Shift models in industry and manufacturing

In industry and manufacturing, efficiency is more important than ever: rising energy and raw material prices, competitive pressure and a shortage of skilled workers mean that companies are increasingly focused on making the best possible use of their resources. Shift models are central to this, as they determine how efficiently staff are deployed.

If companies choose the wrong shift model, they often struggle to respond to staff absences or unexpected increases in demand. With a suitable shift model, however, operations run smoothly – staff are satisfied and work is carried out efficiently. This article explains which models are available and which are particularly suitable for industrial companies.

Why are shift models so important for industry?

Shift models play a major role for any large company with a correspondingly complex workforce. However, especially industrial firms and manufacturing companies i require particularly efficient shift models. This is because these businesses face specific challenges:

They need to make optimal use of their often costly machinery and cannot afford either downtime or overstaffing. They also need a high degree of flexibility to be able to respond to unforeseen events – such as supply bottlenecks, resource shortages or rapidly rising energy prices. Furthermore, the shortage of skilled workers is particularly acute in these sectors, meaning that these companies should have a greater interest in retaining qualified staff.

A shift model therefore has a lot to deliver: it must ensure optimal operations and the necessary flexibility. At the same time, it should also bring added value to employees: ultimately, they benefit just as much from greater flexibility and planning reliability. Furthermore, the opportunity to have personal preferences taken into account when creating shift schedules helps to foster employees’ initiative. Choosing the right model is therefore a key component of a company’s success.

How do shift models contribute to a company’s profitability?

At first glance, shift models may seem like bureaucratic administrative practices – yet they offer significant potential for optimisation, particularly for companies in the industrial and manufacturing sectors. When used correctly, they can make a significant contribution to a company’s profitability and competitiveness. Choosing the right shift model brings many benefits:

‍

1. Continuous production, less downtime
   With the right shift model, fully continuous production can be planned smoothly and without downtime. This is essential, particularly for large companies with high machine running costs.
2. Maximum productivity
   When shift models are successfully implemented, they enable the optimal use of resources – including machinery, equipment and the workforce. This plays a key role in maximising productivity.
3. Flexible real-time responses
   Companies that use appropriate and well-designed shift models can respond flexibly to fluctuations in demand. Adjusting shifts in real time also makes it possible to add or remove staff as needed to meet current requirements. Such flexibility is particularly valuable in the event of unforeseen circumstances. However, this is only possible if the chosen shift model is managed using intelligent shift planning software. This is because such software makes it possible to automatically fill shifts, taking staff availability into account.‍
4. Employee satisfaction through needs-based shift planning
   However, a successfully implemented shift model does not only influence the immediately apparent ‘economic aspects’ – such as cost savings resulting from fewer operational disruptions: greater planning certainty ultimately also brings significant added value to employees. Particularly flexible shift models can also take employees’ needs into account when drawing up shift schedules. Both factors have a direct impact on employee satisfaction, which in turn is reflected in increased efficiency. In most cases, however, it is also necessary to use AI-supported programmes when creating shift schedules. These make it considerably easier, on the one hand, to take employees’ preferences into account and, on the other, to guarantee smooth operational processes.‍
5. Long-term employee wellbeing through job rotation schemes
   Furthermore, the use of rotation patterns in shift schedules also improves staff well-being in the long term. Rotation patterns prevent staff from working the same shifts for too long, thereby stopping the body from becoming too accustomed to the change. This makes the transition easier for staff.

Which shift patterns are most commonly used in industry and manufacturing?

In industrial contexts, ensuring fully continuous machine operation is usually a top priority. This is particularly true in applications such as blast furnaces or refineries, where starting up and shutting down large machinery wastes valuable energy and time. Furthermore, some machines cannot simply be switched off. Fully continuous shift models are also widespread in other industries to ensure maximum productivity. Consequently, companies frequently opt for fully continuous shift systems. These are usually implemented as 4- or 5-shift systems.

Full-time and multi-shift systems

First of all, it is important to note that full-continuous and multi-shift systems are not mutually exclusive. ‘Full-continuous’ simply means: fully continuous, i.e. without any interruption to work. This can already be achieved with a three-shift system.

In addition, 4- and 5-shift systems are also relevant. These models offer greater flexibility and enable the efficient use of staff, whilst ensuring that there are always enough employees on hand to keep operations running smoothly.

The choice of the appropriate shyft system depends on the specific requirements of the operation, with a focus on efficiency, cost and ensuring a continuous production flow.

You will find an overview of all common shift models below.

What makes a good shift model?

A good shift model must, of course, be tailored to the business – there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Nevertheless, alongside business-specific requirements, there are also objective criteria that a good shift model must always meet: it should be flexible, comply with regulations and be as easy to manage as possible. But what exactly does that mean?

Flexible:

In manufacturing companies in particular, there can often be peaks in demand and other, sometimes unforeseeable fluctuations in demand planning: when order volumes are high, more staff may be needed at short notice, whereas, for example, work rates may have to be reduced in the event of supply bottlenecks affecting raw materials. Shift models should therefore always offer a high degree of flexibility in order to ensure planning certainty. This can be achieved using modern planning tools which, thanks to AI support, are automatically able to fill vacancies and identify bottlenecks at an early stage.

In accordance with the regulations:

Every company has legal requirements – and sometimes business or trade union regulations – that the organisation must comply with in all circumstances: for example, break times and working hours must be observed. Data protection also plays a key role – particularly where there are no internal communication channels that comply with data protection regulations. Printed shift schedules in the break room, for instance, carry the risk of being photographed and shared via messaging apps. This in itself constitutes a breach of the GDPR.

Intelligent:

To meet all these requirements, a shift model should also be organised using appropriate, modern software. Rigid programs such as Excel offer few options for making last-minute changes to schedules. Furthermore, companies run the risk of failing to comply with regulations. This is where intelligent solutions supported by AI can help.

Another advantage is the time saved. In larger companies with thousands of employees, it often takes hours to draw up shift schedules. With AI-powered solutions, however, shift schedules can be generated in a matter of minutes. The AI always finds the best possible staffing for each shift, taking into account operational requirements.

What types of shifts are there?

There are various types of shift systems, which can vary depending on requirements. The following section provides a brief overview of the most common types.

Fixed shift patterns
In this system, staff work fixed, recurring shifts. These shifts do not rotate – so staff work the same shift every week.

Rotating shift patterns
In this case, shifts change according to a specific pattern, so that staff work at different times of the day. There are various rotation patterns, such as the early-late-night rotation. The time interval at which shifts change can also vary.

What types of rotational patterns are there?‍

A rotation pattern refers to the sequence or cycle according to which staff rotate or switch between different shifts. This rotation may vary depending on the needs and requirements of the business. The aim is also to ensure that all staff are fairly distributed across different shifts and that no group of staff is permanently disadvantaged. There are various types of rotation patterns that can be used in shift systems.

Fixed rotation
Staff rotate between shifts on a regular basis according to a predefined schedule, e.g. every week, every month or even just every two days.

Self-selected rotation
Employees have the option of choosing their own shifts within certain limits. This provides greater flexibility and makes it easier to take employees’ personal needs into account.

Rotation as required
Rotation takes place in response to operational requirements, seasonal fluctuations or other factors.

12-hour shift patterns
In this model, staff work longer shifts (usually 12 hours) but over fewer days a week. This allows for longer rest periods between shifts.

Flexible and self-selected shift patterns
These approaches give workers greater control over their working hours. This allows them to swap shifts or organise their working hours more flexibly – and, under certain circumstances, the organisation of their work can even be left entirely up to the employees. However, this often requires pre-established rules.

15-, 18- or 21-shift model
Terms such as ‘15-shift’, ‘18-shift’ or ‘21-shift’ models are also commonly used. The number indicates how many shifts are scheduled in a week. However, the number of working days per week may vary depending on the type of business.

15-shift model
In this model, there are three shifts per day, five days a week. 18-shift model: This is based on a six-day week. There are three shifts on each of these days.

21-shift model
This model is suitable for a continuous seven-day week, with three shifts per day.

How to find the right shift model

There is a wide range of shift patterns and rotation models to choose from. But how can you select the ‘right’ shift pattern that is ideally suited to your business? To do this, it is of course essential first to have a clear understanding of the company’s needs: Is continuous operation necessary? How important are flexibility and employee involvement? To find out which factors are most important for the company, you should generally start by carrying out a needs analysis.

At the same time, however, you need to be familiar with all the shift model options in order to identify the best one for your situation. This is because every model has its pros and cons: a five-shift system, for example, may be ideal for a company operating on a fully continuous basis, but unsuitable for a company subject to employment regulations that prohibit night work.

Furthermore, it can be a key factor whether high costs arise from starting up and shutting down machinery or from it running idle. In this case, you should choose a shift model that helps to avoid downtime. For highly repetitive work, however, rolling shift models offer the greatest benefits – after all, the right shift system can also contribute to staff satisfaction.

When demand forecasting is difficult, it can also be helpful to advertise some shifts as ‘open shifts’ for which staff can apply. This allows staff to choose their own shifts, and the rota can be adjusted at short notice to accommodate fluctuating demand.

A 4x4 shift schedule in shyftplan’s AI-powered shift planning software

Of course, this pattern could also be implemented using just three shift groups. However, the advantage of a fourth group is that it helps to avoid repetitive work patterns. It also ensures that sufficient rest periods are observed in all cases.

This example illustrates how a 4×4 shift model can be implemented in an industrial setting to boost efficiency, optimise production capacity and ensure a balanced workload. Through clear structures and regular rotations, such a model can lead to improved operational performance.