3 Shift Rotation

kinetic747

kinetic747

kinetic747

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I work for a large manufacturing company that operates 24 hours a day and until 9 months ago had a permanent night shift. For reasons unknown (needs of the business blah blah) they gave us 90 days notice and now the whole factory is on a 3 shift rotation. 6 months in and I can't explain how unhealthy I feel, a constant fatigue accompanied by regular colds, chest infections etc. The lack of sleep is obviously the reason for the fatigue as I struggle to get 4 hours after a night shift and that is hit and miss. I am considering speaking to HR but I'm sure anyone who works in manufacturing will tell you that the chances of a change in my shift pattern are virtually zero. Does anyone else work rotating shifts and how are you getting along?
 
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I work full time nights and feel unwell most of the time as I have to try and 'fit in' to normal life after my shifts are finished, then i'm back to work after 2-3 nights, rinse and repeat.

Shift work is crap, but the money and benefits are excellent for me. I plan to retire in 6.5 years.

Look for another job if you aren't getting the pay and benefits for the ungodly hours you have to work?.
 
I work shifts, used to be three dayshifts then off three days, then three nightshifts and off again.

Then about five years ago we changed it to two dayshifts straight into two nightshifts then off four days. Best thing that ever happened! Only two nights makes a world of difference, your first nightshift is always the toughest but with this pattern your second nightshift is you last shift and that alone can get you through. Plus the fact you only work two nightshifts your body never gets into the full adjustment of nights and therefore it's easier to get back to a dayshift routine.
 
Used to work 12 hours x 3 days, 12 hours off then onto 3 or 4 - 12 hour night shifts then 4 or 5 days off.

the days off managed to get you feeling human again before starting over.

Sounds like the sleep is the problem though. why are you only getting 4 after a night shift?
 
DirtyJester said:
I work shifts, used to be three dayshifts then off three days, then three nightshifts and off again.

Then about five years ago we changed it to two dayshifts straight into two nightshifts then off four days. Best thing that ever happened! Only two nights makes a world of difference, your first nightshift is always the toughest but with this pattern your second nightshift is you last shift and that alone can get you through. Plus the fact you only work two nightshifts your body never gets into the full adjustment of nights and therefore it's easier to get back to a dayshift routine.
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our union recently voted down an optional shift pattern of 3 12 hour shifts (day or night) then 4 days off.

was gutted would have loved that pattern.

3 12 hour nights instead of 4 shorter nights, more money and 4 days off a week. :(
 
Tefal said:
our union recently voted down an optional shift pattern of 3 12 hour shifts (day or night) then 4 days off.

was gutted would have loved that pattern.

3 12 hour nights instead of 4 shorter nights, more money and 4 days off a week. :(
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Why Unions get on my nerves. Been a hindrance to me more than a benefit over the years even with 5+ years service in the NHS.
 
Arthur Hucksake said:
Why Unions get on my nerves. Been a hindrance to me more than a benefit over the years even with 5+ years service in the NHS.
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the % "majority" that voted against it was 60%.....the turn out was 18%.....


but that "majority" is what we've got to listen to apparently.

same union that voted down the TSA accounts (lets you take over time as money, holiday hours, or time off the end of your career) yet when they were then brought in optional a year later are now used by over 80% of all staff.



union has far too much of a "vote no to everything the management offer" attitude.


hopeful when the rate increase comes in next year they'll offer the shifts optional.

more money and less days in work = win/win for me.
 
My shifts vary, most of the time its either 07-15, 11-19 or 15-23. I may do one week of one, then another next, or just a couple of days of one, before a day or two off, then another shift pattern.

It definitely affects me with sleep etc, but good thing is I can swap pretty easily with other people.

The main plus point is I get in effect nearly 11 weeks paid holiday a year :cool:
 
The reason I can't sleep is due to anxiety. I can't accept the forced nature of the shift pattern change which is even more ridiculous given that the permanent night shift were happy to stay there. If you read up on the negative effects of long term shift work, especially when nights and days are rotated, it amazes me that companies can still force the change. Has anyone on here got a HR background? If so, I would love to hear their comments.
 
Tefal said:
our union recently voted down an optional shift pattern of 3 12 hour shifts (day or night) then 4 days off.

was gutted would have loved that pattern.

3 12 hour nights instead of 4 shorter nights, more money and 4 days off a week. :(
Click to expand...

I actually work two 12hr dayshifts followed by two 12hr nightshifts then four days off. Best pattern I've ever worked.

The three on three off was fine for days but terrible for nights. You had 3 days to recover to get back for dayshift, actually felt like 2 days off as first day was wasted sleeping.

4 days of would be better but with your pattern (the voted down version) you're still doing 3 nights, no thanks, gimme 2 alone.
 
Tefal said:
our union recently voted down an optional shift pattern of 3 12 hour shifts (day or night) then 4 days off.

was gutted would have loved that pattern.

3 12 hour nights instead of 4 shorter nights, more money and 4 days off a week. :(
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter that shift wouldn't have lasted long. We are expecting a regulation change in the length of our nightshifts in aviation. Expect very soon it to be 7-8 hours max per night. You won't be able to do 3x12 hours soon. Ours do 4x9 hours and that's expected to be shortened.

I work 2 days (12hours) 2 nights (12 hours each) 4 off and I absolutely ****ing hate it. I did 17 years of dayshift from the age of 16 and I can hand on heart say moving to that shift pattern was the biggest mistake of my career. Some guys eat through it but I can do a 12 hour nightshift, return home like death, get to bed at 8am and sleep no longer than mid-day. To then return for another NS.

I don't want to list my issues on a forum, my collegues use this place too but I know how badly this has impacted my health and sleep loss through anxiety which I never suffered.

I think it's utter madness the amount of maintenance is done at night and critical decisions made at 4am but £50 flights rules everything.

I don't agree DirtyJester 2d2n you are not getting 4 off. You are sleeping after your last night and have to get up so not to lose a day and then spend the day like death. You have to adjust to days then nights then days again in 4 days. It's known to be a terrible shift for your health.
 
All shift work is bad for your health, the pattern I do makes me feel better than the pattern of old. Then I was getting, as you put it, two and half days off to recover before dayshifts start again and this was coming off three nights!

I can only speak for myself but I honestly feel 100 times better with only working 2 nights.


Your first night is always the killer one regardless if you're working one or hundred, the second shift is your last ;)
 
I've been in my current role for two years now. My (12 hour) shift pattern is as follows:


3 days ---> 3 nights ---> 4 days off ---> 4 days ---> 6 days off ---> 4 nights ---> 4 days off.

I work a two man shift but I've been rolling solo for the last few months so I'm usually alone on nights which I prefer. My usual shift pattern is fine and I sleep like a baby during the day however in summer this gets harder due to the heat / noise. I also sleep on nights some times depending on how I feel and the workload. When overtime comes up (like doing 120 hours over 10 days last week) that's when things really take it's toll. Last week I was broken. Struggled through it because I wanted the money but it was hard.

The hardest thing for me is that it's pretty much solitary confinement so to speak. I'm alone all night at work, then go home during the day whilst my wife works and then repeat it. It gets old fast.

Also only having two weekends a month with my wife sucks.

It's very hit and miss. Sometimes I enjoy it, sometimes I can't stand it. Tonight I'm pretty busy so time is flying. Once I've done all my bits for the night I go into standby mode and I bust out the PS4 and play some Destiny. Some nights I can do this, other nights I want to pull my hair out but this is all part of my job so I cant' really complain.

I'm only doing this for a few years as I get some fantastic perks before I move on. This company couldn't run a drink up in a brewery, even if a beer truck crashed into it.
 
I used to work nights. 3 weeks (Mon to Fri) on nights, then 3 weeks on days. Hideous. I did permanent nights for a good while before that. I don't think there's many jobs out there that are worth giving up so much if your life for, and ruining your health for. Isn't shift work proven to lower your life expectancy by 10yrs or something?
 
Thankfully my shifts aren't too bad, 5:30 - 13:30 at the earliest and 13:00 - 20:00 at the latest with shifts in between. Usually work a week of one pattern then switch the next. The only real ballache is going from lates on a Sunday to an early on the Monday if you're like me and get up at midday :p. I'm probably working 17:00 - 03:00 for a week at the start of June, kinda excited to be honest to see what its like.

As for the OP, talk to your HR manager and look into getting a doctors note if its affecting you that much as it might help achieve the change back for you. Worst outcome would be to look for a new bjob if you can't adjust.
 
Have worked various shift patterns over the last 30+ years and I'm currently working 2x12hr days followed by 2x12hr nights, the four days off. Strangely enough I struggle to get a good sleep before my first day shift and sleep very well during the day after each nightshift, usually.

When I worked a 3 shift pattern my day shifts were the worst because I only got about 5-6hrs sleep per night.

Shifts don't suit everybody and are extremely unhealthy. if you cannot come to terms with the unsocial hours then I'd suggest you seek alternative arrangements.
 
It does have a massive impact on your health and wellbeing, etc. my "natural" sleeping pattern is ~3am (i.e. right now I'm starting to wind down) til 11am any deviation from that leaves me in a fairly bad way overall - which has had an impact on the jobs/career I can do - fortunately with my current job managed to skate the edge of it with late morning starts but recently been put on late afternoon/evening shifts which aren't great but allows me to finally sleep properly which has had a massive impact - I've not felt as positive or had as much energy in years.

I did night shifts many years back and really didn't get on well with them - definitely had a marked impact on my cognitive abilities, etc. after awhile.
 
My days off can very week to week (2 days off are grouped together) but at the moment it rotates between

5 06:00-16:00 2 OFF
5 22:00-08:00 2 OFF
5 13:00-23:00 2 OFF
 
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