Pros and Cons of Working Night Shift

About 20 percent of the work force in America is working in a rotating shift job. Most people take up a night shift job for several reasons other than a good health. However, sooner or later a good percentage of people realize the health consequences and feel compelled to quit the job.

Those who find a night shift job attractive would quote several reasons which include:

1) It would pay you much more than a regular shift job.

2) It takes you just a fraction of time to commute from your home to office and vice versa. Besides, you do not have to slog in the various public transport systems to reach your office or home.

3) The work load is not as much as in regular hours. The company offers a much more friendly and lenient working environment for those working in the night shift.

4) You get for yourself a lot of day time so you can run several errands. But this really depends on how much of the day time you spend sleeping. Many of those working in night shifts spend a large part of their day sleeping and doing routine activities. By the time you wake up and are done with your daily chores, most businesses are already closed. While after you complete the shift and before you go to sleep most businesses have not opened as yet.

5) You get to see and spend time with your children and be more productive when it comes to household support. If the spouse is working in regular shift, you can take care of the children’s school and receive them when they come home.

These advantages really appeal to some and they continue with the job for a longer duration, while many find the disadvantages overwhelming and prefer to return to a regular shift. Some of the obvious and notable disadvantages of working in a graveyard shift include:

Health Suffers :-

Working in a graveyard shift can take a toll on your health condition as it is supposed to have an impact on your overall metabolism. If you continue to ignore the health needs in the long run it can lead to diseases like diabetes, heart attacks and even cancer. According to some scientists, when the sleeping cycle is disturbed it affects the body’s ability to repair itself, ultimately leading to a deteriorating health situation.

Social life is endangered :-

Since you work out of sync with about 80 percent of the people in the world, you are not able to meet social commitments on account of job obligations. You may even not be able to spend quality time with your partner as both of you would never be able to sync with each other on your energy levels.

If you are contemplating taking up a night shift job, it is best that you are cognizant of the benefits and harms that it may have for your financial, social and physical health in the short term and the long term. This will help you take an informed decision and not regret it later.

This entry was posted in Employee and Workplace, Tips for Jobseeker.