12 Hour Shift Schedule: How It Works + How Software Helps You Implement It
byTry When I Work for free
When you first start managing a team on a 12-hour shift schedule, it’s easy to underestimate things. Chief among them was how tricky it would be to keep everyone happy. It sounded simple on paper. But you’re probably always rushing to fill gaps to cover the company’s operational needs. And it takes little time for you to run into burnout concerns, too.
But you can learn the difference between chaos and calm. It comes down to having the right systems in place. The payoff of installing employee scheduling software is huge.
With that said, if you’re dealing with scheduling headaches, you’re in the right place. Check out this guide on how 12-hour shifts work, from top to bottom. We’ll touch on some of their most common patterns and even the challenges you’ll likely face. But above all, we’ll cover how the right scheduling tools can take a lot of the edge off.
Key takeaways
Here are the key things to know about 12-hour shift schedules:
- A 12-hour shift schedule means fewer days worked altogether
- These schedules are common in healthcare and public safety
- Challenges include coverage gaps and employee fatigue
- Scheduling software can automate much of the planning
- Using a tool like When I Work can save you up to 15 hours per week
Table of Contents
What is the 12-hour shift schedule?
A 12-hour shift schedule is a work pattern where employees cover either the day or night half of a 24-hour cycle. Employees don’t work five eight-hour shifts under the 12-hour model. Instead, they might work three or four long shifts per week. But that means more consecutive days off.
At first, your employees may love the idea of more days off. But they’ll soon realize that transition days could be brutal if they weren’t well spaced. Long, demanding shifts are taxing, both in a mental and physical sense. But when implemented well, the trade-off of fewer workdays can be well worth it.
Plenty of industries often rely on a 12-hour shift structure for round-the-clock coverage. Healthcare, public safety, and manufacturing are three top examples.
How 12-hour shift scheduling works across your staff
At its core, 12-hour scheduling is about balancing coverage needs with employee well-being. For example, you can run a 2-2-3 pattern. Employees would work two days, have two days off, and then work three more 12-hour shifts.
The challenge here wasn’t coverage; it was to make sure no one was working too many nights in a row. Here are some key things to ask before using these schedules:
- Will employees shift between days and nights or work fixed schedules?
- How will you keep up with overtime laws?
- Will each shift have the right mix of roles and skills?
You need to make sure you address these concerns early in the planning phase.
12-hour shift schedule examples
Here’s a closer look at two industries that use both rotating schedules and 12-hour shifts:
Healthcare example
In hospitals, nurses often work three 12-hour shifts each week. They are usually grouped together, too. That means patients will see fewer new faces during their stay. And nurses can enjoy several days off to recover. The only problem is that tracking overtime can be nightmarish without automatic scheduling.
Public safety example
Law enforcement agencies often use the 2-2-3 method from earlier. Officers rotate each week, meaning they never work more than three 12-hour shifts in a row. They also get two or three consecutive days off after each work cycle.
Common challenges with scheduling 12-hour shifts
Achieving workforce optimization with 12-hour shift schedules means overcoming these concerns:
Compliance with labor laws
Incorrect overtime values for a rotating, 12-hour schedule can be a nightmare and cause payroll issues. It’s not all about hours worked here; state laws can differ from federal ones. And that means that even a small misstep can cost you.
So before you start changing schedules, make sure to speak with your compliance team. If you don’t have one, think about reaching out to a labor law attorney or your state’s department of labor.
Find out whether you have to pay overtime when an employee works over eight hours in a single shift. Look into employees who work four 12-hour shifts in a single week, too. They could be eligible for time-and-a-half pay, even though their two-week total is 80 hours or less.
Coverage gaps
Employees calling out on the day of a 12-hour shift leaves you short for half the day. You need to have contingencies to deal with these inevitable absences. But without quick access to staff, coverage falls on whoever picks up first. And that can lead to burnout if it happens enough times. Not to mention, you may also run into excessive overtime issues.
Increasing visibility into employee availability makes it easier to fill gaps. You can post openings and give workers the chance to pick up on their terms. And in turn, you’ll have a clear view of overtime spending.
Employee fatigue
There was one study that looked into nurses who worked 12-hour shifts. The major finding was that they were more prone to burnout and emotional exhaustion. That’s not to say that 12-hour shifts are bad from the get-go, though. The key is to give workers enough time off between work.
Even with more days off, the intensity of a 12-hour shift is a lot for some people. Productivity can drop hard in the last two hours of a night shift when breaks weren’t well-scheduled. And by their third 12-hour shift in a row, some employees start looking worn down.
Proper break scheduling goes a long way toward preventing fatigue. But you also need to encourage your staff members to take care of themselves on their days off. Provide tips for getting enough sleep and adjusting to a normal routine. These are especially important for night shift workers.
Inefficient scheduling process
Creating schedules by hand in Excel and sending them out in emails waste hours. So does replying to swap requests. The inefficiency can cost you an entire day each week.
Take a look at your current scheduling process. Ask yourself, will adopting 12-hour shift schedules put you in a similar bind? If so, it’s time to invest in employee scheduling software. With the proper tools, you can save time and address all coverage gaps. Your employees will be happier, too. They will have more time off and know when it’s time to work.
Use software designed to help schedule 12-hour shifts
The turning point for you can be implementing new tools. Employee scheduling software is a game-changer. In no time, compliance checks can be automated, and employees can swap shifts on their own. You can plan weeks ahead without worrying about overlooking a coverage gap.
The trick, of course, lies in finding the right solution. That’s When I Work, an easy-to-use tool that can scale with your business. Here’s a closer look at what it offers and how it helps put your scheduling nightmares behind you.
How When I Work helps you manage 12-hour shift scheduling
When I Work addresses every pain point we’ve touched upon in the following ways:
- Automatic scheduling based on coverage needs
- Built-in labor law compliance checks
- Easy shift swaps through team messaging
- A time clock for accurate tracking
- Mobile access (so staff can confirm schedules anytime)
When I Work further streamlines 12-hour shift planning by providing:
- Custom scheduling templates
- Automated compliance safeguards
- Real-time updates
With When I Work, you cut the guesswork out of manual scheduling. You can copy and paste schedules and auto-assign shift availability. And that results in complete coverage across all shifts, including overnight.
The platform’s open shift and swap tools make it easy for employees to pick up or trade shifts. The software even has labor forecasting and overtime alerts. With them, you’ll avoid costly mistakes common with extended shift schedules.
One healthcare supervisor shared that, “Managing 12-hour night shifts used to be stressful. When I Work made it simple. I can build the whole month’s schedule in minutes and keep my team updated instantly.”
When you need to schedule smarter and save time, When I Work is the right tool for the job. You can automate the hardest parts and ensure the right coverage for your business at all times.
See how When I Work streamlines your scheduling and labor tracking
Managing a 12-hour shift schedule doesn’t have to be an overwhelming nightmare. You can stop the last-minute scrambles to fill vacancies. And you can put an end to what seems like endless spreadsheets and compliance concerns. With the right software, you’ll keep your team happy and reclaim hours every week.
When I Work is that software. It comes loaded with features designed to simplify scheduling and labor tracking. Key offerings include:
Ready to simplify your 12-hour scheduling? Sign up today and try When I Work for free.
