In a fast-paced world where flexibility and communication are more critical than ever, Shyft is reshaping how hourly teams operate. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Seattle, WA, Shyft is a mobile-first SMB SaaS platform built to solve one of the most persistent challenges in hourly work—last-minute shift changes, inefficient scheduling, and broken communication.
A Problem Millions Experience, A Solution That Scales
The inspiration for Shyft came from a deeply personal moment. One of the startup’s founders noticed his sister—working in retail—constantly juggling handwritten notes, group texts, and last-minute calls just to swap shifts. The process was chaotic, stressful, and outdated. That simple observation sparked the creation of Shyft—a platform designed to give frontline workers more control and managers greater clarity.
Today, Shyft is used by thousands of hourly teams across major retailers and industries, facilitating millions of shift transactions. The platform empowers workers to swap shifts in real-time, manage open shifts, and coordinate with team members seamlessly. Managers, in turn, benefit from better visibility and reliability—ensuring coverage and reducing last-minute headaches.
More Than Just Shift Swapping
While shift-swapping remains core to Shyft’s offering, the platform has evolved to meet broader workforce needs. New features include labor forecasting, schedule creation, and time-off management—building a comprehensive suite of tools that address the day-to-day challenges faced by managers and hourly employees alike.
What sets Shyft apart is its focus on user experience and engagement. With strong retention metrics and continued feature expansion, the platform is proving its product-market fit while helping companies build more agile and resilient teams.
Learning from the Best
Shyft draws inspiration from platforms like Slack, which revolutionized workplace communication with simplicity and intuition. Much like Slack, Shyft is committed to meeting users where they are—on their phones, in real time, and with tools designed to enhance collaboration and flexibility. The goal? To humanize and modernize hourly work.
The Vision Ahead
Looking forward, Shyft aims to become the go-to platform for frontline workforce management. In the next four years, the company envisions expanding its footprint across industries like retail, hospitality, logistics, and healthcare, serving millions of users. Shyft will be more than just a scheduling app—it will be a central hub for workforce communication, scheduling, optimization, and insights.
In an era where the frontline workforce too often gets overlooked in tech innovation, Shyft is stepping up with purpose and clarity—giving power back to the workers who keep businesses running.
