Operational decisions based on shift scheduling myths can often prevent an operation from reaching its full potential in terms of operational costs, productivity, efficiency and safety.
If your operation doesn’t involve employees in work schedule changes... it may be falling prey to these myths.
Both registered nurses and employers have a joint responsibility to “reduce risks from nurse fatigue and to create and sustain a culture of safety, a healthy work environment, and a work-life balance.”
Twelve-hour shifts are still one of the most frequently debated topics in shift work management. Managers, shiftworkers, union representatives, federal regulators, corporate policy-makers, and academic experts continue to question and debate how 12-hour shifts compare to 8-hour shifts.
So you’ve read about the benefits of 12-hour shifts and now you’re ready to move forward? Hold your breath, because there are a few DISADVANTAGES that you might want to take into consideration before you move forward with any scheduling change initiatives.
Managing 24/7 operations comes with a host of challenges that many daytime-only operations don’t have to consider. Based on our expertise in 24/7 workforce solutions, here are five useful tips for managing 24/7 operations.
Why can soothing music or “white noise” can put you to sleep, while a loud alarm every five minutes has the opposite effect? Noise and alertness have a complex relationship.
Many employers provide work breaks to employees, whether paid or unpaid; however, this common practice isn’t federally mandated – with the exception of required breaks for nursing mothers. Fewer than half of the states require employers to provide a meal break, and the specifications of these required breaks vary by state.
We have come across our fair share of shift work myths, especially those involving shift schedule selection, throughout CIRCADIAN’s 30 years of consulting a variety of 24/7 industries and operations.
In most 24/7 operations, there are a fixed number of positions to be filled on each shift. Because of this, staffing levels greatly impact overtime rates for employees.
Employees in the U.S. work the highest number of work hours per year compared to the rest of the world—about 70 more hours per year than workers in Japan, and 350 hours more than in Europe. Longer workweeks and fewer weeks of vacation in the U.S. combine to produce this discrepancy.
Overtime can be beneficial for both employees and companies. It provides the company with the flexibility to cover unexpected absences and changes in demand without hiring more staff and it gives employees extra income at a premium rate. However, overtime has its downsides too.
Twelve-hour shifts are still one of the most frequently debated topics in shift work management. Managers, shift workers, union representatives, federal regulators, corporate policy-makers, and academic experts continue to question and debate how 12-hour shifts compare to 8-hour shifts.
There are many types of 12-hour schedules, and for each general type there are dozens of variations. Out of the hundreds of mathematical possibilities, many companies face a difficult challenge in finding a schedule that best meets the needs of both management and employees.
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