Better planning can reduce sickness absence among shift workers

Jarno Turunen, senior specialist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and M.Sc. (Econ), has investigated the effects of shift work characteristics on the sickness absence of shift workers in his doctoral dissertation at the Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics, Finland.

According to the study, shift planning can be used as a means to reduce employee sickness absence. The findings encourage increasing shift workers’ influence on their working hours while also taking into account the health effects of working hour characteristics in shift work.

Shift work is a necessary evil, particularly in safety-critical sectors such as health care. In his doctoral dissertation, Turunen investigates the effects of increasing shift workers’ influence over their working hours on working hour characteristics and sickness absence. Additionally, the study evaluates the impact of legislative changes that reduced short shift intervals (less than 11 hours) on sickness absence.

The study approaches the working hour characteristics from the perspective of the economics of sickness absence. Sickness absence is seen as an individual choice influenced by both employers and society. This choice is shaped by the balance between work and free time, as well as by health and its associated limitations.

“Sickness absence is a significant issue in Finnish public health care. Reducing it is essential for ensuring services as well as managing costs. Addressing sickness absence can also help mitigate the looming labor shortage in the long term. The working hour characteristics of shift work are one managerial tool that can influence sickness absence,” says Turunen.

The empirical studies in the dissertation demonstrate that so-called participatory shift scheduling, which increases employees’ influence over their schedules, leads to reduced sickness absence at the team level. However, individuals may design ergonomically unfavorable shifts, which can lead to increased illness over time.

“It is reasonable to aim to promote opportunities for influence in shift scheduling. Increased opportunities for influence led to a 7% reduction in short-term sickness absence compared to work units that continued manager-led planning. Additionally, it is known that opportunities for influence enhance the attractiveness and retention of work,” explains Turunen.

“However, both the employee and their supervisor responsible for scheduling should consider the health impacts of shift work. Modern shift planning software makes it possible to take the health effects of shift combinations into account.”

The most recent empirical sub-study evaluates the effects of the Working Hours Act, which came into force at the beginning of 2020. The legislative amendment guaranteed employees working irregular shifts at least 11 consecutive hours of uninterrupted rest during the 24 hours following the start of each shift. The results indicate that the reform reduced sickness absences among employees whose working hours were affected by the change.

“Shift work cannot be eliminated, but its harmful aspects and their impacts can be mitigated. Sickness absences have increased in health care in recent years, but with the legislative amendment, sickness absences decreased by 13% in units that adjusted their working hours compared to units where work schedules remained unchanged.”

The study utilizes work hour records from tens of thousands of shift workers employed in hospital districts between 2014 and 2021. This dataset is globally unique and enables extensive research on working hours and health.

“The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health is one of the world’s most esteemed institutions producing research on working hours and health. It has been a privilege to work as part of a team of top experts, bringing a fresh perspective from a different scientific discipline. At the same time, we produced entirely new research evidence on everyday working life,” says Turunen.

The findings of the dissertation can be applied to the planning and development of irregular shift work. Beneficiaries include employees, supervisors, and shift scheduling software providers, as well as decision-makers at both the national level and in welfare regions.

Jarno Turunen, senior specialist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and M.Sc. (Econ), has investigated the effects of shift work characteristics on the sickness absence of shift workers in his doctoral dissertation at the Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics, Finland.

According to the study, shift planning can be used as a means to reduce employee sickness absence. The findings encourage increasing shift workers’ influence on their working hours while also taking into account the health effects of working hour characteristics in shift work.

Shift work is a necessary evil, particularly in safety-critical sectors such as health care. In his doctoral dissertation, Turunen investigates the effects of increasing shift workers’ influence over their working hours on working hour characteristics and sickness absence. Additionally, the study evaluates the impact of legislative changes that reduced short shift intervals (less than 11 hours) on sickness absence.

The study approaches the working hour characteristics from the perspective of the economics of sickness absence. Sickness absence is seen as an individual choice influenced by both employers and society. This choice is shaped by the balance between work and free time, as well as by health and its associated limitations.

“Sickness absence is a significant issue in Finnish public health care. Reducing it is essential for ensuring services as well as managing costs. Addressing sickness absence can also help mitigate the looming labor shortage in the long term. The working hour characteristics of shift work are one managerial tool that can influence sickness absence,” says Turunen.

The empirical studies in the dissertation demonstrate that so-called participatory shift scheduling, which increases employees’ influence over their schedules, leads to reduced sickness absence at the team level. However, individuals may design ergonomically unfavorable shifts, which can lead to increased illness over time.

“It is reasonable to aim to promote opportunities for influence in shift scheduling. Increased opportunities for influence led to a 7% reduction in short-term sickness absence compared to work units that continued manager-led planning. Additionally, it is known that opportunities for influence enhance the attractiveness and retention of work,” explains Turunen.

“However, both the employee and their supervisor responsible for scheduling should consider the health impacts of shift work. Modern shift planning software makes it possible to take the health effects of shift combinations into account.”

The most recent empirical sub-study evaluates the effects of the Working Hours Act, which came into force at the beginning of 2020. The legislative amendment guaranteed employees working irregular shifts at least 11 consecutive hours of uninterrupted rest during the 24 hours following the start of each shift. The results indicate that the reform reduced sickness absences among employees whose working hours were affected by the change.

“Shift work cannot be eliminated, but its harmful aspects and their impacts can be mitigated. Sickness absences have increased in health care in recent years, but with the legislative amendment, sickness absences decreased by 13% in units that adjusted their working hours compared to units where work schedules remained unchanged.”

The study utilizes work hour records from tens of thousands of shift workers employed in hospital districts between 2014 and 2021. This dataset is globally unique and enables extensive research on working hours and health.

“The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health is one of the world’s most esteemed institutions producing research on working hours and health. It has been a privilege to work as part of a team of top experts, bringing a fresh perspective from a different scientific discipline. At the same time, we produced entirely new research evidence on everyday working life,” says Turunen.

The findings of the dissertation can be applied to the planning and development of irregular shift work. Beneficiaries include employees, supervisors, and shift scheduling software providers, as well as decision-makers at both the national level and in welfare regions.