If you work in an engineering or IT job, shift work is commonplace. It may not be your cup of tea, but at CK we’ve put together some of the reasons why shift work is something you should think about doing given the chance.
Shift work can take place over a few different schedule options, so it can be so many days on and so many off, many people really enjoy this option as it’s like a mini holiday. Other options are early and late shifts, such as 2pm-10pm or 5am – 2pm for example, some sites even have 24-hour shifts patterns so this could involve working a night shift. Many people we speak to really enjoy shift work, take a look at some of the benefits.
- Firstly, shift work allows you to have a greater degree of work/life balance. You can spread out your working hours, giving you the chance to spend more time with the family, whilst also allowing you to do tasks normally restricted to working hours, such as going to the bank. However, you might occasionally need to work on weekends, slightly restricting the time that could be spent with your family.
- For those that have children, it can mean that you can get involved in the child care routine, if you have late shifts then some parents like to look after the children in the mornings for example.
- Shift allowance is another very attractive benefit, giving you a percentage of your base wage on top of said wage. This percentage can be up to a third of your original wage, which is obviously beneficial and can help with mortgage payments or paying for something big like a new car.
- Working on shifts can give you a greater amount of responsibility. This is because, when working on late or night shifts, the teams are usually smaller, so you would be expected to do more. Shift work can be an opportunity to take on more responsibility and this can look great on your CV.
- In addition to the social benefits, shift work means that you will be outside of the usual 9 to 5 routine, and so at the very least, you will avoid the traffic, something which may well reduce significant amounts of stress from your day.
Something to be aware of, however, is that it may be difficult for some people to adjust to shift work. It can be difficult to establish for yourself a daily cycle that includes sleeping in the day and working through the night if that is required. In addition to this, it is necessary to be strict with your food and vitamin intake, as working on shifts means that a normal routine can easily be disrupted.
So whilst shift work has many benefits it is not necessarily for everyone due to the disruption it can cause to normal living patterns. But if you can successfully plan your shifts and adjust to the new daily cycle, it is rewarding financially and socially whilst being beneficial for your career.
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