Exploring Night Work: Increased Customization Required to Address Complaints

Companies can do more to support their night-time workers. RIVM and research institute TNO have conducted a study into the 1.2 million night workers in the Netherlands. One of the conclusions from their report: employers can and must tailor their work to reduce the negative consequences.

It has been known for some time that night workers run a higher risk of sleeping problems, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The researchers have now looked at how employees themselves experience working night shifts.

Jeroen works at the Chemours chemical factory, where he also has to work night shifts. Especially around 5 a.m. it can get tough:

Negative consequences of night work include physical and mental complaints. For example, night workers are more often tired and their different rhythms mean they experience less room for social activities. There are also positive points: surcharges and the peace and atmosphere at night are perceived as an advantage.

The study did not examine what is more important for night workers, the advantages or the disadvantages. According to lead researcher Karin Proper, the results of the study nevertheless provide insight into the impact of night shifts.

“The night worker does not exist,” concludes Proper. “We know that night work entails health risks, but this study shows different experiences. It could also have been that everyone finds night work tiring and stressful, or that people do not experience any complaints. That picture appears to be mixed.”

An interesting finding, according to Proper, is that understanding and support from the environment are important for night workers. This applies not only to the perceived burden, but especially to the work-life balance. “Part of the respondents say they receive insufficient support from their environment, while another group indicates that it is precisely through support that the negative consequences of night work can be reduced.”

According to Proper, support and understanding of the environment should include a partner who ensures that there is peace in the house in the morning when a night worker just comes home. Or friends who understand that you cannot be present at a birthday due to fatigue or a night shift.

Sectors in which people often work at night are logistics, healthcare and industry. In all sectors, night workers have a higher risk of occupational accidents: one and a half times as high as employees without night work.

Night workers run a (slightly) smaller risk of other side effects, such as burnout complaints and chronic illnesses, than people who never work at night. According to the researchers, this may be due to the fact that the group of night workers who persist in working at night is relatively healthy.

The researchers also looked at why people work at night. Both employers and employees give the most common reason that work must be done immediately. This concerns, for example, work in healthcare, with the police, fire brigade or security.

Other important reasons for night work, according to employers, are the achievement of production targets and the fact that machines have to run 24 hours a day, as in industry.

How someone values ​​night work depends mainly on the perceived health effects. People who function well appreciate night work. But there are also people who experience night work as less pleasant, for example because it is difficult for them to sleep during the day after a night shift, especially in the summer months.

To limit the negative consequences of night work, employees have been asked for solutions. They came up with proposals such as limiting work tasks in the event of a high workload. They also propose alternative transport to get home safely, or an overnight stay in a hotel.

Employers can also contribute, says researcher Proper: “You can think of information, a course, adjusted nutrition, or adjusted sleep. Think, for example, of a power nap that can be introduced.”