Organisation Of Working Time Research Articles

Psychosocial demands and resources for working time organization in GP practices. Results from a team-based ethnographic study in Germany

BackgroundGeneral practitioners (GPs) are challenged, e.g. by long working hours, and as employers they are responsible for the creation of working conditions that prevent work-related psychosocial risks. Leadership behaviour plays an important role within the working conditions of employees, thus we focused on two research questions: To what extent and how do GPs fulfil their role as entrepreneurs and leaders responsible for occupational safety and health of the team members in the organization of working time of the employees? What psychosocial factors result from the way of organization of working time for the practice team?MethodsData was collected by participant observations, individual interviews with six GPs, and five focus group discussions with 19 members of the practice staff in total. We gained access to five general practices through a teaching network associated with the Institute for General Medicine, University Hospital Essen (Germany). The analysis was carried out according to the Grounded Theory approach.ResultsGPs have several roles and related tasks to fulfil in the organization of working time. This can lead to perceived psychological stress. With regard to the organization of predictable working hours, vacations and sickness absence, the GPs determined the scope of action of the practice assistants. The delegation of these tasks took place to varying degrees and resulted in different work-related resources and stressors.ConclusionWe described transactional and transformational leadership behaviours which are all related to specific psychosocial demands and resources and may overlap on site. Leadership training seems recommendable as part of the training of GPs and other future leaders of micro-enterprises to promote self-reflection by the entrepreneurs and leaders and strengthen occupational health of leaders and staff.

The Legal Nature and the Place of the Right to Disconnect in European and in Russian Labour Law

The first part of this article is devoted to the legislative proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the right to disconnect that was adopted on 21 January 2021 in the European Parliament Resolution. In this part of the article the legal nature of the “right to disconnect, “the personal and material scope of this right as well as the relationship to other (fundamental) labour rights and different aspects of the employment relationship are analysed. Furthermore, the author discloses the gaps of the legislative proposal and makes some suggestions concerning a new concept of working conditions. The second part of the article focuses on Russian labour law. During the process of reforming the legislation on remote work it was widely discussed whether “a right to disconnect” should be provided for in the Russian Labour Code. The author analyses problems with the organisation of working time concerning the application of a special working regime entitled “unregular working day” and the recording of working time. Furthermore, the perspectives of the application of self-protection of labour rights as a way to guarantee the right to disconnect are examined. The conclusion stresses which measures would be necessary for an effective execution and enforcement of the right to disconnect.

Women Working in Nonstandard Forms of Employment: Meeting Employee Interests

Purpose: The main aim of this article was to present characteristics of the employment of women working in nonstandard forms of employment in Poland considering employee interests. Design/Methodology/Approach: Based on the narrative literature review, hypotheses and research questions were formulated and the meaning of key categories was clarified. Data for the analysis were derived from quantitative research conducted using the CAWI technique. The survey was conducted on a representative sample of 1,000 working Poles. The analysis of the results was performed using the methods of descriptive statistics and statistical tests to check the correlations between variables. Findings: The research results did not confirm the beneficial effect of nonstandard forms of employment on the labor activation of women. Women do not work in these forms more often than men, but they are more frequently employed involuntarily. The possibility to choose the form of employment is linked to a better meeting of the interests of working women. In the standard forms, women's interests that are satisfied include employment stability, protection and access to social benefits, health services at the employer's expense, good occupational safety and health, training at the employer's expense and assistance during redundancy. In nonstandard forms, these mainly include a good atmosphere and the possibility to influence working time organization. Practical Implications: The results of the research can be used in making the decisions of political character, concerning the applicability and share of particular forms of employment in the labor market. From the perspective of usefulness to employers, important results were obtained concerning the possibilities of choosing the form of employment and meeting specific interests of women. Originality/value: Previous research results have been relatively often based on secondary data from labor markets. A survey questionnaire was used in this project. Original and representative research results were obtained on women's work in nonstandard forms of employment in Poland, taking into account the criteria of voluntariness, type of forms and meeting of employees' interests.

Versorgungsrelevante Arbeitszeiten? Arbeitszeitmuster bei Beschäftigten in kritischen Infrastrukturen

Essential working hours? Working time patterns among employees in critical infrastructures Objectives: Particular attention was given to employees in critical infrastructures or essential occupations at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. These occupations are of particular importance in maintaining supplies and public order. Many employees in essential occupations were already faced with heavy demands on their time before the pandemic. The aim of this article is to identify the working time profiles of these employees. Methods: The working time conditions of employees in essential occupations before the pandemic are analysed on the basis of the BAuA Working Time Survey 2019. In order to identify the occupational groups, reference is made to an established categorisation of essential occupations (cf. Koebe et al. 2020). The two groups are then contrasted in terms of differences in the organisation of working time. Results: There is greater heterogeneity in the length of working hours in essential occupations. This group is characterised in particular by shortened rest periods and working time schedules. Atypical working hours (e.g. shift work and night work) and work at weekends (especially on Sundays and public holidays) are more likely to indicate that occupations are essential. In addition, there is a significantly higher incidence of on-call duties. At the same time, employees in essential occupations have less working time autonomy and work less often from home. Conclusions: Overall, a more negative stress profile in terms of working hours emerges for employees in essential occupations compared to nonessential ones, as the services provided must be available 24/7. In order to increase resilience for future times of crisis and to ensure the health, performance and safety of employees in essential occupations, working time conditions should be improved. This could also counteract the low attractiveness of these occupations in the long term, especially against the background of the shortage of skilled workers (cf. KOFA 2020). Keywords: essential occupations – working time – working time duration, schedule and flexibility

CONCEPT AND LEGAL REGULATION OF NIGHT WORK IN UKRAINE AND SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES

This article is devoted to comparative legal analysis of night work in Ukraine, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden. International Labor Organisation Convention concerning night work No 171 has not been ratified by Ukraine and any of the countries of Scandinavian legal model, and therefore, labor legislation of these countries does not comply with international legal standards. The only exception is Denmark, where provisions of Directive 2003/88/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time were partially implemented. The only exception is Denmark, where provisions of Directive 2003/88/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time were partially implemented. Denmark implemeted provision concerning night workers’ right to free medical examination: before the appointment of an employee to regular night shifts; periodically; and in case of health problems caused by factors relating to night work. The author determines that only Finnish labor law contains a detailed and specific list of situations where night work can be used. Ukraine and Sweden are the only countries from the list of examined countries, where any night work of young workers is prohibited, which means that those provisions are, in fact, discriminatory against persons employed in the field of culture, arts, sports or advertising, as well as those who undergo training practice under the guidance of adult. Unlike legislation of Scandinavian countries where working in night hours can be compensated by providing employees additional rest periods, Labor Code of Ukraine provides only one form of compensation in form of increased wages. It is concluded that Article 175 of the Labor Code of Ukraine is discriminatory against women and contradicts Article 24 of the Constitution of Ukraine. The legislation of the Scandinavian countries does not contain any restrictions on the night work of women, as workers of any gender can work in night time only with their voluntary consent. However, in Ukraine, only persons with disabilities can be involved in night work with voluntary consent.

A matter of fragmentation? Challenges for collective bargaining and employment conditions in the Spanish long-term care sector

The long-term care system in Spain has been characterised by decentralisation, marketisation, fiscal austerity and its reliance on informal family care and cheap migrant labour. Focusing on home-help services, this article addresses the extent to which the sector’s multi-level system of collective bargaining can be characterised as fragmented and whether this has had a negative effect on employment conditions. The research involved an analysis of the legal and collective bargaining framework, expert interviews and employee focus groups. We argue that the precedence given to sectoral agreements within public procurement processes is one main factor preventing a move towards ‘disorganised decentralisation’ in the aftermath of the 2012 labour market reform. Moderate decentralisation has favoured heterogeneity in pay and working conditions at regional and provincial levels. However, these mid-level collective agreements have improved standards with respect to the national collective agreement, and there has been a minor increase in the number of company-level collective agreements since the reform. The limited professionalisation, the lack of recognition of skills and effort in occupational classifications, and the organisation of working time emerge as key contributors to the sector’s poor employment conditions.

Impact of Shift Work and Long Working Hours on Worker Cognitive Functions: Current Evidence and Future Research Needs.

Particular working conditions and/or organization of working time may cause important sleep disturbances that have been proposed to be predictive of cognitive decline. In this regard, circadian rhythm misalignment induced by exposure to night work or long working hours would be responsible for cognitive impairment. Nevertheless, evidence supporting this correlation is limited and several issues still need to be elucidated. In this regard, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate the association between shift/night work and cognitive impairment and address its main determinants. Information provided by the reviewed studies suggested that night work might have serious immediate negative effects especially on cognitive domains related to attention, memory and response inhibition. Furthermore, cognitive performance would progressively worsen over consecutive night shifts or following exposure to very long work shifts. Otherwise, conflicting results emerged regarding the possible etiological role that night work chronic exposure would have on cognitive impairment. Therefore, circadian rhythm desynchronization, lack of sleep and fatigue resulting from night work may negatively impact worker’s cognitive efficiency. However, in light of the considerable methodological variability of the reviewed studies, we proposed to develop a standardized research and evaluation strategy in order to obtain a better and comprehensive understanding of this topic.

Introducing the autonomous employee category: The chance to create a flexible and secure employment relationship?

In 2018, the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs came up with idea of introducing a new category of employee – the autonomous employee – in Estonia. This concept is based on Article 17(1) of the Working Time Directive, which allows derogations from the scope of the Directive for managing executives or other persons with autonomous decision-taking powers. The implementation of the concept of the autonomous employee has been seen as a panacea that makes the organisation of working time more flexible and the regulation relevant to practical needs. However, according to the case law of the European Court of Justice, the scope of Article 17(1) is very narrow. The article examines the concept of the autonomous employee, the nature and organisation of autonomous work, mainly based on EU law, as well as the Finnish Working Hours Act and amendments to the Estonian Sports Act, both of which entered into force in 2020.

CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS OF LEGAL REGULATION OF SOCIAL AND BIOLOGICAL PARENTHOOD

The relevance of this study. A person spends most of his time working, i. y. at the same time, having an employment relationship which obliges him to perform the work stipulated in the employment contract, it is nevertheless essential that employers ensure adequate rest periods for employees and do not violate the requirements for maximum working hours and minimum rest periods. The right of a person to have adequate rest is one of the constitutional human rights, which is enshrined in Article 48 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, which provides that “every working person has the right to rest and leisure, as well as annual paid leave” [1]. International law also reveals the importance of this human right. Article 31 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Charter). 2 d. [2] provides that "every worker has the right to limitation of maximum working hours, to daily and weekly rest periods and to an annual period of paid leave". 2003 November 4 Directive 2003/88 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain aspects of the organization of working time, adopted in 2003, also lays down minimum safety and health requirements for the organization of working time regarding daily and weekly rest periods and breaks [3]. Regarding the regulation of rest periods at international level, mention should also be made of the International Labor Organization (ILO) conventions and the adoption of recommendations setting weekly rest periods for certain categories of workers [4]. The main problem. The interpretation and application of the norms related to the determination of rest time and the problems arising from it are assessed in three ways: firstly, the practice of interpreting and applying the rules governing working and rest time is not well developed and unclear. secondly, the employee, as a weaker party to the employment relationship, cannot protect himself from improper organization of rest and working time, for example, employers abuse the employee's trust and do not give employees raising children the benefits they deserve, i. y. additional rest days. thirdly, the abuse of the position of employers by forcing employees to work overtime or on public holidays, thus preventing the employee from complying with the statutory minimum rest requirements, is also problematic. The following tasks: 1. To define the concept of rest time and social significance. 2. To examine the mechanism of legal regulation of rest time. 3. To analyze the rulings of selected courts in cases where a dispute arises regarding the legal regulation of rest time and its implementation. 4. To identify the main problems of the legal regulation of rest time and to submit proposals for the improvement of the legal situation. The aim of this work to analyze the problems of legal regulation of rest time from the point of view of labor law. The paper concluded aannual leave and the compensation paid for it in the event of termination of employment are another problematic issue encountered in case law. In the event of dismissal, the employee seeks a declaration that the dismissal is unlawful and, on that basis, an award of compensation for unused annual leave to which he would have been entitled if the employment relationship had not been terminated. The novelty Although there are quite several scientific articles and research analyzing the work-life balance, the novelty of the topic is that this work will reveal only the peculiarities of legal regulation of rest time in Lithuania and Turkey, as well as problems arising from rest regulation. As the result problems with the regulation of rest time at international level arise from reasons such as the abuse of rest breaks by employees, the payment of compensation for unused paid annual leave, and the inclusion of rest time in working time. The used methodology document analysis, systematic analysis, comparative, logical-analytical method, and generalization methods

Flexible workforce allocation as driver of economic and human-oriented shop floor organization

The shortage of skilled labor makes economic and human-oriented organization of working time and organizational structures for blue-collar workers a competitive factor. Shift work has an extremely bad reputation among workers, families and potential applicants: Shift work decreases the attractiveness of manufacturing companies significantly. In this research, we combine a comprehensive literature review with insights from a multiple case analysis to show how the different needs of employers (i.e., regarding capacity utilization and know-how) and employees (i.e., regarding time flexibility) can be matched. Therefore, we derive first guidelines for a successful flexible workforce allocation.

Economic and legal aspects of employee monitoring, with particular emphasis on remote work

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to identify and indicate the basic issues of employee moni-toring that arise in the field of economic and legal sciences from the perspective of employers, such as the factors motivating employers to use various forms of employee monitoring, current conditions of such activities resulting from state law and the European Union law, as well as potential threats to employers using broadly understood monitoring. Research method – Dogmatic and statistical methods, the analysis of legal acts and research results, as well as literature studies and observations of practice were used to prepare the article.Results – The possibility of using modern technologies to monitor employees is an important tool in the pursuit of effective organization of working time, although there is a lack of studies showing whether the monitoring methods offered on the market actually increase work efficiency. The actual needs of employers with regard to various forms of monitoring are not reflected in the provisions of the Labor Code. Employers should approach employee monitoring with caution, because inapprop-riate actions in this area may have negative effects.Originality / value / implications / recommendations – The article concerns issues of significant impor-tance from the perspective of not only Poland, but also other European Union countries, current in the realities of the pandemic and based on the latest legal regulations.

Змішані режими робочого часу в умовах пандемії коронавірусу COVID-2019

The article is aimed at valuating the experience of using mixed modes in the context of the COVID-2019 pandemic based on the results of sociological studies as well as substantiating the potential for the development of legal and regulatory provision. In the context of the pandemic, many enterprises switched to remote work and the working hours changed. For Ukraine, this is a new experience in implementing online work and a more flexible working day, so it is important to study this issue. During the COVID-2019 pandemic, enterprises faced the only legal opportunity to organize their activities through work at home. The authors carried out a sociological study on the use of mixed modes in the context of the COVID-2019 pandemic, which found out that 69.6% of respondents work remotely, 60.9% work on a flexible schedule, and 43.5% of respondents account for part-time work. 73.9% of the respondents faced mixed working modes. Regarding the preparedness of business owners to work in the new conditions, it is found out that the majority of respondents are satisfied with how their organization has switched to a remote or mixed form of work. Remote work can be combined with other modes, such as part-time or flexible working hours and full-time work. This combination can be considered as a mixed working time mode. According to the outcome of sociological researches, the use of mixed working hours is already a common reality, not an exception. Use of them has its own peculiarities in various spheres of activity, which requires further research. The survey identified the respondents both satisfied and dissatisfied with mixed working hours. It should be noted about the available potential to improve the legal and organizational-economic principles of using mixed modes of working time organization.

Shift-work: a review of the health consequences

Shift work has become a common practice across many sectors during the past decades as a result of the growing demands of human life. There are many possibilities to organize shift schedules, however, all of them, some more than others, impose serious impacts on the individual´s health, social life and organization level. Thus, we conducted a review using Scopus, Science Direct and Web of Science, and using the keywords and criteria deemed appropriate, with the main objective of identifying the main consequences that have been positively associated with shift work at several domains to this day. The results of this review indicated that shift work and everything that this type of work implies, can lead to severe health consequences, namely sleep disorders, psychiatric disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, urologic disorders and even some types of cancer. These health consequences arise due to the disruption of the circadian clock system, which is associated with alterations at genetic level. Moreover, shift work also causes impacts in social life, as the individual may experience more difficulties in socializing with family and friends, which may lead to isolation and organization level, as excessive sleepiness, stress and dissatisfaction may lead to a detriment of the performance and alertness, which may result in more accidents. In conclusion, considering the nefarious effects that this type of organization of working time can impose, primarily for the worker, but also for the worker’s family and also organization in which this works, it is crucial that the organization seek to protect the worker safety and health, which can be achieved by consultation the working physician but also with the use of tools that allow monitoring the worker health and general cognitive state.

Home-based palliative care management: what are the useful resources for general practitioners? a qualitative study among GPs in France

BackgroundMost French people (71%) would like to die at home, but only one out of four actually do. While the difficulties inherent in the practice of home-based palliative care are well described, few studies highlight the resources currently used by general practitioners (GPs) in real life. We have therefore sought to highlight the resources actually used by GPs providing home-based palliative care.MethodsTwenty-one GPs of different ages and practice patterns agreed to participate to this qualitative study based upon semi-structured interviews. They were recruited according to a purposive sampling. Transcripts analysis was based upon General Inductive Analysis.ResultsThe resources highlighted have been classified into two main categories according to whether they were internal or external to the GPs. The internal resources raised included the doctor’s practical experience and continuous medical education, personal history, work time organization and a tacit moral contract related to the referring GP’s position. External resources included resource personnel, regional assistance platforms and health facilities, legislation.ConclusionThis study provides a simple list that is easy to share and pragmatic solutions for GPs and policymakers. Home-based palliative care practice can simultaneously be burdensome and yet a fulfilling, meaningful activity, depending on self-efficacy and professional exhaustion (burnout), perhaps to a greater extent than on medical knowledge. Home-based palliative care promotion is a matter of social responsibility. The availability of multidisciplinary teams such as regional assistance platforms and Hospitalization at Home is particularly important for the management of palliative care. Policymakers should consolidate these specific resources out of hospitals, in community settings where the patients wish to end their life.

The end of the weekly rest period on the seventh day?

The monologue that is reproduced has in its genesis two sentences related to the imperfect problem of the enjoyment of weekly rest at shift work: the judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union, of 9-11-2017 (Maio Marques da Rosa, case C - 306/16), and the Supreme Court of Justice, of 14-11-2018 (case 1181/15.4T8MTS.P1.S1). The fact that the issue in question was decided on the basis of rules of general scope (respectively, Article 5, first part, of the Directive 2003/88, concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time, and Article 232, paragraph 1, of the Labour Code) has given to give these decisions an innovative dimension, potentially disruptive in the social and legal sphere, if it is under-stood that the normativity of the first sentence is directly extendable to the com-mon of labour contracts. The final conclusion is that the Portuguese labour system enshrines the weekly rest rule on the seventh day, allowing for the possibility of derogations for a limited set of activities; however, in relation to these, the application of this regime depends on provision in terms of collective labour regulation instruments.

Wer ist von hoher Arbeitsintensität betroffen? Gefährdungspotenziale erkennen und reduzieren

Who is affected by high work intensity? Identifying and reducing potential hazards Objectives: The health of employees is under threat from excessively high work intensity. Despite numerous studies emphasising the growing significance of work intensity, still not enough is known about the workplaces where increased work intensity is occurring or what form of work is affected. In order to evaluate levels of work intensity amongst employees in a more differentiated way, this article describes various dimensions of high work intensity according to occupational segments and requirement levels. We also discuss what the findings mean for operational practice. Methods: The data basis for the analyses was the BiBB/BAUA Employment Survey 2018 (the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), a representative cross-sectional survey of some 20,000 employed persons in Germany. Results: The results of the analysis show that the demands of high work intensity affect all the occupational groups observed here. It also becomes clear that the observed dimensions of high work intensity – multitasking, pressure to perform or meet deadlines, frequent interruptions, working very quickly and at the limits of individual capabilities – occur in all occupational segments and at all levels of requirement. These dimensions occur to varying degrees and in varying combinations, however, and are often displayed as a “bundle of work-related stress”. This means on the one hand that specific work intensity profiles can be identified for the occupational groups observed. On the other hand it is also possible to detect overarching patterns: multitasking is particularly common in the service sector, for example, where customer contact plays a greater role. Conclusions: The fact that high work intensity is noticeable in different ways in the groups of employees considered on the one hand, and that commonalities are also apparent across occupations on the other, indicates that both the level of work intensity and its structure are related to overarching job characteristics, work organisation processes and other workplace-related organisational frameworks. For workplace design these multiple causes mean that the focus should not only be on individual working activities or stressors but that a more holistic approach is also needed, e.g. working time organisation, work organisation processes or business models and their effects on employees. The results emphasise the need to establish throughout the company an awareness of health risks caused by high work intensity. The established instruments of occupational health and safety should serve as a basis for shaping developments. Keywords: work intensity – work organisation – occupational health and safety – recommendation for action

Rethinking the crisis in historicity: Precarity and postmodernism in French science fiction and film after May ’68

This article re-examines the crisis in historicity, an aesthetic hallmark of postmodernism, in light of unemployment and economic precarity in France during the 1970s. Whereas influential critics like Jean Baudrillard, Jean-François Lyotard and Fredric Jameson famously diagnosed an inability to represent historical movement, I argue that the decade’s literature and film represent changes to the organisation of working time. The article first discusses how time in post-war France was mediated through practices like national economic planning, industrial chronométrage, and staggered shifts, a temporal structure dramatically disrupted in the 1970s. The article then examines the aesthetic response to such economic disruption, drawing on examples like Michel Jeury’s science fiction novel, the cinétracts of May 1968, and the protest film, Rhodia 4/8. The crisis in historicity, I suggest, should be understood not as general disorientation, but rather as a specific solution to the problem of representing precarious employment in France.

Bargaining and contesting the new organisation of working time in an automobile plant

Plusieurs « accords de competitivite » ont ete signes dans l’industrie francaise depuis 2012. Ces accords modifient, entre autres, l’organisation du temps de travail des salaries, dans le but de retablir les marges de profit des entreprises et de les rendre plus competitives. Dans cet article, nous etudions les consequences des modifications de l'organisation du temps de travail sur la main-d’œuvre de l'usine PSA-Mulhouse, ou deux accords de competitivite ont ete signes en 2013 et en 2016.

Jornada de trabalho e docência

Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar os desdobramentos da instituição da hora-atividade no trabalho do professor do ensino médio da rede estadual do Piauí, dentro do contexto das políticas educacionais implementadas no Brasil nas duas últimas décadas. Para isso, realizou-se uma revisão de literatura, com auxílio de uma pesquisa documental, sobre a jornada de trabalho dos professores da educação básica no país e as políticas educacionais que regulamentam a hora-atividade. Em seguida, analisam-se os dados de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com: dois gerentes das Gerências Regionais de Educação da Secretaria de Estado da Educação do Piauí, 20 professores de ensino médio e um integrante do Sindicato dos Trabalhadores em Educação Básica Pública do Piauí. Os resultados mostram que o avanço no cumprimento da hora-atividade se confronta com as condições de trabalho ainda inadequadas nas escolas, com a ingerência na organização pedagógica do tempo de trabalho do professor e com os baixos salários.
 Palavras-chaves: Jornada de trabalho. Ensino médio. Docência. Hora-atividade.

The Concept of Ergonomic Analysis of a Company’s Organization of Working Time

The aim of this article is to present the concept of the analysis of working time organization in a company and to present the results of empirical research. The analysis of working time organization is still a poorly recognized issue of economic analysis. The basic research problem of the research is to identify the organizational gap which is the difference between the applied working methods and the working time systems already in use, as well as to indicate a way to bridge this gap. The goal is to determine the suitability of the applied working time system to the type of working method of given department. The concept of the working method adopted in the article includes: elements of the production system, elements of the work system and working conditions. The proposed course of analytical proceedings (research methodology) includes the following stages: identification of organizational units within the enterprise and the working method used, analysis and evaluation of the working time system and identification of ways to improve the working time system. The empirical part of the article presents the results of an analysis and evaluation of the working time system in a steel industry enterprise (case study). The results of the economic analysis were complemented by management and employee feedback in order to improve the existing working time system. The following were used to achieve this objective: the research results, economic analysis, elements of ergonomic analysis, interviews and questionnaires.