Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
Making a worker continually change their sleep, will lead to fatigue/tiredness and lower productivity.
Besides lowering productivity, it greatly strains the workers and creates a ton of health problems. Workers will develop sleep problems like insomnia, be at an increased risk for illness, poor metabolism (from strange meal distributions), and are more likely to develop unhealthy habits such as smoking; lack of exercise; and unhealthy diet.
I don't see any benefits to using a Rotating shift to cover undesirable shifts over the standard shifts. Sure the graveyard shift isn't ideal, but I understand the need for workers 24/7.
If something needs to go 24/7 then you simply draft early/over....
Shift work has been scientifically proven to shorten a person's life.
I have worked at a Nuke plant, DNGS, now for going on 35 years and thankfully I have never had to work it. I have worked numerous hours overtime, usually 400 hrs per year and one with over 600 hrs.
I did that when I was young and able so I could rest a little easier when I decided to have children. It's not for everyone but hard work has never scared me, plus they were handing me 400 extra hours O.T on a silver platter every yearso it was hard to turn down.
I make good money but the overtime (O.T.) allowed me to purchase many things and to pay them off. I have been mortgage free since I was 39, and currently have zero debts. I started working there when I was 18 on construction, I am now 53, soon to be 54 and I will be retiring next May/June at the age of 55. That will give me a total of 36.29 years working there, which is enough for me.
I will admit I did miss quite a bit during this time, mainly parties and the like, but those got old quick, imo, anyways.
It's not for everyone, like I mentioned, but I feel pretty comfortable now knowing I can fulfill my dream of retiring at 55 and reap the fruits of my labor.