What is a split shift?

A split shift refers to a work schedule that divides employees’ workdays into two or more shifts as an alternative to typical 9-to-5 or rotating shift schedules.

Workdays have longer start and end times, and shifts are usually divided by a minimum of two one-hour unpaid breaks. That means the usual one-hour lunch break associated with a normal work day doesn’t count as a split shift .

To be a valid split shift , you must schedule it in advance for your employees. An employee requesting a longer lunch break to accommodate for personal commitments doesn’t qualify as a split shift.

Split shifts are also different from working a double shift, as the former splits normal working hours up throughout the day while the latter is associated with doing two full-length shifts in a single day.

Related: The 40-Hour Work Week: Pros and Cons of Alternative Schedules

When should you use split shifts?

Employers in hospitality and customer service businesses have long used split shifts, but new workplace dynamics have made split shifts more widely useful. Split shifts can be useful for:

• Global remote teams
• Businesses with peak and slow periods
• Businesses with time-sensitive needs such as meetings or deadlines

Split shifts don’t make sense for all businesses, such as in-person office environments where activity is consistent throughout the day. They are most commonly used for jobs such as restaurant and hospitality workers, event staff, data entry, remote call centers and health and fitness professionals.

Examples of split shifts

Depending on the industry, workplace and employee needs, split shifts can follow different formats.

Example 1: A restaurant cook starts their day at 10am and works until 2pm to cover prep and lunch rush needs. They take an unpaid break from 2pm until 5pm when the restaurant is slow, returning to work until 9pm to assist with the dinner rush and working a total of 8 hours.

Example 2: A global remote worker works from 7am to 10am to attend meetings with coworkers and clients from another time zone. They take a long break and return to work from 2pm to 7pm to complete other tasks, working a total of 8 hours.

Related: Could a Rotating Shift Schedule Work for Your Company?

Advantages of split shifts

Implementing split shifts in your business can provide a variety of benefits to both you and your employees, creating an overall more efficient and organized workplace.

Improved work-life balance

Employees often have other needs that may conflict with work hours. Split shifts allow employees to make time for other commitments, such as medical appointments, childcare or personal tasks, without losing hours or pay or straining their schedule.

Flexible working hours with split shifts can enable better work-life balance , leading to improved employee productivity and job satisfaction.

Increased availability

Covering labor needs can be difficult at times, but splitting shifts can help you allocate coverage to peak times when your business needs it most. Full-time employees can spread their time more efficiently throughout the day and take breaks when business needs are slow. Part-time employees can also work more without disrupting the schedule for full-time employees.

Strict workday hours can discourage individuals with greater needs during the day from applying for jobs, but creating more flexible schedules with split shifts can help attract a wider pool of job candidates.

Controlled labor costs

Scheduling split shifts can be an effective strategy for managing your labor and overhead costs. If your business has peak and slow periods throughout the day, you can schedule employees when they’re needed and give them unpaid breaks when they don’t have work.

Boosted productivity

Studies show that long work hours and productivity have an inverse relationship, meaning that employees become less productive the longer they work.

Breaking up hours with split shifts can help alleviate employee stress, fatigue and burnout. Happier and healthier employees, in turn, may lead to boosted productivity, lower absenteeism rates and better workplace culture.

Tips for implementing split shifts

Every schedule comes with challenges and limitations. Consider the following tips to effectively incorporate split shifts into your business.

Consider commute time

Splitting employees’ work days may not benefit them if they have a long commute. Factor in time, fuel costs and effort associated with multiple commutes before deciding if split schedules make sense for employees.

Know local, state and federal laws

The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act provides default regulations relating to pay and hours to prevent employers from abusing employee schedules, but regulations may differ at local and state levels. For example, California and New York impose split shift premiums, and you’re generally required to schedule split shift start and end times within a 24-hour period.

Keep accurate records

To ensure that you meet business needs, calculate wages accurately and make sure they comply with regulations, meticulously recording all shift activity. This includes:

• Scheduled start and stop times
• Actual start and stop times
• Meal breaks
• Break times
• Total daily hours
• Total weekly hours

Read more: How to Set a Daily Schedule as a Manager

Communicate with employees

Notify employees well in advance when planning split schedules. Keeping employees well-informed helps them plan their personal commitments around work and prevents any issues. If you’re interviewing job candidates, ask if they’re open to working split shifts and thoroughly discuss expectations about schedules.