Setting the foundations for on-call that’s fair, balanced, and human-focused

Setting up a successful on-call function requires careful planning and consideration of both business needs and team well-being. Key factors include having enough people on rotation, encouraging overrides for personal responsibilities, avoiding alert fatigue by being selective with paging alerts, and fostering an environment where it's okay to admit not knowing the answer. Automating low-level tasks can also help support on-call responders. By addressing these aspects, organizations can create a robust on-call function that protects their business while supporting the well-being of their team members.