Essential Practices to Empower Your OnCall Team

by Kaushik Thirthappa

Imagine this: It's 2 AM, and a critical system goes down. Who's there to save the day? Your oncall team!

These unsung heroes are the backbone of any organization, ensuring that services run smoothly and efficiently, no matter the hour.

But being on the front lines of incident management is no small feat. It requires not just skill and dedication but also a robust support system from the organization.

This post explores five best practices to extend your support and empower your oncall team. Let’s dive in!

1. Establish Clear Communication

First things first: Communication. But not just any communication—the clear, direct, and personalized kind.

The key? When creating escalation policies, discuss with your team how they would like to be alerted. Also, have separate escalation policies based on incident severity for enhanced responsiveness. Learn more about crafting effective escalation policies here.

Plus, integrate shift rotation alerts into platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack to boost transparency. It keeps everyone on the same page regarding who's on call and when.

This is where Spike's Dashboard shines, offering quick access to oncall schedules and fostering an environment where everyone is equipped, informed, and ready to spring into action.

2. Build a Culture of Continuous Learning

Here's a not-so-secret secret: As your team and systems expand, things get more complicated, and knowledge starts to spread out.

The solution? Embrace continuous learning. And the most effective tool for this? Documentation.

Start by jotting down what went wrong, how you tackled it, and how you fixed it. On Spike, you can use "Resolution Notes" for this.

While documenting, remember that it’s not just about what problems you’re solving but HOW you’re solving them matters.

This approach helps you not just fix things but also build a bespoke knowledge base that grows richer with each incident.

And when new folks join the team, they'll have a treasure trove of insights at their fingertips, making them battle-ready for the unique challenges your operations face.

3. Foster Fair and Flexible Scheduling

Fair and flexible scheduling is the cornerstone of a well-functioning oncall team.

Implement flexible scheduling strategies such as the "Follow the Sun" to distribute oncall duties more evenly across different time zones. This eases the load on each team member, preventing burnout.

But fair and flexible scheduling goes beyond just burnout prevention; it's about respecting your team's time and commitments outside of work.

Here's how to nail it:

  1. Set Availability and Response Times
  2. Accommodate oncall members with layers
  3. Collaborate with your team while planning the schedule
  4. Sync oncall schedule with calendar for better visibility
  5. Lastly, use Spike’s oncall overrides for those much-needed breaks.

Want to dive deeper into setting up oncall schedules? Check this out: getting started with oncall schedules.

Additionally, you can use Spike’s Activity Log to record all the roster changes. This ensures everyone’s in the loop, bringing total transparency to your scheduling.

4. Ensure Clarity in the Chaos of Incident Management

Incident management can feel like navigating a storm. The key to weathering it? Clarity!

This means ensuring seamless communication and documentation, especially during handoffs.

We recommend annotating incidents with comments, providing context and clarity for the next person on duty.

It's about creating a breadcrumb trail of insights, making it easier for the next person to pick up where the last left off.

This practice transforms chaos into order, ensuring every team member is equipped to tackle incidents head-on.

5. Create a Supportive Environment

Last but definitely not least, fostering a supportive environment is foundational to the well-being and efficiency of oncall staff.

Actively encourage the open exchange of both challenges and triumphs. This isn't merely about communication; it's about turning individual journeys into a shared roadmap of wisdom, ensuring every voice is valued and every story is heard.

But why stop at encouragement? Celebrate your oncall champions with genuine recognition and rewards. By acknowledging their efforts, you're not just thanking them; you're fostering an environment of deep belonging and mutual respect.

These practices unlock sustained motivation and engagement, ensuring that your team isn't just working together—they're thriving together.

Wrap Up

Your oncall team: they're not just a crucial part of your organization, they're the heartbeat that keeps it alive and kicking, day and night.

Make them feel valued with personalized communication, boost their growth through ongoing learning, and ensure their well-being with balanced schedules.

Plus, clarify incident management processes and, most importantly, foster a supportive environment that appreciates every team member.

Remember, the strength of your oncall team mirrors the strength of your organization.

Don't let your oncall team burn that candle at both ends alone. Instead join them in lighting the way forward, ensuring they have the support, resources, and recognition they deserve to shine brightly.