What is shift work?
Shift work is a flexible way of organizing work hours according to a predetermined schedule - after a certain number of hours, days, or weeks, employees change the time they work.
The Labor Code regulates the rights and obligations related to shift work, enabling effective time management. Shift work is especially important in industries requiring continuous operation to avoid production downtime.
Types of shift work
Organizing shift work is a key element of the smooth and efficient functioning of many enterprises. The two-shift model provides employees with time to recover at night and free weekends, which is in line with the natural biological rhythm. The three-shift system allows work continuity for most of the day, while continuous operation is suitable for industries requiring uninterrupted activity. The choice of the appropriate model depends on the specifics of the company's operations and the needs and capabilities of employees.
Employee or employer? Who is the shift schedule for?
A well-organized schedule contributes not only to better resource utilization but also to improving organization and employee efficiency. The schedule should consider their preferences, allowing them to balance work duties with personal life. For managers, the organizational model means maintaining a healthy and efficient work environment, while for employees, it means reduced stress and support in balancing professional and private life.
What does a shift work schedule look like according to the Labor Code?
Planning a shift work schedule requires considering many aspects to ensure the schedule is compliant with the Labor Code and efficient for the enterprise.
First steps in planning the schedule
what should be considered?
What must be done before starting to plan the work schedule?
- calculate the dimension of working time;
- consider the work day and daily and weekly rest (including exceptions);
- maintain an average five-day work week;
- consider other factors;
When planning a shift work schedule, it is important to consider employee availability, the demand for work in a given period, and the legal requirements specified by labor laws.
1. How to calculate the dimension of shift work?
When organizing a shift work schedule, it is necessary to consider the dimension of working time (the number of hours employees must work during the accounting period). The articles of the Labor Code explain how to calculate the dimension of working time in 4 simple steps:
- Step 1 - Multiply the weekly norm by the number of full weeks (40h) in the accounting period;
- Step 2 - Add the product of the daily norm (8h) and the number of days (Monday - Friday) remaining in the accounting period;
- Step 3 - Subtract the number of holidays that fall in the accounting period (on a day other than Sunday);
- Step 4 - Finally, multiply the obtained number by the employment rate (e.g., 1/2 full-time);
2. Daily and weekly rest
The right to rest is an important issue outlined in the Labor Code. Every employee employed under an employment contract should have guaranteed uninterrupted weekly rest of 35 hours and at least 11 hours daily rest.
Thanks to this, every employee in the company has time to recover, which increases work efficiency.
Exceptions to uninterrpted daily rest
The limitation is only allowed in two cases:
- in case of the need to carry out a rescue operation to protect human life or health;
- protection of property and the environment (including removing failures);
The above justifications do not eliminate the right to recover rest hours, and the employer should ensure an equivalent rest period.
3. 5-day work week
what distinguishes it?
5-day work week
An important aspect to consider is ensuring employees have free weekends and regular breaks, allowing them to maintain a balance between work and personal life. Many companies already see the benefits of this approach, including increased productivity and better employee well-being.
It is worth considering introducing flexible working hours or a shift system to allow employees to rest and recover, which in the long run benefits both employees and the organization.
4. Other information that should be included in the shift work schedule
The work schedule should include information about days off - planned and requested. Streamlining the planning process involves having all the information in one place regarding: vacations, sick leaves, or training and delegations. This will allow for more efficient use of resources in your company and speed up the schedule creation process.
How to create a shift work schedule?
Shift work schedule
what to pay attention to?
When planning a shift work schedule, the employer must consider many factors to ensure compliance with labor code regulations and the health and safety of employees. The accounting period, usually not exceeding four months, is a key element in planning working time, which can be extended to 12 months in special cases.
It is important for employers to ensure that employees have adequate daily and weekly rest, which is not only a legal requirement but also a matter of employee well-being. When creating a schedule, it is also worth considering individual employee needs, such as vacation preferences or other non-work obligations.
Adapting the schedule to the capabilities and expectations of employees can increase their job satisfaction and efficiency. Additionally, remembering overtime is key to avoiding overwork and ensuring compliance with labor laws. It is also important to consider the needs and preferences of individual employees during planning, which can contribute to better time management and team satisfaction.
How far in advance should the schedule be?
In any working time system, the work schedule should be planned and made available to employees with appropriate advance notice - at least 1 week before the start of the work period it applies to. According to the regulations, it is unacceptable to provide the schedule to the employee for the next week at the end of the current one.
What does the work schedule look like for a changing business situation?
The work schedule is a flexible tool that allows employers to optimize human resources during a given period, depending on the current needs of the company. This is especially important in seasonal industries, such as hotels, where fluctuations in labor demand are frequent and predictable. If there are periods of higher or lower demand, the employercan adjust the number of employees accordingly.
Individual work schedule
Implementing a flexible working time system requires the right approach and understanding of legal regulations. The employee must submit a written request, while the employer, without prior consultations and agreements, should not prepare a work schedule. This allows the working hours to be adapted to the individual needs of the employee, which can contribute to increased satisfaction and efficiency.
Changing the shift work schedule
Changes to the work schedule are possible and can be made by the employer, but they must be justified by objective reasons, such as the need to replace a sick or on-leave employee.
The employer should provide the work schedule at least one week before it starts. However, it is worth remembering that frequent changes can negatively impact employee satisfaction and their personal plans.
Changes to the schedule. How to inform employees?
The fastest and easiest way to maintain smooth communication in your company can be a online work schedule. By using it, you can quickly inform your employees about any changes and modifications. This way, you will avoid delayed messages and thus protect yourself from conflicts and misunderstandings.
Shift work and sick leave
Sick leave is a key element of managing absences at work. According to the regulations, it covers full calendar days, meaning that when an employee starts sick leave on a given day, they remain unable to work until the end of that day, regardless of the start time of the leave.
Organizing the work schedule according to demand or limited labor costs
A great convenience is using dedicated online tools that allow quick and easy creation of work schedules based on the cost limit or specified demand. Thanks to these solutions, your company will maintain order both financially and organizationally.
How to improve work on the schedule?
Online work schedule
why is it worth it?
Errors and inaccuracies in work schedules are an integral part of the scheduling process. Countless guidelines and rules must be followed, and potential conflicts must be addressed, significantly extending the entire planning process.
These challenges can be solved using modern technological solutions, such as online planning applications, which facilitate the entire process. The applications offer functions that support creating work schedules, managing working time, and integrating introduced changes with labor law regulations. This way, communication within the company will take place on one platform, employees will have constant access to their daily duties and schedule changes, and employers can focus on other aspects of team management, confident that the tool used is functioning correctly.
How to manage it? Our recommendations
Although planning work schedules is a long and complicated process, there are ways to streamline it in the form of online applications. One of them is Proplanum. The application allows easy and quick creation of work schedules, and thanks to the automatic verification of the schedule's correctness, you will avoid errors and conflicts caused by, for example, overlapping shifts. Additionally, publication and change information is sent to employees on an ongoing basis, ensuring that no message is missed.
Modern tools and technologies in the form of online applications allow for flexible adjustment of schedules to current needs. Efficient time management translates into better organization and greater team satisfaction. However, it should be remembered that the schedule should not only meet the requirements of labor law but also consider employees' preferences.
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