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I have been working night shift for the past 6 months and I'd like to request that this changes. I was initially promised that I would only be working these shifts for 3 months. However, I cannot continue doing this as I am facing health issues.

What is a professional way to mail my CTO/PM regarding this?

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    Out of curiosity what is the reason for having a night shift? That seems unusual for tech.
    – midfield99
    Commented Apr 26, 2016 at 7:17
  • @midfield99 I work for US client and work from India.
    – dh47
    Commented Apr 26, 2016 at 20:06

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Be straight up and professional in your first request. Make this by whatever communication channel is standard. I would assume e-mail, but someplaces it might be written. Either way it needs to be something you can record and look back to.

Dear Manager

I have been working night shift for 6 months now and would like to respectfully request a shift change to mornings(days whatever you call it).

If you get rebuffed, then you can politely bring up that you were promised 3 months and it's starting to affect your health and you would like a change.

You did not indicate what the need for night shift is and who if anyone would take over. This may be a factor in shifting you or not.

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  • Good answer, However I would add to the letter what your reason would be for wanting to change. Which can simply be "My reason for wanting to change to the dayshifts is due to health complications that the nightshift brings. Therefor it would be for both our best interests to have me allocated to a more appropriate working schedule." Something like this. No matter what, they will always be asking for the reason, by adding this you'll be beating them to the punch and can bring your point across more strongly and politely than you would otherwise.
    – Migz
    Commented Apr 26, 2016 at 5:52
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What is a professional way to mail my CTO/PM regarding this?

You would be better off talking with your manager in person about this. You could far more easily convey your desire and your pain that way. As a long-time manager, I far prefer to discuss these sorts of things face-to-face. That way, I can ask questions that help me understand.

Just schedule a meeting and ask something like "I'm starting to wear down do to this night shift work, and I really need to get back to my day shift quickly. How can we make that happen?"

Then listen.

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You want to be careful how you bring up this issue. Throwing it in their faces that you were promised only 3 months of night-shifts, but have been working them for 6 is a pretty bad idea. (aka don't be aggressive about it when you first bring it up)

I would set up a meeting with the manager and tell him that it was your understanding that working night shifts was a temporary arrangement, and that it is simply not something which you can continue doing due to health issues, life-work balance, or whatever your reasons might be.

If they try to blow you off, or renew this arrangement then you will have to push back more aggressively, and state that you are simply unable to continue working night shifts.

Be prepared that they may not like that, and that you may have to start looking for a new job.

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    I think this is a good approach, but I'm not sure how saying that it was understood it would be temporary isn't "throwing it in their faces".
    – David K
    Commented Apr 25, 2016 at 16:35
  • As there is no option, they extended this. However I am not accepting for further extensions thanks for your input.
    – dh47
    Commented Apr 25, 2016 at 16:39

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