Trends in the participatory process of changing shiftwork arrangements

A recent survey by the International Labour Office on changing shiftwork arrangements showed that there were three essential steps commonly taken in the change process in different countries. They could be identified as: (1) group study of operational requirements and workers' needs; (2) establishing feasible options; and (3) consensus building while acting on conflicting interests. The change process was more successful when it was provided with concrete support. Attention is drawn to three major aspects of such support: (a) gathering data about operational requirements of the enterprise and workers' needs and preferences (by applying practical methods such as questionnaire surveys, interviews, group discussion and workshops); (b) support for the participatory development of plans for new arrangements (by organizing a group involving workers' representatives); and (c) training support for facilitating the group work and bargaining required for consensus building. Locally adapted training support is necessary particularly about: (1) understanding shiftwork effects and generally accepted guidelines; (2) how to find feasible options based on gathered data and these guidelines; and (3) how to cope with shiftwork. Thus support from people experienced in facilitating the well-informed, participatory process of change will need to be developed for promoting the improvement of shiftworking conditions.