Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/312675
20 | /insight on manufacturing • May 2014 w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m A ddi ng A no t h e r sh i f t of workers can boost production, but it isn't simply a matter of boosting your paid staff – it adds another dimension entirely. e key is ensuring the overall well-being of your employees, which is important not only for keeping a healthy, happy workforce, but also for keeping costs to a minimum, says Mary felton, owner and president of hr Business Partners, LLC of Appleton. "When you're rotating shis and working the night shi, you do not get the proper sleep," felton says. "And when you're tired, your productivity goes down, your mental clarity goes down, and sometimes that leads to workers' comp injuries or illnesses." Additionally, shi workers may not be eating as healthy as they should, accessing the vending machine for many of their choices, she says. at eventually can lead to illnesses, and more expensive health claims. "one of the strategies i have implemented in many organizations is to make sure there are healthy foods – about 75 percent – in the vending machines," felton says. Adding baskets of free or inexpensive fruit in the break rooms can help. it's all a balance, though, and it's important to listen to what workers want (one company revolted when she took away their ice cream in the summer, she says). "e other thing is making sure people stay hydrated – if you don't drink enough water, you're going to get dehydrated, which makes you tired," felton says. en they turn to more stimulants such as coffee and soda, which increases dehydration. Additionally, workers on third shi or a rotating shi may feel isolated from a social life or time with family, felton says. Providing an employee assistance program to all workers – and making its availability widely known – can help those workers acclimate. ensuring access to an hr person at all hours also can help stem problems that may arise on the job, and making sure a health practitioner visits when shi workers are present are also ways to improve and protect employee well-being, felton says. setting up the schedule in a fair way, such as seniority or by rotation, can help, too. At georgia-Pacific in green Bay, about 1,200 of the 2,200 employees work 12-hour shis on a rotating basis, says Mike Kawleski, public affairs manager. As an example, gP's Broadway street facility operates with four crews – Crew A might work for two days, then have three days off, then work two nights, then have two days off, then work three days, and have two days off, and so on. e day street mill operates a little differently, putting a crew on for two days, two nights, then four days off. While it's difficult to change from a day to night schedule, this kind of flexibility allows employees time off during the week to run errands or spend time with family, Kawleski says. "You're not always on the graveyard shi, for example, so you have a little bit of variety there," he says. gP offers fitness centers at both mills and has nurses on staff. e company also has ongoing health and wellness incentive programs that include contests for walking and weight loss, as well as an intranet page that offers information on staying healthy. "We hope that employees are taking the proper steps to be healthy and fit," Kawleski says. "When we hire new people, we provide them booklets titled, 'Living Well with shi Work,' that go into all the different aspects of it – things that will not make it any easier to shi work, like smoking, because that may interfere with your sleeping; b a c k o f f i c e Shi change safety, health are key considerations for companies employing round-the-clock workers By Nikki kallio "When you're rotating shifts and working the night shift, you do not get the proper sleep. And when you're tired, your productivity goes down, your mental clarity goes down, and sometimes that leads to workers' comp injuries or illnesses." – Mary Felton, owner and president of HR Business Partners, LLC