What Is Third Shift – An Answer You’re Looking For

Written By Assma Riaz

The term third shift is that work scheduled between midnight to early hours of the morning.

The exact hours of a third shift may vary in different workplaces.

What Is Third Shift – 6 Advantages Of Working In Third Shift

But mostly this shift takes place during the exact night hours. Workplaces that are operative 24 hours a day will have a night shift to keep the facility available.

Some workplaces allow their employees to keep working on the same shift.

Yet, others may rotate the shifts of the employees from morning to night and vice versa.

1. What Is Third Shift – Financial Benefits

Getting financial incentives is a significant benefit of working in a night shift.

Third shift workers get to be paid higher as compared to ordinary people. The reason is that few people are willing to work at night.

Third Shift Offers Lots Of Monetary Benefits Due To Less Competition
What Is Third Shift – Financial Benefits

So employers are ready to pay a bit higher both in terms of salary and financial incentives.

So you can earn extra cash by just swinging your working hours.

2. Less Traffic In Third Shift 

The peak of traffic is in the morning and evening when people return from work.

Working at a night shift is good because you get to drive when everyone else is at home. There’s a considerable reduction in the time spent in traffic.

There Are Less People On Roads During Night So There Is Less Traffic
Less Traffic In Third Shift

The commute in third shift is less stressful, smooth and a bit quick.

This shift is a good fit for people who aren’t willing to spend hours and hours in traffic.

3. Free Day-Time Hours

Ordinary people spend a large part of their day at work, so they miss out the sunny days. It’s hard for them to pick and drop their kids to and from school.

If you’re studying beside a night shift, it’ll be easier for you to attend your college.

You Will Have More Time During Day To Enjoy Life
Free Day-Time Hours

It’s evident that you need to sleep during the day, but you won’t be sleeping the entire day.

Hence, a night shift allows you to create a balanced work life.

You have to follow the discipline and be planned for your new routine. So you can have a nice sleep and many free hours during the day-light.

4. What Is Third Shift – Rise In Productivity

This shift is the quietest shift in the day. There are fewer or no meetings at all to attend during the third shift.

The people you’ll interact with during the third shift are also lesser. No company will have a full staff working at a night shift.

So a quiet environment lets you get the work done in a better way. You don’t have to face many disruptions and distractions because of a hustle.

5. Possibility Of Quick Advancement

The night shift makes you able to get your things done faster as compared to other shifts. And the lower competition lets you jump onto the ladder quickly.

More Chances Of Promotion Are Always There
Possibility Of Quick Advancement

It lets you enhance your resume and be more competitive.

Working in a night shift for a shorter period can kick start your career.

6. Worthy Social Interactivity

When you work in a night shift, it will be hard to maintain social interaction. But anyhow the social interaction plays an essential part in a healthy lifestyle.

So don’t let your social life fall apart entirely.

You can cut short your sleep time to spend time with your friends. But this way you can miss out the essential sleep hours.

Spend Your Day Time With Valuable People Like Family
Worthy Social Interactivity

A good way to deal with it is you should maintain high-value social interactions.

You can spend your time with family, kids and close friends who are supportive.

Spending time with such relationships will get back more value to you. But remember a good sleep is what keeps you alive at the night shift.

Disadvantages Of Working In A Third Shift

Working in a third shift has some serious disadvantages as well. People working in the third shift are more prone to cardiovascular diseases.

The sleep pattern is low, and there’s a higher risk of getting mentally ill.

There are more on-the-job accidents in the third shift because people aren’t alert.

However, if you want to work in a third shift, take these disadvantages into account.

You can better consider shift work as a temporary part of your entire career.

10 Professions Which Use Third Shift

The third shift doesn’t exist in all industries; there are selective job openings.

1. Night Auditor

A night auditor works in hotels and provides services to guests during late hours. The job duties are taking reservations, providing toiletries to guests during the third shift.

As a night auditor, you’ll have to maintain the front desk and prepare everything for the next day.

2. Doctor

The responsibilities of a doctor vary according to the specialty. However, an emergency medicine physician can get to work in the third shift.

What Is Third Shift
Doctor

His task is to diagnose and treat the patients who come to the ER during late hours.

They stabilize the patients and send them to the respective department for treatment.

3. Police Officer

Police officers are needed 24 hours a day so they can respond to the distress calls.

The job of a police officer is to maintain the city in the order.

The police officers of third shift often get to deal with criminal activities. As a police officer, you’ll be responsible for making arrests and enforcing laws.

4. Paramedic

Like doctors, paramedics have to attend emergency calls that come during the night.

Paramedics offer first aid, revive patients and treat their wounds.

As a paramedic, you’ll deal with patients and refer them to extensive care units.

5. Hotel Manager

People enter into hotels and leave during any time of the day. So there must be a management facility available during all hours of a day.

Hotel Managers Welcome Guests Even During Night
Hotel Manager

As a manager in third shift, you’ll have to do the paperwork for the next day, like preparing schedules & events.

You’ll also have to keep in mind the VIP guests arriving at the hotel the next day.

6. Firefighter

Third shift firefighters get to deal with the fire emergencies during the night. They may get called for medical emergencies or any other emergency during late hours.

If you’re looking to work in a third shift, this is one of the best jobs for you.

7. Warehouse Manager

Warehouses operate during late hours as they have to make shipments the next day.

So most of the warehouses keep filling the orders during the third shift.

You’ll supervise the night shift, maintain the receiving and dispatching of orders.

8. Security Guard

It is the most popular job of the third shift. Security guards watch the premises and look out for any unusual activity.

What Is Third Shift
Security Guard

They watch security cameras and patrol in the area to make sure everything’s fine.

As a security guard, you’ll sound for the alarms and call the police if necessary.

9. ER Nurse

ER nurse looks after the patients and sees their needs when they arrive in the emergency room.

What Is Third Shift
ER Nurse

The job duties include minor operations, taking signs and administering medicine.

They have to watch the patient during the night and keep records of his stay.

10. Janitor

The job of a janitor is to clean facilities during the late hours.

The buildings are empty during the night, so they can better vacuum and clean the bathrooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Third Shift Hours?

The exact hours of the third shift can be varying according to companies. But generally, the period is from midnight to 8 a.m. Working when everyone is sleeping may not sound attractive. But it can offer you many benefits.

Is 3rd Shift Terrible For Your Health?

Working at night and sleeping in the day increases the chances of getting obese and diabetic. An imbalance causes such diseases in hormones due to staying up at night.

Does Working 3rd Shift Shorten Your Life?

Working in a 3rd shift can shorten your life. It puts you at risk of getting heart diseases and lessens your life span. Changes in the natural sleep-wake cycle interfere with your body's circadian rhythms.

When Should I Sleep When Working 3rd Shift?

It would help if you slept as soon as possible the 3rd shift ends. The sleep time should be 7-8 hours just like regular night sleep. However, you must sleep in the same hours during the whole work week.

Conclusion

Although the regular working hours are 9-5, that doesn’t mean the world stops after these hours.

Many companies are operative around the clock, so they need workers for the 3rd shift.

You might find it terrific at first to work in those hours when everyone’s sleeping. But that must not stop you from thinking to work in a 3rd shift.

However, the advantages and disadvantages of everything are sides by the side. So take your decision after thinking for a while!

Let us know your thoughts on this in the comment section below.

Assma Riaz

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