Improving Well-Being of workers in manufacturing by identifying the health impact of unconventional work schedules.

There is ample evidence showing that 12-hour shifts, rotating shifts, and irregular shifts have a deleterious effect on employee health. Shift work is prevalent in the manufacturing industry, and manufacturing communities have high rates of poor health outcomes. In this study, we will calculate the health care costs to manufacturing companies and Medicare associated with firms' shift work policies, and engage large manufacturers to ensure that our findings are compelling and reach the target audiences. Our ultimate goal is to improve well-being in manufacturing communities, while also lowering health care costs for employers and Medicare. At the end of the study, leaders of large manufacturing companies and policy makers will have estimates of the financial costs of shift work, and community health advocates will be better equipped to campaign for healthier work scheduling policies.