A change from weekly to quicker shift rotations: a field study of discontinuous three-shift workers

Abstract

52 male employees in the food processing industry, who were working on a weekly, backward rotating, and discontinuous shift system, were studied. An experimental group (n= 31) consisting of four subgroups changed their shift systems while a control group (n= 21) consisting of two subgroups did not. The new shift systems were rapidly rotating mainly in the forward direction. Before, and half a year after the change, two questionnaire studies were conducted.

In the experimental group, sleep difficulties during days with night shifts, and difficulties with continuation training in connection with afternoon shifts, were reduced on the new shift systems. Sleep durations, as well as gastrointestinal and neurovegetative symptoms, were not affected by the change of shift systems.

Although 18 of 31 subjects earned less money on the new shift system (because of a reduction in overtime), 83.9% of the experimental group voted in favour of the new shift systems.

Keywords:

• Shift work
• Discontinuous shift system
• Rapid shift rotation