• Employees working night shifts can suffer from various physical and mental health issues.
• Most US workers, including night shift workers, struggle with increased financial stress.
• Employers are introducing flexible shift scheduling and offering valued night shift workers holistic health and financial wellness programs.

Today more  than 15 million Americans work night shifts. Employees working these shifts for prolonged periods can suffer from various physical and mental health issues and persistent financial stress.

Understanding the Struggles Your Night Shift Employees Face

Night shift workers may experience loneliness and isolation. The loneliest jobs are also some of the unhappiest, according to an 85-year study from Harvard researchers. Building positive relationships is important for job satisfaction and doing better work. Additionally, night shift workers may be at an increased risk of depression due to a lack of exposure to sunlight and a possible vitamin D deficiency, which can cause symptoms such as persistent sadness, difficulty sleeping, and impaired decision-making.

Night shift workers are among the two-thirds of Americans currently concerned about the rising cost of living. Inflation is the top concern for people aged 45 to 54, and over half of all employees are worried about finances. Night shift workers may struggle to make ends meet while dealing with the additional mental and physical health effects of working late at night.

How to Offer Meaningful Support To Your Night Shift Workers

If you’re concerned about the mental and physical well-being of your night shift workers, there are several ways you can help:

Offer Flexibility

Here are some ways to adapt your operations to boost night shift workers’ loyalty and productivity:

• Build a flexible schedule and allow night shift employees to swap shifts. This will empower your team to work together and foster a culture of goodwill.
• Offer flexible wage payment options such as on-demand pay – also known as Earned Wage Access (EWA) – which allows your night shift workers to access  their earned wages when they need them and before their regular payday.

Offer Employee Financial Wellness Programs

 75% of Americans say increasing financial stress impacts their productivity at work. Nearly 30% say they spend one to two hours a day worrying about money. People spending that much time stressing about money are probably falling behind on job-related responsibilities.

Paying employees more may not be a solution, especially during high inflation. One way to support financially stressed employees is by introducing an employee financial wellness program. A good financial wellness program will focus on getting workers to take relatively simple steps toward financial health, like creating a budget, tracking spending, avoiding costly debt, and seeking professional financial counseling . Offering employee financial wellness programs will also boost your ability to recruit the night shift workers you need:

• Two-thirds of all employees and 73% of workers aged 18 to 24 say they’re more likely to apply for a job if the employer can support their financial well-being.
• 46% of workers consider financial apps and tools integral to their employee benefits program.
• 54% consider financial wellness programs their most desired benefit.

Financial stress can contribute to absenteeism, which can be particularly challenging for night shift workers struggling with sleep disturbances and other health issues. Financial wellness programs can help improve attendance and productivity among night shift workers by reducing financial stress.

Lighting the Way with Financial Wellness

While these interventions won’t serve as an overnight employee financial wellness cure-all, helping your night shift workers get a grasp on their finances can be a powerful first step toward them feeling more confident about their financial picture—or at least help them get some sleep at night (or during the day!)

Payactiv’s holistic benefits platform is a great way to provide night shift workers with the necessary tools and resources to help them on their financial wellness journey. . Our platform is designed to improve employee financial wellness and increase loyalty and satisfaction. Our suite of flexible workforce benefits costs nothing to your business but delivers immense value to your employees.

Learn more about Payactiv’s Service, or book your demo now.