Why shift workers need more support

Shift workers are an integral part of the Aussie economy. They make up 1.4 million, or 16 per cent of the entire workforce, yet can often be left without the same support as other workers.

A study by Monash University revealed that shift workers have a higher risk of developing diet-related illnesses due to poorer diets. This is reportedly due to the long hours worked and less time to source a healthy meal, whereas junk food can be a quicker alternative.

Monash University PhD candidate and research dietitian Angela Clark, who works with Monash University’s SWIFt Study (Shifting weight in night shift workers), said workplace support is needed for these employees.

“The study also found the diets of rotational workers tended to contain less protein and carbohydrates, and more fat than day workers,” said Ms Clark.

“The foods and drinks typically consumed by rotating workers were more fried and fatty foods, confectionary, sweetened drinks and alcohol, with fewer core foods such as dairy, meat, fruit and vegetables.”

She continued: “There was also a pattern of more meals per day and frequent snacking at night, with the majority of kilojoules being eaten in the second half of the day. Adding to the complexities of nighttime eating, shift workers don’t have the same access to healthy food as day workers, and may rely more on vending machines, takeaway and convenience foods.”

Ms Clark noted that support is crucial as “these workers are an important part of our society and are often working around the clock to keep our world functioning”.

Diet isn’t the only trouble. According to The Big Shift report by Deputy, talent shortages are having a significant effect on shift workers. The pandemic was a major contributor to this, with shift work hours dropping 40 to 80 per cent during COVID-19.

The flow-on effects from this are continuing, with talent shortages causing 20 per cent fewer work hours compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Safety is also a concern for many shift workers, with a 2016 report by Safe Work Australia claiming that they’re much more likely to be injured at work. The injury rate for shift workers was 49.9 injured workers per million hours worked. This figure was 23.2 for non-shift workers.

While shift workers made up just 16 per cent of the hours worked in Australia, they made up 30 per cent of injured workers.

Hospitality is a major industry for employing shift workers. Safe Work Australia noted that in its 2016 study, 27.3 per cent were working shifts. Deputy found in The Big Shift report that 51 per cent of hospitality employers are having difficulty hiring workers.

To try and mitigate this issue, 42 per cent are planning to increase wages, 27 per cent plan to increase staff hours, and 22 per cent plan to introduce flexible working arrangements.

For those who may be struggling to attract shift workers, taking advantage of temp and contract employees may be beneficial. HR Leader recently discussed five ways to improve temp hiring.

Making the lives of affected employers even easier, Deputy and JobAdder have teamed up with an improved platform to reduce the stress in hiring temp and contract workers.

According to a statement: “JobAdder has built an integration into workforce management platform Deputy that connects and automates the management and recruitment of temporary and contract workers. Together the two employment platforms will address the complexities that arise from non-integrated systems, paving the way for a more seamless employment journey.”

Deepesh Banerji, chief product officer at Deputy, commented on the announcement: “Labour shortages have plagued Deputy customers across industries since the pandemic, and hiring contract workers has served as a valuable lifeline that has helped these businesses tide through the last few years.”

“Deputy’s integration with JobAdder has made the process of hiring temporary workers more seamless and convenient than ever before, allowing business leaders to spend less time on tasks like compliance, scheduling and double-checking multiple systems, and more time focusing on what matters – serving the customer. New hires get an exceptional experience, starting their first shift in days rather than weeks, keeping momentum strong from the exciting moment of securing a new role.”