Employees at a manufacturing plant changed to a clockwise rotation for their roster (day shift to afternoon shift to night shift then back to day shift) based on research they had read indicating it was better for their bodies. During the trial period for this roster employees complained of increased fatigue both at work and at home.
To address these issues, Shiftwork Solutions obtained information from employees indicating they were having difficulties rotating back to day shift from night shift. A rookie error for shiftwork managers is to use a clockwise rotation in their roster without an adequate break after working night shift work cycles.
To improve health and safety, Shiftwork Solutions designed alternative rosters that changed the rotation of the roster and increased the recovery time between work cycles. Soon after implementation employees reported feeling more alert at work and better able to enjoy their time off with family and friends.
