Parental Nonstandard Work Schedules in the UK: Implications for Children's and Parents' Health
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Sociology & Social Policy
Abstract
Evening, night, and weekend work (hereafter referred to as nonstandard work) are common in the 24/7 economy, but does this create new opportunities or new pressures for combining work with family life? In the UK, nearly 25% of employed mothers and 35% of employed fathers have nonstandard schedules. A growing body of research has pointed to the adverse impact of these schedules on child and parental health. Given that work-related stress, depression and anxiety accounted for 11.7 million working days lost in the UK in 2015-16, we need to gather more evidence on the implications of parents' nonstandard work schedules on parents' health, family life, and children's health. This ground-breaking research is the first in the UK to make these significant contributions:
-An examination of the social and demographic profiles of mothers and fathers working nonstandard schedules
-Provide new evidence on the immediate and longitudinal consequences of parental nonstandard work schedules on children's health and development, family life, and parental mental and overall health
-An investigation of family characteristics that may explain the links between nonstandard work and children's and parents' health, thereby identifying potential policy levers
The vast majority of scholarship on nonstandard shifts has been done in the US context, arguably a country with the most limited family and childcare policies of any industrialized country. This proposed research program will fill the gaps by focusing on the UK context to investigate the implications of parental nonstandard employment on children's and parents' health. The project will profile the characteristics of mothers and fathers who work nonstandard work schedules, and examine different markers of health and development for children, and a range of markers of health and family life for parents. Factors in the family environment will be considered to investigate the channels through which nonstandard work schedules influence children and parents. Furthermore, the statistical techniques and data source will ascertain whether nonstandard work schedules actually cause differences in health between parents who work such schedules and parents who work 9-5 schedules. This type of research will be made possible by using rich, longitudinal data in the UK: the Millennium Cohort Study. This is an ideal dataset because it contains detailed information on family circumstances, parenting, and economic resources.
The applicant will disseminate findings to a wide range of beneficiaries. Dissemination of the research via peer-reviewed publications in high impact journals and international conferences will be key. Opportunities to disseminate work through seminars will be pursued. In addition to an academic audience, the research will benefit employers, family and employment policy makers, parents, teachers, social workers, child care providers and others who seek to contribute to the continuing policy debate on the effects of parental employment on children's and parents' health. The research will have impact via a number of mechanisms: Collaborating with policy makers, charities, and think tanks, such as National Children's Bureau, DWP, PHE, Working Families, Women's Business Council, and The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee; Disseminate research findings and promote impact related activities through online platforms, such as WorkFlex blog at Working Families, Mumsnet, ToUChstone blog (operated by TUC), and The Conversation; Deliver evidence through podcasts and audio slide shows to forums that increase awareness of policy issues, such as The Lancet UK Policy Matters, the National Child and Maternal Health Intelligence Network, and platforms, such as Workingmums and The Work Foundation blog; share findings with campaigners, policy experts, and lobbyists through submissions to Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, Parliamentary special advisors and research assistants.
-An examination of the social and demographic profiles of mothers and fathers working nonstandard schedules
-Provide new evidence on the immediate and longitudinal consequences of parental nonstandard work schedules on children's health and development, family life, and parental mental and overall health
-An investigation of family characteristics that may explain the links between nonstandard work and children's and parents' health, thereby identifying potential policy levers
The vast majority of scholarship on nonstandard shifts has been done in the US context, arguably a country with the most limited family and childcare policies of any industrialized country. This proposed research program will fill the gaps by focusing on the UK context to investigate the implications of parental nonstandard employment on children's and parents' health. The project will profile the characteristics of mothers and fathers who work nonstandard work schedules, and examine different markers of health and development for children, and a range of markers of health and family life for parents. Factors in the family environment will be considered to investigate the channels through which nonstandard work schedules influence children and parents. Furthermore, the statistical techniques and data source will ascertain whether nonstandard work schedules actually cause differences in health between parents who work such schedules and parents who work 9-5 schedules. This type of research will be made possible by using rich, longitudinal data in the UK: the Millennium Cohort Study. This is an ideal dataset because it contains detailed information on family circumstances, parenting, and economic resources.
The applicant will disseminate findings to a wide range of beneficiaries. Dissemination of the research via peer-reviewed publications in high impact journals and international conferences will be key. Opportunities to disseminate work through seminars will be pursued. In addition to an academic audience, the research will benefit employers, family and employment policy makers, parents, teachers, social workers, child care providers and others who seek to contribute to the continuing policy debate on the effects of parental employment on children's and parents' health. The research will have impact via a number of mechanisms: Collaborating with policy makers, charities, and think tanks, such as National Children's Bureau, DWP, PHE, Working Families, Women's Business Council, and The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee; Disseminate research findings and promote impact related activities through online platforms, such as WorkFlex blog at Working Families, Mumsnet, ToUChstone blog (operated by TUC), and The Conversation; Deliver evidence through podcasts and audio slide shows to forums that increase awareness of policy issues, such as The Lancet UK Policy Matters, the National Child and Maternal Health Intelligence Network, and platforms, such as Workingmums and The Work Foundation blog; share findings with campaigners, policy experts, and lobbyists through submissions to Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, Parliamentary special advisors and research assistants.
Planned Impact
The proposed research program, "Parental Nonstandard Work Schedules in the UK: Implications for Children's and Parents' Health" will be of great interest to a wide range of users spanning many sectors. The goal of this study is to successfully exchange knowledge and evidence on the influence of nonstandard shifts on children's health and development and parents' health with a wide range of individuals and groups-employers, unions, parents, schools, and policy makers. The proposed impact and communication activities will equip individuals in the UK and globally with information they need to strengthen the case for improving work conditions and for family friendly workplace reform, alongside ensuring that children and parents have optimal physical and mental health to participate fully in the workplace and society.
This work will appeal to a wide audience in the UK and internationally. Academic researchers within the broad fields of social science and population health, alongside disciplines of economics, child development, and sociology will benefit greatly from the evidence and methodological insights of the findings. Open-access peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and invited seminars will expose the research to a multidisciplinary audience of researchers who use population-level survey data.
The project will engage voluntary, private, public and political stakeholders to increase and influence evidence based public policy making. Knowledge transfer and exchange with users will ensure co-production of research findings that are a benefit to organizations' impact on the health of the working age population, children and families, and wider society. These beneficiaries are:
-Government: Department of Health; The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee; Public Health England; Department for Work and Pensions; Local government. The findings on the social and health consequences of nonstandard shifts could be used to promote and strengthen family policies.
-Charities and advocacy groups: National Children's Bureau; Child Poverty Action Group; The Work Foundation; Working Families; Workingmums.co.uk; Working with Men; Family and Parenting Institute; Fatherhood Institute. Project findings will benefit these groups in their engagement with employers and parents in discussions regarding the influence of nonstandard shifts on parents, children, and family life.
-Educators and health care professionals: Teachers; social workers; nurses; doctors; childcare providers. Individuals who are at the frontline of supporting parents, children, and families who may be affected by nonstandard hours will benefit from the project findings so that interventions and services can support working families.
-Businesses and unions: Findings on the positive or negative effects of nonstandard shifts will be of interest to employers and union members such that workplace reforms and supportive working environments are provided to ensure the care of all workers and their families.
-Public and media: Schools; parents; children; communities; journalists; broadcasters; editors; media outlets. High quality media coverage with trusted outlets will translate directly to bringing the findings to the attention of the general public and to individuals who want to and are engaged in the debate on supporting working families and supporting social inclusion.
This work will appeal to a wide audience in the UK and internationally. Academic researchers within the broad fields of social science and population health, alongside disciplines of economics, child development, and sociology will benefit greatly from the evidence and methodological insights of the findings. Open-access peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and invited seminars will expose the research to a multidisciplinary audience of researchers who use population-level survey data.
The project will engage voluntary, private, public and political stakeholders to increase and influence evidence based public policy making. Knowledge transfer and exchange with users will ensure co-production of research findings that are a benefit to organizations' impact on the health of the working age population, children and families, and wider society. These beneficiaries are:
-Government: Department of Health; The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee; Public Health England; Department for Work and Pensions; Local government. The findings on the social and health consequences of nonstandard shifts could be used to promote and strengthen family policies.
-Charities and advocacy groups: National Children's Bureau; Child Poverty Action Group; The Work Foundation; Working Families; Workingmums.co.uk; Working with Men; Family and Parenting Institute; Fatherhood Institute. Project findings will benefit these groups in their engagement with employers and parents in discussions regarding the influence of nonstandard shifts on parents, children, and family life.
-Educators and health care professionals: Teachers; social workers; nurses; doctors; childcare providers. Individuals who are at the frontline of supporting parents, children, and families who may be affected by nonstandard hours will benefit from the project findings so that interventions and services can support working families.
-Businesses and unions: Findings on the positive or negative effects of nonstandard shifts will be of interest to employers and union members such that workplace reforms and supportive working environments are provided to ensure the care of all workers and their families.
-Public and media: Schools; parents; children; communities; journalists; broadcasters; editors; media outlets. High quality media coverage with trusted outlets will translate directly to bringing the findings to the attention of the general public and to individuals who want to and are engaged in the debate on supporting working families and supporting social inclusion.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Afshin Zilanawala (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | Initial findings on the education gradient in maternal and paternal nonstandard work schedules have included the following: - Employed mothers with less than NVQ2 (or less than high school) are most likely to be working nonstandard hours across childhood. Among employed fathers, there is little difference in the probability of working nonstandard schedules by education. The most common type of shift for mothers (30%) and fathers (nearly 40%) is evening work. Mothers and fathers with NVQ4 or more (college degree or higher) are most likely to be working evening schedules at all ages. - This work documents the pervasiveness of parental nonstandard employment, which has received little attention in the UK, finds that the education gradient in nonstandard hours is contingent on type of work schedule, and critically incorporates information about fathers' nonstandard schedules. Initial findings on maternal and paternal nonstandard work schedules and parental mental health has the following key findings: - I found no associations between mothers' nonstandard work schedules and their mental health, - We found regularly working night schedules was associated with lower relationship happiness among mothers, and particularly so during the school-age period. - Fathers' evening and weekend work schedules were associated with worse mental health. - The joint work schedule in which mothers worked a standard schedule and fathers worked nonstandard schedules was associated with lower relationship happiness for mothers and worse mental health for fathers. - This study emphasizes the significance of incorporating fathers' work schedules and of investigating the family consequences of nonstandard work schedules in different country contexts. Initial findings on paternal nonstandard work and parenting: - Fathers who regularly worked night schedules engaged in more basic care in both infancy and middle childhood, compared to fathers who regularly worked standard schedules. - Evening schedules were related to lower levels of basic care among infants and 7-year-olds. - The combination of fathers' and mothers' work schedules were relatively more important than considering fathers' work schedules in isolation Initial findings on maternal nonstandard work, economic wellbeing and child wellbeing: - Mothers' nonstandard work schedules were associated with lower verbal scores and more internalizing behaviors. However, most of the outcomes and ages examined revealed null associations between work schedules and child outcomes. - Mothers who worked nonstandard schedules had more economic hardship relative to mothers' working standard schedules, and the interaction of such employment with financial stress at age 5 was related to higher internalizing scores. - This work is highlighting that findings in the US may not be universal and secondly, it is important to look at the nexus of economic wellbeing and work schedules to understand the impact on child wellbeing. |
| Exploitation Route | These findings could have implications for policy and practice in the UK context. Parents who work nonstandard hours are subject to EU-required protections that regulate work schedules. The Working Time Directive restricts weekly work hours, excessive night work, and mandates weekly and daily rest periods. However, workers can opt-out of limits on weekly work hours. Aside from these EU protections, there are no regulations on types of nonstandard work schedules. Given the prevalence of nonstandard work in this sample of parents and the ill effects of such hours on health and family lives, policies need to address the unique challenges parents face when working nonstandard schedules. The UK, relative to other EU countries, faces a less supportive environment from the perspective of services for children, family-friendly policies, and work culture. In terms of legislation, this means suitable compensation or premium for hours worked on weekends and during nighttime alongside requiring predictable work schedules so families can plan and organize routines. Although government level policy implementation is salient for working families, there is also reason to support employee and employer led initiatives. Negotiating working time regulation at the sector and employer level can account for differences in policy practices which are difficult to monitor by central policymakers. For example, collective bargaining can improve working conditions because employers and employees are engaged in policy implementation, and overall, negotiating can reduce social inequalities between low- and high-skilled workers. As working during nonstandard times is unlikely to dissipate, employers can address work-family integration of their employees with solutions such as flexible access to childcare and transparent occupational mobility that allows workers to move from nonstandard to standard work hours to reduce strains between work and family life. |
| Sectors | Education,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | My involvement with Working Families, a UK based charity, has resulted in membership of their academic advisory board. This has meant I am part of a group that highlights empirical evidence to infuse the briefing notes and policy statements that relate to supporting parents in the workforce. These documents are distributed widely among Working Families' network and may have direct influence on policy making. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Population Association of America 2021 Conference presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented research on one of the key research objectives of the grant. Results on work schedules, economic hardship, and child outcomes. Interacted with potential collaborators. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |