Arbeitszeitgestaltung in Wissenschaft und Praxis

This contribution addresses the impact of working time arrangements on employees’ health, safety, and work-life balance, summarizing findings from over 100 years of research. Long working hours significantly increase the risk of accidents and lead to chronic fatigue and health issues such as stroke and heart disease. Working at biologically unfavorable times, such as at night, disrupts the circadian rhythm, resulting in reduced performance, fatigue, and a higher accident risk. Legally mandated minimum rest periods of 11 hours are often insufficient to ensure adequate recovery. Regular rest breaks during work are essential to reduce fatigue and accidents. Irregular and atypical working hours, such as evening and weekend work, further disrupt social life and well-being, often in combination with other factors. The article goes on to provide recommendations for practical implementation in terms of ergonomic work schedule design. Shift schedules should be designed ergonomically, with short night shift cycles and sufficiently long recovery times. Flexible work arrangements can improve work-life balance, but they must be carefully planned. This emphasizes the importance of evidence-based work schedule design for employee health and the long-term preservation of workability.