Shiftwork Schedules

"What's the best shiftwork schedule?" The "best" shiftwork schedule is the one that best meets the needs for production, efficiency, safety and worker well-being. This means that schedules will, by design, be different for every workplace.

In spite of this, there are some principles that distinguish better schedules from others. For example, the best schedules are either long or short, that is, they have no more than 2 of any shift in a row or they have more than 14 of the same shift in a row. Intermediate shift rotations (4 - 7 of the same shift in a row) are universally considered to be the most stressful for workers.

Schedules that rotate forward (days - afternoons/evenings - nights) also contribute to worker well-being and usually result in production and safety improvements.

Schedules that allow for permanent shift assignments or established rotations are also favored. Casual/-on-call/swing shift assignments on an on-going basis make huge physical and emotional demands on workers.

Schedules that allow for frequent weekend and evening time for family and friends are also preferred by most workers. In lieu of this, schedules that provide at least four days off in a row are usually attractive to workers.

How good a schedule is is also a factor of management practice. For example, even less than perfect schedules can be tolerated by workers if the opportunity to self-schedule and trade-off as their personal needs require.

When you are designing your schedule, be creative. Keep all options open. You will find that you will discover schedule variations which you may not have considered previously and the schedule you decide on will be the best schedule for your workplace.

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