Worktime control: theoretical conceptualization, current empirical knowledge, and research agenda

摘要

Working hours play a crucial role in the life, health, and well-being of workers. Concerning irregular working hours, the recent Fifth European Working Conditions Survey (1) shows that night work is carried out by 19% and shift work by 17% of all workers in Europe. More than half of the total workforce works at least one day during the weekend and 21% works "on call". The health effects of night and shift work have been a popular and important area of research within Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health (eg, 2-4), including new and interesting data and a consensus statement on shift work and breast cancer (5) published in this issue (5-8).