The Significance of Shift Work: Current Status and Future Directions

Abstract

Family life, Mental health, Physical health, Shift work,

Limited Access: Disparities in Flexible Work Schedules and Work-at-home

“…Alternatively, having flexibility may lead individuals to increase their work hours to the extent flexibility allows more porous boundaries between work and personal life (Kossek et al 2005). That night shift times provide less flexible start and end times than day or evening shifts suggests that the latter hold more promise for parents attempting to manage child care coverage with non-overlapping or tag-team shift work (Hattery 2001;Perrucci et al 2007;Presser 2003). Finally, local government employment diminishes access for both women and men.…”

“…Available evidence suggests that when employers permit more flexible timing of work schedules, employees' satisfaction with their job, work shift and work-family balance tends to be higher (Baltes et al 1999;Christensen and Staines 1990;Haddock et al 2006;Hill et al 2001;Krausz and Hermann 1991;Perrucci et al 2007). Boundary theory, border theory and flexibility enactment theory (Ashford et al 2000;Kossek et al 2005) all imply that more flexible scheduling may permit better integration of work and home roles, even when working long hours (Hill et al 2001), depending on how well the associated boundaries are managed (Hyland 2004;Kossek et al, 2005;Scandura and Lankau 1997).…”

“…Flexible daily work scheduling may help relieve the daily pressure points that arise when work and family responsibilities regularly conflict often and, thus, facilitate work-life integration, workfamily balance or work and life satisfaction for those who have multiple roles; such as, caregivers (Bailyn et al 2001;Glass 2004;Kossek et al 2005;Lewis 2003;Tausig and Fenwick 2001). Indeed, the timing of work also has bearing on marital quality, child development and family stress (Perry-Jenkins et al 2000;Perrucci et al 2007;Presser 2003;Weagley et al 2007).…”

It doesn't always add up: examining dual-earner couples' decision to off-shift

“…This finding supports the suggestion made by Barnett et al (2008) that it is adapting to unpredictable or undesirable changes in work schedules that family who experience non-standard work find challenging, and not the actual hours individuals work. Control over hours may buffer the negative effects of shift work on individuals and families as suggested by Perrucci et al (2007). The families in this study were highly adaptable and able to find innovative ways to remain connected despite a lack of time together.…”

Are Rich Earners Time-Privileged in Taiwan? The Evidence from 1981 to 2006

“…Supporting this inequality-hours hypothesis, Bell and Freeman (2001) showed that in both countries hours worked is positively related to earnings inequality in cross-section occupational contracts, and that hours worked raises future wages and promotional prospects based on longitudinal data. On the other hand, Perrucci et al (2007) provided another viewpoint that the 8-hour, 5-day work week has given way to longer workdays and workweeks, resulting in U.S. workers having significantly more hours at work than their counterparts in other industrialized economies. Moreover, Isgut et al (2006) found that high-income Canadians take considerably more weeks of vacation per year than their American counterparts and are less likely to work long workweeks.…”