What is a rotating shift?

A rotating work schedule consists of several set shifts that employees cycle through over a period of time, such as weekly or monthly. This tends to work best in workplaces with distinct shifts, when every worker clocks in or out together, but it can also be done on an individual basis for employees with staggered start times.

There are many reasons why you might want to try rotating shifts at your workplace. If, for instance, the night shift at your restaurant earns more in tips than the breakfast crew, rotating wait staff shifts can ensure everyone has a chance to earn the same amount.

Another example would be in emergency response, where the night shift tends to be the busiest. If you rotate the police, fire or ambulance crews in your department between day and night watches, crews have about the same amount of busy and slack times overall.

What kind of workplaces use rotating schedules?

Rotating schedules can benefit different types of companies in various ways. As a rule, any industry with a daily ebb and flow in the workload or revenue potential is a good candidate for rotating shifts. Beyond emergency work and food service, call centers and retail stores can also benefit from this type of schedule.

Even if your organization doesn’t operate around the clock, certain departments may benefit from a rotating schedule. Examples include sales, customer service and tech support, all of which are likely to have the uneven workflow that makes schedule shifting a popular choice for many employers. If your administration, human resources and production teams work regular shifts, other workers can adopt rotating schedules without disrupting these teams.

Advantages of adopting a rotating schedule

Implementing rotating schedules can have numerous benefits for your business. In addition to the upside of evening out workers’ shifts to create a more equal share of income and workload, rotating some of your shift members may give them a chance to work with the senior employees that may be concentrated on one shift.

If, for example, you have several senior workers on the day shift, cycling more junior employees through that time slot gives newer hires an opportunity to train under the most productive workers you have.

Working alongside a variety of peers, all with different backgrounds, can foster better employee collaboration and enhance communication within your team. Plus, being exposed to different shifts can give employees a sense of variety that may prevent burnout. Avoiding monotony can contribute to a healthier work-life balance and maintain higher levels of productivity, ultimately improving employee satisfaction overall.

This is also generally good for customers. If you’ve been getting feedback from customers that service tends to be better during a morning or evening shift, for instance, rotating your staff cycles workers of all skill and quality levels through the shifts and makes customer satisfaction less time-dependent. Rotating schedules can keep your team consistent across all shifts for better performance at any business hour.

When rotating shifts don’t fit your company

Rotating schedules may not be ideal for every workplace. If your team must conduct the majority of their business during the typical 40-hour work week, a rotating schedule is likely not a viable option. Even if your team operates in multiple shifts, it may not benefit from rotation schedules.

Some employees prefer the consistency that comes with fixed shifts, particularly working parents, students and others whose availability is limited by outside obligations. For these reasons, taking the time to weigh the benefits of a rotating shift against potential drawbacks is a necessary step that can help you make the right scheduling choice for your team.

Are rotating shifts right for your workplace?

Before switching to a rotating work schedule, consider whether it’s the right choice for your team. A few factors, including working hours, workforce size and employee feedback, might help you determine if it’s right for your team.

Your company’s working hours are one of the biggest influencing factors in the success of a rotating shift model. Businesses that are open for anything less than 12 hours a day are probably not a great fit for a rotating schedule because they likely don’t have a half-shift for employees to fill.

Businesses that run two shifts, opening for at least 16 hours each day, are more likely to have the space they need to offer workers full-length offset shifts. The same is true for companies that run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, such as emergency services, private security, all-night retail, some convenience stores and delivery services. These businesses are typically best suited for a rotating work schedule.

Workforce size is another factor that affects your ability to shift schedules around the clock. Larger teams may be more hospitable to rotating shifts than smaller ones. It can be difficult to change the schedule for a six-person office team, but larger organizations have more room to experiment with alternative shift structures.

If the needs of the business usually determine your shift structure, getting feedback on how your workers feel may be the most important factor in trying a rotating schedule. When implemented well, it can do wonders for morale. The increased flexibility and wider contact it brings to most employees may help grow a company-wide sense of teamwork and encourage innovation among the workers.

If you’re planning to switch to a rotating shift schedule, be sure to collaborate with the entire team and ask for as much honest feedback as you can get.

Tips for implementing a rotating shift schedule

Changing your scheduling format can be an adjustment for some employees, but the right strategies can simplify the process. Here are several things you can do to make the shift to a rotating schedule smoother.

Make a plan

Planning early and well can save you time and money later on. It’s important to keep your team up to date with your intentions for the schedule, which can mean holding meetings to discuss the changes well before any shifts are changed. Ensuring your employees are kept in the loop is an effective show of transparency, which can make employees more open to change.

Consider gathering input from your employees as you develop a plan for their schedule. They might bring important concerns to your attention that you can address before they have a chance to interrupt your new schedule.

It may also be useful to experiment with different rotation schedules in your scheduling software to see if any changes leave you shorthanded or otherwise negatively impacted. Additionally, developing a written plan for implementation with definite milestones for completing the change and analyzing employee feedback can leave you well-prepared to make the change.

Take a trial run

Even a well-planned schedule change can benefit from a trial period. If your workforce has several distinct teams that employees rarely switch between, think about trying the schedule change on just one team, or an entire department, before implementing it across the whole company.

A limited trial gives you a peek into the effects of a company-wide shift change and provides plenty of opportunities to make necessary adjustments. It might also be a good idea to set aside extra payroll funds in case you need to plug a few gaps with overtime work or extra sick pay while workers adjust.

Ask for feedback

Try to include your workers at every stage of the process, from initial idea generation to post-implementation assessments. This helps employees feel included and cared for by the company and gives you finely graded information about how the change is going.

Once you’ve gathered feedback, you can take actionable steps to address it. This can mean creating a list of employees who can’t adjust their schedules for personal reasons or even switching to a new scheduling software. By keeping your employee’s thoughts in mind, you can develop a schedule that works for everyone.

FAQs about rotating schedules

What is the difference between a rotating shift and a split shift?

A split shift is another alternative schedule consisting of two short shifts each day with an extended off-shift period in between. Businesses that experience more than one peak period in a day, such as restaurants, can be well-suited for this type of schedule.

For example, a server might work a mid-morning shift to help with the brunch rush, then return later in the day to assist the evening crowd. Unlike rotating schedules, split shifts may be more consistent to ensure experienced staff is available during high-volume periods.

What are the types of rotating shifts?

Rotating shifts can vary, sometimes cycling through rotations frequently or even partially. Types of rotating schedules include:

• Frequent rotation. A frequent rotation starts a new shift cycle each week, offering a high level of shift variety.
• Slow rotation. This schedule rotates shifts infrequently, designating employees to a shift for months at a time. Having time to adjust can be beneficial to an employee’s sleep schedule and, ultimately, their productivity.
• Partial rotation. This schedule places part of the staff on rotating shifts while the rest remain fixed.
• Weekend rotation. Employees trade weekend shifts on this schedule, guaranteeing everyone has some weekends off.

How do I measure the success of a rotating shift schedule?

Assessing a rotating schedule after implementation is an important step in determining whether the method really works for your company. You can measure this success in several ways. Consider tracking changes in sales, customer satisfaction or quality of work. Improvements in these areas may indicate a boost in your team’s productivity.

Asking employees what they think of the arrangement after they’ve tried it, whether via a survey or one-on-one discussions, can also provide valuable insight.