Shift Work: The difference is night and day. Do fewer rotations between day and night shift reduce sick time and improve performance in police officers?

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between shift schedule and health/productivity outcomes in policing. More specifically this research will explore whether a schedule with fewer rotations from day shift to night shift will result in differences in certain outcomes such as sick time usage and productivity when compared to a schedule with more frequent rotations from day shift to night shift. Police work involves responding to stressful situations and managing those situations effectively in a very short period of time. The resolution of these situations often has lasting effects on the people and communities that are involved. It is in the public interest that police have the training and support needed to manage these situations effectively. One of the most challenging aspects of police work is the schedule. Most police work involves some manner of shift work in which police officers rotate between day and night shifts on a regular basis. The focus of this research is on the frequency of switching between day and night shift. Is a 12-hour shift schedule with fewer rotations between day shift and night shift more advantageous than a schedule with more frequent rotations? Our hypothesis is that a schedule with one monthly rotation between day and night shift will result in less sick time and better productivity than a schedule which rotates twice a month. This study was quasi experimental in design and analyzed aggregate data from a New Jersey State Police Station which worked both schedules in recent years. Results of this study showed that that NJ State Troopers who rotated from day shift to night shift monthly utilized less sick time and had greater productivity than NJ State Troopers who rotated from day shift to night shift biweekly. This is the first study of its kind to compare frequency of shift rotation from day shift to night shift in a standard 12-hour shift schedule. Most research to this point has focused on shift length. The significance of this research is that it is in the public interest to have police who are in optimum physical, mental and emotional health since these factors will affect their interactions with the general public. In the current environment where the relationship between the police and the general public is strained, having an optimal shift schedule may alleviate some of the stressors associated with police work and reduce some of the undue tension between police and the communities they serve.