An increasing number of people—about three million, in fact, work the night shift between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Another four million work at some point during the night and even more work floating or more erratic schedules. Interestingly, night shift workers are “grey collared,” meaning they are a mix of factory, warehouse, or other physical laborers, as well as professional office workers in all categories. Not to mention those freelancers out there earning side hustle money.
It seems like more people are working the night shift. What are the benefits of working when others are sleeping? How could the 3rd shift help you and your family?
Benefits of 3rd Shift
The biggest benefit for night shift workers is the increased pay deferential. Making more money is the point of working, so the 3rd shift financial incentives are a big plus both for you and your family. There are a lot of employers both willing to pay more but also to offer better incentives, perks, and benefit to find enough 3rd shift workers.
Another benefit is the commute. While many workers are still remote, many legal, medical, logistics, and administrative service industries are not. This means commuting to work, but if you're heading to the night shift the chances of being stuck in a rush out traffic are non-existent. This saves considerable time and lessens the stress associated with going to work. If you're working the 3rd shift, you can forget spending hours sitting in the car in bumper-to-bumper traffic jams.
Generally, the third shift is quieter, whether it’s in a hospital setting or in a warehouse. Many times, fewer people enter the building during that time so receptionist duty, for example, is a lighter load. This increases your productivity because you have fewer interruptions and meetings that happen during the 3rd shift.
The other benefit is that you actually get to see the sun on a beautiful summer day. When you’re stuck working the day shift, you may also be stuck inside. The 3rd shift sends you home as the sun is rising to get some sleep. But if you plan your schedule carefully, you can spend time outside in the garden or park before you go back to work. Balancing work, sleep, and free time during the day is a benefit that 3rd shift workers enjoy.
There also may be a big benefit for your family related to your scheduling. For example, you can get home in time to see the kids off to school and greet them when they come home. You’re there if a daytime emergency occurs. Say your partner is working a day job. By splitting shifts in this way, you may be able to accommodate children or other responsibilities in a way that is very beneficial to the entire family.
Ready to try 3rd shift? Why not talk with the team at People Plus about some of the jobs we have open, their perks, and whether 3rd shift is right for you?