Take extra good care of your night shift workers

In many industries, night work is a standard part of the job, but it is essential that it does not unnecessarily harm employees’ health. Since night work negatively affects the body’s natural circadian rhythms, it increases the risk of several serious diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. As an employer of a company where employees work at night, you are required to offer your employees a health check-up, also known as a medical examination or personal health profile.

The health check should, as far as possible, be offered during working hours and must be free of charge for the employee. The Danish Working Environment Authority does not have a fixed template for the content of the health check, but states that the check must be comprehensive in relation to the health problems that night work can cause.

At Acture, we have decided that a health checkup should include all the elements we offer in our personalized health profiles—such as cholesterol, long-term blood sugar (HbA1c), BMI, fitness level, blood pressure, and more—but at the same time, a health checkup for night workers places greater emphasis on sleep habits and overall well-being. Research shows that sleep patterns and circadian rhythms, in particular, have a significant impact on an employee’s health.

The link between night work and cancer and other diseases stems from the fact that the body normally uses the night to, among other things, rebuild the immune system, repair defects in our cells, and eliminate various waste products. When exposed to light at night, this delicate system is disrupted, and with it, the necessary biological processes. That is why it is important to ensure that the normal circadian rhythm is maintained as much as possible.

What can you do to improve conditions for night workers?

There are several things you can do to improve the well-being and health of night workers, both as an employer and as an employee—and at Acture, we are committed to using our expertise to provide guidance at both levels. For employers who want to improve their employees’ working conditions at night, we recommend, among other things, allowing for regular breaks, ideally a power nap around 4 a.m., and avoiding scheduling employees for many consecutive night shifts, as this increases the risk of illness. In addition, we recommend providing employees with access to fitness facilities and permission to exercise during work hours, and it is important that employees are aware that they can participate in a health check-up free of charge.

In this regard, it is absolutely essential that employees feel comfortable with the program—unfortunately, we sometimes find that employees do not participate in health screenings because they are worried about the results, or even that their employer might find out they are ill.

Let Acture handle your health checkup

A health check conducted by Acture is always 100% confidential and is intended solely to help and advise the employee on their own health. When we speak with the employee, our health consultants are experts at pinpointing exactly where any challenges may lie for the individual. Therefore, the advice can take several directions, but the main focus of the health check is to ensure the best possible conditions and help the employee find sustainable solutions that ensure as healthy a work life as possible.