IDS HR Study 838, January 2007

Shift pay

Examines the payments made for working the most common shift patterns

Gives details of the shift patterns and premia in 35 named organisations across a variety of sectors

Includes statistics on the incidence of shiftworking

Recent figures indicate that more than 15 per cent of UK employees regularly work shifts. Shiftworking encompasses a wide variety of arrangements and patterns – ranging from 12-hour stints as part of a continuous rota to four-hour ‘twilight’ shifts. Most shiftworking patterns attract some kind of additional payment to compensate employees for the level of inconvenience involved in this type of work.

The main focus of this Study is on the payments made for working various shift patterns, including two-shift/double-days, three-shift systems, alternating days/nights and continuous arrangements (eight-hour and 12-hour shifts). The Study also examines meal and tea breaks for shiftworkers and considers how shift pay and overtime interact. Approaches to compensation for loss of earnings when employees move off shifts at the company’s request, shift-swapping and health and safety considerations are also covered.

Shiftworking has its own specialist vocabulary (eg ‘semi-continuous’ and ‘continental’ shifts). A glossary of frequently used shiftworking terms is included in the Study.