24/7 Scheduling

POPEYE · February 2005

It appears that business needs are going to dictate we move toward a 24/7 operation in our manufacturing facility. We have been kicking around several scheduling alternatives and would like to ask for some input from my wise colleagues with similiar needs as to what scheduling has or has not worked.

Thanks in advance for the input!!!!!

Don D · February 2005

I'll tell you what is killing our people right now. For the past 75 or so weeks, this facility has worked almost every Saturday. For a year, we have been on 10 hour shifts plus every Saturday. Whatever you do, try to ensure that you come up with a rotation plan to preclude that and STICK TO IT. It's nice to make $70k a year as a production worker, I'm sure, but it is literally killing the workers.

An enticing shift differential won't hurt either.

ray a · February 2005

We have a department that has been working 24/7 for about a year and a half now. The group is split in half and they alternate weekends. So every one has a weekend on then a weekend off. Works for us and meets the state law requirements for day of rest.

TN HR · February 2005

We run 24x6 as a norm. Saturday work is not an option, but rather a necessity. The best thing we can do for our employees is to de-crew certain lines and departments as soon as possible and create light days. Right now we're slow and I still had ee's with 26 hours of OT last week. Not good IMHO.

One way it worked for me before in another life was by designating A and B crews very similar to the way Ray A described above.

Good luck Popeye!

Gene

POPEYE · February 2005

DonD - What you described is exactly where we have and are since the middle of August except we have been working both Sat. and Sun.

We are trying to devise the scheduling so that OT will be held to a minimum and we won't totally destroy our good EEs.

We have kicked around working rotating 12 hr shifts, 3 on 2 off - 2 on 3 off...... also
12 hr. 3 on 3 off and even regular 8 hr shifts of
3 on 3 off.

Was just wanting to hear about any other options we haven't thought of.

ray a · February 2005

Many years ago I worked a 4 shift setup.

1st shift - Sun thru Tues, 6AM to 6PM
2nd shift - Sun thru Tues, 6PM to 6AM
3rd shift - Thur thru Sat, 6AM to 6PM
4th shift - Thur thru Sat, 6PM to 6AM

Weds was divided up equally among the 4 shifts.

We did that for several years.

Kent · February 2005

Popeye,, There are literally dozens of schedule options to choose from and it all depends on your site's needs and culture. Most of the more reasonable involve 12 hour shifts. I assure you that you will be surprised at some of the reactions. Half will love the freedom to plan their life without worrying about the need to work the weekend and half will be angry that they aren't getting the OT as before. You need to be particularly careful about Sunday work. Even though they may have worked many Sundays before at OT rates they may not be so happy to work it at straight time and all of a sudden realize they have a "sincerely held religious belief."

Don D · February 2005

Kent's right. Some religions require running trot lines and yo yo's for catfish on Sundays. x:-)

POPEYE · February 2005

That's too easy. On top of that, my religion of choice requires that I dance a jig across the top of the water and at the same time, drown a silver-backed minnow.

lnelson · February 2005

What does your current schedule look like so we can give you an informative alternative?

POPEYE · February 2005

Currently running three 8 hour shifts M-F and as I said have been working both week-end days for several months with no end in sight and we are concerned about the health and safety of our over-worked EEs.

lnelson · February 2005

In order to eliminate Saturday & Sunday work for all unless needed on sporadic basis.

5 shifts EXAMPLE SHIFTS

A: M-F 6:00AM - 2:30pm 8 hr shift

B: M-TH 2:00PM - 12:30am 10hr shift

C: T-F 12:00am - 10:30am 10hr shift

M-TH 6:00PM - 4:30am 10hr shift

E: T-F 4:00AM - 2:30pm 10hr shift

This would depend on if you are able to have more than 1 shift working at a time. By doing this you gain approx. 32 more production hrs per week.

hhaynal · February 2005

Our mfg site runs 12 hour shifts. We have four shifts, A, B, C, D, with A and C being day shifts and B and D being the night shifts. The workers work 36 hours one week, and 44 hours the following week; i.e. A shift works 36 hours this week while the C shift works 44 hours.

The mfg folks say it makes for long days, but they also like it when the scheduling allows them off one full week each month.

bamahr · February 2005

Our sites that require 24/7 coverage work 4 on 4 off. They rotate days and nights every couple of weeks. Some weeks they get 48 hours and some 36. They would work M, T, W, Th one week and then T, W, Th, Fr the next. Everyone seems to really like it - alot of them have side business and it allows them to do both.

24/7 Scheduling

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