Findings from the standby, call-out and shift pay 2025 study

Shift premiums

IDR’s latest research shows that shift pay remains a key component of reward, particularly in manufacturing, utilities and public services. Most employers offer additional premiums for work outside standard hours, with rates varying by pattern:

• Two-shift systems: around 17–19%
• Three-shift systems: around 22%
• Continental or 24/7 patterns: 28–29%
• Night shifts: typically 30–35%, and in some cases higher
• Weekend shifts: 25–27%.

Night work continues to attract the highest enhancements, recognising the disruption it causes to employees’ personal lives and the additional strain of working through unsocial hours.

 Standby and call-out arrangements

The majority of employers (85%) provide specific payments to staff who are available to respond to incidents outside normal working hours. Typical weekly standby payments are around £250, rising for weekend or public holiday cover, and reaching nearly £300 a day at Christmas or Easter.

In most organisations, these allowances are separate from pay for actually responding to call-outs. Additional compensation is most often provided through overtime rates – an approach adopted by around three-quarters of respondents – with nearly half guaranteeing a minimum of one hour’s pay per incident. Response times typically range between 30 and 60 minutes, reflecting the need for rapid reaction in many operational roles.

Key challenges and emerging trends

Recruitment and retention pressures remain a major issue for roles requiring unsocial hours, particularly in social care, healthcare and utilities. Rising costs of maintaining 24/7 cover have prompted many employers to review their arrangements.

A growing trend is the move toward consolidated or integrated standby and call-out payments. At the same time, there is an increased focus on wellbeing and compliance, ensuring that working time rules are met and that fatigue risks are managed effectively.

About the report

These findings are drawn from IDR’s latest Standby, Call-out and Shift Pay 2025 report,  based on data from over 60 organisations across sectors including utilities, manufacturing, housing, social care, retail and public services. The study provides benchmarking information on the varied approaches employers take to compensating non-standard working hours and includes a directory of employer practice.

The full report is available to purchase for £449, with a 10% discount for IDR subscribers and survey participants.