To ask the regular night shift workers if I can join in?

[Bigblug]

Our night team is very small. I want/need to work two nights a week, for childcare cover. However, whenever I've mentioned it to co workers I just get a raised eyebrow and 'how will that work then?'. Basically there are two men who share the night shifts through the week. They've done it for years, way before I even started here. Now I don't profess to know their circumstances but I do know it's not for childcare or anything like that. Our manager has told me to put in the request but said it's unlikely that I'll get it as the two regulars won't give up/share their night shift. I feel like I have a legit reason to request it. Wwyd? Drop it and chug along or fight it? I don't want to rock the boat or step on anyone's toes here, and I like my colleagues!

hula because good employers want to retain good staff and make their lives easier. Is that really such an odd concept?

Their job may have been advertised as a night job. And in that case it would be U to expect to take their job /shifts unless they retire or resign.

It wouldn't have been advertised as nights, it's not really how it works here. And in regards to training and responsibility, I'm just as well trained as him. We have the same staffing/lack of management on weekends as we do nights. But I understand everyone's point of view :)

By all means, ask. But the happiness and welfare of all employees will be taken into account as well as the business needs. It depends what shifts you applied for initially and what shifts the night workers applied for. And the impact of your request on the business, not just accommodating your partner's change of circumstances. Most people are reasonable providing you don't hold them to random or whine! "Point of view" is a very strong tool. Good luck.

*ransom.

I think your issue will be mixing day and night shifts, managing people who are doing half day and half night shifts is difficult and not an attractive option for those already doing just nights and the management. Also how many shifts do you do now and how many do you want? Is it just two shifts a week you do? If they do 5 shifts over 5 nights they can't simply do 3 night and 2 day shifts in 5 days as they need a rest break.

I guess the issue might also be whether your employers would potentially be losing one of the two full time night shift workers if they try and push them onto split shifts. Would they be worse off losing one of those two men to another full time night shift and only having you to work two nights per week?

I did nightshift for 10 years, 5 nights/40hrs a week. If my employer had suggested putting me onto split shifts I would have walked. It takes weeks to adjust to the reversed circadian schedule, mucking about with odd days is incredibly bad for you and not just in lost sleep.

I was able to get on with the job without constant management interruptions plus 20% more pay, which was the trade-off for no back-up, services, IT support, reduced lifespan (there's scientific evidence) and so on. You're even more likely to put on weight, apparently well that's my excuse No way would I have swapped onto days. Annoying as it is you are just going to have to wait for somebody to leave, same as if you wanted any other job.

Formerly yes we make decisions as a family, but we don't expect people outside the family to have their lives and working patterns mucked up to accommodate those decisions, nor to have that happen to us because other family units decide they want something that they can't logistically manage unless a colleague sucks up significant changes to their work and life.

Asking for flexible working is of course fine, bit in most cases it shouldn't be detrimental to other employees, and asking that colleagues go from permanent nights to mixed shifts will impact those near strangers' entire lives.

I would apply but is there adequate cover for the day shifts you are doing already, do you want a set pattern of days and night.