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Training a new night crew; how do you keep people past the first month?

Asked by Tanya B. - 7/26/2026

Line lead on third shift. We hire good people and lose half of them inside 30 days ;the schedule breaks them before they adjust. For those who lead or train night crews: what actually helps a brand-new overnight worker survive the adjustment period so they stick around? Trying to build a better onboarding than 'good luck.'

2 Answers

Gina R.7/26/2026Best Answer

Pair every newbie with a veteran for the first two weeks, and be brutally honest up front that weeks 2-3 are the worst and it DOES get better. People quit because they think the misery is permanent. Tell them it isn't.

Marcus T.7/26/2026

Feed them. A real break room with decent coffee and somewhere to actually sit does more for retention than any pep talk.