Flexibility and long shifts

Long shifts of more than 8 hours, commonly of 10 or 12 hours, are spreading widely as a way of increasing operational availability and flexibility, and offering employees bigger blocks of time off. Research shows that they can provide multiple benefits or serious costs to all parties, depending on the balance of many factors, such as the nature of the work, total weekly hours, and the skill and sophistication of management. Careful planning around these factors, and using participative roster design, can maximise the chances of achieving the benefits and avoiding the costs.