Continuous or semi-continuous systems are usually based on average shift lengths of 8 or 12 hours. There are advantages and disadvantages of both approaches.
 | 12-hour shifts are sometimes considered to be too long - there are issues regarding fatigue, health and safety and productivity |
| The European Working Time Directive puts a limit of 8 hours on the night shift for "hazardous" work |
| 12-hour shifts require fewer attendances at work which saves staff travel time and costs. For example, in a continuous system there are 33% fewer attendances. |
| 12-hour shifts result in longer periods of usable time off |
| Sometimes the longer periods of time off in a 12-hour system are considered to be too long from a communication and continuity of productivity point of view |
| If somebody on an 8-hour shift is off sick or on holiday, they can be covered by extending adjacent shifts. For example, a late shift can be covered by a 4-hour extension of an early shift and by bringing on a night shift 4 hours earlier. This is not possible with 12-hour shifts. A 12-hour shift can only be covered by bringing somebody in from a rest day. This is also the case with 8-hour shifts but a 12-hour shift system has more rest days to call on. |
Mix of 8's and 12's
There are benefits of using 12-hours shifts, such as fewer attendances and longer periods of usable time off, but there are potential downsides, such as lower productivity. In continuous systems some organisations, as a compromise, use a mix of 8 and 12-hour shifts with the 12-hour shifts being usually worked at weekends. So, for example, in a 5-team system there is an average of three weekends off every five weeks based on 12-hours, compared to two in five weeks for 8-hours.
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