Clopening
Also called: close-open, back-to-back shift
A clopening is when the same person closes a venue at night and opens it again the next morning. The gap between the two shifts is usually under 10 hours, which is not enough for a commute, sleep and a meal.
What it looks like
A bartender finishes at 23:00 after cashing up, and is back at 07:00 to take a delivery and set up. On paper it is two normal eight-hour shifts. In practice it is one long day with a nap in the middle.
Why managers do it
Rarely on purpose. It usually appears when the rota is built shift by shift rather than person by person — each shift looks properly staffed, and nobody notices that one name sits at the end of one day and the start of the next.
Why it costs you
Clopenings are one of the most reliable predictors of hourly staff quitting. The person who works them is slower on the morning shift, more likely to call in sick, and the first to leave when a competing job appears.
How to prevent it
Set a minimum rest gap — 11 hours is the common figure — and check the rota against it before publishing rather than after. Some cities regulate this directly under fair workweek rules, sometimes requiring extra pay when the gap is too short.