Workforce Productivity: Schedules, Fatigue, & Health of Female Intermodal Transportation Workers

The present study was designed to determine the magnitude of the relationship between productivity and the amount, frequency, and length of shift work completed by female transportation employees and the number, degree, and extent of problems related to physical and psychological health including depression. It was hypothesized that long-term productivity impacts may be affected by transportation professionals engaged in shift work on a regular basis who will have placed themselves at higher risk for developing health or psychosocial related effects. These health related outcomes can have a profound impact on an employee’s job performance, daily functioning, and personal life. The present study sought to understand the potential relationship between working shift work and higher disturbances to the bodies’ natural functioning. It was hoped that the study would identify factors that could lead to decreased risk for those doing shift work by adding to the overall understanding of this multifaceted relationship. The overall purpose of the study was to gain a better understanding of the effects on productivity of shift work of females working within the transportation industry. This study has implications for explaining that the effects of disturbances to the circadian rhythm as a result of certain shift work schedules can result in related ill-health effects. This study sought to explain the health implications specifically for female workers as fewer studies have been conducted with gender as a main effect in the analysis. The present study suggests that due to the circadian rhythm controlling hormone secretion within the body, disturbances to its natural rhythm can have additional effects on female cycles such as menstruation. Overall, this study offers implications for further research on females working shift work and highlights the continued importance for further exploration into recent developments. These implications have the potential to further our current understanding of the relationship between shift work and ill-health effects, particularly the factors that women face.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013-37FR.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/49845
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  National Center for Intermodal Transportation

  University of Denver
  Denver, CO  United States  80208

  National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness

  Mississippi State University
  479-2 Hardy Road 260 McCain Hall
  Mississippi State, MS  United States  39762

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Bondanza, Allison M
  • Sherry, Patrick
• Publication Date: 2016-8-15

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 115p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Circadian rhythms; Females; Health; Intermodal transportation; Labor productivity; Physiological fatigue; Transportation; Workforce
• Uncontrolled Terms: Shiftwork schedules; Work schedules (Personnel)
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01627910
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NCITEC Project 2013-37
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 2017 3:48PM