Study: Unpredictable schedules jeopardize shift worker health

Dive Brief:

Shift workers are more susceptible than their peers to sleep disorders and metabolic syndrome, which elevate the risk for stroke, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, researchers reported in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association Feb. 3. Employees who work night, rotating or irregular shifts are at even greater risk for these disorders, the authors found.
The authors said that working nights throws off the body's circadian rhythm, which controls neural and hormonal signals. When the circadian rhythm is desynchronized from sleep cycles, said the authors, individuals are apt to experience disruptions in hormonal levels, which include increased insulin, cortisol and ghrelin and decreased serotonin.
Lead author Kshma Kulkarni said employers can help prevent chronic illnesses by eliminating rotating shifts that further disrupt sleep cycles.

Dive Insight:

A 2019 study of Gap employees also revealed that irregular shifts damage worker health. It determined that the stress of working erratic shifts, being on call and rearranging personal activities to accommodate work schedules can deprive employees of sleep and raise their risk of developing adverse health conditions.

Employers of all types have increased their focus on worker wellness in recent years. Well-being programs, for example, work to provide employees with the knowledge and resources they need to make healthier lifestyle choices while lowering risks for chronic disorders and decreasing medical costs and benefits usage, according to Humana's Go365 wellness and reward program. Biometric data in the study showed marked gains in lowering the risk for diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and other medical conditions during a five-year span.

By contrast, wellness programs that fail to meet employee expectations may need revamping, as results from a Willis Towers Watson study indicated. More than half the employers in the study believed that their well-being programs allowed workers to lead healthier lives, while only 32% of workers agreed with them.

Additionally, some have taken steps to reduce the burdens associated with shift work. Walmart, for example, adopted a scheduling system that employs "core hours," allowing employees to work the same shifts for several weeks, allowing for predictability needed for doctors' appointments, child care and more.