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Best practices in shiftwork operations (Part 6 of 10)

We have been helping companies to retain and attract quality employees across all industries for more than 30 years.

Why the country’s most popular 12-hour schedule has a problem, and how to overcome it

The problem The most popular schedule in the country is the 2-2-3 (also called the 2-3-2 or Every Other Weekend Off).  Like most 12-hour schedules, half of the days in the year are scheduled off.  However, what sets this schedule apart is the popular feature of having every other weekend off as a 3-day weekend.  … Continue reading “Why the country’s most popular 12-hour schedule has a problem, and how to overcome it”

What companies are asking us as labor scarcity continues

Shiftwork Solutions is still seeing a trend that started in 2020, that labor, not capital, has become the productivity bottleneck.  This will continue into the foreseeable future since labor shortages are here to stay. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 10 million unfilled jobs in the United States.   In … Continue reading “What companies are asking us as labor scarcity continues”

How to Streamline Shiftwork Scheduling in 2022

The business and labor challenges have been unprecedented over the past two years in the manufacturing and distribution industries – workforce shortages, supply chain disruption, adopting new protocols, and the Great Resignation. Industries across the board, including transportation and warehousing, have felt the impact of record-high quit rates, which reached 3% in November, according to … Continue reading “How to Streamline Shiftwork Scheduling in 2022”

Best practices in shiftwork operations (Part 5 of 10)

Actively look for way for the workforce to make decisions about their job.Β  In most cases, an hourly worker knows more about how to do their job than their supervisor.Β  This makes them an excellent source of ideas for improvement.Β  Additionally, like all of us, shift workers are more likely to support an idea that … Continue reading “Best practices in shiftwork operations (Part 5 of 10)”

What does work-life balance mean to your employees?

If you have 400 employees, you have around 400 different opinions about what constitutes a good work-life balance. So, how do you go about identifying which ones are the most crucial and what is your plan of action going forward, to address these issues? After more than 30 years of working with shift workers and … Continue reading “What does work-life balance mean to your employees?”

Best Practices in Shift Work Operations (Part 4 of 10)

It takes an order of magnitude greater effort to recruit from another plant than from the ranks of the unemployed. During times of low unemployment, it is important to understand the cost of your options for keeping a position filled.  You can hire people off the street but there is always the β€œWhy don’t they … Continue reading “Best Practices in Shift Work Operations (Part 4 of 10)”

A message to the shift worker

The question of when and how to address workers before a change can be challenging. One of the main reasons companies come to Shiftwork Solutions for help is our reputation for engaging the workforce ─ before a shift schedule change takes place. However, there is always the question of β€œHow should we first introduce Shiftwork … Continue reading “A message to the shift worker”

Make Flexible Scheduling part of your Shiftwork Operation

During the pandemic, many companies have found that flexible scheduling ideas such as work-from-home, helped them to attract and retain valuable employees. A neat trick during a tight labor market if you can pull it off. However, for many companies with production lines on-site, work-from-home is not feasible. Does this mean flexible scheduling is not … Continue reading “Make Flexible Scheduling part of your Shiftwork Operation”

Is it possible to implement multiple schedules at one site?

One of the most common questions we hear from our clients at Shiftwork Solutions is, β€œCan we implement more than one schedule?” The answer is yes!  This may be the best solution for several reasons, but it comes with caveats. More schedules mean more complexity. The complexity must be evaluated on a risk v. reward … Continue reading “Is it possible to implement multiple schedules at one site?”