When a workplace is occupied by several employees taking turns on a working day, it is called shift work. Shift work is a complex issue and often poses many hurdles for the employer in workforce planning, because companies that operate shift work are obligated to draw up a shift plan.
The different types of shift work/shift models
Shift work can be done in different shift operations. Examples are:
- 2-shift operation: The employees are off work during the night and on Sundays, e.g. 1st shift 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2nd shift 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Continuous
shift operation
- Fully continuous: continuous on weekdays and Sundays e.g. 1st shift 6-14, 2nd shift 14-22, 3rd shift 22-6
- Semi-continuous: continuous on weekdays, but the first and the second shift is not on Sunday
- Fully continuous shift operation is only possible if weekend work is expressly permitted.
Special regulations
Shift work in Austria is regulated in §6 of the Working Time Act. The working time of 8/10 hours per day may not be exceeded, even during night work. However, it can be extended to 10/12 hours under certain conditions. If an occupational health examination determines that the employee is no longer able to work in shifts for health reasons, the employer must provide a daytime workplace.
Health consequences of shift work
Continuous shift work can lead to health issues like sleep disorders. As people sleep partly during the day and work at night, their biorhythms are disturbed, and this can ultimately lead to immune system disorders. To avoid these effects, an optimal roster creates the best antidote.
Sheepblue creates the duty roster for your employees at the push of a button and takes all necessary rules for your company, such as legal requirements for working hours per day, week, month, rest periods, etc. into account.
Sheepblue optimizes the rosters both for the requirements of your company and according to the preferences of your employees. Intelligent algorithms minimize overtime and maximize employee satisfaction.