It's a Family Thing

The second most important impact of shiftwork (the sleep issues are number one) is the social and family issues that surround the lifestyle. There is no doubt whatsoever that shiftwork is a major detriment to one’s personal life. Not only does shiftwork disrupt life on the home front, it has even broader impacts on the individual as a member of the community.

The effects of the job in this regard are twofold: First, the shift schedule makes socialization with friends difficult or impossible (such as attending public events, sports, etc.). And second, the demands of the job make it extremely difficult to conduct routine activities such as shopping, or even watching television.

And while we usually focus on the worker as being the primary victim, it should be noted that the rest of the family suffers as well. Spouses of shiftworkers often complain about the difficulties surrounding meal preparation, laundry, house cleaning, and other chores that must be scheduled around the worker’s daytime sleeping habits.

One of the major complaints is when the worker has days off during the week. This often conflicts with the childrens’ schedules and other social activities that take place on weekends. How many Little League games do you miss while you’re working those shifts during the weekend?

Until I did my graduate work in this area, there was much information concerning how shiftwork lessened the marital quality of the couple, but there was virtually no data that suggested a positive and supporting spouse actually contributed to a shiftworker’s ability to cope with the situation.

My research did find a significant correlation between a supporting spouse and family and a shiftworker’s satisfaction with the job. That's why I have recommended family counseling and training for shiftworkers having serious difficulty with round-the-clock operations. A supporting family is absolutely vital.

Spouses understand the importance of their role, but they also have many needs and concerns and that must be heard. Here are a few of the things I’ve heard them say:

“It’s very difficult planning ahead in almost every category – meals, trips, family gatherings, shopping, household chores, etc.”

“He doesn’t spend enough quality time with the family.”

“I feel like I’m raising the kids alone.”

“We can’t communicate. It seems like she’s either sleeping or working.”

“I have trouble keeping the kids quiet when he’s sleeping during the day.”

“There’s very little time for romance or recreation.”

It's important to remember that the family of the shiftworker must also learn to cope with the situation. We cannot make these problems go away. But we can learn to manage them.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic