People Management
September 26, 2025
People management in continuous operations: reconciling compliance and well-being
Best practices are strategic factors for the sustainability of operations and talent retention
Continuous operations, characterized by uninterrupted 24/7 functioning, are essential in critical sectors such as health, security, transportation, telecommunications, industry, and technology services. These environments demand teams capable of maintaining productivity and service quality regardless of the time, which requires specific shift models (Kalkanis et al., 2023; Oliveira, 2021; Perez et al., 2019).
In Brazil, the 6 x 1 scale is the most common in the commerce and services sectors. In this format, the employee works six consecutive days and has one day of paid weekly rest, preferably on Sundays, as provided for in the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT).
Other existing scales, according to legislation, include:
- 12 x 36: twelve hours on, 36 hours off;
- 5 x 2 or 8 x 5: five days of work and two of rest — eight hours a day (known as “standard” or “business hours”, from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm);
- 8 x 5 shifted: very similar to the previous one, however, at shifted start and end times;
- Special scales: with shorter shifts of four or six hours daily, on alternate or consecutive days.
The use of these regimes is associated with the need for continuous operational coverage in increasingly competitive markets oriented towards immediate service. However, their application imposes relevant challenges on people management: it is necessary to ensure compliance with labor laws — including working hour limits, breaks, and granting days off — and, simultaneously, preserve the physical and mental well-being of professionals (Perez et al., 2019). The balance between compliance and quality of life thus becomes a strategic factor for the sustainability of operations and talent retention in high-demand environments.
Legal framework and compliance guidelines
In Brazilian legislation, working hours are defined by the Constitution (Art. 7, sections XIII and XIV) and detailed in the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT, Arts. 58–65). Regardless of the shift system adopted, it must respect the limit of 44 hours per week, intra-day breaks, and the mandatory time clock registration in establishments with more than ten employees.
Labor inspection has intensified after the 2017 reform (Law 13.467/2017), which expanded the negotiation of hour compensation by individual agreement and maintained the prohibition of habitual overtime without legal provision. The jurisprudence of the Superior Labor Court reinforces the burden of proof on the employer in cases of controversy over working hours, especially in shifts and overtime, and punishes non-compliance with the recognition of unrecorded hours and compensation for moral damages.
Additionally, in a recent update of regulatory standards NR-5 and NR-17, the Ministry of Labor and Employment broadened its focus beyond physical health to include mental health, prevention of harassment, and organizational ergonomics. These standards have adopted a systemic approach, where the organization of working time is seen as an integral part of a healthy and safe environment. NR-1, which deals with the management of occupational risks, will have an update that comes into effect in May 2026, also reinforcing the updates to the aforementioned standards and highlighting that mental health (psychosocial risks) be included. By adopting these regulations, companies strengthen their prevention culture and involve all hierarchical levels in identifying risks and building adaptable solutions for shift schedules.
| Strengthening of the CIPA – Internal Commission for Accident Prevention (NR-5): |
| – Involve representatives from all areas in the analysis of the impacts of scales on physical and mental well-being; – Conduct periodic inspections and meetings to map stress factors and early signs of illness. |
| Application of Organizational Ergonomics (NR-17): |
| – Evaluate the arrangement of shifts and rest periods as part of the ergonomic analysis of work; – Adjust cognitive loads and task variability to minimize fatigue and monotony. |
| Prevention of harassment and mental health support (NR-1 and NR-5): |
| – Include assessment of organizational climate and confidential channels for reporting; – Offer training on respectful communication and coping strategies. |
| Integration with work scales: |
| – Utilize ergonomic insights to calibrate shift duration and sequence. – Ensure scheduled breaks and rotation routines compatible with chronotypes and personal responsibilities. |
This synergy between CIPA, ergonomics, and scale design reinforces the worker’s integral protection, enhances accident prevention, and promotes a more balanced and productive work environment, especially because non-compliance with regulations can generate significant losses for the organization.
Scientific evidence
According to a study by Kalkanis et al. (2023), when a worker adopts schedules outside the diurnal window, there is strong desynchronization between the circadian rhythm and the light-dark cycle, resulting in chronic sleep deprivation, insomnia, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Between 10% and 38% of professionals working in shift systems may develop shift work disorder, characterized by persistent difficulty sleeping or staying awake and a reduction in total sleep time.
These disorders increase the occurrence of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and gastrointestinal problems such as peptic ulcers. Furthermore, shift work is associated with worsening mental health, with an increased risk of depression and anxiety (Kalkanis et al., 2023).
The study presented by the authors also cites that the combination of fragmented sleep and excessive sleepiness compromises cognitive performance and attention span, increasing operational errors. There is other evidence showing an elevated risk of occupational and traffic accidents, especially after night shifts.
To mitigate acute fatigue, scheduled naps increase total sleep time and improve performance, while decreasing the need for post-shift recovery. On the other hand, exhausted workers tend to resort more frequently to medical leave, increasing absenteeism rates and impacting organizational costs.
Scale drawing
The alignment of work schedules with the biological and social limits of employees is fundamental to mitigate the negative impacts of shift work. Designing clockwise rotations, with a gradual sequence of days and nights, reduces the mismatch between the internal circadian clock and the light-dark cycle, minimizing sleep disturbances and excessive fatigue (Knauth, 1996; Oliveira, 2021).
Still according to Knauf (1996), defining minimum rest intervals — for example, at least 48 hours off after a series of three to four shifts — allows for adequate restoration of cognitive and immunological functions. Continuous monitoring tools, such as wearables (smartwatch and other devices) for tracking sleep patterns and self-reported alertness level applications, enable dynamic adjustments in scheduling and preventive support.
Considering the individual profile of collaborators (chronotype, family responsibilities, comorbidities) in shift allocation strengthens engagement and reduces social isolation, reflecting in greater operational safety and lower incidence of errors and accidents (Kalkanis et al., 2023). This human-centered approach sustains legal compliance and preserves quality of life, benefiting both the collaborator and the organization.
Mapping operational demands and high and low intensity cycles helps to distribute shifts in a balanced way. The strategy should include progressive rotations (morning→afternoon→night), avoiding sudden setbacks that worsen circadian misalignment. Incorporating fixed minimum rest windows between shifts, for example, 11 hours of legal interval plus additional periods during peak loads, ensures that the employee has time for physical and mental recovery (Perez et al., 2019)
Performing scale simulations before publication, testing overload scenarios and redistributing critical shifts, anticipates possible fatigue peaks. Including periodic reviews — quarterly or semi-annually — allows for adapting planning according to changes in workload, seasonality, or operator feedback. This flexibility keeps teams more rested and engaged.
Leadership Training
Leaders are key elements in promoting good work environments and need to understand the dynamics of shift work and recognize signs of fatigue in team members (Oliveira, 2021). Empathic communication training teaches how to conduct frank dialogues about adaptation difficulties, encouraging the employee to report exhaustion or health problems without fear.
Developing tactical-level shift planning skills allows supervisors to adjust schedules within small teams to balance workload and rest periods. Furthermore, training managers in the art of providing continuous feedback and soliciting input on schedule quality increases the sense of belonging and co-responsibility, reducing turnover and absenteeism.
People management in continuous operations demands integration between compliance, organizational ergonomics, and attention to the employee’s physical and mental dimensions. The implementation of strategic schedules — aligned with internal practices and regulations, laws, and regulatory standards — and the use of analytical technologies enable real-time monitoring of fatigue, health, and performance indicators. Occupational health programs, psychological support, and leadership training strengthen both risk prevention and the engagement of rotating teams.
The design centered on the human factor, which respects circadian rhythms, chronotypes, and personal responsibilities, promotes more work-life balance, reducing operational errors and demands for medical leave. The adoption of continuous shift review practices, combined with participatory processes in the CIPA, creates a cycle of improvements that reinforces safety and efficiency.
Another proposal that has been gaining relevance in discussions is the 4×3 scale — with 4 working days and 3 days off. Companies from different countries have already tested the format and reported promising results. With the recent approval of this modality for Federal Senate servers (Brazil, 2025), the expectation is that it will gain more adherence in the national market. The reader will be able to follow more details about this model in a future column of this magazine.
Such changes bring more clarity to the subject, as organizations begin to understand that placing employee well-being at the core of shift planning not only ensures legal compliance but also enables more sustainable, resilient operations capable of attracting and retaining talent in an increasingly competitive market.
| To access the references of this text click here |
Who wrote this column
Alexandre Vieira de Oliveira
