I tailor this blog specifically for people who work an unconventional schedule.  Some of you that work a more conventional schedule, or a stay-at-home parent might be wondering what shift work is.  Let me tell you, we’re the people that keep you safe, healthy and comfortable.

Shift Workers Make the World Go Round

Let me ask you this, have you ever needed to fill your gas tank or go to the store late at night?  Have you ever heard a fire truck rushing to put out a burning building in the wee hours of the morning?  Have you ever had to go to the pharmacy after hours to pick up medicine for a sick child?  What would you do if you, your spouse, or your child have a major medical emergency at 3:00 am?  Chances are you have encountered a shift worker.  We live in a 24/7 world and shift workers make that world run.

Shift work refers to a work schedule that is outside of the traditional 9-to-5 working hours Monday-Friday. Instead of the standard daytime schedule, shift workers are assigned to work unconventional time periods, such as early morning shift, evening shift, or night shifts. This unconventional arrangement allows different industries to provide round-the-clock services or maintain continuous operations in industries that require constant coverage.  These industries are many: healthcare, food service, retail, military, mining, public utilities, meteorology, transportation, manufacturing, sanitation, law enforcement, fire, emergency services, hospitality, and customer service.

So What Hours Do You Work?

Shift work is a work schedule that is usually performed in rotations.  Different groups of workers do the same jobs in different rotations throughout the day with a small turnover period at the beginning and at the end of shift.  Shift work can be categorized into several types of arrangements such as rotating shifts, fixed shifts, and split shift.

I work DuPont schedule; it is a variation of rotating shift.  I work four 12-hour night shifts followed by three days off; three 12 hour day shifts followed by a big fat 48 hours off; three 12 hour night shifts followed by three days off; and four 12 hour day shifts followed by a lovely seven day weekend where nobody has to even think about work.  Trust me, the most coveted day of the rotation is the Sunday right before the seven-day break.  We call that blessed day Super Friday.  The most dangerous place to be, is between anyone I work with and the exit at quitting time on Super Friday.

Pros of Shift Work

I know you’re shaking your head and wondering what could possibly be an advantage of working such an unconventional schedule. Hear me out.  Working 12-hour shifts on a rotating schedule has forced me look at it from a glass half full approach.  As unusual and exhausting as shift work can be, there are many advantages of working such an unconventional schedule.

Higher Earning Potential

Many industries that require shift work offer perks such as a shift differential and overtime rates. Where I live, every hour over 12 hours in day counts as overtime pay and every hour over the conventional 40 hours a week counts as overtime.  Overtime rates in my state count as time and a half.  Time and a half pay compounded with shift differential can add up to a lot of extra money on your paycheck. Some industries factor in hazard pay as well.  I get all three pay bumps when I work night shift.  All of this can lead to a significantly higher earning potential for shift worker.  I was once offered a straight day schedule working four ten-hour shifts.  Though I loved working a 4/10 schedule in the past, I declined this offer because I ran the numbers and saw the money I would be losing.

Better Opportunities

Shift work involving rotating shifts can expose employees to a variety of tasks, responsibilities, and colleagues. This variety can help develop a broad skill set that can be transferred anywhere.  Another reason I like working shift is that it looks good on a resume to future employers.  Working an unconventional schedule shows that you have a work ethic, an ability to self manage, and a degree of tenacity that a future employer may find desirable.

Better Work Life Balance

I know what you’re thinking, “You’re kidding me, right?”.  This could almost be its own blog post. Having worked DuPont schedule for many years, I’m passionate about helping other shift workers find a positive work-life balance.  Here is a list of perks of working an unconventional schedule:

1. You won’t be stuck in rush hour traffic. Because I work rotating shift, my commutes to and from work are outside the usual rush hour times.
2. You won’t have to compete with everyone else when you’re off. This is my favorite perk. You can book hair, massage, dental, medical, or whatever appointments when everyone else is working.  You can run errands, go to the gym without having to battle a crowd. You see a movie and eat out at a cheaper price because you’re not doing it during peak hours.
3. You NEVER, EVER take your work home with you. Not ever!  Many professionals take their work home with them but not shift workers.  Seriously, a lot of working professionals have a home office, but not shift workers. When you’re off, you really are off.
4. You might get less wear and tear on your car and use less fuel. This will vary based on the schedule you work but I work 14 12-hour shifts over a three week rotation.  I would be putting a lot more miles on my car and using a lot more gas if I worked a conventional schedule.
5. You can have more uninterrupted family time when you’re off. Instead of a few hours, you can have days to do things together.
6. You can take vacations outside of the peak season and not have to deal with crowds and you usually get cheaper prices. A manager of mine took his wife and kids on a cruise to Puerto Rico on his seven days off.  His wife was a stay-at-home mother that home schooled the kids.  The kids got a great field trip and the family got to have a great tropical vacation.
7. If you’re an introvert, working an unconventional schedule such as night shift or rotating shift might be a better fit because you’re not around as many people.

Cons of Shift Work

With every benefit, there are tradeoffs.  Here are some major cons to working an unconventional schedule.

Disrupted Circadian Cycle

I’m not going to lie, working rotating shift wrecks havoc on your sleep cycles.  The most significant drawback of rotating shift is the exhaustion from the regular disruption of the body’s natural circadian rhythms. Since the beginning of time, humans awakened with the sun rising and sleeping after the sun sets.  Humans are not meant to be awake and working during the night and we’re certainly not meant to have our sleep cycles flipped around.  As a result, irregular sleep patterns and working during nighttime hours can lead to fatigue, weight gain, worker burnout, sleep disorders, and increased risk of accidents.

Disrupted Social and Family Life

Shift work can cause a serious strain on personal relationships due to conflicting schedules with family and friends. Spending quality time with loved ones, helping children out with homework, taking children to extracurricular activities, and participating in social activities that occur during regular working hours becomes impossible.  Even single, unattached and childless shift workers find themselves feeling isolated and devoid of a life outside of work.

Health Risks

Shift work has been associated with an assortment of health issues such as increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Even worse for those who work rotating shift, the irregular schedule and disruption of the body’s internal clock can cause chronic fatigue, weight gain and it can negatively impact overall health.

Reduced Productivity and Performance

This is no joke.  Shift workers that work night shift and rotating shift frequently suffer from fatigue and sleep deprivation.   This can lead to decreased productivity, impaired concentration, and reduced cognitive abilities. Maintaining focus and making critical decisions, especially during night shifts, can be very difficult at times.  Critical industries employ shift workers; an exhausted and sleep deprived employee can be very dangerous.  Let’s not forget that a physically and mentally exhausted shift worker driving home from night shift can be at a high risk of a car accident.

Lack of Social Support and Resources

Support services, such as childcare, healthcare, and recreational facilities are mostly tailored to conventional 9-5 workers.  Though 24 hour gyms are becoming more widely available, they are not everywhere.  Childcare needs to be privately arranged and will likely cost more because daycare centers operate during conventional hours.  Furthermore, healthcare providers, therapists, hair stylists, and bankers work during conventional hours so the shift worker might need to get creative when scheduling an appointment.

Limited Career Advancement

This varies on the industry, but shift workers could face limited opportunities for career advancement compared to their counterparts who work conventional daytime schedules. There is no question that shift workers are resourceful and dedicated, but factors such as reduced visibility, less interaction with management, and fewer training and job development opportunities occur during non-standard shifts.

 

Night shift workers don’t have a regular bedtime; we have a “suggested sleep duration” that we never meet.