2 shifts - 1st & 3rd

HRCalico · August 2005

Currently we run two shifts, both with a base 4-10s schedule. Swing runs Sun-Wed 4:30 PM to 3 AM and days runs Mon-Thurs 6 AM - 4:30 PM. I have four people who prefer the swing shift for the hours and the differential; the other four for the most part would bolt to days in a heartbeat. Plus there is a great deal of turnover on that shift - people say yeah, those hours sound great, and then their little ones are upset because mommy isn't there to tuck them in, or their SO is irritated because they don't eat supper together anymore, etc. etc. etc. The bottom line is that staffing is a huge issue on this shift.

My president and production manager have brought up for discussion the idea of running a first and third shift. I'm not sure how it would fit with our four tens, though. Does anyone have any experience with this? I've never heard of it but I hear that 3rd is easier to staff than 1st shift. Thoughts? Comments?

LarryC · August 2005

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 08-09-05 AT 10:44AM (CST)[/font][br][br]You might try running your 2nd shift from Monday through Thursday so that they close up instead of open up. Going in at 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon would sure make ME balk at accepting that shift. It's a weekend "killer".

My experience has been that 3rd shift is harder to fill, but once you have it, there is less turnover. I see a problem with the 10 hour 3rd shift, however. They would have to be to work by 7:30 in the evening, which makes it "seem" like 2nd shift. I'm assuming that the 1st shift schedule is inflexible, which is sometimes the problem.

Good luck, Lenetta! By the way, you can stick a fork in our Twins. They're done.

HRCalico · August 2005

We're looking at going to M-R but have a question of when to run the overtime day. Friday is a killer on that one, plus our supervisor has a 2nd job on Friday and Saturday nights, and based on our circumstances, we do NOT want to run him off. And if they worked Fridays we'd have to bring in people on Saturday to clear out the autoclaves. On it goes - we just need to decide the lesser of the evils.

I agree that the 7:30 PM start time doesn't help much. We could change first's start time, but don't want them ending too late . . . and we changed it in April when we went to the 4-10s. Our employees come in high on the spectrum of DO NOT LIKE CHANGE.

Ugh, you're right on the Twinks. Rumor out here (what do we know?) is that Santana is playing hurt. With Hunter on the DL, my Fantasy team (which consists of mostly Twins) is in the basement. I do get some comfort deep down that Guzman is stinking it up in Washington. x}> Oh, well, maybe next year. We're hoping to get back up your way for a few games next summer.

Hunter1 · August 2005

Hey! I'm not on the DL. I'm right here as active as ever.

Oh, never mind.

HRanna · August 2005

We also run four ten-hour shifts. "Third" shift goes Sunday night through Thursday night, and works 7:30-6:00. First shift works Monday through Thursday 6:00-4:30.

Overtime is worked on Friday (Thursday nights for third), which gets them out of here for the weekend.

We tried a Monday night start for third, but then overtime ran into Friday night and people were very unhappy.

The 7:30 start is early for a third, but there is no way around it. We have a number of senior people who work the shift and love it, but it is personal preference.

WT · August 2005

Having worked a swing shift, I would like to bring up a point you may have missed. Working third shift is really not good for your employees. Sleeping during daylight hours is hard and not really restful. Working even until 3 in the morning lets people sleep some hours during darkness. Accidents along toward daylight at the end of 3rd shift are more common. Sleep apnea and other like disorders appear. If there is turnover on your 10 hour second shift, you may want to consider working more days on the second shift but changing to 8 hours. That gives employees more hours of darkness to sleep and would permit at least a little social interaction with children or spouses.