Day vs close shifts

Joined
May 12, 2020
Messages
274
I've done both, and I find the differences interesting. Each has it's pros and cons; and some jobs only have days shifts. Some of the things I've noticed.

Night shift means fewer employees and inventory in your way in the BR, but also means more guests on the sales floor (M - F anyway).

SD and ETLs are more likely to be there during the day, which can increase stress in some TMs.

Night shift is more laid back. People listen to music in the BR and curse like sailors, even more than during the day. More is said on channel 1 of walkies. Once day shifters leave, remaining TMs seem to be in a better mood, whether tired or not. And once all the guests are gone and the doors are locked, TMs, even closing TL, are more chill and goofy, but still work hard.

Day shift is a more intense work out in terms of steps walked, ladders climbed, and weights lifted.

More staff during the day means there will likely be someone there to answer questions quickly, especially regarding locating inventory for fulfillment. Unless a particular TM or two in softlines is there at our store, when you ask a TM from style to go to channel 2, it can be met with silence. Repeat calls yield the same results.

What have you noticed?
 
Weird. My store is almost always busier during the day than at night even on weekdays. Guest traffic dies way down after 7 pm. Those who do come in tend to be weird and very needy though. But then, I haven't had a closing shift in over year. Things might have changed somewhat. If OPU orders are any indication, then they haven't changed much. Orders drop way, way down after 5, then there is a spike between 9 and midnight as people put in orders before going to bed.
 
I do cleaning, carts and baskets. I wish they'd give me second shift. You would think with all the parents around and school opening up they'd give a parent who would prefer it the early shifts, but nope. I continue to get up at ass o' clock for early shifts.
 
As a night owl, I much prefer night shifts. It's too busy during the day, and way too many TMs and leaders around for my taste. We do sometimes get a spurt of guests after dinner, but still nothing like day shift.

I usually go to bed around 2-2:30am and get up between 10-11am. So yeah, day shift is not for me, lol.
 
Last edited:
Day shifts have way more guests than night at my store. Night is a totally different vibe. more tweakers and drunks. Not really anything violent but a different clientele than the usual bored Karens
 
night shift does way less work than day shift yet get paid same with just as many hours at my store
 
i like the day shift people i work with more than the night shift people. that being said, night shift is typically easier at guest service. it used to be that night shift was just as hard, but my ETL tends to stack like 2-3 GS closers every night and leaves a large lack of coverage gap midday at peak times for some horrible reason. GS ends up with their phone out, gossiping and chilling and it drives me absolutely crazy... especially because I do both shifts and I know they all chill and some mornings when I open, GS looks horrendous.

Also, day shift has the stress of the visits and ETLs/ SD being there, so it’s like you’re under a microscope at some points. GS is left so bad some nights that my ETL is literally like “wow they almost got rid of all the trash!!! just a little bit of leaking milk and warm ground beef left for the morning. they did great.” meanwhile, i’ll have one defective on my counter midday because i only have two hands and it’s like i shot someone and left them to bleed out on the desk.
 
I like working with our sd. I can walk up to him in receiving and ask a question, i get a straight answer or he brings it up over the radio and gets the task accomplished .
 
There's a huge culture difference between day & night shifts at my store. I've noticed as a TM and as a guest that day shift TMs are way more interested in talking to each other than to guests, and it tends to be super awkward to try to get their attention (we've heard it on guest surveys, too). Night shift is generally more laid back and, likely since we tend to work solo more often, a bit friendlier on the guest service side (at least on the floor).

My store does tend to be busier at night than during the day, which is why I'm rather irked by the leaders that put goal times on the vehicles when the overnight & day shifts can't get freight done and we have to do some freight. If the overnight teams (without guests) and dayside teams (with more TMs) can't get all the shit done on time, what makes you think I can, when I'm responsible for that freight, helping guests over a third of GM, fetching & putting away reshop, zoning and backing up the checklanes? Pfft.
 
I’m a Closing Lead, so obviously my answer is biased. BUT, I will say that my experience with the team from 2-4 is vastly different from the team I have 4-close (at least on GM side). I usually walk into massive reshop for GM, but we handle it. I love that we have an established routine and an expectation with regards to fills, zone, fast service, reshop, and carts if need be. Even if it’s crazy busy the team rallies to basically GTFO as soon as possible. Makes me proud. 😊
 
I experienced both. I personally like Closing since it’s a quick shift (4 hours) and works well with my part time availability. I think the work is less intense compare to opening (early shift). Our main goal is to recover so as working for style, we just make sure things our picked up off the floor, do the returns, grabe the quaratine stuff and organized it and make the racetrack look at least decent. We also have less customers at night so it means less guest servicing, less back up cashiering. The Closing TLs are more chill. Also since we have one Closing TL that overlooks Style, you get specific instructions from her/him what needs to be done for the night (unlike in the morning at my store-see post below).

As for morning shift, it tends to be a longer shift (with a lunch break). Based on my experience, you are busy with so many tasks in mind. Push you have to do may include several zbars/metros (these includes the quarantine items and from the truck). You may have to do VM on that day. Also price change, audits etc. And also you have to guest service and if it gets busy back up cashier. Maintain the zone while pushing (if you can). And oh yeah you get to see your Style TL/ETL/SD since they work the morning shift. If they are all there at the same time, expect to get different directions and tasks from them, which you will end up driving yourself crazy.
 
I experienced both. I personally like Closing since it’s a quick shift (4 hours) and works well with my part time availability. I think the work is less intense compare to opening (early shift). Our main goal is to recover so as working for style, we just make sure things our picked up off the floor, do the returns, grabe the quaratine stuff and organized it and make the racetrack look at least decent. We also have less customers at night so it means less guest servicing, less back up cashiering. The Closing TLs are more chill. Also since we have one Closing TL that overlooks Style, you get specific instructions from her/him what needs to be done for the night (unlike in the morning at my store-see post below).

As for morning shift, it tends to be a longer shift (with a lunch break). Based on my experience, you are busy with so many tasks in mind. Push you have to do may include several zbars/metros (these includes the quarantine items and from the truck). You may have to do VM on that day. Also price change, audits etc. And also you have to guest service and if it gets busy back up cashier. Maintain the zone while pushing (if you can). And oh yeah you get to see your Style TL/ETL/SD since they work the morning shift. If they are all there at the same time, expect to get different directions and tasks from them, which you will end up driving yourself crazy.
I agree with most of this, although at my store night shift DBOs are expected to do push and price changes in their areas.
 
I experienced both. I personally like Closing since it’s a quick shift (4 hours) and works well with my part time availability. I think the work is less intense compare to opening (early shift). Our main goal is to recover so as working for style, we just make sure things our picked up off the floor, do the returns, grabe the quaratine stuff and organized it and make the racetrack look at least decent. We also have less customers at night so it means less guest servicing, less back up cashiering. The Closing TLs are more chill. Also since we have one Closing TL that overlooks Style, you get specific instructions from her/him what needs to be done for the night (unlike in the morning at my store-see post below).

As for morning shift, it tends to be a longer shift (with a lunch break). Based on my experience, you are busy with so many tasks in mind. Push you have to do may include several zbars/metros (these includes the quarantine items and from the truck). You may have to do VM on that day. Also price change, audits etc. And also you have to guest service and if it gets busy back up cashier. Maintain the zone while pushing (if you can). And oh yeah you get to see your Style TL/ETL/SD since they work the morning shift. If they are all there at the same time, expect to get different directions and tasks from them, which you will end up driving yourself crazy.

We do not work at the same store for sure lol. I only close style and we bust our butts to make up for the crap that day shift 'doesnt get around to' plus all the dbo stuff and closing duties.
 
We do not work at the same store for sure lol. I only close style and we bust our butts to make up for the crap that day shift 'doesnt get around to' plus all the dbo stuff and closing duties.

My Closing TL does not let us (3 closers shifts)do any push unless it’s super bad and if Style ETL/SD has asked her if we can help out. But it doesnt happen to often. Even though it’s less intense at night, we still do as much as we can to recover (our guests loves to tore up our store) We have more people in the with morning full shifts and 2 full mid shifts so they are expected to get as much done.But you know how it is hahaha it’s not going to be perfect. My current pet peeve right now are “yes they are pushing” but there are so much product on the floor and you will find random things on the table (like tonight- we have a table in YC with tank top, flannel, jeans, sweater, crew neck shirts all on the same table). Whoever was pushing probably did not care or was not trained well. But hey I can only do so much on my 4 hour shift lol.
 
Back
Top