Clopening

Clopening (in shift work): Closing one shift and opening the next.

Clopening

Closing one shift and immediately opening the next, often within a few hours is a schedule that can cause fatigue and negatively impact employee performance.

What is clopening

Clopening is a work scheduling term that describes a situation where an employee works a closing shift that ends late at night and then follows up with an opening shift early the next morning. For instance, if an employee closes at 11 PM and is scheduled to open at 7 AM the next day.

This practice is often found in retail and hospitality settings, where round-the-clock operations require coverage during peak hours. Clopening shifts can strain work-life balance, leaving little time for rest or personal activities.

While some employees might thrive on rapid shift changes, most find it difficult to adjust to this routine. Employers should recognize that consistently subjecting workers to clopening can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and higher turnover rates. Instead of scheduling clopening shifts at will, consider the implications for employee health and morale. It may be better for the long term to resist the urge to cut labor costs by scheduling clopening and instead explore creative scheduling options that allow employees adequate time between shifts.

How we can help

It’s likely that most clopening shifts are scheduled when managers feel no other options are feasible. This can cause resistance in employees. With self-scheduling practices, it is possible that staff members commit to intense shifts by choice, either to get more days off later, or because they’re willing to be flexible in order to accommodate full coverage.

Zelos is a shift signup app that can facilitate complex roster planning and engage staff in self-scheduling. You can sign up for a free account on our website and see if it aligns with your needs.

Shift work glossary