Team Communication
Keep your team informed with announcements, messages, and notifications.
Communication Features
SimpleStaff provides several ways to communicate with your team about schedules and important updates.
Announcements
Broadcast to entire team
Direct Messages
Private 1-on-1 messages
Push Notifications
Real-time mobile alerts
Email Notifications
Schedule summaries & updates
Creating Announcements
Go to Announcements
Navigate to Team → Announcements or click the megaphone icon.
Write Your Message
Enter a title and message. You can format text and add links.
Choose Recipients
Select who should receive the announcement:
- • All team members
- • Specific department(s)
- • Specific position(s)
- • Selected individuals
Send or Schedule
Send immediately or schedule for a future date/time.
Automatic Notifications
SimpleStaff automatically sends notifications for scheduling events:
Schedule Published
Employees are notified when a new schedule is published.
Shift Changes
Notified when their shift is modified or cancelled.
Shift Reminders
Optional reminders before shift starts (configurable timing).
Request Updates
Notified when time-off or swap requests are approved/denied.
Open Shifts
Notified when shifts become available for pickup.
Notification Preferences
Employees can customize their notification preferences:
Push Notifications
Enable/disable for each notification type. Requires mobile app.
Email Notifications
Choose which events trigger emails. Set digest vs. instant delivery.
SMS Notifications
Optional text messages for critical alerts (requires phone number).
Admin Control: Admins can set minimum required notifications that employees cannot disable (e.g., schedule changes must always notify).
Direct Messages
Send private messages to individual team members:
- 1.Go to an employee's profile or click their name anywhere in the app
- 2.Click "Send Message"
- 3.Type your message and send
Messages are stored in SimpleStaff and accessible from both web and mobile apps.
Shift Notes & Comments
Add context to specific shifts:
Shift Notes
Add notes visible to the assigned employee (e.g., "Please arrive 15 min early for training").
Manager Notes
Internal notes visible only to managers (e.g., "VIP event - experienced staff only").
Related Articles
Questions about team communication?
Contact Support