Nonstandard Work Schedules Research Articles

Changing Employment and Work Schedule Patterns over the 30 Working Years-A Sequential Cluster Analysis.

Objective. As labor markets have become increasingly volatile and precarious since 1980s, more workers are susceptible to working conditions such as unpredictable and unstable hours, threatening their economic security. However, our understanding of employment patterns regarding the changes in work schedules over our working lives has yet been established. This study builds our knowledge in this area by paying attention to how social positions may shape the specific work schedule patterns over our working lives. Methods. We used the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979 (NLSY79) to examine our research questions. NLSY79 follows a nationally representative sample of United States men and women between the ages of 14 and 22 when first interviewed in 1979. The participants were then interviewed annually until 1994 and then biennially thereafter. We first conducted a sequence analysis to examine work schedule patterns between ages 22 and 53 (n = 7987). We then used a multinomial logit regression to examine the factors contributing to specific work schedule patterns, with attention to social position. Results. Our sequence analysis results suggest five work schedule patterns during 31 years of adult life: working only standard hours (25%), mainly standard hours with some portions of nonstandard hours (38%), standard hours during early working years but transitioning to either largely variable or mainly evening or night hours (14% and 13%), and mostly not working (10%). Our multinomial logit analysis indicates that being non-Hispanic Black, having a high school degree or below, or having ever experienced poverty or welfare by age 23 were more likely to have a nonstandard work schedule pattern than their counterparts. Conclusions. Our analysis underscores the dynamic employment patterns over our working lives, with some groups more likely than others to be engaged in nonstandard or volatile work schedules. Importantly, the groups likely to be subject to nonstandard work schedules also tend to have relatively disadvantaged social positions, thus worsening their vulnerability in securing work characterized by stability and economic security.

Parents' nonstandard work schedules and parents' perception of adolescent social and emotional wellbeing

Objective: We investigated the association between joint parents' work schedules and parent-reported adolescent mental health and test parental time for adolescents and parenting style as mediators. Background: Increasing evidence shows that parents' evening/night/irregular work schedules have a negative impact on children’s physical and mental health. Few studies examine adolescents and joint parental work schedules. Method: We analysed one wave of the Australian Raine Study data, focusing on adolescents who were followed up at ages 16-17 and lived in dual earner-households (N=607). Adolescent mental health was measured in the Child Behavioural Checklist (morbidity, internalising behaviour, externalising behaviour, anxiety/depression). Parental work schedules were defined as: both parents work standard daytime schedules (reference), both parents work evening/night/irregular shifts; fathers work evening/night/irregular shifts - mothers day schedules, mothers work evening/night/irregular shifts - fathers daytime schedules. We estimated a linear regression model with robust standard errors and log transformation of the dependent variables. Results: Compared to the reference group, when one or both parents worked evening/night/irregular schedules, there was a significant increase in parent-reported total morbidity, externalizing behaviour and anxiety/depression in adolescents. Fathers’ only evening/night/irregular schedules was associated with a significant increase in parent-reported total morbidity and externalizing behaviour. Inconsistent parenting partially mediated this association. Mothers’ only evening/night/irregular schedules was not significantly associated with parent-reported adolescent mental health. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of fathers' work-family balance with implications for adolescent mental health.

Working hours, sleep, and fatigue in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector: A scoping review.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry (AgFF) workers often work extremely long hours during peak production seasons, resulting in sleep deprivation and fatigue. The National Occupational Research Agenda has classified fatigue as a "significant safety issue" and area of concern for many industry sectors, including AgFF. This review explores current research and practice in AgFF and proposes next steps. We conducted a scoping literature review to examine the extent and nature of research in this area. Article inclusion criteria included peer-reviewed journal articles written in English; published after 1989; covering AgFF workers in high-income countries; with data on working hours/schedules and sleep related to safety and health. Limited research has addressed long hours and sleep deprivation among AgFF workers. We identified 8350 articles for title and abstract review. Among those, 407 underwent full-text review and 96 met all inclusion criteria (67% agriculture, 25% fishing/seafood processing, 8% forestry). The literature provided some evidence fatigue contributes to fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in AgFF. Older, new, young, foreign-born, and female workers, as well as those who work in small organizations or longer hours (40+) may be at higher risk for fatigue-related injury and illness. Few studies have developed or evaluated interventions to control risks. Given that fatigue is a factor in injury and illness for this sector, future AgFF surveillance and research should increase efforts to capture fatigue and sleep data, directly investigate the role of long hours and nonstandard work schedules in the sector, and most importantly, create practical interventions to manage fatigue.

Parenting in a 24/7 Economy: Mothers' Non-standard Work Schedules and Involvement in Children's Education.

Evidence suggests that parental involvement in children’s education has a positive impact on children’s educational achievements and wellbeing outcomes. The trend toward 24/7 economies has obliged many mothers to work non-standard schedules (i.e., schedules outside traditional daytime, Monday–Friday work schedules). This has raised concerns over how non-standard work schedules affect parenting behaviors, including paternal involvement in children’s education. Using data from mothers of young children (age 5–6) in Hong Kong (N = 433), this study examined the association between maternal work schedules and involvement in children’s home and school activities. The results of structural equation modeling found that weekend work was associated with lower levels of home-based involvement. By contrast, working non-standard hours was linked with higher levels of school-based involvement. This pattern suggested that non-standard work schedules could make it either easier or harder for mothers to balance work and family responsibilities, depending on the circumstances (i.e., whether they work non-standard hours or weekends). These findings, indicating that the effects of non-standard work schedules are not uniformly negative or positive, warrant sophisticated policy efforts to address the potential adverse effects of non-standard work schedules and avoid undermining their potential to be used as a family-friendly option.

On the road again: A cross-sectional survey examining work schedules, commuting time, and driving-related outcomes among U.S. oil and gas extraction workers.

Oil and gas extraction (OGE) workers in the United States experience high fatality rates, with motor vehicle crashes the leading cause of death. Land-based OGE workers drive frequently to remote and temporary worksites. Limited information is available on factors that may influence crash risk for this workforce. A cross-sectional survey of 500 land-based OGE workers examined work schedules and hours, commuting, sleep, employer policies, and their relationship to potentially harmful events while driving. Over 60% of participants worked 12 or more hours per day. The mean daily roundtrip commuting time was 1.82 h. Longer daily commutes, nonstandard work schedules, less sleep on workdays, and lack of employer policies were associated with one or more risky driving-related outcomes. Implementation and evaluation of OGE employer policies and programs to limit long work hours, reduce long daily commutes, promote sufficient sleep, and reduce drowsy driving among U.S. OGE workers are needed.

Making it work: Fathers' nonstandard work schedules and parenting activities

AbstractObjectiveWe examined associations between types of nonstandard work schedules among fathers, couple‐level work schedules, and fathers' parenting activities in infancy and middle childhood in the United Kingdom.BackgroundAn emerging body of literature has interrogated the implications of fathers' nonstandard schedules for their parenting. The evidence is mixed owing to the range of child ages investigated and country context. It remains unclear whether nonstandard working hours are related to different types of parenting activities.MethodThe authors used the Millennium Cohort Study, a nationally representative birth cohort from the UK, and two measures of fathers' parenting: basic care (9‐month and 7‐year interviews) and play and recreation (7 years). Regression models predicted parenting from fathers' nonstandard work schedules at 9‐months (n = 11,412) and 7 years (n = 7791).ResultsFathers who regularly worked night schedules engaged in more basic care in both infancy and middle childhood, compared to fathers who regularly worked standard schedules. Evening schedules were related to lower levels of basic care among infants and 7‐year‐olds. There were stronger positive associations with parenting when considering mothers' work schedules. Fathers' parenting at both ages was higher in families in which both parents worked at nonstandard times or parents were engaged in split‐shift schedules.ConclusionFathers' night work schedules were associated with more parenting activities in infancy and middle childhood. The combination of fathers' and mothers' work schedules were relatively more important than considering fathers' work schedules in isolation.

Nonstandard work schedules in the UK: What are the implications for parental mental health and relationship happiness?

ABSTRACT This article investigates the associations between nonstandard work schedules, parents’ mental health, and couple relationship happiness across childhood using the Millennium Cohort Study, a longitudinal, population-based data set of births in the UK. Using individual fixed effects models, we investigated the relationship between maternal and paternal nonstandard work schedules, examining both separate and joint work schedules and mental health and relationship happiness. Although we did not observe any associations between mothers’ nonstandard work schedules and their mental health, we did find regularly working night schedules were associated with lower relationship happiness, and particularly so during the school-age period. Fathers’ evening and weekend work schedules were associated with worse mental health. The joint work schedule in which mothers worked a standard schedule and fathers worked nonstandard schedules was associated with lower relationship happiness for mothers and worse mental health for fathers. These results demonstrate the salience of incorporating fathers’ work schedules to understand the challenges and benefits to families of nonstandard work schedules. Our study also emphasizes the significance of investigating the family consequences of nonstandard work schedules in different country contexts.

Association between long working hours and liver enzymes: evidence from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2017.

BackgroundLong working hours causes several health risks, but little is known about its effects on the liver. This study aimed to examine the correlation between working hours and abnormal liver enzyme levels.MethodsWe used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV–VII. For the final 15,316 study participant, the information on working hours was obtained through questionnaires, and liver enzyme levels, consisting of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), through blood tests. The relationship between weekly working hours and abnormal levels of liver enzymes was analyzed using multiple logistic regression, and a trend test was also conducted.ResultsIn male, working ≥ 61 hours per week was significantly associated with elevated AST and ALT levels compared with working 35–52 hours per week. Even after adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (ORs) of abnormal AST and ALT increased by 1.51 (95% confidence interval: 1.20–2.05) and 1.25 (1.03–1.52), respectively, and a dose-response relationship was observed. This association was more prominent among the high-risk group, such as those aged > 40 years, obese individuals, worker on non-standard work schedule, pink-collar workers, or temporary worker. No correlation was observed in female.ConclusionsLong working hours are associated with abnormal liver function test results in male. Strict adherence to statutory working hours is necessary to protect workers’ liver health.

‘I’m kind of in a dilemma’: the challenges of non-standard work schedules and childcare

ABSTRACT Canada has long been criticized for its patchwork of childcare policies and programmes. In this context, parents who work non-standard hours face additional challenges finding, affording, and maintaining stable childcare. Drawing on a purposive sample of twenty Canadian parents of young children who have non-standard work schedules, we explore the challenges these parents face, the strategies they use, and the impacts of current childcare policies, especially for mothers. We draw on qualitative findings to show how childcare services, labour standards and employment practices must adapt to better serve Canadian families. In the context of the COVID pandemic, it is more critical than ever that policy makers and service providers appreciate that non-standard work results in extremely limited access to childcare services, even as childcare is increasingly recognized as essential to economic recovery, women’s equality, and child and family well-being.

P014 Shift work disorder and the prevalence of help seeking behaviours for sleep concerns in Australia

Abstract Introduction Shift work disorder is a circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder, defined by symptoms of insomnia and excessive levels of sleepiness resulting from work that occurs during non-standard hours. Sleep problems are common in shift workers, yet our understanding of help-seeking behaviours for sleep in shift workers is limited. Methods As a part of a national sleep health survey, data were collected on the help-seeking behaviours for sleep problems in an online sample of Australian individuals on non-standard work schedules (n=448). Of the sample of non-standard workers, 10.5% (n=41) met the criteria for probable shift work disorder (pSWD). Results Non-standard workers with pSWD did not seek help for sleep problems at higher rates than workers without SWD (p = .979). General practitioners were the most reported healthcare professional sought out for sleep problems of individuals with pSWD. Self-management was common in workers with pSWD, with a high self-reported prevalence of alcohol use (31.7%) as a sleep management strategy, and caffeine consumption (76.9%) as a sleepiness management strategy. The majority of individuals with pSWD reported the mentality of ‘accept it and keep going’ as a sleepiness management strategy, highlighting a potential barrier to help-seeking behaviour in workers with pSWD. Discussion These findings provide novel insight into the help-seeking behaviours of individuals with pSWD. There is a need for further research to understand why individuals at risk for shift work disorder are not actively seeking help, and to develop health promotion and intervention strategies to improve engagement with healthcare professionals.

How does working nonstandard hours impact psychological resources important for parental functioning? Evidence from an Australian longitudinal cohort study

This study investigates the link between nonstandard schedules and three psychological resources salient to working parents' parental functioning (psychological distress, work-family conflict and relationship quality). Data from fathers and mothers are analysed separately, using a nationally representative sample of dual-earner parents (6190 observations from 1915 couples) drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). The LSAC data was collected between 2008 and 2018 (with data collected every two years). Hybrid analysis models were conducted to identify within-person changes in these psychological resources in association with moving in and out of nonstandard work schedules, as well as between-person differences between parents working standard hours and nonstandard hours. The results indicate that the connections between working nonstandard schedules and the psychological resources were patterned differently across genders. No significant differences in psychological distress were found between those working nonstandard schedules and those working standard schedules for either fathers or mothers. Fathers working nonstandard schedules had higher work-family conflict compared to fathers working standard schedules, while no such effect found for mothers. This effect for fathers was largely explained by other characteristics related to working a nonstandard schedule, rather than the schedule itself. For fathers (but not mothers), working nonstandard schedules was significantly, and potentially causally, associated with lower relationship quality (i.e. within-person effects were found). Additional supplementary analyses found the connections between work schedules and psychological resources varied somewhat across different types of schedules (i.e. evening/night shift, rotating shift and irregular shift). As one of the first nationally representative longitudinal studies to explore changes in work schedules in association with changes in parents’ psychosocial resources, the impacts for fathers (particularly relationship quality) are an important line for future enquiry.

Nonstandard work schedules in 29 European countries, 2005–15: differences by education, gender, and parental status

Data from the European Working Conditions Surveys from 2005, 2010, and 2015 for 29 European countries show that the prevalence of nonstandard work schedules (evenings, nights, weekends, and rotating shifts) differs markedly across European regions with different public policies. Working nonstandard schedules also differs by education, gender, and parental status across Europe.

Mothers’ nonstandard work schedules and the use of multiple and center-based childcare

Mothers with a nonstandard work schedule may be more likely to use multiple childcare arrangements to accommodate their childcare needs and find it difficult to use center-based care that typically operates during daytime hours. Using the framework that working mothers’ workplace demands influence their childcare needs, while families’ relational and financial resources enable them to satisfy the needs, this study examined the association between mothers’ nonstandard work schedules and their use of multiple and center-based childcare. Using a sample of 2566 young children of working mothers from the Survey of Income and Program Participation of 2008, we found that the odds of multiple childcare arrangements were 36% higher when mothers worked an irregular schedule. The odds that one of the arrangements was a childcare center were 54% and 30% lower when mothers had a shift schedule and an irregular schedule. Families’ relational resource, the presence of non-mother adults in the family, was associated with the use of both multiple and center-based care arrangements, but financial resources were related only to the use of center-based care. Potential policy efforts are discussed to help low-wage working mothers better achieve a work-family balance.

Parental Nonstandard Work Schedules and Child Development: Evidence from Dual-Earner Families in Hong Kong.

With the emergence of 24/7 economies, the practice of working nonstandard schedules has become increasingly common. This trend raises a concern about how parental nonstandard work schedules affect child development outcomes. Using data from dual-earner families with young children (age 5–6) in Hong Kong, this study examined the association between parental work schedules and child development. It also examined under what conditions parental nonstandard work schedules affect child development, with a focus on the moderating role of family income. Results showed that paternal nonstandard work schedules were negatively associated with overall child development. This association was particularly salient among low-income families. By contrast, maternal nonstandard work schedules were not associated with child development outcomes. These findings suggest that it is important to equip parents, in particular low-income fathers, to address challenges resulting from their nonstandard work schedules.

Prevalence of Probable Shift Work Disorder in Non-Standard Work Schedules and Associations with Sleep, Health and Safety Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

PurposeWe aimed to estimate the prevalence of probable shift work disorder (pSWD) in a representative sample of Australian workers and identify sleep, health and safety correlates.Patients and MethodsIn 2019, data were collected from working respondents as part of a cross-sectional national sleep health survey conducted online (n=964 total; n=448 individuals on non-standard work schedules). We established the prevalence of pSWD according to International Classification of Sleep Disorders criteria (ICSD-R, ICSD-2 and ICSD-3). Poisson regression was used to determine crude and adjusted prevalence association (prevalence ratio, PR) of pSWD with sleep, health and safety outcomes.ResultsOverall prevalence of pSWD in workers on non-standard work schedules was 10.5%, ranging from 9.6% in early morning workers to 12.7% in rotating shift workers. In adjusted models, workers who met the criteria for pSWD were 1.8 times more likely to report both depression/bipolar disorder, and anxiety/panic disorder, and 1.7 times more likely to report work errors due to a sleep problem.ConclusionThe prevalence of pSWD in employees engaged in non-standard work schedules is influenced by selection of factors used to quantify pSWD, including sleep/wake patterns. Higher likelihoods of mental health problems and workplace errors in those with pSWD highlight the importance of intervention and management of this under-recognised sleep disorder.

Educational gradients in nonstandard work schedules among mothers and fathers in the United Kingdom

Background: Mothers’ and fathers’ participation in nonstandard employment across children’s lives is not well understood in the United Kingdom. Objective: The first objective is to describe the prevalence of nonstandard work schedules (e.g., evenings, weekends, nights) among employed mothers and fathers using longitudinal data. The second objective is to document the education gradient in parental nonstandard work schedules over the first decade of a child’s life. Methods: Linear probability models predict participation in nonstandard work schedules, adjusting for demographic variables, at each survey wave by education for each parent, using the first five waves of the Millennium Cohort Study. Results: Employed mothers with less than NVQ2 (or less than high school) were most likely to work nonstandard schedules across childhood. Among employed fathers, there was little difference in the probability of working nonstandard schedules by education. The most common type of shift for mothers (30%‒36%) and fathers (nearly 42%‒46%) was evening work. Mothers and fathers with NVQ4 or more (college degree or higher) were most likely to work regularly in the evening at all ages. Night working, the least common type of schedule, did not differ by education for both parents. Mothers and fathers with the least education were most likely to work weekend schedules at all ages. Contribution: This article documents the pervasiveness of parental nonstandard employment, which has received little attention in the UK; finds that the education gradient in nonstandard work schedules is contingent on type of schedule; and critically incorporates information about fathers’ nonstandard schedules.

Precarious Work and Parenting Stress among Mexican Immigrant Women in the United States

AbstractObjectiveTo qualitatively examine how precarious work contributes to parenting stress among Mexican immigrant women.BackgroundMexican immigrants tend to be employed in low‐wage occupations with nonstandard work arrangements and schedules. Besides common strains associated with balancing work and family, they experience immigrant‐specific stressors due to their unique positions in society and differences in structural resources and cultural values regarding parenting.MethodTen focus groups were conducted with 30 Mexican immigrant women living in Nashville, TN. An additional focus group was conducted with four key informants who served the local immigrant community. Transcripts were analyzed using inductive and deductive approaches.ResultsPrecarious working conditions were a major source of stress and a central contributor to parenting stress. Three themes related to parenting stress emerged: finding and paying for childcare, limited family time, and concerns about children's well‐being. Traditional gender expectations and the structural context of legal status shaped the challenges they experienced in the work and parenting realms.ConclusionThe narratives of women in this study reveal the impact that contingent, excessive, or exploitative workloads can have on immigrant families. Overall, women struggled to reconcile their better economic standing and their poor family life.

Differences in Daytime Activity Levels and Daytime Sleep Between Night and Day Duty: An Observational Study in Italian Orthopedic Nurses.

Working nonstandard work schedules is often associated with increased sedentary behavior and risk of sleep disorders. Night shift workers are prone to accumulating sleep debt, which they recover by sleeping during the day. The effect on daytime activity levels is unknown. The present study aims to objectively assess whether daytime sleep could affect daytime activity levels of shift worker nurses, resulting in an accumulation of their activity debt differently between working and rest periods. The study population (N = 37; mean age 41.7 ± 9.1 years) was composed of orthopedic nurses working on a rotating schedule, including either a night shift (NS) or only day/afternoon shift (DS). Actigraph monitoring lasted both on the working and the rest period. For the NS nurses, the working period recorded higher daytime activity levels than the rest period, while daytime sleep during the working and rest periods was similar. Conversely, DS nurses showed higher daytime activity levels and shorter daytime sleep during the working period. NS nurses were less active than DS nurses during the working period, probably because NS tended to have a longer daytime sleep. During the rest period, daytime activity levels for both groups were decreased. For NS nurses, sleep recorded the better sleep parameters during the rest period, while sleep parameters did not show significant differences between the working and the rest periods in DS. During the working period, NS nurses slept worse than the DS nurses. Both groups tended to accumulate a debt in daytime activity levels during the rest period. While daytime sleep may be an excellent way to counteract sleep debt and increase sleep duration over 24 h period, on the other hand, it makes nurses less active.

Nurse Fatigue and Nurse, Patient Safety, and Organizational Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Hospital nurses are at high risk of fatigue due to stressful work environments with heavy workloads and non-standard work schedules. This systematic review examined the relationship between hospital nurse fatigue and outcomes. Full-text English language quantitative studies published between January 2000 and July 2020 were included. A total of 22 articles were reviewed and synthesized. The findings were synthesized into three major categories: nurse outcomes, nurse-reported patient outcomes, and organizational outcomes. Some of the most commonly studied outcomes include nursing performance (n=3), sickness absence (n=3), and intention to leave (n=4). Fatigue was consistently associated with mental health problems, decreased nursing performance, and sickness absence. Many studies confirmed that nurse fatigue is negatively associated with nurse, patient-safety, and organizational outcomes. However, our findings highlight gaps in current knowledge and the need for future research using a longitudinal design and measuring additional outcomes to better understand the consequences of nurse fatigue.

Mothers\u2019 nonstandard work schedules and adolescent obesity: a population-based cross-sectional study in the Tokyo metropolitan area

BackgroundMany wage earners in developed countries have irregular shift patterns and work evenings, nights, and weekends. Some studies have demonstrated that the nonstandard work schedules of parents have adverse effects on their children’s weight, specifically leading to or worsening obesity. However, no such study has been conducted in adolescents of high school age. This study examined the association between mothers’ nonstandard work schedules and adolescent obesity.MethodsA cross-sectional study of adolescents aged 16–17 years (n = 1743) used paired matches of self-administered questionnaires for adolescents and their mothers from Tokyo, Japan. Obesity was defined by International Obesity Task Force cut-offs. Nonstandard work schedules were defined as working early mornings, nights, overnights, or weekends. Chi-square tests were conducted to examine the association between the mothers’ work schedules and their adolescent children’s poor lifestyles, overall and stratified by income levels. Then, logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between mothers’ work schedules and obesity of their adolescent children, overall and stratified by income levels.ResultsOverall, 6.5% of adolescents had obesity. The prevalence of obesity was higher among adolescents from low-middle income groups (8.2%) than that among those from high-income groups (5.9%). No clear patterns were found between mothers’ work schedules and adolescents’ poor lifestyles when stratified by income levels. Mothers’ nonstandard work schedules were significantly associated with adolescent obesity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–2.40). However, this association was not significant after adjustment for confounders. After stratification by income levels, mothers’ nonstandard work schedules significantly associated with their children’s obesity (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.45–5.92) only in high-income groups. This association remained after adjustment of the adolescents’ lifestyles and their mothers’ working hours.ConclusionsOur results suggest that mothers’ nonstandard work schedules have adverse effects on adolescent obesity only in high-income families. Low-middle income families experienced higher levels of adolescent obesity, regardless of the mothers’ work schedules. Policy makers should consider mothers’ work schedules as a factor in preventing adolescent obesity.