We often hear from our clients that second shift is one of the hardest shifts to slow staffing turnover. We’ve found these 7 things to reduce second shift turnover.
Second shift is that overnight shift that can put strain on employees in terms of family time, and their natural body clock. By using these management techniques, your firm can attract employees and motivate them to stay on.
- Positive feedback. Make sure that your second shift workforce knows the contribution they are making is as valuable as the other shifts’ contribution.
- Incentives for performance. Often productivity or quality levels go down on the night shift. A simple restaurant gift card goes a long way as an incentive to maintain performance objectives.
- Mentoring and coaching. Where metrics show a need for training or improved skills, put the supervisory effort into mentoring these employees so they have the same skill and knowledge as the day shift.
- Buddy system. Pair night shift employees up with partners that can each improve the other. Give them specific learning objectives on real projects and use incentives to ensure the objective is achieved.
- Production and quality contests. Set up shift vs. shift contests that allow the second shift to compete with the first and third shifts on quality and production metrics. Ensure there is a group reward for the week.
- Defined career path. Develop and communicate a real career path for your employees that work the second shift overnight. Remind them that performing well during this shift gives them opportunities for moving to more desirable shifts.
- Non-monetary incentives. Offer second shift incentives that have deep meaning to the employee’s career. Provide these incentives during the night shift – don’t expect them to come back during the day.
It’s amazing how a little personal attention can ignite new passion for the job an employee does. Simple things like giving the second shift an opportunity to attend special work skill training programs to grow their career and make them more valuable to the company. Personal training like managing money, or work-life balance shows you want them to be part of the company’s success. Show that the firm values their individual contribution with additional vacation to spend with family, or comp-time. Many of these ideas cost little to no money, but have compounding returns on the investment your company makes.
These may be good approaches for you to reduce the cost of lost time and productivity, and maximizing the investment made in people to train them and prepare them for work. Barton Staffing Solutions is available to discuss these and other ways to improve your operation. Call us today.