What is the Third Shift?
The third shift is also known as the graveyard shift or night shift. This term is used for the work schedule from midnight to the early morning (11 pm to 7 am). Although the exact third shift job hours may change from one workplace to another, this shift almost always happens at night. It is one of three shift systems for workplaces that operate 24 hours. It is common in healthcare facilities, transportation services, and 24/7 customer support centres where continuous services are essential.
The first shift is in a 24-hour facility from 8 am to 4 pm. The second shift occurs from 4 pm. until midnight, and the third shift takes over from midnight to 8 am. Some employees maintain the same shift hours at all times. Other workplaces may use rotating shifts where the employees will work the first shift for a few weeks, the second, and the third for a few weeks.
What Are the First and Second Shifts?
The first shift (or day shift) is what you and most employees are used to. It is the good old 9 to 5 we know in real life. It starts from 7 am to 9 am and ends between 3 pm and 5 pm. As you might imagine, the second shift follows the first. It starts in the afternoon at 3 pm or 4 pm and ends in the evening at 11 pm or midnight.
Jobs that Commonly Use Third Shift
The third shift is more common in some businesses related to customers or patients who need 24/7 service. Below are some jobs where you will find third-shift common.
Janitor: They often clean the buildings overnight. Janitors can better vacuum, dust, and clean bathrooms when these buildings are empty.
Security guard: Security guards can monitor the area by watching security cameras or patrolling. They may sound alarms and call the police for backup.
Police officers: Police officers are needed at all hours to respond to distress calls and patrol their jurisdictions. They see criminal activity, break-ins, DUI enforcement, and prowlers in the third shift. They are responsible for enforcing laws, making arrests, and issuing citations if required.
Firefighter: Third-shift firefighters respond to calls that come in during the night. It may include fires, medical emergencies, and other disasters that need help.
Doctor: An emergency doctor has an overnight shift and is tasked with diagnosing and treating patients who come to the ER. They will stabilize these patients and refer them to the right medical department for more care.
ER nurse: An ER nurse helps assess patients in the emergency room. Their responsibilities include administering medicine, taking vital signs, performing minor operations, monitoring the patient throughout the night, and keeping detailed records of their stay.
Paramedics: Paramedics respond to emergency calls and can come in anytime at night. They may revive patients, treat wounds, and offer first aid. Paramedics are responsible for stabilizing patients and helping them to reach the hospital for extensive care.
Hotel manager: Guests can enter and leave at all hours, so management must be available during every shift. Hotel managers can do more paperwork, make employee schedules, and prepare for VIP guests who arrive the next day or special events.
Night auditor: They work in hotels and provide overnight assistance to guests. They check in guests, take reservations, or send extra toiletries to guests as requested during the night. Night auditors also keep the front desk well-organized and prepare it for the next day.
Warehouse manager: Many warehouses start operating at night and filling orders after the popularity of next-day shipping. A third-shift warehouse manager runs the night shift and maintains the receiving, distribution, and warehousing operations.
Advantages of Third Shift Hours
The third shift offers many advantages for both employees and businesses.
For Employees
The third shift benefits employees and provides a unique work experience that helps them to enjoy their work and life.
Less job competition: Third-shift jobs are less competitive than regular daytime positions. These jobs are more secure than others as fewer people are competing for these jobs. One can easily enter one's desired career field and gain valuable work experience.
A smaller staff: In many workplaces, the third shift staff is smaller than the daytime staff. These employees enjoy more autonomy and work under a smaller management team. This will give them feel of freedom to focus on their job.
A quieter work environment: Many workplaces are calmer and less busy during the third shift. Employees can restock store shelves while they are closed overnight or staff a security desk that is closed to the public during these hours. It can increase focus and productivity.
Less traffic: Third-shift employees can commute to and from work faster and easier than those working regular business hours. The traffic is less during the third shift when compared to regular business hours when roads are packed. Employees enjoy smooth and fast travel and save their time.
Fewer meetings: Workplaces have more meetings during the day. Third-shift employees have the advantage of not having to attend these meetings. Instead, they can receive notes or updates from these meetings to help them focus better on their jobs.
Daytime availability: Although employees on the third shift may need to change their sleep hours, they have more time. This can be helpful for personal activities, meeting services at home, or running errands.
For Businesses
The third shift has many benefits for businesses that help them thrive.
Increased productivity: The third shift has fewer distractions and disruptions, which helps employees focus more on their jobs. This will increase productivity. Some tasks can even be completed during off-peak hours, reducing operation costs.
Reduced employee burnout: Employees occasionally don't mind working overtime to get the job done. But those extended hours can lead to burnout for your first- and second-shift employees when it becomes the norm. The third shift can reduce the pressure and workload, and your daytime employees can get some much-needed rest.
More customer service: You can provide more services to your customers if you stay open for another eight hours. If you own a tow truck company, you will likely get a lot of phone calls at night from people who have been in accidents or are having car trouble. If you have third-shift employees, you can help them when needed rather than making them wait for the morning. Customers who know they can rely on your company night or day will likely become repeat customers and recommend you to their friends. It will help to grow your business more.
Attracts different types of workers: Adding a third shift can attract employees who prefer or require non-traditional work hours. It brings different talents to your company. You might get employees who normally wouldn't be able to work for you. They have to care for young children during the day and can more easily work while going to school.
Disadvantages of Third Shift
There are some disadvantages of the third shift.
It adds extra costs: It can increase your business costs. Because you are creating new jobs, you need to add more employees to fill the places. It will add extra costs to your payroll. You also need to calculate the extra cost to run the place 24/7. For the third shift, you must keep the lights on longer or adjust the heat to keep your workplace comfortable. Adding up all these little and big expenses will give you a better idea of how a third shift can impact your bottom line.
It causes more accidents: The human body's natural clock circadian rhythm makes us awake during the day and sleep at night. This will make it difficult for employees to adjust to reversed sleep schedules and result in sleep disturbances and fatigue. Fatigue can make employees more prone to make mistakes, resulting in accidents.
It can increase employee turnover: When you see the world, many people prefer daytime jobs to night shifts. From schools to offices, most things happen during the day. Employees who work third-shift may struggle to maintain a work-life balance. This can make them likely to leave their job and search for something that fits their lifestyle.
It may be difficult to fill positions: Many people prefer day shift jobs, and you offer to work the night shift. You have only a few applications to fill the positions, which makes it difficult to find qualified candidates. To prevent staff shortage, make third-shift jobs attractive for employees so they retain those positions.
It may cause communication issues: Third-shift employees may work with fewer staff, and it's hard to sync and communicate with daytime employees. They feel disconnected from the rest of the team. Ensure your third-shift employees have the information and support they need to do their job. Find ways to keep them connected so they know what is happening.
How to Survive Third-Shift? Tips and Tricks
Working the night shift is difficult, as it is against the body's natural clock (circadian rhythm) and can disrupt sleep. We share a few tips that help you easily work the night shift.
Have a constant sleep schedule: Make your room a dark, quiet, and comfortable place to get better sleep during the day. Start sleeping during the day before working the third shift. This will help your body adapt to the new sleep routine and reduce sleep disruptions.
Avoid eating caffeine and heavy meals: Limit caffeine and heavy meals towards the end of your shift. They can keep you awake and interfere with your ability to fall asleep once you get home.
Add natural light to your system: Natural light can synchronize your internal body clock. Take short breaks outside during your shift or open curtains to let in natural light, which can help improve your alertness during the night.
Stay active and hydrated: It is vital for maintaining energy levels and preventing fatigue during the third shift. Add regular physical activity to your routine and drink plenty of water during the third shift. Take short walks, stretch exercises, or engage in light conversations to keep your mind active and prevent drowsiness.
Munch on healthy snacks: Avoid sugary or processed foods during your shift, which can lead to energy crashes. Eating healthy snacks during your shift can help you maintain energy levels.
Talk with your family and friends: Tell them about your night shift schedule so they can respect your sleep hours and help you get sleep during the day.
Ways to adopt Third Shift for your business
If you have decided to add a night shift for your business, here are a few tips for making it work.
Talk to your employees: You and your employees are a team, so telling them why you add a third shift is important. Discuss what you expect from the team members working overnight and how everyone can stay in sync. As a part of the discussion, answer any questions and address any concerns.
Train your employees: Third-shift employees have unique challenges, and you must train them to handle those. For example, suppose you run a customer service with a small team at night. In that case, managers are not available to handle escalated calls. You will need to teach your employees how to handle these calls. How do you respond to big customer complaints overnight? What information do they need to collect? Who do they send this data to?
Set clear and realistic expectations: What do you expect from your employees working the third shift? Do you want them to be available to answer customer questions or complaints? Do you need them to do tasks that can only be done when the store is closed? Whatever the expectations, be sure they are realistic and clear to your team members.
Provide a support system: A support system can help employees feel valued and part of the team, even working odd hours. Have a manager available during all working hours to help with the issues. If you cannot find managers for your third shift, make sure you have a clear plan of action in case something comes up.
Provide incentives: Incentives can help to attract employees and encourage them to work third-shift. Increased pay or benefits can help you land the most qualified employees to fill positions.
Encourage your employees to have healthy sleep habits: Help them develop healthy sleep habits so they have fewer sleep disturbances. Tell them how they adopt those habits, such as using blackout curtains in their bedroom, setting a regular sleep routine, avoiding using the phone in bed, and avoiding caffeine before bed.