverage Temporary and Per-Diem Staff

Relying solely on permanent staff can lead to shortages and overworked teams.

Temporary or per-diem staff offer flexibility without compromising patient care.

How to implement:

• Partner with a reputable healthcare staffing agency like Goodwill to access vetted professionals.

• Define roles clearly, including shift length, responsibilities, and expected start/end dates.

• Schedule temporary staff in advance, especially for high-demand shifts like evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Statistic: According to a 2024 healthcare workforce report, facilities that utilize temporary staff during peak seasons experience 35% fewer missed shifts and 25% higher patient satisfaction.

Pro tip: Keep a small pool of trained per-diem staff on standby year-round, so you can deploy them quickly during unexpected absences.

3. Encourage Flexible Scheduling

Flexibility reduces staff burnout and increases retention during high-demand periods.

It also allows professionals to balance personal celebrations with work responsibilities.

How to implement:

• Offer split shifts, compressed workweeks, or rotating holiday coverage.

• Allow staff to swap shifts easily through scheduling software.

• Recognize and reward flexibility, such as offering bonus pay for holiday shifts or extra time off after peak periods.

Step-by-step mini-list:

1. Identify roles that can be covered with flexible schedules.

2. Communicate options to staff 4-6 weeks before the holiday.

3. Monitor scheduling to ensure fair distribution and avoid overloading certain team members.

Pro tip: Pair flexible scheduling with clear incentives. For example, offer gift cards, bonuses, or extra PTO to those covering critical holiday shifts.

4. Cross-Train Staff to Fill Gaps

Cross-training allows staff to cover multiple roles when absences occur. This ensures continuous patient care and reduces the risk of service bottlenecks.

How to implement:

• Identify critical roles and skills needed during peak periods.

• Provide short, focused training sessions for staff to learn essential tasks outside their usual responsibilities.

• Maintain a skills matrix to track who can step in for which roles during absences.

Pro tip: Make cross-training part of your annual staff development plan, not just a holiday-season tactic. It pays off in efficiency and morale year-round.

5. Implement Incentive Programs for Holiday Coverage

Holiday shifts are often less desirable, leading to staff shortages. Incentives motivate employees to volunteer for coverage and improve morale.

How to implement:

• Offer financial incentives like overtime pay or holiday bonuses.

• Provide non-monetary perks: gift baskets, extra vacation days, or special recognition in staff meetings.

• Track coverage trends to see which incentives work best and adjust annually.

Statistics: Studies show that facilities offering holiday bonuses and perks reduce voluntary absenteeism by up to 40% compared to facilities that do not provide incentives.

6. Maintain Open Communication

Clear communication prevents misunderstandings, reduces stress, and ensures everyone knows their responsibilities during the holiday season.

How to implement:

• Send weekly updates leading up to the holidays with shift confirmations and staffing announcements.

• Use team chat apps or email for real-time updates on absences or coverage changes.

• Encourage staff to report potential conflicts early so you can address them before they impact patient care.

Pro tip: Assign a holiday staffing coordinator who acts as a single point of contact for all scheduling questions and emergencies.

7. Monitor and Adjust Staffing in Real-Time

Even with careful planning, unexpected absences happen. Monitoring allows managers to make quick adjustments and prevent patient care disruptions.

How to implement:

• Use workforce management software to track attendance, shift completion, and coverage gaps.

• Keep a small pool of on-call staff ready for last-minute replacements.

• Analyze trends post-holiday to improve planning for the next year.

The Holiday Pressure on Healthcare Teams

The festive season brings extra challenges for healthcare workers. Higher patient volume and staff absences create pressure behind the scenes.

Understanding this stress shows why holiday staffing is more than just filling shifts. It’s about supporting people who keep care running.

Recognizing these pressures emphasizes the dedication required to maintain patient safety and service quality during the holidays.

Heroes Who Keep Care Going

While many celebrate, healthcare professionals ensure patients are never left unattended. Their commitment often goes unseen but is vital.

From nurses to therapists, every role matters in sustaining care during the holiday season. Their work ensures continuity when others are off.

Highlighting these heroes turns the holiday staffing challenge into a celebration of dedication and perseverance.

Life Behind the Holiday Scenes

Hospitals and clinics have a different rhythm during the holidays. Staff juggle personal plans with the responsibility of patient care.

This balance shapes the unique challenges of holiday healthcare staffing. Every shift requires adaptability, resilience, and teamwork.

Acknowledging this behind-the-scenes effort helps staff feel valued and appreciated while readers understand the stakes.

Wrapping Up

Maintaining strong healthcare staffing through the holidays requires early planning, flexible scheduling, temporary staff, cross-training, incentives, and real-time monitoring.

Facilities that implement these strategies not only keep patients safe but also reduce staff burnout and improve morale.

Final tips you can implement immediately:

• Survey your staff about holiday availability now.

• Contact your staffing agency early to secure temporary or per-diem professionals.

• Incentivize coverage for high-demand holiday shifts.

Want to ensure your healthcare team is ready for the next holiday season?

Whether you’re a healthcare facility looking to fill holiday shifts or a professional seeking flexible work opportunities this season, Goodwill Staffing connects you to the right match. 

Explore our services and keep your team strong through the holidays.

Partner with Goodwill today to access qualified professionals who keep your facility running smoothly even during the busiest times.