How to Manage Your Shift Patterns: Holidays and Absences

Paperback – 1 May 2008

by Alec A. Jezewski (Author), Angela K Moore (Author)

"How to Manage your Shift Pattern" is a new and exciting book from CDT. An essential management reference book that no manager should be with out. It is unique in its analysis of the problems facing shift pattern managers today. This book outlines the main problems in running a shift pattern and offers a set of solutions to encompass all circumstances. Complete with summary pages, worked examples and example shift patterns this book will help any manager run their shift pattern perfectly and effortlessly.

The main problem facing all shift pattern managers is how to accommodate all of the holidays within the year and not have it effect the operation. The answer is of cause to plan for the holidays in advance. With the correct shift pattern with the proper holiday management planning in place a shift pattern manager can manage the holidays of over a 100 people on less than ½ hour per day. This book contains a range of solutions for holiday management along with examples and detailed explanations of how to implement them with in your organisation.

Once the holidays are sorted the next problem facing shift pattern managers will be absences. Absences have always caused problems because often they are at short notice and whatever cover arrangements are in place there is always that chance that they will still break down at the vital moment. In "How to Manage your Shift Pattern" the different types of absences are discussed, including what an absence rate of 3% actually means in practice. A wide range of solutions is discussed along with examples of how to incorporate the cover arrangements into the shift pattern.

Along with holidays and absences a host of other issues are also covered in this book including:
· Banked Hours
· Training
· Skills Mix
· Fatigue
· Terms and Conditions of Employment
· Annualised Hours

However what makes this book truly unique is that it answers the age-old question "How many staff do I need?" This book takes you through the calculations with several worked examples so that you can ascertain quickly and easily if you are under or over staffed.

CDT is a management consultancy company specialising in shift pattern design. We help companies to organise and run their shift patterns effectively and efficiently. We assist companies from conception of the design through to negations and migration planning. Currently we are in the process of publishing a complete collection of reference books to assist managers in creating, moving and running a new shift pattern that is perfect for them. "How to Manage your Shift Pattern" is the first book in this series.

Pages 200 Language: English

Authors Dr Angela Moore & Alec Jezewski

Shift working quietly powers the world around us. From the bread on your table to the aircraft you fly in, from your mobile phone network to the ports, pharmacies, and food producers that keep life moving — shift workers make it all possible.

You can download our booklet to explore the full range of products and services we offer, complete with clear diagrams that illustrate our proven methodology.

Our brochure lifts the lid on how different industries rely on smart, well‑designed shift patterns to stay safe, efficient, and resilient. If you want to understand how better shift operations can transform performance, reduce costs, and improve work–life balance, this is the perfect place to start.

Creating a shift pattern isn’t just a calculation — it’s an art. It means balancing holidays, skills, workload, wellbeing, budgets, fatigue, and future growth to build a sustainable operation where the business performs at its best and shift workers can truly thrive. If you want to see how we design the right people, in the right numbers, in the right place, at the right time — this booklet is the perfect place to begin.