How a 3-shift (3x8) schedule works
The 3-shift system is a shift-work setup that covers 24 hours with three teams relaying each other over 8-hour shifts.
The three shifts
Morning (often 6am-2pm), afternoon (2pm-10pm) and night (10pm-6am). Each employee holds a shift for a set period, then rotates onto the others to share the strain of nights and weekends.
The rotation
Rotation can be weekly (you change shift each week) or longer. The goal is fairness: over a full cycle, everyone works the same number of mornings, afternoons and nights.
Mind compliance with the maximum working hours and the rest periods required by labor law and your collective agreement.
Generate your team shift schedule in Excel, for free.
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