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Working around the clock: The impact of shift work on employees and how employers can help.The health effects for shift workers and how these can be counteracted by employers.
Workers who work odd
hours have to deal with an array of physical and social issues, including sleep disturbances, poor eating habits and less
time with their families. More and more research has come out on the effects of shift work; however, the necessary changes are not being made and the effects on shift workers are not being taken into consideration by workplaces. The Institute for Work and Health states that the number of people working shifts has grown over the last 20 years. Typical shift-work industries include emergency service personnel (police, fire, and ambulance workers), hotel/food workers, and health care employees. Statistics Canada found that 66% of those working in protective services, 50% of those in the accommodation/food industry, and 45% of doctors and nurses, work shifts. Industries where shift work is uncommon are business, finance and administration (12%), natural and applied sciences (9%), and educational services (10%). The nature of shift work jobs makes it hard for employers to offer coping strategies and programs. A Statistics Canada study found that shift workers were more dissatisfied with their work-life balance, compared to regular-day workers, and complained of “role overload”- the feeling of too much to do and not enough time to do it. The study found that 70% of evening-shift workers and 63% of rotating-shift workers cut back on sleep in order to take care of their responsibilities at home. The primary health effect of working shifts is its impact on a body’s circadian rhythm, states a senior technical specialist for the Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety. This “24 hour clock” regulates our sleep patterns and is greatly impacted by light and temperature changes throughout the day. So changes like sleeping less or during the day, as opposed to the night, has big consequences. Fatigue is a major concern among shift workers, who have poorer eating habits than daytime working employees. As a result of this there are reduced decision-making abilities, productivity, ability to handle stress, and increased tendencies for risk-taking. The Statistics Canada study also found shift workers were more likely to worry about not spending enough time with family or friends. Some tips to employers for dealing with shift work: -Include employees and consults experts in shift design. -Minimize the number and frequency of night shifts per employee. -Target health promotion to shift-work employees and their families. -Make healthy food options available at all hours. -Promote healthy lifestyles through subsidized fitness passes and nutrition education. -Look into a healthy napping program to help prevent the impact of fatigue. Read more here Posted by: suhujitha on 2009-02-25 16:41:01 Next post: High levels of burnout among UK family doctors, especially in group practice 2012-01-31 08:59:19 Other posts tagged work life balance, shift work, sleep:
Don't forget: there is a search box on every page! Recent Posts:High levels of burnout among UK family doctors, especially in group practiceDepersonalized doctors: A cross-sectional study of 564 doctors, 760 consultations and 1,876 patient reports in UK general practicePosted by: mara on 2012-01-31 08:59:19 Majority groups support assimilation -- except when they are not majoritiesIt is hard to integrate a society to maintain minority identities and not make the majority feel their values are being rejectedPosted by: danica on 2012-01-29 11:06:21 Color-coding, rearranging food products improves healthy choices in hospital cafeteriaLabeling all foods and beverages with a simple red, yellow and green color scheme to indicate their relative healthiness led patrons to purchase more of the healthy itemsPosted by: danica on 2012-01-25 16:56:28 If you plan, then you will accomplish... but it helps to have a friendPartnering up or planning with someone can really boost the likelihood of sticking to your resolutionsPosted by: mara on 2012-01-05 09:18:08 Sky light sky bright -- inside your officeNew LED ceiling mimics sky, natural lighting for improved mental healthPosted by: danica on 2012-01-04 11:20:24
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