While 12-hour shifts can be exhausting, they have some promising advantages. They are the most popular shift length used by the departments using our system (PowerTime). So there has to be a good reason for that... right?
5 benefits of 12-hour shifts:
- More full days off
- Less commuting time
- Fewer consecutive days working
- Better family & social life
- Improved self-care
1. More full days off
Obviously, you're working the same amount of hours a year whether it be an 8 or 12-hour shift schedule - averaging approx. 38-42 hours a week. But 8-hour shifts require more "days."
Think about it, if you work four 12 hour shifts one week and three 12 hour shifts the next week, you've already got your 42 hours done.
That means you worked 42 hours in just 7 days. Whereas 8-hour shifts, require you to work at least 10 days every 2 weeks just to get in 40 hours a week.
More full days off means more time to make plans with family, take time for yourself, or meet up with friends.
2. Less commuting time
Fewer shifts = fewer days working which = less commuting time.
If you are approx. 30 min away from work and work five 8 hour shifts, that's 30 min x (5 x 2) = 300 min or 5 hours of travel time for the week.
But say you work three 12 hour shifts... that's 30 min x (3 x 2) = 180 min or 3 hours of travel time for the week.
Saving 2 hours a week definitely adds up. And leaves you with more time to do what you want to do.
3. Fewer consecutive days working
This is similar to the first point but coming from a different view. Since you are working 12 hour days, you can't work too many days consecutively.
Your body & mind will not function properly if you work too many shifts in a row. Therefore, you can only work 3-4 days in a row as opposed to 5, 6, or 7 days in a row.
4. Better family & social life
A lot of businesses run on the 9-5 Monday through Friday work schedule. This allows them to have off Saturdays and Sundays. Therefore, a lot of your friends & family might make plans on weekends more so than throughout the week.
You get twice as many weekends off throughout the year with 12-hour shifts (compared to 8-hour)... Giving you more opportunities to see friends and family.
5. Improved self-care
Having more days off relieves stress because it allows a wider window of time to do other things. Even though the shifts are long, you know there are days off coming and can adjust accordingly.
You have time to recover from your shifts and spend time for yourself. If you want to take classes or you need to take some training, you would have more days to take care of that.
While this article highlights the positives, there are definitely negatives to 12-hour shifts as well. Check out some of the negatives here.
Every department is a little different. So its important to consider the different factors before implementation. You'll also want to make sure you have the tools to be successful when implementing a schedule such as this. PowerTime is the online scheduling software built for public safety. Learn more about PowerTime by clicking the button below!
FAQs
Workers on 12-hour shifts have long 3-day weekends every other weekend and are guaranteed every other weekend off. Fewer consecutive days worked. Workers on 12-hour shifts never work more than two days in a row, reducing problems of stress and cumulative fatigue. Less commuting required.
Why are companies going to 12 hour shifts? ›
Better employee morale
The 12-hour shift schedule delineates work and home time in a much more direct way. There are even benefits even while working. Getting to start and complete a full task on the same shift isn't just gratifying for your team, it can also produce better results.
What is better, 12 hour shifts or 8 hour shifts in nursing? ›
A 12-hour nursing shift runs more efficiently when you and your peers develop a consistent, uninterrupted rhythm. Fewer overall hours. When you work three 12-hour shifts, you only put in thirty-six hours a week instead of the traditional forty hours.
Is working 12 hours a day healthy? ›
A lack of sleep and limited opportunities for exercise are two significant factors in 12-hour shift health concerns. Additionally, long shifts make eating healthy and cooking balanced meals challenging. Due to time constraints, these employees may rely on fast food, which is usually higher in saturated fat and sugars.
What 12 hour shifts do to your body? ›
Increased ergonomic risk
Potential injury problems may occur with shiftworkers who have physically demanding jobs. The strain of working such jobs on a 12-hour shift instead of an 8-hour shift could potentially increase physical complaints, such as back problems and carpal tunnel syndrome.
What is the best 12 hour shift schedule? ›
1. [2 on 3 off] [2 on 2 off] [3 on 2 off] The top used schedule from all of the 12 hour rotating shift schedule templates evaluated is the Pitman Schedule.
What is a 12 hour shift called? ›
Find out what the DuPont schedule, or also called, '12 hour shift schedule' is and how you can implement it in your business. 23. May 2022 • 3 minute read. Shift work is necessary for industries with varying and longer opening hours. Especially in industries where 24/7 attendance is required, such as healthcare.
Is working 12 hour night shifts bad for you? ›
Sleeping during the day and working at night increases your risk of obesity and diabetes. In the case of night-shift workers, these disorders are caused by an imbalance in hormone production. The real danger here is that even if you eat a healthy diet, the hormone imbalance can still lead to obesity and diabetes.
What is a 4-3-3-4 work schedule? ›
This pattern repeats itself over a while. 3-3-4-4 schedule - This schedule involves working 3 consecutive days, 3 days off, 4 consecutive days, and 4 days off. This pattern repeats itself over a while. 4-3-3-4 schedule - This schedule involves working 4 consecutive days, 3 days off, 3 consecutive days, and 4 days off.
Which nursing shift is best? ›
For some, the night shift is a preferred choice, as it offers nurses the opportunity to have free time during the day hours. Like the other types of shifts, night shifts have a 12-hour shift, which may be scheduled between the hours of 7 pm and 7 am.
Twelve-hour shifts have been a mainstay of nursing schedules since they began as a staffing strategy in the 1970s, but debate continues about their effect on nurses' health and ability to safely care for patients. Studies have examined both aspects of the issue.
What is the longest shift a nurse can work? ›
Even in states without restrictions, hospitals or medical centers may prohibit nurses from working more than 16 continuous hours for safety reasons. However, it is essential to note that nurses could qualify for overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours per week.
Is a 12 hour shift beneficial or harmful? ›
There may even be advantages to 12 hour shifts in terms of lower stress levels, better physical and psychological wellbeing, improved durations and quality of off duty sleep as well as improvements in family relations. On the negative side, the main concerns are fatigue and safety.
What is the healthiest number of hours to work? ›
However, scientists generally agree that the ideal working time is around 6 hours, and more concentrated in the morning. Employees take advantage of their most productive hours and focus on other daily activities including social, sporting, and cultural.
Is it better to work 8 hours or 12 hours? ›
There may even be advantages to 12 hour shifts in terms of lower stress levels, better physical and psychological wellbeing, improved durations and quality of off duty sleep as well as improvements in family relations. On the negative side, the main concerns are fatigue and safety.
Is it better to work 3 to 12 hour shifts? ›
Shortened Work Week: In most hospitals, working three 12-hour shifts means four days off each week. The extended break is advantageous if you have a longer commute or require child care. You get less time on the road and more time with your family than those working the traditional 9 to 5.
Why is 12 hour clock better than 24 hour clock? ›
They both are functional the 12 hour is easier to read but you have to resolve the ambiguity of AM or PM which is not usually difficult with a glance outside or some memory of the day. For logistical planning 24 hour time is more natural.
