Periodic self-rostering in shift work: correspondence between objective work hours, work hour preferences         (personal fit), and work schedule satisfaction.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of the present study was to investigate relative personal fit as the         association between rated needs and preferences for work hours, on the one hand, and actual work hours, on the other         hand, in three groups (hospital, call-center, and police) working with periodic self-rostering. We also examined the         association between personal fit and satisfaction with the work schedule and preference for a fixed and regular shift         schedule, respectively.


METHODS
We collected questionnaire data and objective work hour data over 6-12 months         from the computerized self-rostering system. The response rate of the questionnaire was 69% at the hospital and         call-center and 98% among the police. In total, 29 433 shifts for 285 shift workers were included in the study. Data         was analyzed by means of mixed ANOVA, Kendal tau correlations and ordinal (proportional odds) logistic regression.


RESULTS
The results show that evening types worked relatively more hours during the evening and night hours compared         to morning types as an indication of relative personal fit. Relative personal fit was also found for long shift, short         rest, and morning-, evening- and night-shift frequency, but only personal fit related to morning, evening and         night-shift was associated with satisfaction with work hours. Reported conflicts at the workplace about work hours and         problems with lack of predictability of time for family/leisure activities, was associated with poor satisfaction and a         preference for a fixed shift schedule.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study shows that periodic self-rostering is associated         with relative personal fit, in particular with respect to night, evening, and morning work. Personal fit seems to be         associated with satisfaction with work hours and may be a moderator of tolerance to shift work exposure.
Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. michael.ingre@stress.su.se
Michael
M
Ingre
Torbjörn
T
Åkerstedt
Mirjam
M
Ekstedt
Göran
G
Kecklund
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance