Your shipyard has unique requirements that many other employers don’t have to contend with. One of those things may be the need to employ swing shift workers for your marine environment. But when the hours don’t line up with the typical day shift, how can you be sure to manage these employees properly and ensure productivity and engagement? There are a few things you can do to make your swing shift workers more successful, and here are just a couple to consider.
1. Define your shift worker.
Step one is to define who is a shift worker within your industry. In general, this is anyone who is working outside the normal business hours. Normal business hours in a marine environment is typically between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. So how do you determine how to manage those employees who aren’t part of the regular, daytime shift? It doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds when you break it down to the basics.
2. Understand the impact of shift work.
Working outside business hours typically means that management, including safety management, isn’t available for immediate problems. Shift work can be hazardous because it affects the very biology of the human body. We are designed to be awake during the day and sleep at night. And no matter what someone says about their own body clock, they are working against their very nature to be awake during this shift. The effects on sleep cycles and body fatigue are just the tip of the iceberg.
3. Minimize the hazards for shift workers.
As management, your role is to ensure that all workers remain safe on the job, including those who are part of your swing shifts. While you might not be there to have eyes on these workers during the off-hours, you can provide resources to encourage safety. Give them the tools to improve their sleep cycles at home and encourage regular breaks on the job. You can also provide healthy food alternatives and facilitate physical exercise.
Work with a leader in shipyard staffing.
Do you want to know how to hire the proper management team and employees for your swing shifts? The shipyard staffing experts at Hutco can help, so call today to talk about our options for your marine environment.
