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A 6-hour working day--effects on health and well-being
Abstract
The effect of the total amount of work hours and the benefits of a shortening is frequently debated, but very little data is available. The present study compared a group (N = 41) that obtained a 9 h reduction of the working week (to a 6 h day) with a comparison group (N = 22) that retained normal work hours. Both groups were constituted of mainly female health care and day care nursery personnel. The experimental group retained full pay and extra personnel were employed to compensate for loss of hours. Questionnaire data were obtained before and 1 year after the change. The data were analyzed using a two-factor ANOVA with the interaction term year*group as the main focus. The results showed a significant interaction of year*group for social factors, sleep quality, mental fatigue, and heart/respiratory complaints, and attitude to work hours. In all cases the experimental group improved whereas the control group did not change. It was concluded that shortened work hours have clear social effects and moderate effects on well-being.
... Most commonly, full-time workers' working hours were reduced to six hours per day or 30 hours per week, with a reduction of around 20-25%. The most common solution was a four-day working week (Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Anttila, Nätti, & Väisänen, 2005;Barck-Holst et al., 2017;Lindfors & von Thiele Schwarz, 2022;Lorentzon, 2017;Schiller et al., 2017Schiller et al., , 2018Wergeland et al., 2003). In two studies, the workers could choose between a six-hour working day and a four-day working week (Mullens, Verbeylen, & Glorieux, 2021;Schiller et al., 2017). ...
... Only one study had verified the reduction in working time on the basis of the employer's actual working time data (Kecklund et al., 2020). In other studies, the actual reduction in working time was estimated, for example, through diaries (Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Schiller et al., 2018). Precise changes in working time patterns in shift work in the working time experiments were not monitored. ...
... In the public sector, usually in the social and health care workplaces, the reduction of working hours has mostly been compensated by hiring new employees (Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Barck-Holst et al., 2017;Lorentzon, 2017). In the Finnish experiments in the municipal sector in the 1990s, a key objective was work sharing. ...
The effects of reducing working hours on well-being at work and productivity have been the subject of debate in Finland. Working time can be reduced in many ways, and the options, and effects of reducing working time vary from one sector to another. Reduced working time can be very suitable for voluntary part-time workers or older workers, for example, and can already be agreed at the individual level in the workplaces in Finland. On the other hand, it is known that no major experiments at the organisational level have been scientifically published in Finland since the turn of the millennium. The aim of this scoping review was to find out the effects of experiments with shorter working hours at the organisational level on health, well-being at work and productivity. A total of 109 references were found using four databases and a supplementary search. The inclusion criteria were original publication in Finnish/English/Swedish/German, an intervention study/trial on working time reduction at the workplace or organisation level, and a full-text available. We found ten peer-reviewed quantitative and four qualitative studies on working time reduction, as well as nine reported but non-peer-reviewed experiments on working time reduction. The results were summarised and tabulated narratively. According to the results, reduced working hours were generally associated with greater job satisfaction, but on also with experiences of work intensification. A 20-25 percent reduction in working hours with full pay improved perceived sleep quality, and in some studies, sleep duration, as well as work-life balance and reduced work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. The evidence on the impact on sickness absence is scarce and mixed. In a few studies have been able to reduce working hours without reducing productivity, but the number of studies is still very small. It is concluded that the usefulness of the information gathered from working hour reduction trials is limited by the weaknesses in the study designs and methods, such as the selection of companies or organisations, short follow-up period of the interventions, insufficient number of employees in the trials and often lack of a comparison or control group. Assessing the well-being, health, and economic effects of reduced working time would require controlled follow-up studies with a sufficiently large and representative sample, and the use of a wider range of measures, including work productivity.
... In terms of implementation level, one study analyzed the effects of WTR at the national level in Portugal and France and found small positive effects (Lepinteur 2019). Four studies examined the effects of WTR trials in Sweden on an organizational level, finding that compared to a full workday of roughly eight hours, a six-hour workday led to more satisfaction with work hours and with the amount of time for social activities and friends (Akerstedt et al. 2001), less negative emotions on workdays and weekends, as well as more restorative sleep , less emotional exhaustion (Barck-Holst et al. 2021), and more time for recovery (Schiller et al. 2018). Lastly, individual WTRs did not lead to significant changes in life satisfaction in a general sample (Buhl and Acosta 2016), but increased life satisfaction for women when combined with staying in the same job (Gash, Mertens, and Gordo 2012; effects only measured for women). ...
... On the national level, Berniell and Bietenbeck (2020) found a small positive effect of the French work-week reform on self-reported health and smoking behavior, while Sánchez (2017) did not find overall positive health effects of WTRs in France and Portugal. On the organizational level, four studies on Sweden's WTR trials found that WTRs lead to improved health in the form of positive effects on heart and respiratory symptoms, mental fatigue, and sleep quality (Akerstedt et al. 2001; trial duration: 12 months); on stress, fatigue, and sleep quality Schiller et al. 2017; trial duration 20 months and 9 months, respectively); and on neck/shoulder pain (but not on backpain) as well as exhaustion (Wergeland et al. 2003; trial duration: 12-18 months). Additionally, two studies looked at a WTR trial in Stockholm and found no clear health effects for a reduction of two hours per week (von Thiele Schwarz, Lindfors, and Lundberg 2008; von Thiele Schwarz and Hasson 2011). ...
... On a national level, the introduction of the 35-hour week in France in 1998 and 2000 resulted in roughly 60% of those affected reporting that their work-family balance had improved (Fagnani and Letablier 2004; it is unknown whether the work-family balance of the other 40% of respondents remained the same or deteriorated). On an organizational level, work-family conflict among employees who reduced their working hours in Finnish commune-level WTR experiments in the 1990s was reduced to a higher degree than was the case with the control group (Anttila, Nätti, and Väisänen 2005) and participants in a Swedish trial reported having adequate time for family more frequently (Akerstedt et al. 2001). On an individual level, two studies found that reducing personal work hours significantly reduced parental stress and work-family conflict in various subgroups (Gronlund and Oun 2018;Craig and Churchill 2019). ...
The increasingly studied effects of working time reductions (WTR) on social, economic, and ecological sustainability depend on how these reductions are conceptualized in terms of implementation level, form, extent and accompanying wage compensation. Very little research on WTRs considers more than one sustainability dimension or explores different conceptualizations of WTRs. We thus seek in this article to differentiate the effects of diverse conceptualizations of WTR policies within and across all three sustainability dimensions by conducting a systematic review of longitudinal and (quasi-)experimental research on the ecological, social, and economic effects of WTRs. The studies we reviewed on social sustainability (n = 18) suggest that WTRs have generally well-substantiated positive effects on well-being, health, and work-family conflict. Regarding economic effects (n = 14), however, the findings are mixed: WTRs appear to have small, positive employment effects and unclear productivity effects, on one hand, as well as negative career-trajectory effects, on the other. The only study reviewed concerning ecological sustainability suggests that WTRs have a positive effect on the environment. Research on different conceptualizations of WTRs is scarce but suggests that WTRs might be most beneficial when implemented with a substantial reduction in working hours, on the national or organizational level, in the form of fewer rather than shorter working days, and accompanied by progressive wage compensation. Based on these findings, we also outline a research agenda to address the knowledge gaps in this important field of study.
... Stress-related ill health, high sick leave figures, and organizational demands have contributed to an increased interest in new ways of organizing work and reducing the time employees spend at work (e.g. Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Voglino et al., 2022). This study set out to add to the field by investigating whether reduced working hours (RWHs) are associated with positive or negative effects across a broad range of health-related indicators. ...
... Evaluations of these experiments show positive social effects, particularly of a 6-h workday (e.g. Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Anttila et al., 2005). ...
... The 6-h workday has been associated with a considerable reduction of pain in the neck/shoulder area in employees within the public sector (Wergeland et al., 2003). However, evaluations of different types of RWH have only produced small effects on other health-related outcomes, such as fatigue and sleep with findings showing reduced fatigue, improved sleep quality, longer sleep duration, and less sleepiness (Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Schiller et al., 2017; see also Brynja & Bildt, 2005;Voglino et al., 2022). Similar findings, with statistically significant differences but small effect sizes, have been shown for selfreported stress as well (Schiller et al., 2017;Voglino et al., 2022). ...
Working conditions of eldercare are often characterized by a high workload and different organizational approaches have been suggested to reduce the potentially negative health-related effects of such conditions. One of the suggested approaches involves reducing the exposure to such working conditions by reducing the number of working hours. However, the knowledge of the concurrent health-related effects of working fewer hours remains limited. This longitudinal study set out to examine the health-related effects of an intervention involving daily working hours being reduced from ≥7 to 6 h. Data came from an organizational intervention that included 68 women employed in the municipal eldercare. All employees retained full-time salaries and additional personnel were employed by the organization in order to provide full services throughout the intervention period. A broad range of biomarkers and self-ratings in questionnaires were obtained before the intervention, 6 months after the change, and 12 months after the initial change. Measurements among referents (n = 19), matched with respect to type of work, were performed at corresponding time points. Results from repeated measures ANOVAs showed significant interaction effects for diastolic blood pressure and HbA1c with these effects being primarily related to changes among referents. No other significant group differences were found. Time-related effects emerged in both groups but cannot be attributed to the intervention as such. To conclude, this study showed none of the hypothesized health promoting or other consistent effects of reduced working hours.
... In total seven articles, with a longitudinal interventional design, were included in the final analysis. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24] A brief summary of included articles is provided in table 1. ...
... The included studies were published between 2001 24 and 2017 18 19 23 and they were performed in northern Europe. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24] The sample size ranged from 63 participants 24 to 580 workers, 19 mostly from healthcare settings. [20][21][22][23][24] Only one of the included studies enrolled workers from different workplaces in the public sector (Schiller et al). ...
... The included studies were published between 2001 24 and 2017 18 19 23 and they were performed in northern Europe. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24] The sample size ranged from 63 participants 24 to 580 workers, 19 mostly from healthcare settings. [20][21][22][23][24] Only one of the included studies enrolled workers from different workplaces in the public sector (Schiller et al). ...
Objectives
The health effects of work-time arrangements have been largely studied for long working hours, whereas a lack of knowledge remains regarding the potential health impact of reduced work-time interventions. Therefore, we conducted this review in order to assess the relationships between work-time reduction and health outcomes.
Design
Systematic review of published studies. Medline, PsycINFO, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched from January 2000 up to November 2019.
Outcomes
The primary outcome was the impact of reduced working time with retained salary on health effects, interventional and observational studies providing a quantitative analysis of any health-related outcome were included. Studies with qualitative research methods were excluded.
Results
A total of 3876 published articles were identified and 7 studies were selected for the final analysis, all with a longitudinal interventional design. The sample size ranged from 63 participants to 580 workers, mostly from healthcare settings. Two studies assessed a work-time reduction to 6 hours per day; two studies evaluated a weekly work-time reduction of 25%; two studies evaluated simultaneously a reduced weekly work-time reduction proportionally to the amount of time worked and a 2.5 hours of physical activity programme per week instead of work time; one study assessed a reduced weekly work-time reduction from 39 to 30 hours per week. A positive relationship between reduced working hours and working life quality, sleep and stress was observed. It is unclear whether work time reduction determined an improvement in general health outcomes, such as self-perceived health and well-being.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that the reduction of working hours with retained salary could be an effective workplace intervention for the improvement of employees’ well-being, especially regarding stress and sleep. Further studies in different contexts are needed to better evaluate the impact of work-time reduction on other health outcomes.
... Selon Hunnicutt (1996), l'introduction de la journée de travail de six heures dans l'usine d'American Kellogg's en 1930 a contribué à une réduction significative des accidents du travail (baisse de 41 %). ...
... Cette étude montre qu'une réduction du temps de travail peut être favorable aux personnes qui ont du mal à concilier travail rémunéré et vie familiale et, dans le même temps, augmenter leur satisfaction au travail. Akerstedt et al. (2001) ont examiné les résultats d'une étude d'intervention dans deux unités de pédiatrie en Suède, où le temps de travail avait été réduit de 39 à 30 heures par semaine en 1996, avant de revenir à la situation initiale en 1998 après un changement au niveau des autorités politiques locales (Crouch, 2015). L'expérience avait été conçue en prévoyant un groupe de contrôle qui avait conservé une semaine de 39 heures. ...
... Il est important de noter que la réduction du temps de travail avait été entièrement compensée par des emplois supplémentaires. La charge de travail n'avait pas augmenté et l'expérience a montré des effets très bénéfiques sur le niveau de stress des travailleurs et sur la qualité de leur sommeil (Akerstedt et al., 2001). ...
Après des décennies de réduction progressive du temps de travail, un renversement de situation semble s’opérer depuis quelques années. Face à une telle régression, le mouvement syndical a réaffirmé son objectif historique de réduction graduelle du temps de travail. Le présent guide entend contribuer à ce débat en montrant pourquoi la réduction du temps de travail est souhaitable et comment elle peut être organisée. Il est évident que la concrétisation effective d’une réduction du temps de travail dépend de la manière dont elle est mise en œuvre. Les nombreuses options en la matière sont examinées à l’aide d’expériences vécues pour illustrer leur caractère effectif. L’analyse des raisons qui motivent la réduction du temps de travail, des différentes manières de la mettre en place et de cinq brèves études de cas fournit la base d’une discussion tout à fait indispensable sur la meilleure manière de concevoir une réduction du temps de travail qui s’inscrive dans la durée.
... Secondo Hunnicutt (1996), l'introduzione di una giornata lavorativa di sei ore nella fabbrica americana di Kellogg's nel 1930, ha contribuito ad una significativa diminuzione degli infortuni sul lavoro del 41%. ...
... Settimana di 30 ore: un migliore equilibrio tra vita e lavoro Akerstedt et al. (2001) riporta uno studio di intervento in due unità di assistenza all'infanzia in Svezia, dove l'orario di lavoro è stato ridotto da 39 a 30 ore settimanali nel 1996 ma interrotto nel 1998 dopo un cambiamento nel governo locale (Crouch, 2015). L'esperimento è stato progettato per includere un gruppo di controllo che è rimasto su una settimana di 39 ore. ...
... È importante sottolineare che la riduzione dell'orario di lavoro è stata accompagnata da un aumento dell'occupazione. Il carico di lavoro non è aumentato e l'esperimento ha mostrato alcuni effetti molto benefici sui livelli di stress dei dipendenti e sulla loro qualità del sonno (Akerstedt et al., 2001). ...
... However, there is an apparent scarcity of longitudinal research and intervention studies in this area. To our knowledge, only one intervention study has evaluated reduced weekly worktime with retained salary and its consequences for perceived stress, sleep, and sleepiness over time (13), where a slight improvement in sleep quality and mental fatigue was observed when work hours were Worktime reduction reduced from 8 to 6 hours/day. Moreover, studies on worktime reduction have shown that shorter workdays lead to a reduction of job exhaustion (14) and have a positive impact on work-family interaction (13,15). ...
... To our knowledge, only one intervention study has evaluated reduced weekly worktime with retained salary and its consequences for perceived stress, sleep, and sleepiness over time (13), where a slight improvement in sleep quality and mental fatigue was observed when work hours were Worktime reduction reduced from 8 to 6 hours/day. Moreover, studies on worktime reduction have shown that shorter workdays lead to a reduction of job exhaustion (14) and have a positive impact on work-family interaction (13,15). The mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of worktime reduction are believed to be extended time for recovery, additional time spent on beneficial health-related behaviors such as exercise, and less conflict between work and other domains in life (13,(15)(16)(17). ...
... Moreover, studies on worktime reduction have shown that shorter workdays lead to a reduction of job exhaustion (14) and have a positive impact on work-family interaction (13,15). The mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of worktime reduction are believed to be extended time for recovery, additional time spent on beneficial health-related behaviors such as exercise, and less conflict between work and other domains in life (13,(15)(16)(17). ...
Objective Insufficient time for recovery between workdays may cause fatigue and disturbed sleep. This study evaluated the impact of an intervention that reduced weekly working hours by 25% on sleep, sleepiness and perceived stress for employees within the public sector. Method Participating workplaces (N=33) were randomized into intervention and control groups. Participants (N=580, 76% women) worked full-time at baseline. The intervention group (N=354) reduced worktime to 75% with preserved salary during 18 months. Data were collected at baseline and after 9 and 18 months follow-up. Sleep quality, sleep duration, sleepiness, perceived stress,and worries, and stress at bedtime were measured with diary during one week per data collection. Result A multilevel mixed model showed that compared with the control group, at the 18-month follow-up, the intervention group had improved sleep quality and sleep duration (+23 minutes) and displayed reduced levels of sleepiness, perceived stress and worries, and stress at bedtime on workdays (P<0.002). The same effects were shown for days off (P<0.006), except for sleep length. Effect sizes were small (Cohen's f2<0.08). Adding gender, age, having children living at home, and baseline values of sleep quality and worries and stress at bedtime as additional between-group factors did not influence the results. Conclusion A 25% reduction of weekly work hours with retained salary resulted in beneficial effects on sleep, sleepiness and perceived stress both on workdays and days off. These effects were maintained over an 18-month period. This randomized intervention thus indicates that reduced worktime may improve recovery and perceived stress.
... In the Nordic countries, the demands of working life within municipal services have contributed to that several WHP initiatives involving reduced working hours (RWH) have been carried out (Åkerstedt, Olsson, Ingre, Holmgren, & Kecklund, 2001;Anttila, Nätti, & Väisänen, 2005;Brynja, & Bildt, 2005;Malmberg, Hansson, & Byrgren, 2003;Wergeland et al., 2003). In contrast to various types of part-time work, work-time arrangements involving RWH mean that employees work fewer hours but still retain their full-time salaries. ...
... work and family life), thereby reducing work-family interference and role ambiguity. Moreover, RWH may allow more time for non-work activities that promotes health, for example increase time for recovery and time spent on leisure activities such as physical activity (Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Anttila et al., 2005;Brynja & Bildt, 2005;Malmberg et al., 2003). In sum, this assumes that the RWH is replaced by activities that are more health-promotive than work is. ...
... One of the most common types of RWH involves a reduction in working hours from eight to six hours a day or from 40 hours to 30 hours a week. This kind of RWH has been related to positive social effects and decreased work-family conflict, particularly in employees with children (Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Anttila et al., 2005). Apart from positive social effects of the sixhour workday, the potential health-related benefits of RWH remain unclear, although there is some support for RWH in relation to a reduction of pain in the neck/shoulder area in employees within the public sector (Bildt, 2007;Wergeland et al., 2003). ...
... While PE is one of the most common workplace health interventions, either alone or as part of a comprehensive workplace health promotion program, reduced work hours (RWH) is an intervention being used in the public health service and health care sectors in the Nordic countries. [23][24][25][26][27][28] Reported results are mixed regarding the effects of RWH on employee health. For example, only minor effects on health-related factors, such as, fatigue, disturbed sleep and physiological factors has been reported. ...
... For example, only minor effects on health-related factors, such as, fatigue, disturbed sleep and physiological factors has been reported. 24,26,27 Concurrently, other studies have reported that RWH may be related to positive social effects, such as decreased work-family conflict, particularly in employees with children, 23,26 as well as reduction of neck/shoulder pain 25,27 and decreased stress levels in participants. 27 In sum, the evidence for health-related effects of RWH is limited and we know of no prior studies that have investigated the effect of RWH on productivity. ...
... For example, only minor effects on health-related factors, such as, fatigue, disturbed sleep and physiological factors has been reported. 24,26,27 Concurrently, other studies have reported that RWH may be related to positive social effects, such as decreased work-family conflict, particularly in employees with children, 23,26 as well as reduction of neck/shoulder pain 25,27 and decreased stress levels in participants. 27 In sum, the evidence for health-related effects of RWH is limited and we know of no prior studies that have investigated the effect of RWH on productivity. ...
To investigate how worksite health interventions involving a 2.5-hour reduction of weekly working hours with (PE) or without (RWH) mandatory physical exercise affects productivity.
Six workplaces in dental health care were matched and randomized to three conditions (PE, RWH and referents). Employees' (N = 177) self-rated productivity and the workplaces' production levels (number of patients) were examined longitudinally.
Number of treated patients increased in all conditions during the intervention year. While RWH showed the largest increase in this measure, PE showed significant increases in self-rated productivity, that is, increased quantity of work and work-ability and decreased sickness absence.
A reduction in work hours may be used for health promotion activities with sustained or improved production levels, suggesting an increased productivity since the same, or higher, production level can be achieved with lesser resources.
... They argue that a shorter working week makes employees more efficient at work, and that shorter workdays mean that the balance between work and other life domains will lead to better recovery opportunities between workdays. There is some empirical support for these arguments (Nätti & Anttila 1999, Åkerstedt et al. 2001, Anttila et al. 2005, Lorentzon 2017. A reduction from 8 hours/day to 6 hours/day with retained salary has shown positive effects through reduced pain in the neck-and shoulder area for employees with physically demanding professions (Wergeland et al. 2003). ...
... Moreover, sleep quality improved, and sleepiness and perceived stress decreased when working hours were reduced (Schiller et al. 2017). Thus, the results support previous findings of studies with smaller study groups (Nätti & Anttila 1999, Åkerstedt et al. 2001, Anttila et al. 2005). ...
This report summarizes the main findings and recommendations of a large Nordic project 'Working hours, health, well-being and participation in working life' (WOW, 2015-2021). The project has produced over 100 original publications on the societal and socio-economic differences and trends of Nordic working hours, and on the associations, countermeasures, recommendations, and tools related to the working hours to improve health, well-being and work participation. A novel aspect of the project was the utilization of detailed payroll-based registry data on working hours from several occupational cohorts, enabling the formation of more detailed recommendations for working hours and health.
The project was funded by NordForsk, Nordic Program on Health and Welfare (grant no 74809).
... So wurde bspw. in den Fallstudien von Gerold et al. (2017) berichtet, dass die Steigerung der Freizeit für mehr Erholung sorgte. Zudem wurde ebenfalls eine verbesserte subjektive Schlafqualität verzeichnet (Åkerstedt et al. 2001;Schiller et al. 2017). ...
... In 80 % der analysierten Studien hatte die AZV einen positiven Einfluss auf die psychische Gesundheit. Arbeitnehmende verspürten nach einer verringerten Arbeitszeit bei gleichbleibendem Lohnausgleich eine Verbesserung der geistigen Ermüdung (Åkerstedt et al. 2001;Barck-Holst et al. 2015) sowie des Wohlbefindens (Lepinteur 2019). Außerdem verbesserte sich die allgemeine innere Einstellung (Åkerstedt et al. 2001) und auch der Umgang mit negativen Emotionen (Barck-Holst et al. 2015). ...
Zusammenfassung
Dieser Beitrag der Zeitschrift Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO) stellt ein systematisches Review zum Zusammenhang der Arbeitszeitverkürzung (bei vollem Gehalt) und psychischen Gesundheit auf der Grundlage vorhandener Studien vor, um Chancen und Risiken besser einschätzen und beurteilen zu können. Die Diskussion über die Verkürzung von Arbeitszeiten wird nicht zuletzt durch die vielfältigen Möglichkeiten der Digitalisierung der Arbeit verstärkt. Die Literatursuche ergab insgesamt 114 Artikel, wovon drei qualitative, neun quantitative Studien und eine Mixed Method Studie in die Analyse aufgenommen wurden. Aus den Ergebnissen wurde deutlich, dass eine verkürzte Arbeitszeit bei gleichbleibendem Lohn zu einer Verringerung von arbeitsbedingten Belastungen bei Beschäftigten beitragen. Die Umsetzung der Verkürzung erfolgte auf drei unterschiedliche Weisen: I. ohne Veränderung der Arbeitsprozesse, II. ohne Veränderung der Arbeitsprozesse, jedoch mit zusätzlichen Beschäftigten oder III. mit einer vorhergehenden Veränderung der Arbeitsprozesse, ohne zusätzliche Angestellte. Zwar gibt es bis dato noch keine allgemeingültige Empfehlung für die Umsetzung in die Praxis, allerdings wird für eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung empfohlen, die Reduktion der Arbeitszeit vorab zu planen und Optimierungsmöglichkeiten für die Ausführung von Tätigkeiten und Arbeitsprozessen zu identifizieren (III.).
... Ova studija pokazuje da skraćenje radnog vremena može pogodovati osobama kojima je teško uskladiti poslovni i privatni život i istodobno povećati njihovo zadovoljstvo poslom. Akerstedt et al. (2001.) izvještava o intervencijskoj studiji provedenoj u dvije ustanove za skrb o djeci u Švedskoj gdje je 1996. ...
... Važno je naglasiti kako je skraćenje radnog vremena bilo u potpunosti popraćeno dodatnim zapošljavanjem. Obujam posla nije se povećao, pa je eksperiment pokazao vrlo pozitivne učinke na razinu stresa zaposlenika i na kvalitetu njihova sna (Akerstedt et al., 2001.). Jedan od najboljih, a ujedno i najvarljivijih argumenata u raspravi o radnom vremenu je da bi skraćenje radnog vremena potaklo zapošljavanje ili barem preraspodijelio zaposlenost između zaposlenih (koji se često žale na prevelik pritisak na radnome mjestu) i nezaposlenih (koji pate zbog posljedica nezaposlenosti). ...
... Nur wenn die Verkürzung der Arbeitszeit in ihrer Auswirkung vollständig durch zusätzliche Personaleinstellung ausgeglichen wird (Schiller et al., 2017) oder wenn die Belegschaften über die Organisation ihrer Arbeitszeit mitentscheiden können (Piasna, 2015), eignen sich kürzere Arbeitszeiten zur Stressreduzierung am Arbeitsplatz. (Akerstedt et al., 2001). ...
... Akerstedt et al. (2001) berichten über eine Interventionsstudie in zwei Kinderbetreuungseinrichtungen in Schweden, in denen im Jahre 1996 die Wochenarbeitszeit von 39 auf 30 Stunden verringert wurde. ...
Nachdem über mehrere Jahrzehnte die Arbeitszeit schrittweise immer weiter verkürzt wurde,
gibt es seit einigen Jahren Anzeichen für eine Umkehr dieser Entwicklung. Als Reaktion darauf
hat die Gewerkschaftsbewegung ihr historisches Ziel bekräftigt, die Arbeitszeit schrittweise
weiter zu verkürzen. Der vorliegende Leitfaden will einen Beitrag zu dieser Debatte leisten und
der Frage nachgehen, warum die Verkürzung der Arbeitszeit wünschenswert sein kann und
wie dies organisiert werden kann. Es liegt auf der Hand, dass eine Arbeitszeitverkürzung nur
dann den gewünschten Erfolg haben wird, wenn sie effektiv umgesetzt wird. Die zahlreichen
denkbaren Optionen sollen hier anhand realer Erfahrungen aus der Praxis diskutiert werden,
um ihre Effektivität beurteilen zu können. Die Analyse der eigentlichen Motive hinter der
Arbeitszeitverkürzung, die unterschiedlichen Modelle für die Umsetzung dieses Ziels und die
nähere Untersuchung fünf kurzer Fallstudien liefern die Basis für eine dringend zu führende
Diskussion über die bestmögliche Gestaltung einer zukunftssicheren Verkürzung der Arbeitszeit.
... Only when the reduction in working time is fully matched by additional employment (Schiller et al., 2017), or when workers have a say in how their working hours are organised (Piasna, 2015), can reduced working time be linked to less stress at work. Akerstedt et al. (2001) but very little data is available. The present study compared a group (N = 41 reports from an intervention study in two child care units in Sweden where working time was reduced from 39 to 30 hours a week in 1996 but discontinued in 1998 after a change in the local government (Crouch, 2015). ...
... Importantly, the working time reduction was fully matched by additional employment. The workload did not increase and the experiment showed some very beneficial effects on the stress levels of employees and on their quality of sleep (Akerstedt et al., 2001) Mostly we don't: greater stress when there is no (or too little) extra recruitment When the reduction in working time is not (or is only partially) met by extra employment, it often leads to work intensification and greater stress. In the case of France and Volkswagen (see Chapter 4 with the case studies), this is obviously a problem to be reckoned with. ...
After decades of incremental reduction in working time, recent years have shown signs of a reversed evolution. In response, the labour movement has reasserted its historic aim gradually to reduce working time. This guide aims to contribute to this debate by discussing why working time reduction can be desirable and how it can be organised. It is obvious that the effectiveness of working time reduction depends on how it is implemented. The many options are discussed using real-life experiments to illustrate their effectiveness. The review of the motivations behind working time reduction, the various ways of implementing it and an examination of five short case studies provide the groundwork for a much-needed discussion on how best to design a future-proof reduction in working time.
... The participants were mainly female health care and day care nursery personnel. It was found that the group with shortened work hours had improved scores on social factors (time for family, friends, and social activities), sleep quality, mental fatigue, heart/respiratory complaints, and attitude to work hours, whereas the control group did not show changes during the period of the study [8]. A more recent study investigated shortened work hours and exercise during work hours and the effect on productivity for dental staff in Sweden [9]. ...
... Improved balance between work and life involved several aspects, such as more energy to do things during leisure, time including increased social activity and exercise. Indeed, a previous study on the effects of the six-hour workday, for female health care and day care personnel, found that the biggest effect was increased time for social activity [8]. However, the same study did not find an increase in exercise. ...
Background
There is a shortage of registered nurses in the European Union (EU), and job dissatisfaction and perceived high work–family conflict have been identified as causes of nursing staff turnover. Reducing work hours is an organisational intervention that could have a positive effect on nurses’ and assistant nurses’ job satisfaction, work–life balance, and willingness to stay in the job. An orthopaedic surgery department at a large hospital in Sweden introduced reduced work hours for nurses and assistant nurses in order to improve the working situation. The aim of the study was to investigate the experiences of reduced work hours and no lunch breaks among nurses and assistant nurses at an orthopaedic surgery department at a hospital in Sweden, with a particular focus on recovery and psychosocial working environment. MethodsA qualitative design was used in the study. Eleven nurses and assistant nurses working at the particular orthopaedic department took part in the study, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The interviews were analysed by interpretative phenomenological analysis. ResultsFour main themes were developed in the analysis of the data: A more sustainable working situation, Improved work–life balance, Consequences of being part of a project, and Improved quality of care. Each theme consisted of subthemes. Conclusions
Overall, reduced work hours appeared to have many, mainly positive, effects for the participants in both work and home life.
... 35 Two small experimental studies of 6-hour shifts in Sweden among health care providers demonstrated improved sleep, health, job satisfaction, and time for social activities and reduced fatigue. 60,61 Use of these shifts and nontraditional scheduling can provide additional nurses to ensure uninterrupted breaks and meals. ...
The purpose of this mini review is to (1) summarize the findings on the impact of night shift on nurses' health and wellness, patient and public safety, and implications on organizational costs and (2) provide strategies to promote night shift nurses' health and improve organizational costs. The night shift, compared with day shift, results in poorer physical and mental health through its adverse effects on sleep, circadian rhythms, and dietary and beverage consumption, along with impaired cognitive function that increases nurse errors. Nurse administrators and health care organizations have opportunities to improve nurse and patient safety on night shifts. Low-, moderate-, and higher-cost measures that promote night nurses' health and well-being can help mitigate these negative outcomes. The provided individual and organizational recommendations and innovations support night shift nurses' health, patient and public safety, and organizational success.
... Parents with young children tend to report a positive impact of RWH on their workfamily balance, provided that employees are able to negotiate or determine their working hours (Fagnani and Letablier, 2004;Lehndorff, 2014). RWH can have positive effects on health-related behaviours (Akerstedt, 2001;Bannai and Tamakoshi, 2014) including, for instance, decrease in the likelihood of smoking particularly among men and increase in exercise particularly for women and older age groups (Ahn, 2016). Some researchers claim that RWH increases both job and non-work time satisfaction (Lepinteur, 2019;Nassen and Larsson, 2015). ...
Purpose
This article critically investigates a management-led experiment to institute a four-day work week with stated intentions of improving productivity and worker wellbeing. The article analyses the framing and implementation of the reduced work hours (RWH) trial, the responses of employees and the outcomes and implications of the trial. It raises concerns regarding the managerial appropriation of employee aspirations for more autonomy over time and improved work life.
Design/methodology/approach
We conducted a qualitative case study of a medium-sized company operating in the financial services sector in New Zealand. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 employees.
Findings
Our study finds that the promise of a four-day week attracted employee favour and individualised benefits. However, entrenched managerialist practices of performance measurement, monitoring and productivity pressures were intensified. Pro-social and collective interests evident in labour-led campaigns were absent. We urge greater critical scrutiny into seemingly advantageous “business case” initiatives for reduced work hours.
Originality/value
Little is known about what happens to concern for social and employee interests entailed in reduced working hours initiatives when a management-led initiative is implemented. Indeed, the majority of research focuses on the macro-level rather than interrogating the “black box” of firms. Our inquiry contributes to these debates by asking, how does a management-led RWH initiative affect employees?
... In support of this notion, numerous cross-sectional and ambulatory studies found social stressors to harm sleep quality [15,21,[23][24][25][26]. Additionally, other occupational stressors, such as the number of patient interactions and working hours, have been found to impair sleep indicators [27][28][29]. For Sonnentag [17], the fact that sleep is impaired when job stressors are high is paradoxical, as the experience of exactly such high stressors would call for effective recovery processes to set in (i.e., good sleep); she terms this phenomenon 'the recovery paradox'. ...
Purpose
Social service employees often fulfill their mandate under tight time schedules, and deal with social stressors. This can result in significant health impairments. By means of one cross-sectional and two intensive longitudinal studies, the present paper aimed to understand how time pressure and social stressors might impact sleep quality. It was also tested whether social stressors amplified the negative association between time pressure and sleep impairments in social workers.
Methods
Study 1 was a cross-sectional questionnaire study on 52 social service employees, while study 2 included a 7-day diary study design (N = 62 social workers) with up to 138 daily measurements. Study 3 applied a 2-week diary and actigraphy assessment, involving a complete social service unit sample (N = 9).
Results
Concerning the moderating role of social stressors, study 1 found social stressors to amplify the effects of time pressure on sleep latency. Multilevel regression analyses of studies 2 and 3 revealed daily time pressure to be a significant predictor of sleep fragmentation the upcoming night. Study 3 further uncovered daily social stressors to positively predicted sleep fragmentation and negatively sleep duration. Study 2 again showed the amplifying interaction effect between daily social stressors and time pressure on sleep fragmentation, but study 3 did not show that interaction.
Conclusion
The findings show how job stressors might disturb the sleep quality of social workers also with amplifying risk. Accordingly, social work needs work design prevention efforts that consider the complex inter-play between occupational stressors, as only then recovery processes can be protected.
... Swedish scholars found similar results. One study among social workers and one among nurses showed that reduced working hours led to improved well-being, sleep quality, and less stress (Åkerstedt et al., 2001;Barck-Holst et al., 2017). ...
Idle time at work is a phase of involuntary downtime during which employees experience that they cannot carry out their work tasks. In contrast to breaks, interruptions, procrastination, or withdrawal behavior, employees cannot work because of the absence of work-related tasks. Based on action regulation theory, we develop an integrative conceptual model on the antecedents and consequences of the subjective experience of idle time. We propose that work constraints (i.e., regulation problems) have negative effects on occupational well-being and task performance, and that these effects are mediated by subjective idle time. The strength of these effects is further assumed to be influenced by individuals’ use of proactive (i.e., prevention) and adaptive (i.e., coping) strategies. Results of a supplemental qualitative study, for which we interviewed 20 employees from different occupations, provided preliminary support for the propositions. Finally, we develop theory on how individual, situational, and organizational characteristics may influence the proposed effects on and of idle time. Overall, this conceptual development paper contributes to a better theoretical understanding of idle time at work by extending its definition and applying action regulation theory to this practically important phenomenon.
... Another study found that reducing the work week to 30 hours while retaining the same salary provides strong psychosocial benefits, resulting in more sleep and less stress, anxiety and fatigue (Kecklund et al., 2010). Yet another study shows that shortening working hours has clear social benefits and a positive impact on wellbeing (Akerstedt et al., 2001). Trials involving a RWH have suggested a beneficial effect on work-family interaction (Anttila et al., 2005). ...
Longitudinal, experimental evaluation of reduced weekly working hours for assistant nurses
Bengt Lorentzon
M.Sc. Pacta Guideline Research, Sweden. Med Dr. Fei Yang, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Peer reviewed: Professor Göran Kecklund, the director of Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine if it’s sufficient to reduce working hours (RWH) in order to improve health and working conditions for assistant nurses (AN), and to explore if additional interventions were required. This 23-month longitudinal, interventional, parallel group study investigated the impact of RWH among AN at elderly care facilities in Gothenburg, Sweden. Study participants worked 6-hour per day with full pay. New personnel were hired to compensate for the RWH. The finding of this study showed the consistent improved health directly relating to RWH. However, the main finding was unexpectedly something different – a finding that was quite unmentioned in previous studies. As an isolated intervention, RWH was insufficient on its own to reduce the ill effects on health from lifestyle and working conditions. RWH creating the space needed to implement additional interventions.
Key terms
Assistant nurses / elderly care facilities / health determinants / perceived health / public health / reduced working hours / sickness absence / working environment
... Regarding possible interventions to increase health professionals' in uence on their work schedule or to decrease overtime and work hours, several intervention studies have already been conducted. In a study by Akerstedt, et al. [29] the minimizing reduction of working hours per shift with full pay and input of extra personnel resulted in positive social effects and increased employee well-being after one ...
Background: The workforce shortage of health professionals is a matter of global concern. Among possible causative factors in this shortage are the incompatibility of health professionals’ work with their private life, which may lead to increased stress and burnout symptoms, job dissatisfaction and a higher intention to leave the profession prematurely. Also, poor leadership qualities among direct line managers (e.g. clinic directors, leading physicians, ward managers, team leaders) have been associated with health professionals’ job dissatisfaction and intention to leave in previous studies. This study therefore aimed to identify key factors associated with health professionals’ work-private life conflicts and their managers’ leadership quality.
Methods: The study is based on a cross-sectional survey in 26 Swiss acute and rehabilitation hospitals, consisting of 3398 health professionals from various disciplines. For data analysis, multilevel models (with hospitals as the second level variable) were performed for ‘work-private life conflict’ and ‘quality of leadership’, considering significant main effects (using AIC) and significant interactions (using BIC) of potential explanatory variables.
Results: The main findings reveal that the compatibility of health professionals’ work and private life is associated with how much they can influence shift planning (possibility of exchanging shifts, B=-2.87, p<0.01), the extent to which their individual preferences are considered (e.g. working on one specific shift only, B=6.31, p<0.01), number of work shifts per weekend (B=1.38, p<0.01) and working hours per week (B=0.13, p<0.01). In addition, the factors high quantitative demands (B=0.25, p<0.01), being required to hide their emotions (B=0.16, p<0.01) and poor social community support at work (B=-0.12, p<0.01) were related to severe work-private life conflicts among health professionals. Regarding managerial leadership, health professionals perceived the leadership qualities of their direct line manager as being better if they received more social support (B=0.61, p<0.01) and rewards (B=0.41, p<0.01) at work.
Conclusions: The results show key components of improving the compatibility of work and private life for health professionals as well as managerial leadership qualities, and may help leaders working in acute or rehabilitation hospitals to develop appropriate interventions.
... Regarding possible interventions to increase health professionals' influence on their work schedule or to decrease overtime and work hours, several intervention studies have already been conducted. In a study by Akerstedt, et al. [29] the minimizing reduction of working hours per shift with full pay and input of extra personnel resulted in positive social effects and increased employee well-being after 1 year. In addition, the study results of Kauffeld et al. [30] show that the implementation of a 'flexible work-time design' is strongly associated with a lower absenteeism level, higher work quality and increased employee satisfaction with work. ...
Background:
The workforce shortage of health professionals is a matter of global concern. Among possible causative factors in this shortage are the incompatibility of health professionals' work with their private life, which may lead to increased stress and burnout symptoms, job dissatisfaction and a higher intention to leave the profession prematurely. Also, poor leadership qualities among direct line managers (e.g. clinic directors, leading physicians, ward managers, team leaders) have been associated with health professionals' job dissatisfaction and intention to leave in previous studies. This study therefore aimed to identify key factors associated with health professionals' work-private life conflicts and their managers' leadership quality.
Methods:
The study is based on a cross-sectional survey in 26 Swiss acute and rehabilitation hospitals, consisting of 3398 health professionals from various disciplines. For data analysis, multilevel models (with hospitals as the second level variable) were performed for 'work-private life conflict' and 'quality of leadership', considering significant main effects (using AIC) and significant interactions (using BIC) of potential explanatory variables.
Results:
The main findings reveal that the compatibility of health professionals' work and private life is associated with how much they can influence shift planning (possibility of exchanging shifts, B = -2.87, p < 0.01), the extent to which their individual preferences are considered (e.g. working on one specific shift only, B = 6.31, p < 0.01), number of work shifts per weekend (B = 1.38, p < 0.01) and working hours per week (B = 0.13, p < 0.01). In addition, the factors high quantitative demands (B = 0.25, p < 0.01), being required to hide their emotions (B = 0.16, p < 0.01) and poor social community support at work (B = -0.12, p < 0.01) were related to severe work-private life conflicts among health professionals. Regarding managerial leadership, health professionals perceived the leadership qualities of their direct line manager as being better if they received more social support (B = 0.61, p < 0.01) and rewards (B = 0.41, p < 0.01) at work.
Conclusions:
The results show key components of improving the compatibility of work and private life for health professionals as well as managerial leadership qualities, and may help leaders working in acute or rehabilitation hospitals to develop appropriate interventions.
... Regarding possible interventions to increase health professionals' in uence on their work schedule or to decrease overtime and work hours, several intervention studies have already been conducted. In a study by Akerstedt, et al. [29] the minimizing reduction of working hours per shift with full pay and input of extra personnel resulted in positive social effects and increased employee well-being after one year. In addition, the study results of Kauffeld et al. [30] show that the implementation of a ' exible work-time design' is strongly associated with a lower absenteeism level, higher work quality and increased employee satisfaction with work. ...
Background: The workforce shortage of health professionals is a matter of global concern. Among possible causative factors in this shortage are work-private life conflicts related to increased stress and burnout symptoms, job dissatisfaction and a higher intention to leave the profession prematurely. Also, poor leadership qualities among direct line managers (e.g. clinic directors, leading physicians, ward managers, team leaders) have been associated with health professionals’ job dissatisfaction and intention to leave in previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed to identify key associated factors of work-private life conflicts and managerial leadership quality among health professionals.
Methods: The study is based on a cross-sectional survey in 26 Swiss acute and rehabilitation hospitals, consisting of 3398 health professionals from various disciplines. For data analysis, multilevel models (with hospitals as the second level variable) were performed for ‘work-private life conflict’ and ‘quality of leadership’, considering significant main effects (using AIC) and significant interactions (using BIC) of potential explanatory variables.
Results: The main findings reveal that the compatibility of health professionals’ work and private life is associated with topics of shift planning, in particular workers’ influence on shift planning (possibility of exchanging shifts, B=-2.87, p<0.01), the extent to which their individual preferences are considered (e.g. working on one specific shift only, B=6.31, p<0.01), number of shifts per weekend (B=1.38, p<0.01) and number of hours per week (B=0.13, p<0.01) that they had to work. In addition, high quantitative demands (B=0.25, p<0.01), being required to hide their emotions (B=0.16, p<0.01) and poor social community support at work (B=-0.12, p<0.01) were also related to severe work-private life conflict. Regarding managerial leadership, health professionals perceived the leadership qualities of their direct line manager as being better if they received more social support (B=0.61, p<0.01) and rewards (B=0.41, p<0.01) at work.
Conclusions: The results show key components of improving the compatibility of work and private life as well as managerial leadership qualities among health professionals and may help health care leaders working in acute or rehabilitation hospitals to develop appropriate interventions.
... Reduced time at work also seemed to enable greater possibilities for 'a multitude of interand intragenerational relations of intimacy and sociality' as people spent more time with friends and family (Weeks, 2011: 170). This is a previously demonstrated benefit to WTRs (Akerstedt et al., 2001). ...
This article makes a significant empirical contribution to our understanding of why people in the United Kingdom without childcare responsibilities actively reduce or limit the amount of time they spend in paid employment. We show how the negative aspects of employment (push factors) and the desire to spend time in more varied and enjoyable ways (pull factors) interact to produce decisions to enact working time reductions (WTRs). The push factors include excessive workloads and difficult or tedious tasks which can result in stress and mental exhaustion. For people working non-standard schedules, their lack of control over hours can make it difficult to enjoy the free time that is available. The pull factors we have identified include traumatic experiences such as illness or the early death of a loved one which can lead to an increased awareness of the salience of time. Also important was the desire to develop skills and subjectivities unrelated to work-time identities. An overarching theme in the interviews was the idea that full-time work leads to a loss of autonomy, and a reduction in hours is a route to greater freedom. These motivations are contrasted with understandings of WTRs present in the empirical and predominantly quantitative literature which highlight the structural constraints that often force women in particular into part-time work as a result of childcare responsibilities. An exploration of the motivations of short-hour workers is pertinent, given increasing concern that long hours of work exacerbate multiple social, economic and environmental problems. We suggest that a deeper understanding of why individuals want to work less could help facilitate ‘priming’ campaigns aimed at increasing demand for WTRs more generally.
... Regarding possible interventions to increase health professionals' in uence on their work schedule or to decrease overtime and work hours, several intervention studies have already been conducted. In a study of Akerstedt, et al. [27] the minimizing reduction of working hours per shift with full pay and input of extra personnel resulted in positive social effects and increased employee well-being after one year. In addition, the study results of Kauffeld et al. [28] show that the implementation of a ' exible work-time design' is strongly associated with a lower absenteeism level, higher work quality and increased employee satisfaction with work. ...
Background: The workforce shortage of health professionals is a matter of global concern. Existing work-private life conflicts among health professionals are related to increased stress and burnout symptoms, job dissatisfaction and a higher intention to leave their profession prematurely. Also, poor leadership qualities among direct line managers have been associated with health professionals’ job dissatisfaction and intention to leave in previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed to identify key associated factors of work-private life conflicts and managerial leadership quality among health professionals.
Methods: This study is based on a cross-sectional survey in 26 Swiss acute and rehabilitation hospitals, consisting of 3398 health professionals from various disciplines. For data analysis, multilevel models (with hospitals as the second level variable) were performed for ‘work-private life conflict’ and ‘quality of leadership’, considering significant main effects (using AIC) and significant interactions (using BIC) of potential explanatory variables.
Results: The main findings of this study reveal that the compatibility of health professionals’ work and private life is associated with topics of shift planning, in particular their influence on shift planning (possibility of exchanging shifts, B=-2.87, p=0.000), the extent to which their individual preferences are considered (e.g. working on one specific shift only, B=6.31, p=0.000), number of shifts per weekend (B=1.38, p=0.002) and number of hours per week (B=0.13, p=0.000) that they had to work. In addition, high quantitative demands (B=0.25, p=0.000), being required to hide their emotions (B=0.16, p=0.000) and poor social community at work (B=-0.12, p=0.000) were also related to a severe work-private life conflict. Regarding managerial leadership, health professionals perceived the leadership qualities of their direct line manager as being better if they received more social support (B=0.61, p=0.000) and rewards (B=0.41, p=0.000) at work.
Conclusions: These study results show key components of improving the compatibility of work and private life as well as managerial leadership qualities among health professionals and can help top executives working in acute or rehabilitation hospitals to develop appropriate interventions.
... Regarding possible interventions to increase health professionals' in uence on their work schedule or to decrease overtime and work hours, several intervention studies have already been conducted. In a study by Akerstedt, et al. [29] the minimizing reduction of working hours per shift with full pay and input of extra personnel resulted in positive social effects and increased employee well-being after one ...
Background: The workforce shortage of health professionals is a current concern, with a high level of work-related stress being an important reason why health professionals leave their career prematurely. In particular, incompatibility between work and private life and a lack of leadership qualities among line managers are important factors in health professionals’ satisfaction and health at work. This study therefore aimed to identify key associated factors of work-private life conflicts and of poor managerial leadership quality among health professionals.
Methods: This study is based on a cross-sectional survey in 26 Swiss acute and rehabilitation hospitals, consisting of 3398 health professionals from various disciplines. For data analysis, multilevel models (with hospitals as the second level variable) were performed for ‘work-private life conflict’ and ‘quality of leadership’, considering significant main effects (using AIC) and significant interactions (using BIC) of potential explanatory variables.
Results: The main findings of this study reveal that the compatibility of health professionals’ work and private life is associated with topics of shift planning, specifically regarding their influence on shift planning (possibility of exchanging shifts, β=-2.87, p=0.000), the extent to which their individual preferences are considered (e.g. working in one specific shift only, β=6.31, p=0.000), the number of shifts per weekend (β=1.38, p=0.002) and the number of hours per week (β=0.13, p=0.000) they had to work. In addition, high quantitative demands (β=0.25, p=0.000) as well as being required to hide their emotions (β=0.16, p=0.000) and poor social community at work (β=-0.12, p=0.000) were also related to a severe work-private life conflict. Regarding managerial leadership, health professionals perceived the leadership qualities of their direct line manager as better if they received more social support (β=0.61, p=0.000) and rewards (β=0.41, p=0.000) at work.
Conclusions: These study results show key components of improving the compatibility of work and private life as well as managerial leadership qualities among health professionals and can help top executives working in acute or rehabilitation hospitals to develop appropriate interventions.
... One study among full-time working employees in the public sector, comparing a 25% reduction in work together with retained salary with controls, showed increased quality of sleep as well as less sleepiness and perceived stress (72). Another study found improved sleep quality with 6-h working days compared with 8-h working days (73). ...
Objective: An increase in numbers of cases of sick leave due to stress have been reported from several European countries during recent decades. Chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder is associated with physiological and neurobiological perturbations that may contribute to cognitive problems and long-term exhaustion. Rehabilitation of patients with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder is therefore challenging. This narrative review summarizes the evidence regarding the effectiveness of different interventions for the rehabilitation of patients with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder.
Methods: Both structured and unstructured searches of research studies and reports were performed in order to find knowledge sources. The structured search had 2 predefined inclusion criteria: (i) chronic
stress-induced exhaustion/clinical burnout/severe burnout/stress-induced exhaustion; and (ii) rehabil-itation with improvement of symptoms and/or
return to work as outcomes.
Results: Cognitive behavioural interventions and multimodal interventions seem to reduce symptoms. Workplace interventions, either work-focused cognitive behavioural or workplace dialogue, seem to improve return to work. Sleep is important for both symptom improvement and return to work, and interventions for improving sleep might therefore be important. For improvement of cognitive function, which is a main complaint among patients with chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder, aerobic and cognitive training may have some effect.
Conclusion: In summary, the few studies of high-quality that examine interventions for rehabilitation of chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder show only marginal effects. Thus, it is important to prevent the onset of chronic stress-induced exhaustion disorder.
... (e.g. Åkerstedt, Olsson, Ingre, Holmgren, & Kecklund, 2001;Barck-Holst, Nilsonne, Åkerstedt, & Hellgren, 2017)? It is these issues that the papers our symposium will take into account when discussing the future of HRM theories in the digital era. ...
HRM challenges arise due to a changing technology-enabled labor market. One of such challenges is a rise in flexible working arrangements. In the Netherlands, for example, a rise occurred from 13,6% flexible work arrangements in 2003 to 21,2% flexible work arrangements in 2015 (Bolhaar, Brouwers, & Scheer, 2016). Due to these developments, organizations become ever changing constitutions that need to quickly adapt to internal and external flexible environments. As organizations become more fluid, the need to consider HRM as an adaptive open system becomes more apparent. Configurational theory
applied to HRM has been suggested to provide this system approach. In this contribution, we first challenge the extent to which it has been able to do so till now. Secondly, we argue that in times of rapid HR changes, the configurational theory is the theoretical paradigm to address fluid, flex and quick dynamics of HR management. Finally, we question the adaptability of the current use of configurational HRM and suggest a way forward to reap the benefits of an adaptive holistic approach embedded in this theory. We start by tracing back the essence of the configurational mode of theorizing in HRM.
... Total workload and recovery in relation to worktime reduction: a randomised controlled intervention study with time-use data Workplace time for recovery and social activities. 10 However, to retrospectively estimate time spent in specific activities in questionnaires may give inaccurate estimates, and an alternative measurement strategy would be to collect time-use data through activity reporting sheets in diaries. The present paper is the first to investigate whether total workload (including both paid and non-paid work) decreases and recovery time increases when work hours are reduced. ...
Objectives
A 25% reduction of weekly work hours for full-time employees has been shown to improve sleep and alertness and reduce stress during both workdays and days off. The aim of the present study was to investigate how employees use their time during such an intervention: does total workload (paid and non-paid work) decrease, and recovery time increase, when work hours are reduced?
Methods
Full-time employees within the public sector (n=636; 75% women) were randomised into intervention group and control group. The intervention group (n=370) reduced worktime to 75% with preserved salary during 18 months. Data were collected at baseline, after 9 months and 18 months. Time-use was reported every half-hour daily between 06:00 and 01:00 during 1 week at each data collection. Data were analysed with multilevel mixed modelling.
Results
Compared with the control group, the intervention group increased the time spent on domestic work and relaxing hobby activities during workdays when worktime was reduced (P≤0.001). On days off, more time was spent in free-time activities (P=0.003). Total workload decreased (−65 min) and time spent in recovery activities increased on workdays (+53 min). The pattern of findings was similar in subgroups defined by gender, family status and job situation.
Conclusions
A worktime reduction of 25% for full-time workers resulted in decreased total workload and an increase of time spent in recovery activities, which is in line with the suggestion that worktime reduction may be beneficial for long-term health and stress.
... The control group had no significant changes in frequency but had a significant increase in duration of absence. Akerstedt, Olsson, Ingre, Holmgren, and Kecklund (2001) investigated the effect of reducing a 39-hour work week to 30 hours on health and well-being. Person-hours spent working were kept constant by employing new staff. ...
The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between work hours and sickness absence: is a higher number of work hours associated with better or with adverse health? A systematic literature review was performed by searching Medline, PsychInfo, and Web of Science. All abstracts were screened to identify papers that empirically investigated the relationship between work hours and sickness absence in a working population. A total of 1072 papers were identified, and 70 papers were included in this review. A simple measure of the strength of effects was applied, and the findings are summarised in narrative form. Evidence supporting a relationship between sickness absence and working part-time or work hours as a continuous variable was inconclusive. These inconclusive findings might be due to heterogeneity in the operationalisation of key variables or to publication bias. Support for a negative relationship between long work hours and sickness absence was moderately strong. Possible explanations for this include the healthy worker selection effect, differences in job characteristics, and differences in job motivation. Empirical testing of these explanations, however, has been limited. Our findings indicate that employers should monitor employee health in times of high work pressure, even if sickness absence is low.
... The length of the working week was investigated in three studies [27,39,43] in Table 2. Two of the studies investigated the effects of long working hours while the third focused on a reduction from 39 to 30 h per week. In the study by Eriksen et al., working longer than 36 h per week was not related to poor sleep. ...
... In the Nordic countries, RWH interventions have been introduced to improve employee health. [34][35][36][37][38][39] The RWH condition involved a corresponding reduction of full-time weekly hours, from 40 to 37.5 hours per week, but without mandatory PE. For employees working part time, the time allocated to PE and RWH was set to, as closely as possible, equal the same proportional reduction (6.25%). ...
... In the Nordic countries, RWH interventions have been introduced to improve employee health. [34][35][36][37][38][39] The RWH condition involved a corresponding reduction of full-time weekly hours, from 40 to 37.5 hours per week, but without mandatory PE. For employees working part time, the time allocated to PE and RWH was set to, as closely as possible, equal the same proportional reduction (6.25%). ...
To investigate the effects of physical exercise during work hours (PE) and reduced work hours (RWH) on direct and indirect costs associated with sickness absence (SA).
Sickness absence and related costs at six workplaces, matched and randomized to three conditions (PE, RWH, and referents), were retrieved from company records and/or estimated using salary conversion methods or value-added equations on the basis of interview data.
Although SA days decreased in all conditions (PE, 11.4%; RWH, 4.9%; referents, 15.9%), costs were reduced in the PE (22.2%) and RWH (4.9%) conditions but not among referents (10.2% increase).
Worksite health interventions may generate savings in SA costs. Costs may not be linear to changes in SA days. Combing the friction method with indirect cost estimates on the basis of value-added productivity may help illuminate both direct and indirect SA costs.
Zusammenfassung
Dieser Beitrag behandelt die Auswirkungen der Arbeitszeitgestaltung auf Gesundheit, Sicherheit und Work-Life-Balance der Beschäftigten und fasst Erkenntnisse aus über 100 Jahren Forschung zusammen. So erhöhen lange Arbeitszeiten das Unfallrisiko erheblich und führen zu chronischer Ermüdung sowie gesundheitlichen Problemen wie Schlaganfall und Herzkrankheiten. Arbeit zu biologisch ungünstigen Zeiten, etwa nachts, stört den Biorhythmus und führt zu Leistungsabfall, Müdigkeit und einem höheren Unfallrisiko. Gesetzlich vorgeschriebene Mindestruhezeiten von 11 Stunden reichen dabei oft nicht aus, um die notwendige Erholung sicherzustellen. Regelmäßige Pausen während der Arbeit sind entscheidend zur Reduzierung von Ermüdung und Unfällen. Unregelmäßige und atypische Arbeitszeiten, wie Abend- und Wochenendarbeit, beeinträchtigen darüber hinaus und in Kombination das soziale Leben und das Wohlbefinden. Anschließend werden Empfehlungen für die praktische Umsetzung im Sinne einer ergonomischen Arbeitszeitgestaltung formuliert: Schichtpläne sollten ergonomisch gestaltet sein, etwa durch kurze Nachtschichtzyklen und ausreichend lange Erholungszeiten. Eine flexible Arbeitszeitgestaltung kann die Work-Life-Balance verbessern, muss jedoch gut geplant werden. Dies unterstreicht die Bedeutung einer wissenschaftlich fundierten Arbeitszeitgestaltung für die Gesundheit der Beschäftigten und den langfristigen Erhalt der Arbeitsfähigkeit
Labour markets influence the way we produce and consume, thus playing an important role for both human wellbeing and the environment. Implementing labour market changes could help fulfil people’s needs within planetary boundaries. This would require an integrated understanding of social-ecological issues. However, despite the EU just transition’s aim to address the social impacts of environmental policies, efforts to create a greener and more equal society are often fragmented.
To enable a more preventive approach that adequately tackles the interactions of social and ecological challenges, the debate on sustainable welfare has advocated for integrated, eco-social policies. This CEPS In-Depth Analysis report explores the potential of three different policies to create more sustainable labour markets that enhance human wellbeing within planetary boundaries: Working Time Reduction, Universal Basic Income and Universal Basic Services.
Combining desk research with an expert focus group, the report finds that eco-social policies could have the large potential to lead to beneficial outcomes in both environmental and social areas. Yet these benefits depend on the specific policies, their design and how they are combined with each other. For example, there were doubts about the feasibility and desirability of Universal Basic Income but more agreement on the advantages of Working Time Reduction and Universal Basic Services. Overall, the findings suggest the need for further research into their specific consumption-related effects and potential policy design.
Zusammenfassung
Dieser Beitrag stellt die Evaluierung einer Arbeitszeitverkürzung auf 30 h/Woche mit Lohnausgleich in einer Online-Marketingagentur in Österreich vor. Mit einem Methodenmix aus objektiven Zeiterfassungsdaten, der quantitativen Auswertung zweier Online-Umfragen ein und vier Jahre nach der Umstellung (n = 24 und n = 27) sowie qualitativer Fokusgruppeninterviews wurden die Effekte der Arbeitszeitverkürzung auf die Zufriedenheit, Gesundheit, Work-Life-Balance und Belastung der Beschäftigten untersucht. Über 90 % der Befragten waren auch vier Jahre nach der Umstellung zufriedener mit ihrer Arbeitszeit und berichteten eine verbesserte Work-Life-Balance. Ebenso verbrachten knapp 90 % der Befragten mehr Zeit mit der Familie und mit Hobbys. Etwa 2/3 der Befragten wendeten mehr Zeit für gesunde Ernährung auf und 40 % schliefen länger. Die Arbeitsaufgaben konnten dabei ohne zu hohe Belastung oder Ermüdung erledigt werden. Die Arbeitszeitverkürzung wurde durch ein früheres Arbeitsende Montag bis Donnerstag realisiert, Arbeitspausen wurden dabei weiterhin genommen. Arbeitszeitmodelle mit kürzeren Wochenarbeitszeiten können demnach den Beschäftigten Möglichkeiten bieten, Anforderungen wie Kinderbetreuung, Weiterbildung oder Auszeiten besser mit dem Arbeitsleben zu vereinbaren.
Praktische Relevanz
Die vorliegende Evaluierungsstudie zeigt, dass kürzere Arbeitszeiten auch langfristig zu positiven Effekten auf Work-Life Balance und Gesundheit der Belegschaft führen können. Die Diskussion förderlicher und hinderlicher Rahmenbedingungen soll die Umsetzung in die Praxis erleichtern.
Work time reductions (WTRs) may contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. We analysed Swiss stakeholders’ perceptions of the effects of WTRs and their support for measures to implement them. It is assumed that public support will play a significant role in putting WTRs into practice.There is some scientific evidence that work time reductions (WTRs) have beneficial ecological, social, and economic effects that could contribute to a transition to a post-growth society. However, little research has been conducted on whether the occurrence of such desired effects is acknowledged: Do they form part of the public debate and is there any public support for WTRs? We conducted a two-round survey among Swiss stakeholder groups (N = 51/28) to identify what effects they believe WTRs have, and what measures to implement WTRs they would be most likely to support. Stakeholders perceived WTRs to have several beneficial social and economic effects, including effects that are relevant for a transition to a post-growth society. However, they did not assume that ecological effects occur. Measures voluntarily implemented on an organisational level by businesses were more popular than those implemented on a national policy or social partnership level. Certain incremental measures and/or those that are merely conducive to WTRs were uncontested. Other more direct and extensive measures were predominantly supported, but not uncontested.
The effects of reducing working hours on well-being at work and productivity have been the subject of debate in Finland. Although working time can be reduced in many ways, the options, and effects of reducing working time vary from one sector to another. Reduced working time can be very suitable for voluntary part-time workers or older workers, for example, and can already be agreed at the individual level in the workplaces in Finland. On the other hand, it is known that no major experiments at the organisational level have been scientifically published in Finland since the turn of the millennium.
The aim of this scoping review was to find out the effects of experiments with shorter working hours at the organisational level on health, well-being at work and productivity. A total of 109 references were found using four databases and a supplementary search. The inclusion criteria were original publication in Finnish/English/Swedish/German, an intervention study/trial on working time reduction at the workplace or organisation level, and a full-text available. We found ten peer-reviewed quantitative and four qualitative studies on working time reduction, as well as nine reported but non-peer-reviewed experiments on working time reduction. The results were summarised and tabulated narratively.
According to the results, reduced working hours were generally associated with greater job satisfaction, but on also with experiences of work intensification. A 20–25 percent reduction in working hours with full pay improved perceived sleep quality, and in some studies, sleep duration, as well as work-life balance and reduced work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. The evidence on the impact on sickness absence is scarce and mixed. Some studies have been able to reduce working hours without reducing productivity, but the number of studies is still very small.
It is concluded that the usefulness of the information gathered from working hour reduction trials is limited by the insufficient number of employees in the trials and other weaknesses in the study designs and methods, such as the selection of companies or organisations, short follow-up period of the interventions, and often lack of a comparison or control group. Assessing the well-being, health, and economic effects of reduced working time would require controlled follow-up studies with a sufficiently large and representative sample, and the use of a wider range of measures, including work productivity.
Wild blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) are among eastern Canada's most economically important crops. Despite this, the industry faces significant labor shortages required to harvest the over 69 000 ha of wild blueberry land each year. Automation of the wild blueberry is among the leading areas of wild blueberry research. The requirement to automate several different aspects of the harvester means that at present an operator is still required in the tractor. To determine the impacts that automation features have on an operator, and to assess the potential to replace skilled operators with unskilled ones, heart and respiration rates were monitored across various automatic, semi-automatic and manual harvesting conditions. Across both years of the study, the skilled operator experienced a 13.83% decrease in average heart rate under the fully automated condition versus the fully manual condition. Similarly, the new operator experienced a 19.03% decrease in average heart rate for the same scenario. While a conclusive determination cannot be made due to the significant interaction effect, it was likewise interesting to note that the skilled operator seemed to benefit more from the automated head adjustment while the new operator seemed to benefit more from the autosteer. Respiration rate data did not yield a conclusive trend, though the highest respiration rates were seen under the fully manual harvesting condition in all but the 2022 new operator data. In all, this study lays significant groundwork in the justification of automation for addressing the skilled labour shortage and for the eventual full automation of the wild blueberry harvester.
The article examines a significant array of the scientific works devoted to different aspects of the working time dynamics. The conclusion is made that the main measure of this dynamics is the average number of hours worked per worker. This indicator can be used for analysis of all periods of labor activity including seniority. It is stated that the research on the problem shows a long-run trend of working time reduction. The works devoted to the topic also consider other factors affecting length of work: increase of labor productivity, influence of income effect and substitution effect on individual labor supply, motivation of employers, role of trade unions and collective bargaining, labor legislation. There are presented approaches to explanation of differences in the dynamics of working time in the USA and in West Europe. It is taken into account that the working time reduction during the past decades is characterized as one of the preconditions of pension reforms. There are considered works that contain analysis of the effects caused by the changes in working time length, including their impact on workers' health, work-life balance, gender inequality, unemployment rate, labor productivity, environment, perception the life as happy. The article shows a significant interest of researchers to perspectives of the working time dynamics in the context of analysis of J. M. Keynes's prediction about switch to 3-hour shifts by 2030. It is stated that the problem of perspectives of the working time dynamics is becoming one of the key issues in discussing the concept of Universal Basic Income. The article notes the attention of researchers to experiments on the working day reduction to 6 hours.
Po dziesiątkach lat stopniowego skracania czasu pracy w ostatnich latach dały się zauważyć oznaki odwrotnej tendencji. W odpowiedzi na to zjawisko związki zawodowe podtrzymują swoją historyczną misję stopniowej redukcji czasu pracy. Celem niniejszego podręcznika jest rozwinięcie przedmiotowej debaty poprzez omówienie, dlaczego warto dążyć do skrócenia czasu pracy oraz w jaki sposób należy je przeprowadzić. Oczywistym jest, że efektywność zmian w zakresie skrócenia czasu pracy zależy od sposobu ich wprowadzenia. Skuteczność rozmaitych rozwiązań przedstawiono w oparciu o autentyczne eksperymenty. Przegląd powodów leżących u podstaw redukcji czasu pracy, różne sposoby wprowadzenia tego postulatu w życie oraz analiza pięciu zwięzłych studiów przypadku tworzą podstawę do przeprowadzenia bardzo potrzebnej debaty o
tym, jak najlepiej zaprojektować taki model skrócenia czasu pracy, który wytrzyma próbę czasu.
Does working time affect workers’ health behavior and health? We study this question in the context of a French reform that reduced the standard workweek from 39 to 35 hours, at constant earnings. Our empirical analysis exploits arguably exogenous variation in the reduction of working time across employers due to the reform. We find that the shorter workweek reduced smoking by six percentage points, corresponding to 16 percent of the baseline mean. The reform also appears to have lowered BMI and increased self-reported health, but these effects are imprecisely estimated in the overall sample. A heterogeneity analysis provides suggestive evidence that while the impact on smoking was concentrated among blue-collar workers, body mass index decreased only among white-collar workers. These results suggest that policies which reduce working time could potentially lead to important health benefits.
Weniger ist mehr: Gilt dieses Motto auch für unsere Erwerbsarbeitszeit? Mit dem vorliegenden Bericht beleuchten
wir die Frage, inwiefern Anstrengungen zur Reduktion der Erwerbsarbeitszeit für die Schweiz eine mögliche, suffizienz-
orientierte Transformationsstrategie im Sinne einer Nachhaltigen Entwicklung darstellen könnten. Mittels eines
umfassenden Literaturreviews erörtern wir, welche ökologischen, individuellen, gesellschaftlichen und wirtschaftlichen
Effekte in Zusammenhang mit Erwerbsarbeitszeit aktuell diskutiert werden, und welche Implikationen sich daraus für
unterschiedliche Handlungsebenen in der Schweiz ergeben. Eingangs zeigen wir das Verhältnis von bezahlter und
unbezahlter Arbeit auf, stellen Trends in der Wichtigkeit von Erwerbsarbeit für die Bevölkerung dar und reissen das
Problem an, dass die Schweiz auf die Einkommen aus Erwerbsarbeit als Steueraufkommen angewiesen ist. Im Hauptteil
untersuchen wir die sogenannte «dreifache Dividende»; das Versprechen, dass eine Erwerbsarbeitszeit-Reduktion
als Transformationsstrategie ökologische, soziale und ökonomische Probleme lösen könnte. Wir argumentieren erstens,
dass eine Erwerbsarbeitszeitreduktion das Potential birgt, die Treibhausgasemissionen der Wirtschaft zu senken,
während zweitens gleichzeitig das Wohlbefinden der Bevölkerung gefördert werden könnte. Drittens könnte eine Erwerbsarbeitszeitreduktion
dem Problem der steigenden Arbeitslosigkeit entgegentreten, welche durch die Stagnation
des Wirtschaftswachstums in Kombination mit dem technologischen Fortschritt entsteht. Wir skizzieren anschliessend
Ansatzpunkte einer sozial-ökologischen Arbeitszeitpolitik für die Schweiz. Wir erhoffen uns mit dem vorliegenden
Arbeitspapier einen Beitrag zu einer Debatte um einen Alternativentwurf einer gerechteren und klimaneutralen Gesellschaft
sowie einer funktionierenden Wirtschaft zu leisten.
Stress has been reported among Swedish social workers for over a decade. Survey data from a longitudinal quasi-experimental trial in the public sector of reduced working hours, with a proportional decrease in workload and retained full pay, were used to examine the effect on stress, symptoms of Exhaustion syndrome, psychosocial work characteristics and work–life balance in social workers. Reduced working hours had a positive effect on restorative sleep, stress, memory difficulties, negative emotion, sleepiness, fatigue and exhaustion both on workdays and weekends; on sleep quality on weekends; and on demands, instrumental manager support and work intrusion on private life.
This chapter reviews the current evidence and possibilities to promote older workers’ job retention and health by working hour patterns. Epidemiological studies indicate that shift work, poor possibilities to influence working hours and exceptionally long working hours (>55–60 h) increase sickness absence, morbidity and disability pensions. Working hours are also associated with work-life balance and general work satisfaction. Different characteristics of working hours are related with attitudes and decisions to extend work career after the normal retirement age. Especially the possibilities to influence personal working hours can be seen as a positive option to regulate work load and to increase the attractiveness of working life while ageing. Older people with disabilities or those with decreased work ability can often benefit from part-time work or partial sick leave to maintain sufficient work ability. Intervention studies are only few but they also support the conclusion that improvements in shift ergonomics and possibilities to influence working hours improve health and well-being. Considering the increase of individual differences according to ageing, the promotion of health and work ability of the heterogeneous older work force should be based on individual working hour and other solutions.
An industrial assembly task known to imply a high risk for shoulder-neck disorders was simulated in the laboratory. Eight females (aged 22-32 years) were trained to manage industrial work pace (120 according to the methods-time measurement system, MTM). They carried out seven work protocols at different days with different combinations of work pace (120 or 100 MTM), break allowance (20 min of active or passive breaks added every 2 h), and duration of the working day (2, 4 or 6 h). During 6 h of work at 120 MTM the electromyographic (EMG) amplitude from the upper trapezius muscle increased by about 11%, the EMG zero crossing rate decreased by about 2.5%, and perceived fatigue increased by about 4 CR10 scale units. When work pace was reduced to 100 MTM, the upper trapezius EMG amplitude decreased by 20% and became less variable. Heart rate decreased by about 10 bpm, perceived fatigue decreased by about 1 CR10 scale units, and shoulder tenderness was reduced by about 5%. However, the work task could still not be performed in a physiological steady state. Added breaks, whether active or passive, had no apparent effects on upper trapezius load during work or on physiological responses. Recovery of EMG, maximal strength, heart rate and blood pressure sensitivity, and tenderness was complete 4 h after work, independent of the preceding work conditions. These findings suggest that a limitation of the daily duration of assembly work may be more effective in limiting acute fatigue than reduced work pace or increased break allowance.
The European Community Directive on Working Time, which should have been implemented in member states of the European Community by November 1996, contains several requirements related to working hours, including the right of employees to refuse to work more than 48 hours a week. The United Kingdom government attempted to oppose the Directive, arguing that there is no convincing evidence that hours of work should be limited on health and safety grounds. Much of the research in this area has focused on the problems of shiftworking and previous reviews have therefore tended to emphasise this aspect of working hours. However, there is much less information about the effects of overtime work, which is a central element of the terms of the Directive. This paper reviews the current evidence relating to the potential effects on health and performance of extensions to the normal working day. Several gaps in the literature are identified. Research to date has been restricted to a limited range of health outcomes--namely, mental health and cardiovascular disorders. Other potential effects which are normally associated with stress--for example, gastrointestinal disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, and problems associated with depression of the immune system, have received little attention. Also, there have been few systematic investigations of performance effects, and little consideration of the implications for occupational exposure limits of extensions to the working day. Existing data relate largely to situations where working hours exceed 50 a week and there is a lack of information on hours below this level, which is of direct relevance to the European Community proposal. Finally, it is clear from investigations relating to shiftwork that a range of modifying factors are likely to influence the level and nature of health and performance outcomes. These include the attitudes and motivation of the people concerned, the job requirements, and other aspects of the organisational and cultural climate. It is concluded that there is currently sufficient evidence to raise concerns about the risks to health and safety of long working hours. However, much more work is required to define the level and nature of those risks.
The length of daily working hours as a risk factor for the development of musculoskeletal complaints was studied by comparing the sick leave statistics of 408 sewing machine operators on full-time schedules (8 h working day) with 210 operators on part-time schedules (5 h working day). Working part-time was shown to postpone the occurrence of sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders by approximately half a year. There was no lasting effect on the reduction in working hours on sick leave due to shoulder-neck complaints, but a reduction in low back complaints was indicated. It is suggested that any reorganization of work activities to counteract musculoskeletal injuries from repetitive work should aim to break up the muscular activity patterns over time periods considerably shorter than the 5 h working day of the part-time workers in the present study.
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Halsa och valbefinnande i samband med permanent nattarbete och tvaskift. En studie av fysiologiska och psykologiska effekter av nattarbete och tvaskift, respektive vilka individegenskaper avgor om man attraheras av nattarbete
- G Kecklund
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- T Akerstedt
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