The pros and cons of ever-changing rotas
It can feel like there’s never a ‘fair’ solution to scheduling shifts.
No matter what you do as a manager, you risk upsetting someone.
Many industries have multiple different shifts, each more or less desirable to one employee or another.
It might be a dreaded late-night shift to help your factory run round the clock.
Or an evening shift at a restaurant where staff can expect to make more in tips.
Maybe your employees are juggling work with caring commitments or studies.
There are many factors at play and it can seem impossible to please everyone.
But rotating shifts could offer some help.
They are unlikely to be the holy grail for your business, but they might at least make shift allocations fairer.
With happier employees, your business will provide the sort of excellent customer experiences that will allow it to grow in 2025 and beyond.
Let’s take a look at what rotating shift schedules are and how your business could use them.
What is a rotating shift schedule?
A rotating shift schedule is any shift plan or rota that sees the shifts to which employees are assigned change on a regular basis.
The period of the schedule can vary. It might change every week or operate over a far longer period, such as a month or more. The period will depend on the nature of the work, employee preferences, and the needs of your business.
It can be as simple as alternating employees between morning and afternoon shifts every week, or as complex as rotating through all four shifts of a 24-hour period across multiple months.
These types of schedules are often used for demanding jobs such as offshore oil rigs, but can also see retail workers switch between quiet and busy periods, such as weekends.
What are the advantages of rotating shift plans?
While many business rotas change regularly, a rotating shift plan typically follows the same structure cycle after cycle.
That means that, instead of employees not knowing when they’ll be working until the rota comes out, they should have a clear idea of their shift patterns for the next few months.
The predictability of a rotating shift means that employees can work around them and plan their time outside of work further ahead.
Rotating shifts also ensures fair treatment for employees—everyone gets a chance to work their preferred shifts as they cycle through each option. No one is seen to be given preferential treatment, which could lead to claims of favouritism.
Working a rotating shift also gives employees a chance to do more roles than they might otherwise, interacting with different customers and colleagues and learning what skills each shift calls for.
The coverage provided by a rotating shift plan means that your business can operate smoothly for longer periods without any adverse effects on the experience it provides.
What are the disadvantages of rotating shifts?
While there are many reasons to consider using rotating shifts in your business, there are a few drawbacks to be aware of as well.
Even though a rotating shift plan might be more consistent than assigning shifts ‘at random’, it can still feel disruptive to employees and make it difficult to plan properly outside of work.
If your shifts include night shifts and day shifts, making the transition from one to the other can be difficult from a sleep perspective. Night shifts have been shown to have a negative impact on employee health if the risks are not managed properly.
Finally, moving to this type of shift structure from a more varied scheduling approach can have a negative impact on employees who previously worked on mostly favourable shifts. They may feel that the change to a more equal approach is punishing them.
Employers worry that rotating shift schedules can be difficult to keep track of too, but Findmyshift’s scheduling features make it easy to ensure that staff always have the up-to-date rota and can plan in advance.
Choose a schedule that works for your employees
With several different shift formats, it can be difficult to know what system to use. We recommend working with your employees to find a template that meets your business’s needs while minimising the impact on employees.
Putting their satisfaction first is likely to reap dividends in terms of employee satisfaction and retention, setting your business up for long term success. With the flexibility of scheduling with Findmyshift, implementing a rotating shift schedule is easier than you think.