Your night shift employees are necessary for providing around-the-clock care, especially in the healthcare industry. Although these hires may not see action every night, their position is vital for your business. Here’s a simple guide to the importance of personality in your night shift workers. These jobs require personality and adaptability to wherever the night takes you.
Accountability
Many workers with night shifts are working alone or with only a few other employees. You want to trust that your night shift hire can accomplish the task without supervision. You’ll also want a night shift worker who can balance their schedule and sleep in order not to make any mistakes. According to Nurses Service Organization, “Nurse fatigue caused by working long hours can be dangerous for both nurses and patients. For instance, a tired nurse may mistakenly record a healthcare provider’s phone orders to continue home medications on the wrong medical record, causing a patient with diabetes to fail to receive insulin. Nursing fatigue also costs the United States billions of dollars each year.” Be wary of over-scheduling an employee during the week when they have an overnight shift.
Engagement
Personality leads to greater engagement in the work that needs to be done. According to The Hire Talent, “it is important to understand one’s interests and preferences in terms of their personality because it’s these very interests that will ultimately keep them engaged in whatever task they’re expected to perform over an extended period of time.” Certain workers in group homes are more educated in providing the right medication and logging their work while others are more familiar with adapting to behaviors. A crew of two or more may be necessary for your industry.
Adaptability
The night shift isn’t for everyone and some workers may find that they can’t handle the hours of not sleeping. Look to an employee with an adaptable schedule and the skills to handle the trickiest tasks even in the middle of the night. According to West Sound Workforce, “employers may need to set up systems to help take care of their employees. Night shift workers may need to break up monotonous tasks more than those on the day shift. If they are doing physically demanding or dangerous work, you want them performing it when they are at the most alert point during their shift. Giving your employees a little more say in how they structure their work, in order for them to keep safe and alert, may help to prevent injuries.” Try not to schedule an all-day shift for an overnight employee so they have time to rest and eat properly to conserve their energy.
If you’re running a group home, try to get your clients on the schedule of sleeping at a regular time so the staff can stay vigilant throughout the night. This will be especially helpful in case there is an emergency of some kind. You may also consider raising your night shift employees’ pay or offering a staff motivation meeting, so your hires feel just as important as the day shift employees.
The night shift isn’t for everyone. Employees with children and other responsibilities are prone to needing to switch shifts with others to balance their life with work. By hiring an employee with an adaptable personality, you can create a better work environment for everyone involved.