A shift handover is the transfer of information and responsibility from the outgoing shift to the incoming one: what happened, what is still open, and what to watch. A short structured handover prevents the mistakes that happen in the gap between two shifts.
| Heading | Example |
|---|---|
| Open tasks | Pallet of returns not yet checked in |
| Incidents | Customer slip near the entrance, report filed |
| Equipment | Forklift 3 out of service, tagged |
| Staffing | One call-out on the next shift, covered by an open shift |
| Watch for | Delivery expected at 7:00 a.m., dock 2 |
Use the shift handover log template or the shift handover guide for formats by industry.
To build shifts, approve swaps and spot coverage gaps in one place, see EZTime employee scheduling software.
A plant has 12-hour shifts from 7:00 to 7:00. Shift leads arrive 10 minutes early to receive the handover, but clock in at 7:00 when their paid shift starts.
Each lead works at least 3 shifts a week, about 156 shifts a year. At 10 minutes per shift, that is 1,560 minutes, or 26 hours a year per lead, of unpaid work. Because they already work 36 to 48 hours a week, much of that time would be overtime.
The plant changes the rule. Leads clock in at 6:50, and the 10-minute overlap is part of the scheduled shift. Handover is done with a written log on the shared tablet, and the incoming lead confirms it with a check. The cost is known and paid, and the log shows exactly what was handed over if there is a question later.
Keep the log where the next shift will look, such as a shared task list, rather than a notebook in the office. Measure the handover: how many incidents or complaints on the next shift trace back to something that was known but not passed on.
A care home’s evening nurses pass information to the night nurse verbally in the corridor. Twice in a month, a resident’s changed medication time is missed overnight.
The home adds 15 minutes of paid overlap and a written handover by resident with fixed headings: medications changed, falls risk, family calls and anything to watch. The night nurse reads back changes for each resident. In the following three months, no medication timing is missed at handover.
The transfer of information and responsibility from one shift to the next, covering open tasks, incidents, equipment and anything to watch.
For non-exempt employees, yes. Giving or receiving a handover is work, so it counts as hours worked.
Often 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the work. Structured logs keep it short.
Open tasks, incidents, equipment status, staffing changes and anything the next shift needs to watch for.
At least the outgoing and incoming leads. For complex work, include the people taking over specific stations or patients.
Schedule paid overlap, keep the format short, and have the incoming lead confirm receipt before the outgoing lead leaves.
Post open shifts, approve swaps and see labor rule alerts in one place, so changes are recorded instead of lost in texts.