shift patterns
09 May 2002, 04:12 PM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 15,623
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You need to make sure you have enough numbers. One person on holiday and one off sick can cripple a small shift team if you dont have sufficient team numbers.
For me it means loads of overtime covering holidays etc
[Edited by paulr - 9/5/2002 4:14:31 PM]
09 June 2002, 05:15 PM
#2
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 1999
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Try to work it so that your staff have to get up "late" when their shift changes, rather than "early", if you see what I mean.
Human beings adjust to getting up four/eight/twelve hours later far more quickly than they do getting up earlier by the same amount. It's the same principle as the difference in jet lag when flying East or West.
Staff whose shifts start later are more alert, better motivated, make fewer mistakes and take fewer sick days than those whose shifts start earlier.
Do a search on the web for "circadian rhythms".
[Edited by DavidRB - 9/6/2002 5:15:38 PM]
Human beings adjust to getting up four/eight/twelve hours later far more quickly than they do getting up earlier by the same amount. It's the same principle as the difference in jet lag when flying East or West.
Staff whose shifts start later are more alert, better motivated, make fewer mistakes and take fewer sick days than those whose shifts start earlier.
Do a search on the web for "circadian rhythms".
[Edited by DavidRB - 9/6/2002 5:15:38 PM]
05 September 2002, 12:34 PM
#3
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
anyone got any suggestions for alternative shift patterns to provide 24 hr / 7 day cover?
I'm really interested in how different businesses cover this, and what the different options are....and how much you have to pay....
I'm really interested in how different businesses cover this, and what the different options are....and how much you have to pay....
05 September 2002, 12:39 PM
#4
Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 19,910
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Commonly shift patters are either on 12 or 8 hour shifts.
Where I used to work we did 7 days on, 7 days off rotating days and nights 12 hour shifts.
We were going to switch to a pattern whereby you do 4 on 4 off 12 hour shifts, again rotating days and nights.
But a plan was put forward whereby you now do a any 5 out of 7 8 hour shifts, day, noons and nights.
Not sure on pay, I guess that is entirely dependant on area, whether you pay a permanaent night shift extra and how much other similar businesses around you are paying.
Where I used to work we did 7 days on, 7 days off rotating days and nights 12 hour shifts.
We were going to switch to a pattern whereby you do 4 on 4 off 12 hour shifts, again rotating days and nights.
But a plan was put forward whereby you now do a any 5 out of 7 8 hour shifts, day, noons and nights.
Not sure on pay, I guess that is entirely dependant on area, whether you pay a permanaent night shift extra and how much other similar businesses around you are paying.
05 September 2002, 12:49 PM
#6
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: London
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
depends what the needs are.
we provide 'call out' cover where people do their normal shift and agree to be called out should the need arise. They can do their normal life stuff but can't drink or turn the phone off. For this they get £30 a week for being on standy and double time if called out. The standby rate isn't much but they don't get called out that often and it's good for their liver... (one week in three on standby, usually)
we provide 'call out' cover where people do their normal shift and agree to be called out should the need arise. They can do their normal life stuff but can't drink or turn the phone off. For this they get £30 a week for being on standy and double time if called out. The standby rate isn't much but they don't get called out that often and it's good for their liver... (one week in three on standby, usually)
05 September 2002, 12:58 PM
#7
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 15,623
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I work 12 hour shifts.4 on 4 off.I do 2 days (6am-6pm) then 2 nights (6pm-6am) then 4 days off(only works out at 3.5 really cos first day in bed).
I prefer this to 4 days,than 4 nights
2 nights i can cope with,4 is a struggle,although atm i'm doing 5 nights in a row (overtime
)
Trending Topics
05 September 2002, 01:35 PM
#8
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Where I work we do either morning or afternoon shift of 5 hours, or full day shift of 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. with an hour for lunch.
Evening is then 5.30 - 10.30 and the night shift is 10.30 - 7.30 the following morning.
Work fixed days so every monday, tuesday and thursday is worked for example, instead of 4 days on, 4 days off.
Evening is then 5.30 - 10.30 and the night shift is 10.30 - 7.30 the following morning.
Work fixed days so every monday, tuesday and thursday is worked for example, instead of 4 days on, 4 days off.
05 September 2002, 03:29 PM
#9
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Arborfield, Berkshire
Posts: 12,387
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I do the usual 4 on 4 off. 3 sets of days then 3 sets of nights. 12 hr shifts. Would not like to do any more days in a row as it would grind me down pretty soon.
Simon.
Simon.
05 September 2002, 03:40 PM
#10
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm trying to organise a new shift pattern for operators in a technical company.
We have to operate 24/7 but most of the labour is there on a mon-fri basis, meaning loads of expensive weekend overtime.
What's a reasonable premium to pay to get people to work the 4 day on 4 day off shift?
We have to operate 24/7 but most of the labour is there on a mon-fri basis, meaning loads of expensive weekend overtime.
What's a reasonable premium to pay to get people to work the 4 day on 4 day off shift?
05 September 2002, 03:47 PM
#11
Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 19,910
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That was the situation that the company I was in had.
They let too many employees switch to Mon-Fri completely forgetting that the weekends DO need covering and double time was usually paid.
Naturally the employees didn't want to change!!! I know talks with the union were done, I left soon after so I have no idea how it was resolved, but I know an 8% rise was involved.
They let too many employees switch to Mon-Fri completely forgetting that the weekends DO need covering and double time was usually paid.
Naturally the employees didn't want to change!!! I know talks with the union were done, I left soon after so I have no idea how it was resolved, but I know an 8% rise was involved.
05 September 2002, 03:53 PM
#12
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Arborfield, Berkshire
Posts: 12,387
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well our bonus is £6k per year which includes working any bank holidays that your shifts fall on. Make sure a days holiday also counts as 1 12 hr shift off (or whatever) as some companies try and skank you buy saying a days holiday is 9-5 so a 12hr shift counts as 1.5 days holiday if you want it off - this will **** people off no end.
Setting a fixed amount is better for you rather than a percentage of salary as that will obviously go up every time an employees salary is increased (promotions or whatever).
You need to make sure you have enough numbers. One person on holiday and one off sick can cripple a small shift team if you dont have sufficient team numbers.
Setting a fixed amount is better for you rather than a percentage of salary as that will obviously go up every time an employees salary is increased (promotions or whatever).
You need to make sure you have enough numbers. One person on holiday and one off sick can cripple a small shift team if you dont have sufficient team numbers.
05 September 2002, 03:58 PM
#13
Scooby Regular
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 1,449
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay, we're a team of 12 covering 24/7 in four teams of three. We have a four week cycle doing 12 hour shifts starting at 19:30 on nights and 07:20 on days, as follows -
Starts with 4 nights from Monday.
2 1/2 days off over weekend.
3 Days starting Monday.
1 1/2 days off.
3 nights starting Friday.
2 1/2 days off
4 days starting Thursday (today )
1 week off
That way each shift covers all 7 days and all 7 nights throught the 4 weeks. We get paid 40% shift premium for this. Those hours means we work more than 37.5 hours a week, so we also get 16% as built in overtime. We also work bank holidays as normal shifts with no specific payment or holiday - for this we get another 8% on the basic. This add up to 60% extra for working this pattern, so it could be expensive, but we're on peanuts for basic so it's not what it could be.
It works out well and provides the cover we need. We also tend to do shift swaps for particular busy times, for example someone on days will switch to nights to provide the cover when it's needed.
Hope that helps
Starts with 4 nights from Monday.
2 1/2 days off over weekend.
3 Days starting Monday.
1 1/2 days off.
3 nights starting Friday.
2 1/2 days off
4 days starting Thursday (today
)1 week off
That way each shift covers all 7 days and all 7 nights throught the 4 weeks. We get paid 40% shift premium for this. Those hours means we work more than 37.5 hours a week, so we also get 16% as built in overtime. We also work bank holidays as normal shifts with no specific payment or holiday - for this we get another 8% on the basic. This add up to 60% extra for working this pattern, so it could be expensive, but we're on peanuts for basic so it's not what it could be.
It works out well and provides the cover we need. We also tend to do shift swaps for particular busy times, for example someone on days will switch to nights to provide the cover when it's needed.
Hope that helps
05 September 2002, 04:06 PM
#14
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 15,623
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I also work as part of a 4 shift team doing 24/7.(see above post)You tend to work 5 weekeds out of 7.
As for pay our 24/7 crew are paid 1.35 times the rate of the mon-fri shifts who do mornings and afternoons.We all do a 42 hour week.The holidays for the 24/7 work out a lot better.If i take 4 days off i get 12 days holiday.Last year i saved all my hols and took over a month off work.
05 September 2002, 07:40 PM
#19
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i work for a large telecoms firm, not BT the other really bad one!!! we used to work 24/7 cover....this following rota worked very very well, seeing as we worked rostered days off to get 7 days off in a row, based on a 40 hr week
12 hour shifts.....
wk1 - M/T/W (days) T/F (off) S/S (days)
wk2 - M/T/W (nights) T/F/S/S (off)
WK3 - M/T/W (off) T/F/S/S (nights)
wk4 - M/T/W (off) T/F (days) S/S (off)
12 hour shifts.....
wk1 - M/T/W (days) T/F (off) S/S (days)
wk2 - M/T/W (nights) T/F/S/S (off)
WK3 - M/T/W (off) T/F/S/S (nights)
wk4 - M/T/W (off) T/F (days) S/S (off)
06 September 2002, 01:04 AM
#23
Scooby Regular
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We work 14 days out of 35 - 12 hr shifts - This requires 5 shifts to work pattern 24/7
Week 1 Mon & Tues Days - Fri, Sat & Sun Nights
Week 2 Wed & Thur Days
Week 3 Mon & Tues Nights - Fri, Sat & Sun Days
Week 4 Wed & Thur Nights
Week 5 Off
Week 1 Mon & Tues Days - Fri, Sat & Sun Nights
Week 2 Wed & Thur Days
Week 3 Mon & Tues Nights - Fri, Sat & Sun Days
Week 4 Wed & Thur Nights
Week 5 Off
06 September 2002, 05:52 PM
#26
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Essex
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Nick,
I'm one of twelve who man a 24/7 office, we have two people on at a time (something to do with H&S regs.)
I'll mail you a copy of my rota as it's too weird to explain. shifts run 8 'till 8 or 9-5 for the five 'office days' at the end of each 6 week period, these five days are to ensure the shift workers don't get alienated from the rest of the company by making us do filing and also allow us to slope off down the pub all day like the 'normal' workers.
Also included below are some interesting nightshift links.
The whole thing works quite well as long as people remain flexible and are prepared to swap shifts occasionally.
Big telly at work also helps.
http://www.enw.org/NightShift.htm
http://www.nightshift.com/articles/short_snooze.htm
http://ky.essortment.com/workingnightss_rfyj.htm
http://www.sleepdisorderchannel.net/shiftwork/
Regards
Dave
P.S. The car's still in one piece and going strong, still makes me grin when I drive it!
I'm one of twelve who man a 24/7 office, we have two people on at a time (something to do with H&S regs.)
I'll mail you a copy of my rota as it's too weird to explain. shifts run 8 'till 8 or 9-5 for the five 'office days' at the end of each 6 week period, these five days are to ensure the shift workers don't get alienated from the rest of the company by making us do filing and also allow us to slope off down the pub all day like the 'normal' workers.
Also included below are some interesting nightshift links.
The whole thing works quite well as long as people remain flexible and are prepared to swap shifts occasionally.
Big telly at work also helps.
http://www.enw.org/NightShift.htm
http://www.nightshift.com/articles/short_snooze.htm
http://ky.essortment.com/workingnightss_rfyj.htm
http://www.sleepdisorderchannel.net/shiftwork/
Regards
Dave
P.S. The car's still in one piece and going strong, still makes me grin when I drive it!
07 September 2002, 04:10 PM
#29
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Bish,Bash,Bosham!
Posts: 2,204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is how we do it (24x7 IT/Operations Support):
4 teams of 4 staff
Week 1: Mon - Fri 0700 - 1500
Week 2: Mon - Fri 2300 - 0700
Week 3: Mon - Fri 1500 - 2300
For the weekend following Week 3, the team splits in two and 2 people work:
Sat + Sun 0700 - 1900 and the other two do Sat + Sun 1900 - 0700
Week 4: OFF
This is the only shift pattern I have ever worked but I can't see a better way of doing it. 12 hour shifts can be a bit of a drag but at least with this rota you only have to do two a month. Holidays don't tend to cause a problem except for at weekends as this would necessitate overtime. So we are encourages to try and swap weekends where possible but being a big company they are fairly relaxed about overtime.
Shift allowance is about £6,000 a year for me which I think is about 25% extra so helps me to keep the Scooby on the road
As your salary goes up so does your shift allowance
Jamie
4 teams of 4 staff
Week 1: Mon - Fri 0700 - 1500
Week 2: Mon - Fri 2300 - 0700
Week 3: Mon - Fri 1500 - 2300
For the weekend following Week 3, the team splits in two and 2 people work:
Sat + Sun 0700 - 1900 and the other two do Sat + Sun 1900 - 0700
Week 4: OFF
This is the only shift pattern I have ever worked but I can't see a better way of doing it. 12 hour shifts can be a bit of a drag but at least with this rota you only have to do two a month. Holidays don't tend to cause a problem except for at weekends as this would necessitate overtime. So we are encourages to try and swap weekends where possible but being a big company they are fairly relaxed about overtime.
Shift allowance is about £6,000 a year for me which I think is about 25% extra so helps me to keep the Scooby on the road
As your salary goes up so does your shift allowance
Jamie
