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This Suggests That The Optimal Shift Patterns Are Those Which Reflect Natural ...

This suggests that the optimal shift patterns are those which reflect natural circadian rhythms, and so there is a real need to identify strategies for those who must work outside this pattern.
Night work in particular is associated with increased subjective and objective sleepiness (Akerstedt, 2003). It can take two, three or more periods of ‘normal' sleep patterns to resolve this (Akerstedt, 2003), which has significance for employees and employers in terms of rostering. Another associated set of lifestyle risk factors are identified difficulties in maintaining the usual relationships both at family and social level, with consequent negative influences on marital relations, care of children and social contacts (Costa, 1996). Sleepiness or disturbed sleep can impact on all these areas of personal and social life (Akerstedt, 2003). Disturbed or problematic home and social life is likely to have a detrimental effect on job performance.
Shift work has been shown to have particular influences on women's health, illness and reproductive function (Costa, 1996). Bisanti et al (1996) suggest that shift work is associated with various unfavourable pregnancy outcomes, including pregnancy loss, spontaneous abortion and low birth weight.The suggested underlying mechanism is the interference of shift work with the circadian regulation of human metabolism and, in particular, with the temporal pattern of endocrine function Bisanti et al (1996). Scott (2000) supports this finding, and further, associates shift work with the development of clinical depression in vulnerable individuals. MacDonald et al (2003) found that job stressors and fatigue had some effects on psychological wellbeing.
The attrition rate for shift workers is high, with about 20% leaving post within a short period of time (Costa, 1996). For those who remain in post, in shift work, there is evidence of different levels of adaptation and tolerance, with different manifestations and degrees of intensity. All of these factors are important when considering how to manage shift working patterns, workloads and rotas. While there are a number of managerial strategies which can be employed to minimise the effects of shift working and maximise the efficiency of workers, it is vital to remember that there are individual responses to shift working patterns. Costa (1996) suggests that the effects of shift working can vary widely among the shift workers in relation to what are described as 'intervening variables' concerning both individual factors such as age, personality traits, and physiological characteristics, working situations such as work loads and shift schedules, and social conditions such as the number and age of children, housing and commuting.


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