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Objective: Shift work is associated with impaired health and safety but there is a lack of systematic knowledge of shift workers attitude to their shift systems. This may be important for the ability to retain valuable personnel in the company/organization, and to attract new employees. The purpose of the present study was to investigate: the prevalence of shift characteristics (nights, long shifts, short rest, etc.) in traditional shift systems, the workers' attitude to their shift systems, if combinations of problematic shift characteristics are associated with the workers' attitude, and if work stress and poor sleep, fatigue, or social difficulties are associated with attitudes to shift systems. Methods: A representative sample of 3,500 individuals with non-day work in the general population of Sweden were asked to participate in the study. A total of 1965 workers remained after drop-outs. The material was analyzed by Chi2 analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: The results showed that traditional shift systems included many more shift characteristics than those constituting the core of the systems. All included day work, for example. 90.2% of those with roster work had shifts > 10 h at least once a month. 66.9% of those with roster work without nights had < 11 h rest between shifts at least once a month. Less than 25% of the respondents had a rather or very negative attitude to their shift system, with the lowest level for those who work either fixed days or nights (7.6 and 5.7%, respectively) and highest for three-shift work (21.2%) and roster work without night work (24.4%). Shiftwork or roster work with nights had highest levels (> 50%) of sleep problems and fatigue. The difference across shift systems was significant at p <.001 in all cases. Combinations of the most problematic shift characteristics were associated with some increase in negative attitude to the shift schedule. Among schedule characteristics, only long weeks turned out significant in the multivariable regression. The strongest predictor of negative attitude to work hours were social difficulties due to work schedule [ß = 4.98 (95% Confidence interval (Ci) = 3.41, 7.27; p <.001], fatigue caused by schedule (ß = 3.20 Ci = 2.03, 5.05; p <.001), sleep problems caused by schedule (ß = 2.10 Ci = 1.46, 3.01; p =.01), and stressful work (ß = 1.52 Ci = 1.10, 2.11; p <.05). Conclusion: It was concluded that shift systems often included many different shift characteristics, that night shift systems had a large proportion of long shifts, and that split shifts mainly occurred in roster day work. Furthermore, it was concluded that the attitude to the worker's present shift systems seems to be positive for the majority, with the highest level for those who work either fixed days or nights, compared to those who work alternating shifts (including night shifts). Negative attitude to shift systems was more linked to social difficulties, fatigue or sleep problems due to the shift schedule, than to schedule characteristics per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. There is limited knowledge as to why some individuals tolerate shift work and others do not. As a consequence of their intolerance, many individuals develop dissatisfaction with their shift schedule. To evaluate if dissatisfaction with one’s shift system was related to alterations of the daily pattern of sleep and sleepiness, we followed two groups of shift workers that were either highly satisfied or dissatisfied with their shift schedule, during an entire shift cycle. Methods. Thirty-six male and 20 female shift workers were selected according to their satisfaction with their shift schedule. The shift cycle included seven work periods (“triads” of shifts; night shift—afternoon shift—morning shift), with only 8–9 hours off (quick returns) between shifts, but followed by a day off. Results. Sleep length was reduced after night shifts (4.8 h) and afternoon shifts (5.4 h). Sleepiness was increased during all shifts, particularly night shifts. Sleepiness did not accumulate across the shift cycle even though sleepiness was slightly increased directly after the last triad of shifts. There were few significant gender differences. Dissatisfied shift workers reached much higher levels of sleepiness and reported less sufficient sleep, but not objectively poorer or shorter sleep. Amongst dissatisfied workers, this resulted in an increase of sleepiness problems across shifts within the triad of shifts. Dissatisfied workers also had more performance lapses at the end of the night shift. Conclusions. Satisfaction with the shift schedule seems to reflect how well the shift workers were coping with the schedule. It is suggested that the increase of sleep/wake problems within the work period for the dissatisfied shift workers is related to increased sensitivity to curtailed and displaced sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]