Flexible 5-shift system: The sustainable solution to staff shortages

Why are 24/7 shift patterns becoming increasingly difficult to staff?

Businesses operating around the clock rely on staff being available at all times. Yet it is precisely these working patterns that are becoming less appealing. This is due to regular night shifts, frequent weekend work and the difficulty of planning one’s free time.

As Dr Andreas Hoff explains in his article “A flexible five-shift system to tackle staff shortages” (HR Performance 3/2024), this affects not only industry but all sectors requiring round-the-clock staffing – including energy supply, transport, care and manufacturing.

His central argument is that only flexible shift systems can ensure the long-term appeal of shift work.

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Why does rigid shift planning lead to chronic staff shortages?

Many companies operating on a shift basis use fixed 4- or 6-shift systems. In practice, however, these models lead to persistent understaffing. In his consultancy work, Dr Hoff describes a recurring pattern: when staff are absent, others are regularly required to work extra hours, leading to increased stress, sick leave and staff turnover – a cycle that is almost impossible to break.

Particularly in situations where training new staff takes several months or years, it can be difficult to compensate for short-term loss of staff.

What makes the flexible 5-shift system different?

According to Dr Hoff, the five-shift system offers a balanced combination of predictability, workload management and operational stability.

Key features:

• the scheduled working hours amount to approximately 33.6 hours per week,
• on average, employees have two out of five weekends off,
• reductions in working hours can be agreed on an individual basis,
• stand-ins can be used to flexibly cover for absences.

This structure offers both individual flexibility and operational freedom – a prerequisite for making shift work more attractive.

Why is flexibility necessary from an operational perspective?

Rigid systems lead to overstaffing and understaffing, which are inefficient and stressful.

Hoff argues that flexible shift systems combined with working time accounts prevent overcapacity whilst taking individual preferences into account.

This enables employees to play an active role in shaping their working hours – rather than simply being treated as items on a schedule.