Shift Work Health…No app for that!

Research indicates optimising shift work conditions is vital

Shift Work Health and wellbeing

It’s our firm belief (rooted in decades of experience) there are no short cuts when it comes to supporting shift worker wellbeing and mitigating the effect of shift work on health.

Instead it requires a sustained focus on shift pattern optimisation, workforce management and creating shift work health and wellbeing programmes tailored to shift workers and operating environments.

It was interesting to see this view supported by recent research findings from The University of Oxford which indicate that fundamental working practices, work organisation and culture impact wellbeing far more than ‘superficial’ interventions.

Shift work effects on health amplifies the issue

The study of 46,000 UK workers found that wellbeing classes and apps did nothing to improve employee wellbeing, and some actually had a negative impact on those with lower levels of mental health.

Researchers who led the study called for more ‘ambition’ and a focus on changing workplace organisational practices, not just relying on workers to look after themselves.

Our experience shows that the challenge of effectively supporting employee wellbeing is amplified significantly in shift work, where shift patterns, hours and roles can have an even greater influence over health, job satisfaction and performance.

With the effects of shift work on health widely known, there’s a clear and urgent imperative for employers to put in place focused and measurable solutions.

But tackling issue is also about benefits. A workforce who feel genuinely supported and valued will be happier and healthier which reduces sickness absence, improves productivity, supports recruitment and retention and helps underpin environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) efforts.

Substantive, collaborative support for shift worker health

The conclusions and commentary around The University of Oxford research reflect our view that shift work health and wellbeing support needs to be substantive and embedded within optimised resourcing models, operational processes and working environments.

In subsequent analysis commentary, William Fleming of the Wellbeing Research Centre (who led the research) makes a key point that wellbeing needs to be addressed ‘in the round’ and not treated as an issue that’s detached from the other aspects of work that influence it.

We’d agree that it takes an ambitious and progressive employer to recognise this and take a unified approach to implementing changes and creating dynamic support structures that really tackle the effect of shift work on health.

Crucially shift work health and wellbeing strategies and initiatives need to be shaped in partnership with shift workers and underpinned by authentic purpose.

Beware wellbeing washing in shift work

Whilst apps, training and experiential events have their place in the mix, if they are introduced without tackling some of the fundamentals that impact shift work health and wellbeing, they can create dissonance and have a compounding negative impact.

We’ve seen this in shift work environments where initiatives are introduced that are generic and more aligned to the needs of day or office-based workers (typically Monday to Friday…9am – 5pm).

The lack of relevancy or tailoring to the effect of shift work on health can lead to shift workers feeling like ‘second class colleagues’.

The risk posed by inadequate shift work health and wellbeing support is highlighted by The University of Oxford’s research lead.

He is clear in his view that if programmes merely play lip service to improving wellbeing, then organisations leave themselves open to accusations of ‘wellbeing washing’.

This not only carries significant implications for reputation, employer brand and ESG credentials but could leave employers exposed to potential future litigation (something we are seeing more of around accusations of ‘greenwashing’).

Shift work health best practice

optashift is working with many progressive employers who recognise the fundamental impact shift patterns, shift work management and shift working conditions have on shift worker health and wellbeing.

Every organisation, shift workforce, working environment and individual is different, but there is some commonality in the development of practical shift work health and wellbeing solutions.

Examples of the types of initiatives we are designing and implementing include:

– Creating a sustained programme of relevant, meaningful and engaging resources and interventions that directly help managers and shift workers to self-manage key aspects like sleep, nutrition, physical/mental health, relationships and finances.

– Implementing tangible shift work health and wellbeing strategies that blend strategic, operational and technical solutions spanning diverse considerations such as compliance, fatigue risk management, in-shift task scheduling, break enforcement, the nature and availability of support facilities etc.

– Co-designing shift patterns with employees that balance operational and governance requirements with diverse employee preferences and work-life balance needs.

– Ensuring shift work policy and workforce management systems underpin best practice when it comes to day-to-day rostering (e.g. Working Time Regulations compliance, training and development, role composition and variety, fair allocation of holidays, robust call-in and shift swap mechanisms, accurate payroll).

Constant innovation and improvement

Hopefully compelling research like this will convince even more employers of shift workers to take a broader view and embed shift work health and wellbeing within their resource planning, operational processes and wider organisational strategy.

The effect of shift work on health and wellbeing poses significant challenges that need to be considered and addressed as well as possible.

The argument for change isn’t just a moral one…there are substantial strategic and operational gains to be achieved through effective shift work health and wellbeing support.

Progressive employers find themselves with a healthier, happier and diverse workforce that is more productive and less prone to high sickness absence rates and attrition.

We’re always up for sharing best practice learnings so get in touch if you’d like to find out more about how to develop innovative shift work health and wellbeing initiatives that deliver measurable outcomes for your performance and people.